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Patent No. 5020538 Low noise magnetoencephalogram system and method

 

Patent No. 5020538 

Low noise magnetoencephalogram system and method (Morgan, et al., Jun 4, 1991)

Abstract

A magnetoencaphalogram (MEG) detects the neuromagnetic brain signals of a subject by bringing a set of magnetic sensors, preferably SQUIDs (superconducting quantum interference device), close to the scalp of the subject. The adverse effect of environmental magnetic noise is reduced by using a second set of magnetic sensors which are placed near the subject. The system includes a bandpass filter, to divide the signals from the various sensors into predetermined frequency bands, and a computer to provide a least squares noise component estimate of the noise from each brain wave sensor and to calculate therefrom a filtered brain wave signal having reduced noise.

Notes:

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a magnetoencephalogram (MEG) system and method which effectively removes the environmental noise from MEG recordings without manual adjustments. The system utilizes adaptive noise cancellation, which continuously and automatically adjust the weights of the reference noise channels to remove the effect of time-varying environmental sources of contamination. Another application of the present invention is the removal of other types of contaminants in MEG recordings, such as those arising from magnetic fields generated by muscle artifact, such as movement of the eyeballs.

OBJECTIVES AND FEATURES OF THE INVENTION

It is an objective of the present invention to provide a low noise magnetoencephalogram (MEG) system and method which sufficiently cancels environmental magnetic noise so that the MEG system may be utilized in a nonmagnetically shielded room.

It is a further objective of the present invention to provide such an MEG system which will automatically and rapidly compensates for changes in the magnetic environment so that the manual adjustments are not necessary.

It is a further objective of the present invention to provide such an MEG system which will not greatly add to the costs or complexity of the MEG system, but instead may utilize the existing number of channels in commercially available systems and may utilize available digital computer systems.

It is a further objective of the present invention to provide such an MEG system which will provide a set of "clean", i.e., filtered, MEG signals whose signal/noise ratio is improved relative to alternative systems and methods.

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