Method and apparatus for enhanced T1 NMR measurements using repetition intervals TR related to one another by integer multiples
First Claim
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1. A method of generating a spin-lattice relaxation time value T1 for NMR-excited nuclei, said method comprising the steps of:
- measuring an NMR signal intensity value I1 for said nuclei using a first TR NMR time;
measuring an NMR signal intensity value I2 for said nuclei using a second TR NMR time where said first and second TR times are related to one another by an integer multiplier greater than one; and
directly generating a spin-lattice relaxation time T1 for said nuclei from said measured I1 and I2 signal intensity values and said first TR time.
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Abstract
An analytic closed solution for the spin-lattice relaxation time T1 is provided in terms of the repetition interval time TR and the differing NMR signal response intensities I1 and I2 obtained when using different repetition intervals TR1 and TR2 which are related to one another by integer multipliers. The result is a method and apparatus which directly and non-iteratively generate a spin-lattice relaxation time signal value T1 for each voxel within a selected region of an object under test so as to quickly, economically and accurately produce a T1 image of nutated nuclei within the region.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method of generating a spin-lattice relaxation time value T1 for NMR-excited nuclei, said method comprising the steps of:
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measuring an NMR signal intensity value I1 for said nuclei using a first TR NMR time; measuring an NMR signal intensity value I2 for said nuclei using a second TR NMR time where said first and second TR times are related to one another by an integer multiplier greater than one; and directly generating a spin-lattice relaxation time T1 for said nuclei from said measured I1 and I2 signal intensity values and said first TR time. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of generating an NMR image of the T1 spin-lattice relaxation times for NMR-excited nuclei within a selected region of an object, said method comprising the steps of:
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acquiring an NMR signal intensity value I1 for each voxel within said selected region using first TE and first TR NMR timing signal values; acquiring an NMR signal intensity value I2 for each voxel within said selected region using a second TR NMR timing signal value where said first and second TR timing signal values are related to one another by an integer multiplier greater than one; and directly and non-iteratively generating a spin-lattice relaxation time signal value T1 for each voxel within said selected region from said I1, I2 and said first TR signal values. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. Apparatus for generating a spin-lattice relaxation time value T1 for NMR-excited nuclei, said apparatus comprising:
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means for measuring an NMR signal intensity value I1 for said nuclei using a first TR NMR time; means for measuring an NMR signal intensity value I2 for said nuclei using a second TR NMR time where said first and second TR times are related to one another by an integer multiplier greater than one; and means for directly generating a spin-lattice relaxation time T1 for said nuclei from said measured I1 and I2 signal intensity values and said TR time. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. Apparatus for generating an NMR image of the T1 spin-lattice relaxation times for NMR-excited nuclei within a selected region of an object, said apparatus comprising:
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means for acquiring an NMR signal intensity value I1 for each voxel within said selected region using first TE and first TR NMR timing signal values; means for acquiring an NMR signal intensity value I2 for each voxel within said selected region using a second TR NMR timing signal value where said first and second TR timing signal values are related to one another by an integer multiplier greater than one; and means for directly and non-iteratively generating a spin-lattice relaxation time signal value T1 for each voxel within said selected region from said I1, I2 and said first TR signal values. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
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Specification