Method and apparatus for magnetic resonance imaging of arteries using a magnetic resonance contrast agent

• US 20040210130A1
• Filed: 03/25/2004
• Published: 10/21/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1993
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Martin R. Prince
• Original Assignee: Martin R. Prince
• Inventors: Prince, Martin R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,689,267 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/420
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/201 Assessing renal or kidney functions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/411 Detecting or monitoring allergy or intolerance reactions to an allergenic agent or substance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/416 the spleen
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 49/18 characterised by a special physical form, e.g. emulsions, microcapsules, liposomes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/007 for contrast media
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1456 with a replaceable reservoir comprising a piston rod to be moved into the reservoir, e.g. the piston rod is part of the removable reservoir
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/16827 controlling delivery of multiple fluids, e.g. sequencing, mixing or via separate flow-paths infusion of multiple fluids without using a controller A61M5/1407
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/281 Means for the use of in vitro contrast agents G01R33/282 takes precedence; involving use of a contrast agent in MR imaging G01R33/5601; in vivo contrast agents A61K49/0002
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/5601 involving use of a contrast agent for contrast manipulation, e.g. a paramagnetic, super-paramagnetic, ferromagnetic or hyperpolarised contrast agent
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/5619 by temporal sharing of data, e.g. keyhole, block regional interpolation scheme for k-Space [BRISK]
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/563 of moving material, e.g. flow contrast angiography
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/56308 Characterization of motion or flow; Dynamic imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/5635 Angiography, e.g. contrast-enhanced angiography [CE-MRA] or time-of-flight angiography [TOF-MRA]

Abstract

The present invention is a technique and apparatus for providing preferential enhancement of an artery of interest relative to adjacent veins and background tissue by correlating the collection of a predetermined portion of data (for example, image data which is representative of the central portion of k-space) of a magnetic resonance contrast image during the arterial phase of the magnetic resonance contrast enhancement.

Claims

1-24. -24. (canceled).

25. A magnetic resonance imaging system for imaging an artery of a patient using an administered magnetic resonance contrast agent, the magnetic resonance imaging system comprising:

a monitor unit to allow an operator to observe a change in the concentration of the contrast agent in a region of interest; and

a magnetic resonance imaging unit to collect image data of an imaging sequence to image the artery, wherein the magnetic resonance imaging unit, in response to an input from an operator, collects image data which is representative of the central portion of k-space near the beginning of the imaging sequence and a portion of the periphery of k-space thereafter and, wherein the operator provides the input to the magnetic resonance imaging unit after observing a change in the concentration of the contrast agent in the region of interest.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein the magnetic resonance imaging unit generates a series of images and wherein the monitor unit receives the images and depicts the images as a temporal pattern of the concentration of the contrast agent in the region of interest.

27. The system of claim 26 wherein the magnetic resonance imaging unit generates a series of magnetic resonance pulses which are applied to the region of interest in the patient.

28. The system of claim 27 wherein the magnetic resonance pulses are radio frequency pulses.

29. The system of claim 25 wherein the magnetic resonance imaging unit continuously or periodically generates images of the region of interest and wherein the monitoring unit displays the images of the region of interest.

30. The system of claim 25 further including a magnetic resonance injection unit to inject the contrast agent into the patient before or while the magnetic resonance imaging unit continuously or periodically generates images of the region of interest that are displayed by the monitoring unit.

31. A method of imaging an artery of a patient using magnetic resonance imaging and an administered magnetic resonance contrast agent, the method comprising:

monitoring a region of interest to observe the arrival of the contrast agent in a region of interest;

collecting image data of a magnetic resonance imaging sequence wherein the image data which is representative of the central portion of k-space is collected near the beginning of the imaging sequence and while the concentration of contrast agent in the artery is substantially greater than a concentration of contrast agent in veins adjacent to the artery and wherein the image data which is representative of a peripheral portion of k-space is collected after collecting the central portion of k-space.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein the imaging sequence is a 3D imaging sequence.

33. The method of claim 31 wherein monitoring the region of interest includes continuously or periodically monitoring the region of interest to detect the arrival of the contrast agent in the region of interest.

34. The method of claim 31 further including administering the magnetic resonance contrast agent to the patient as a bolus type injection.

35. The method of claim 31 wherein monitoring a region of interest to observe the arrival of the contrast agent in a region of interest includes applying a series of magnetic resonance pulses to a region of interest in the patient.

36. The method of claim 35 wherein the magnetic resonance pulses are radio frequency pulses.

37. The method of claim 31 further including instructing the patient to hold his breath before collecting image data which is representative of the central portion of k-space

38. The method of claim 31 wherein monitoring the region of interest includes visually displaying the region of interest to detect the onset of arterial phase of contrast enhancement in the artery.

39. The method of claim 31 wherein monitoring the region of interest includes visually displaying the region of interest to detect the arrival of the administered magnetic resonance contrast agent in the artery.