1. An apparatus comprising:
an axially extending cannula, comprising:
a first end, forming a first access hole along the axial extension of the cannula;
a second end having an internally threaded portion, forming a second access hole along the axial extension of the cannula; and
a tubular channel extending from the first access hole to the second access hole;
an axially extending support device comprising:
a first end having an externally threaded portion, forming a first access hole along the axial extension of the support device; and
a second end, forming a second access hole along the axial extension of the support device;
a tubular channel extending from the first access hole to the second access hole;
wherein the threaded portion of first end of the support device is adapted to cooperatively fit into the threaded portion of the second end of the cannula; and
wherein an internal diameter of the support device is smaller than an internal diameter of the cannula; and
an implant cartridge comprising:
a tubular liner element having a first portion, forming a first access hole, and a second portion, forming a second access hole, where an external diameter of the first portion corresponds to the internal diameter of the cannula, and an external diameter of the second portion corresponds to the internal diameter of the support device; and
an inflatable structure within the liner element, having a filling aperture;
wherein the implant cartridge is adapted to fit within the cannula and the support device when the cannula and the support device are assembled;
wherein when the cannula, support device, and implant cartridge are assembled, filling the inflatable structure with a material expands the balloon out of the second access hole of the support device.
2. An apparatus comprising:
an axially extending tubular cannula having an internally threaded end portion;
an axially extending tubular support device having an externally threaded end portion;
an inflatable structure adapted to fit within the cannula and the support device when the apparatus is assembled;
wherein when the apparatus is assembled, the threaded end portion of the support device couples into the threaded end portion of the cannula; and
wherein filling the inflatable structure with a material expands the inflatable structure out of the support device.
3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein an internal diameter of the support element is smaller than an internal diameter of the cannula.
4. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a delivery device adapted to transfer a material from the delivery device to the inflatable structure.
5. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a guide device having a pointed end, adapted to fit through the cannula and through the support device when cannula and support device are assembled.
6. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the apparatus is of a surgically compatible material.
7. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein portions of the apparatus are of a biocompatible material.
8. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein portions of the apparatus are of a radiopaque material.
9. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the apparatus is adapted to insert into a vertebra.
10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the apparatus adapted to implant the inflatable structure within a vertebra.
11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the inflatable structure strengthens the vertebra when inflated.
12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the inflatable structure strengthens the vertebra when inflated.
13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the cannula may be released from the access device after the apparatus is inserted into a vertebra.
14. The device of claim 4, wherein the material may be poly methyl mecratylate, silicone, bone cement, epoxy, acrylic, or a combination thereof.
15. The device of claim 4, wherein the material cures or reacts within the inflatable structure such that the substance changes phase, tensile strength, density, size or other physical properties upon curing or reacting.
16. A method comprising:
attaching a cannula to a support device by screwing a threaded portion of the cannula to a threaded portion of the support device;
inserting the support device into the body
inserting an implant cartridge into the cannula and support device, the implant cartridge comprising an inflatable structure;
inflating the inflatable structure such that a portion of the inflatable structure exits the support device and into the body;
removing the cannula from the support device by unscrewing the threaded portion of the cannula from the threaded portion of the support device;
wherein after removing the cannula, the support device and the inflatable structure remain in the body.
17. The method of claim 4, further comprising inserting a guide device into the cannula and support device prior to inserting the support device into the body, and removing the guide device after inserting the support device into the body.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An apparatus for controlling and adjusting optimization of a pulse sequence used to operate a magnetic resonance system, said apparatus comprising:
an input interface that receives an unoptimized pulse sequence;
a checking computer configured to check whether an optimization time, resulting from a calculation time for pulse optimization of a portion of said unoptimized pulse sequence for a modifiable time interval therein, at a predetermined gradient grid density, and an associated implementation time, exceeds a real time resulting from said time interval plus a buffer time;
a reduction computer, in communication with said checking computer, configured to reduce the gradient grid density from said predetermined grid density by a factor f when said checking computer determines that said optimization time exceeds said real time;
an output interface; and
said checking computer being configured to evaluate an effect of reducing said gradient grid density by said factor f on said optimization time and to emit an output signal in electronic form via output interface, to said magnetic resonance system, dependent on the evaluation.
2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said checking computer is configured to transmit said unoptimized pulse sequence to said magnetic resonance system, as said output, when said evaluation shows that reducing the grid density by said factor f still causes said optimization time to exceed said real time.
3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said reduction computer is configured to reduce said gradient grid density by said factor f dependent on a predetermined minimum gradient grid density.
4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein said checking computer is configured to emit a scan abort signal, as said output, if said evaluation shows that said optimization time, using said predetermined minimum gradient density, still exceeds said real time.
5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said reduction computer is configured to interpolate said gradient pulses linearly in order to produce said factor f.
6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said reduction computer is configured to interpolate said gradient pulses non-linearly in order to produce said factor f.
7. A magnetic resonance system comprising:
a magnetic resonance scanner;
a checking computer comprising an input interface that receives an unoptimized pulse sequence;
said checking computer being configured to check whether an optimization time, resulting from a calculation time for pulse optimization of a portion of said unoptimized pulse sequence for a modifiable time interval therein, at a predetermined gradient grid density, and an associated implementation time, exceeds a real time resulting from said time interval plus a buffer time;
a reduction computer, in communication with said checking computer, configured to reduce the gradient grid density from said predetermined grid density by a factor f when said checking computer determines that said optimization time exceeds said real time;
said checking computer comprising an output interface; and
said checking unit being configured to evaluate an effect of reducing said gradient grid density by said factor f on said optimization time and to emit an output signal in electronic form via said output interface to said magnetic resonance scanner, dependent on the evaluation.
8. A method for controlling and adjusting pulse optimization of a pulse sequence used to operate a magnetic resonance system, comprising:
providing a checking computer with an unoptimized pulse sequence as an input;
in said checking computer, checking whether an optimization time, resulting from a calculation time for pulse optimization of a portion of said unoptimized pulse sequence for a modifiable time interval therein, at a predetermined gradient grid density, and an associated implementation time, exceeds a real time resulting from said time interval plus a buffer time;
reduction computer, in communication with said checking computer, reducing the gradient grid density from said predetermined grid density by a factor f when said checking computer determines that said optimization time exceeds said real time; and
in said checking computer, evaluating an effect of reducing said gradient grid density by said factor f on said optimization time and emitting an output signal in electronic form to said magnetic resonance system dependent on the evaluation.
9. A method as claimed in claim 8 comprising, from said checking computer, transmitting said unoptimized pulse sequence to said magnetic resonance system, as said output, when said evaluation shows that reducing the grid density by said factor f still causes said optimization time to exceed said real time.
10. A method as claimed in claim 8 comprising, from said reduction computer, reducing said gradient grid density by said factor f dependent on a predetermined minimum gradient grid density.
11. A method as claimed in claim 10 comprising, from said checking computer, emitting a scan abort signal, as said output, if said evaluation shows that said optimization time, using said predetermined minimum gradient density, still exceeds said real time.
12. A method as claimed in claim 8 comprising, in said reduction computer, interpolating said gradient pulses linearly in order to produce said factor f.
13. A method as claimed in claim 8 comprising, in said reduction computer, interpolating said gradient pulses non-linearly in order to produce said factor f.
14. A non-transitory, computer-readable data storage medium encoded with programming instructions, said storage medium being loaded into a computer for controlling and adjusting pulse optimization of a pulse sequence for operating a magnetic resonance system, said programming instructions causing said computer to:
receive an unoptimized pulse sequence;
check whether an optimization time, resulting from a calculation time for pulse optimization of a portion of said unoptimized pulse sequence for a modifiable time interval therein, at a predetermined gradient grid density, and an associated implementation time, exceeds a real time resulting from said time interval plus a buffer time;
reduce the gradient grid density from said predetermined grid density by a factor f when it is determined that said optimization time exceeds said real time; and
evaluate an effect of reducing said gradient grid density by said factor f on said optimization time and emit an output signal in electronic form to said magnetic resonance system dependent on the evaluation.