Magnetic resonance imaging apparatus
First Claim
1. A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus comprising:
- static magnetic field generating means for generating a static magnetic field in a space in which an object to be examined is laid;
RF pulse generating means for applying an RF pulse to generate nuclear magnetic resonance in nuclear spins existing in an examined region of said object laid in the static magnetic field;
gradient magnetic field generating means for applying on said object a plurality of gradient magnetic fields including a phase encoding gradient magnetic field to phase-encode NMR signals generated from said examined region;
control means for controlling the application of said RF pulse and gradient magnetic fields to repeatedly execute a pulse sequence for generating a plurality of NMR signals having different echo times and encoded with the same phase after exciting said nuclear spins one time;
detecting means for detecting the plurality of NMR signals generated from said examined region with different respective echo times;
temperature distribution image generating means for generating a temperature distribution image of said examined region by using the NMR signals detected by said detecting means in a first echo time;
morphological image generating means for generating a morphological image of said examined region by using the NMR signals detected by said detecting means in a second echo time; and
image display means for displaying said temperature distribution image and said morphological image.
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Accused Products
Abstract
To efficiently generate an accurate morphological image and the temperature change distribution image, a pulse sequence for acquiring a plurality of echo signals having different echo times is executed, while excited spins are encoded with the same phase. Among thus obtained plural echo signals, the echo signal 405 acquired in the echo time TE1 suitable for obtaining morphological information (anatomic information) is used to reconstruct a morphological image. Further, the PPS method is applied to the echo signal 406 acquired in the echo time TE2 suitable for thermometry so as to generate the temperature change distribution image. The echo signal used for generating the morphological image may be a spin echo signal or a gradient echo signal.
19 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus comprising:
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static magnetic field generating means for generating a static magnetic field in a space in which an object to be examined is laid;
RF pulse generating means for applying an RF pulse to generate nuclear magnetic resonance in nuclear spins existing in an examined region of said object laid in the static magnetic field;
gradient magnetic field generating means for applying on said object a plurality of gradient magnetic fields including a phase encoding gradient magnetic field to phase-encode NMR signals generated from said examined region;
control means for controlling the application of said RF pulse and gradient magnetic fields to repeatedly execute a pulse sequence for generating a plurality of NMR signals having different echo times and encoded with the same phase after exciting said nuclear spins one time;
detecting means for detecting the plurality of NMR signals generated from said examined region with different respective echo times;
temperature distribution image generating means for generating a temperature distribution image of said examined region by using the NMR signals detected by said detecting means in a first echo time;
morphological image generating means for generating a morphological image of said examined region by using the NMR signals detected by said detecting means in a second echo time; and
image display means for displaying said temperature distribution image and said morphological image. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus comprising:
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static magnetic field generating means for generating a static magnetic field in a space in which an object is laid;
RF pulse generating means for applying an RF pulse to generate nuclear magnetic resonance in nuclear spins in the region of said object to be examined;
gradient magnetic fields generating means for applying a plurality of gradient magnetic fields including a phase encoding gradient magnetic fields to phase-encode the NMR signals generated from said region;
control means for controlling the application of said RF pulse and said gradient magnetic fields to repeatedly execute the pulse sequence for generating a plurality of NMR signals having different echo times and encoded with the same phase after exciting said nuclear spins one time, in order to time-sequentially perform imaging plural times on said region of the object;
detecting means for detecting the plurality of NMR signals having different echo times generated from said examined region;
temperature change distribution image generating means for calculating a temperature distribution in said examined region at each time point by using the NMR signals detected by said detecting means in a first echo time, and generating a temperature change distribution image of said examined region by comparing one temperature distribution and another one;
morphological image generating means for generating a morphological image of said examined region by using the NMR signals detected by said detecting means in a second echo time in said one imaging;
image display means for displaying said temperature change distribution image and said morphological image. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification