SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MRI IMAGING USING POLARIZED LIGHT

• US 20140051974A1
• Filed: 07/16/2013
• Published: 02/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Aspect Imaging Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Aspect Imaging Ltd.
• Inventors: RAPOPORT, Uri, BATT, Aryeh
• Application Number:
  US13/943,389
• Publication Number:
  US 20140051974A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/411
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0035 adapted for acquisition of images from more than one imaging mode, e.g. combining MRI and optical tomography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0059 using light, e.g. diagnosis by transillumination, diascopy, fluorescence A61B5/0093, A61B5/1455, A61B5/02416 and A61B5/0261 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0071 by measuring fluorescence emission
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/055 involving electronic [EMR] or nuclear [NMR] magnetic resonance, e.g. magnetic resonance imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7425 Displaying combinations of multiple images regardless of image source, e.g. displaying a reference anatomical image with a live image geometric transforms for image registration G06T3/14; enhancement using image fusion G06T5/50; algorithms for registration of images G06T7/30
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/5247 combining images from an ionising-radiation diagnostic technique and a non-ionising radiation diagnostic technique, e.g. X-ray and ultrasound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/5261 combining images from different diagnostic modalities, e.g. ultrasound and X-ray
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/4808 Multimodal MR, e.g. MR combined with positron emission tomography [PET], MR combined with ultrasound or MR combined with computed tomography [CT]

Abstract

A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) imaging system, including: an MRI device adapted to image at least a portion of an animal; a photon source; an imaging photon detector that detects photons emitted by the photon source; and an image processor that superimposes the MRI image and the photon detector image. The system also includes one or more polarizers located between the animal and the photon detector.

Claims

1. An MRI imaging system, comprising an MRI device adapted to image at least a portion of an animal;

a photon source;

an imaging photon detector, said photon detector capable of detecting photons emitted by said photon source; and

an image processor adapted to superimpose said MRI image and said photon detector image, said superimposed image with given SNR₀;

wherein said system further comprises one or more polarizers located between said animal and said photon detector, and wherein a value of SNR₁ for said superimposed image is obtained, SNR₁ being greater than SNR₀.

2. The MRI imaging system of claim 1, additionally comprising a second imaging photon detector capable of detecting fluorescent photons.

3. The MRI imaging system of claim 2, additionally comprising a second polarizer located between said animal and said second imaging photon detector.

4. The MRI imaging system of claim 2, wherein photons emitted by said photon source and said fluorescent photons are detected by a single photon detector.

5. The MRI imaging system of claim 3, wherein photons emitted by said photon source and said fluorescent photons are detected by a single photon detector.

6. The MRI imaging system of claim 1, wherein a third polarizer is located between said photon source and said subject.

7. The MRI imaging system of claim 1, wherein said MRI magnets are selected from the group consisting of superconducting magnets, permanent magnets, and any combination thereof.

8. The MRI imaging system of claim 1, wherein said polarizer is selected from the group consisting of birefringent crystals, polarizing crystals, polarizers, and any combination thereof.

9. The MRI imaging system of claim 1 wherein the wavelength range of said photon source is selected from the group consisting of gamma radiation, X-radiation, far UV, near UV, visible light, near IR, far IR, and any combination thereof.

10. The MRI imaging system of claim 1, wherein said photon detector is selected from the group consisting of a CCD array, a camera, a photoconductive detector array, a photovoltaic detector array, a quantum dot array, a superconducting single-photon detector array, a photovoltaic cell array, a phototube array, and any combination thereof.

11. The MRI imaging system of claim 1, wherein said image processor is adapted to render said superimposed image by a Boolean method of correlating or combining at least a portion of said MRI image and at least a portion of said photon detector image.

12. The MRI imaging system of claim 2, wherein said image processor is adapted to render said superimposed image by a Boolean method of correlating or combining at least a portion of said MRI image and at least a portion of at least one of the group consisting of said photon detector image and said second photon detector image.

13. The MRI imaging system of claim 11, wherein said Boolean method uses Boolean operators selected from the group consisting of OR, AND, NOT, EXCLUSIVE OR and any combination thereof.

14. The MRI imaging system of claim 12, wherein said Boolean method uses Boolean operators selected from the group consisting of OR, AND, NOT, EXCLUSIVE OR and any combination thereof.

15. A method for MRI imaging at least a portion of an animal, said method is characterized by steps of:

a. providing an MRI imaging system with an MRI device adapted to image at least a portion of said animal;

a photon source;

an imaging photon detector, said photon detector capable of detecting photons emitted by said photon source; and

an image processor adapted to superimpose said MRI image and said photon detector image, said superimposed image with given SNR₀;

b. locating one or more polarizers between said animal and said photon detector,

c. acquiring an MRI image of said at least a portion of said animal;

d. acquiring a photon detector image of said at least a portion of said animal; and

e. superimposing said MRI image and said photon detector image of said at least a portion of said animal, thereby obtaining a value of SNR₁ for said superimposed image;

SNR₁ being greater than SNR₀.

16. The method for MRI imaging of claim 15, comprising an additional step of providing a second imaging photon detector, capable of detecting fluorescent photons.

17. The method for MRI imaging of claim 16, comprising an additional step of providing a second polarizer between said animal and said second imaging photon detector.

18. The method for MRI imaging according of claim 16, comprising an additional step of detecting said photons emitted by said photon source and said fluorescent photons with a single imaging detector.

19. The method for MRI imaging according to claim 17, comprising an additional step of detecting said photons emitted by said photon source and said fluorescent photons with a single imaging detector.

20. The method for MRI imaging of claim 15, additionally comprising at least one step selected from a group consisting of (a) injecting said subject with fluorescence-inducing material;

(b) providing a third polarizer between said photon source and said subject;

(c) selecting said MRI magnets from the group consisting of superconducting magnets, permanent magnets, and any combination thereof;

(d) selecting said polarizer from the group consisting of birefringent crystals, polarizing crystals, polarizers, and any combination thereof;

(e) selecting the wavelength range of said photon source from the group consisting of gamma radiation, X-radiation, far UV, near UV, visible light, near IR, far IR, and any combination thereof;

(f) selecting said at least one imaging detector from the group consisting of a CCD array, a camera, a photoconductive detector array, a photovoltaic detector array, a quantum dot array, a superconducting single-photon detector array, a photovoltaic cell array, a phototube array, and any combination thereof;

(g) rendering said superimposed image by a Boolean method of correlating or combining at least a portion of said MRI image and at least a portion of said photon detector image;

(h) rendering said superimposed image by a Boolean method of correlating or combining at least a portion of said MRI image and at least a portion of at least one of the group consisting of said photon detector image and said second photon detector image;

(i) using for said Boolean method Boolean operators selected from the group consisting of OR, AND, NOT, EXCLUSIVE OR and any combination thereof and any combination thereof.