MRI CONTRAST USING HIGH TRANSVERSE RELAXATION RATE CONTRAST AGENT

• US 20090264733A1
• Filed: 04/16/2009
• Published: 10/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Regents of The University of Minnesota (University of Minnesota)
• Original Assignee: Regents of The University of Minnesota (University of Minnesota)
• Inventors: Moeller, Steen, Corum, Curtis A., Idiyatullin, Djaudat S., Garwood, Michael G.
• Application Number:
  US12/425,113
• Publication Number:
  US 20090264733A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/420
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/055 involving electronic [EMR] or nuclear [NMR] magnetic resonance, e.g. magnetic resonance imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/415 the glands, e.g. tonsils, adenoids or thymus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/418 lymph vessels, ducts or nodes
• 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 33/4824 using a non-Cartesian trajectory
• 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 33/5607 by reducing the NMR signal of a particular spin species, e.g. of a chemical species for fat suppression, or of a moving spin species for black-blood imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/561 by reduction of the scanning time, i.e. fast acquiring systems, e.g. using echo-planar pulse sequences

Abstract

This document discloses, among other things, a system and method of creating a positive contrast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) feature using a high transverse relaxation rate contrast agent.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

infusing a subject with a contrast agent, the contrast agent having a high transverse relaxation rate (R₂); and

generating magnetic resonance data in which the contrast agent contributes to a reduced longitudinal relaxation time (T₁) in the subject.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein generating magnetic resonance data includes applying a gapped pulse sequence.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein applying the gapped pulse sequence includes applying a swept frequency excitation and further including substantially simultaneously acquiring a signal in a time shared mode.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein generating magnetic resonance data includes implementing at least one of ultra-short echo time (UTE) and back projection low angle shot (BLAST).

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the contrast agent has an R₂ value greater than a gadolinium (Gd) based contrast agent.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the contrast agent includes iron (Fe).

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the contrast agent includes a formulated mono-crystalline ion oxide nano-particle solution.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the contrast agent includes manganese (Mn).

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the contrast agent includes dysprosium (Dy).

10. The method of claim 1, wherein generating magnetic resonance data includes generating an image having positive contrast.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein generating magnetic resonance data in includes using a pulse sequence sensitive to short transverse relaxation times (T₂).

12. The method of claim 1, wherein infusing the subject with a contrast agent includes at least one of ingesting orally and introducing intravenously.

13. The method of claim 1, further including generating an image using the magnetic resonance data.

14. A method comprising:

applying a transverse relaxation time (T₂) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) pulse waveform to a subject; and

acquiring data from the subject, wherein the data results from interaction with a contrast agent having a high transverse relaxation rate (R₂).

15. The method of claim 14, wherein applying the T₂ MRI pulse waveform includes applying at least one of a SWIFT pulse sequence, a UTE pulse sequence, and a BLAST pulse sequence.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein acquiring data includes acquiring data in a radial projection.

17. The method of claim 14, further including infusing the subject with the contrast agent.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein infusing the subject with the contrast agent includes infusing with a contrast agent having a high R₂ relaxation rate.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein infusing the subject with the contrast agent includes at least one of injecting into a vasculature structure of the subject, injecting into a tissue of the subject, expressing as part of a reporter gene system, and endogenously infusing a tissue of the subject.

20. The method of claim 17, further including generating an image from the data, the image having at least one positive contrast feature.

21. An apparatus comprising:

an MRI scanner configured to apply a longitudinal relaxation time (T₁) sensitive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) pulse waveform to a subject and acquire a positive contrast image from the subject, the acquired positive contrast image resulting from interaction with a contrast agent having a high transverse relaxation rate (R₂).

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the MRI scanner includes a processor configured to control the MRI pulse waveform.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the MRI scanner includes a memory configured to store data corresponding to the image.

24. A machine readable medium having executable instructions stored thereon for performing a method comprising:

exciting a subject with a magnetic resonance pulse, the subject including a contrast agent having a high transverse relaxation rate (R₂); and

acquiring magnetic resonance data from the subject.

25. The machine readable medium of claim 24, wherein exciting the subject with the magnetic resonance pulse includes exciting the subject with a pulse having a short dead time.

26. The machine readable medium of claim 24, wherein exciting the subject with the magnetic resonance pulse includes delivering at least one of a SWIFT pulse sequence, a UTE pulse sequence, and a BLAST pulse sequence.

27. The machine readable medium of claim 24, wherein acquiring magnetic resonance data from the subject includes generating an image having T₁ contrast.