Noninvasive method to determine fat content of tissues using MRI

• US 20050215882A1
• Filed: 03/23/2004
• Published: 09/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Board of Regents of the University of Michigan (University of Michigan)
• Original Assignee: Board of Regents of the University of Michigan (University of Michigan)
• Inventors: Swanson, Scott D., Gulani, Vikas, Chenevert, Thomas L., Hussain, Hero K.
• Application Number:
  US10/807,531
• Publication Number:
  US 20050215882A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/410
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/055 involving electronic [EMR] or nuclear [NMR] magnetic resonance, e.g. magnetic resonance imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4872 Body fat
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/4828 Resolving the MR signals of different chemical species, e.g. water-fat imaging

Abstract

The present invention relates to systems and methods for generating high resolution MR images of the fractional amount or percentage of fat content in an imaged object. In particular, the present invention relates to systems and methods for obtaining high resolution MR images of fat content with reduced NMR relaxation effects. Moreover, the present invention relates to systems and methods for obtaining high resolution MR images of fat content with reduced fat-percentage ambiguity. Furthermore, the present invention relates to systems and methods for diagnostic, and prognostic imaging where knowledge of fat content within tissues, organs, and lesions is beneficial to improve diagnostic accuracy, aid in risk assessment of future disease, and aid in assessment of therapeutic intervention.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a) an MRI device, and

b) software, wherein said software is configured to receive data obtained from said MRI device, wherein said data comprise at least one pair of consecutive in-phase and out-phase echos of a sample, wherein said software is further configured to process said at least one pair of consecutive in-phase and out-phase echos, wherein said processing comprises generating a percent of fat content within a sample, wherein said software is further configured to display said fat percentage within said sample.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said sample is selected from the group consisting of a human head and neck, a human chest, a human abdomen, a human pelvis, and a human extremity.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said sample is a human liver.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said sample is abnormal tissue or lesion.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said data obtained from said MRI device comprises:

a) at least one image obtained with a low flip angle; and

b) at least one image obtained with a high flip angle.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said low flip angle setting is 20 degrees.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein said high flip angle setting is 70 degrees.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said MRI device is configured to analyze a clinical pulse sequence, wherein said clinical pulse sequence comprises a corrected T2* NMR relaxation effect value, wherein said corrected T2* NMR relaxation effect value is obtained through processing consecutive in-phase sample echos or consecutive out-phase echos of said sample.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said processing consecutive in-phase sample signals or consecutive out-phase signals of said sample comprises application of an equation selected from the group consisting of:

19. A method of generating a percentage of fat within a sample, comprising using the system of claim 1.

10. A system, comprising software, wherein said software is configured to receive data obtained from a MRI imaging device, wherein said data comprise at least one pair of consecutive in-phase or out-phase echos of a sample, wherein said software is further configured to process said at least one pair of consecutive in-phase or out-phase echos, wherein said processing comprises generating a percent of fat content within a sample, wherein said software is further configured to display said fat percentage within said sample.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said sample is selected from the group consisting of a human head and neck, human chest, a human abdomen, a human pelvis, and a human extremity.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein said sample is a human liver.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein said sample is abnormal tissue or lesion.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein said data obtained from said MRI device comprises:

a) at least one image obtained with a low flip angle; and

b) at least one image obtained with a high flip angle.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein said low flip angle setting is 20 degrees.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein said high flip angle setting is 70 degrees.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein said MRI imaging device is configured to analyze a clinical pulse sequence, wherein said clinical pulse sequence comprises a corrected T2* NMR relaxation effect value, wherein said corrected T2* NMR relaxation effect value is obtained through processing consecutive in-phase sample echos and consecutive out-phase echos of said sample.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein said processing consecutive in-phase sample signals and consecutive out-phase signals of said sample comprises application of an equation selected from the group consisting of:

20. A method of generating a percentage of fat within a sample, comprising using the system of claim 10.