Importance

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Abstract

An audio and video system that is compatible with the strong magnetic fields generated by Magnetic Resonance Imaging equipment (wherein the MRI equipment is separated by a penetration panel into a control room and a magnet room). The system receives an incoming RF signal through a television or video cassette recorder, and then separates the RF signal into a video section signal and an audio section signal. The video section signal passes through appropriate buffering, amplifying, low pass (for the procession frequency) and RF filtering circuits, and is next conducted through the penetration panel into the magnet room where it is terminated and filtered again for spurious noise. A processor and LCD pixel driver then process the video section signal and send it to an LCD display screen. A mushroom shaped hook is mounted to the screen and a catch is mounted to a bore of a main magnet inside the magnet room so that the LCD screen can be attached to the bore. The audio section signal is separated into two channels, passed through an amplifier and appropriate RF filters and chokes, and fed into a pneumatic transducer inside the magnet room. A headset having an inner set connects the output of the pneumatic transducer to the patient's ear, while an outer set covers the patient's ear to block out gradient knocking noises. In an alternate embodiment, a CCD camera is mounted inside the control room along with a microphone so that pictures and sounds from the MRI technologist can be broadcast through the present system to allow the patient to see and hear the technologist speaking. Fiber optics technology may also be incorporated into the signal conducted cables provided under this invention.

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First Claim