Method of magnetic resonance arteriography using contrast agents
First Claim
1. A method of imaging an artery in a patient using magnetic resonance imaging, comprising,administering a magnetic resonance contrast agent to the patient;
- andcollecting image data which is representative of a substantial portion of a center of k-space while the patient suspends respiration and a concentration of the contrast agent in the artery is substantially higher than the concentration of contrast agent in adjacent veins and background tissue.
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Abstract
The present invention is a method and apparatus for providing preferential enhancement of an artery of interest relative to adjacent veins and background tissue. The method and apparatus adapts the timing of a maximum or substantially elevated rate of infusion to correlate with the collection of image data corresponding to the center of k-space. The technique and apparatus temporally correlates the timing of a maximum or substantially elevated rate of infusion and the mapping of k-space according to the location of the artery of interest, the size of the artery of interest, the physical condition of the patient, the time delay due to the configuration of the contrast agent delivery system, and/or the type of pulse sequence employed by the imaging apparatus. Adapting the timing of a maximum or substantially elevated rate of infusion to correlate with the collection of image data corresponding to the center of k-space provides a period of a maximum or substantially elevated contrast concentration in the artery of interest relative to adjacent veins during collection of at least a portion of the image data corresponding to the center of k-space.
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Citations
39 Claims
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1. A method of imaging an artery in a patient using magnetic resonance imaging, comprising,
administering a magnetic resonance contrast agent to the patient; - and
collecting image data which is representative of a substantial portion of a center of k-space while the patient suspends respiration and a concentration of the contrast agent in the artery is substantially higher than the concentration of contrast agent in adjacent veins and background tissue. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of imaging a portion of an artery in a patient using magnetic resonance imaging, the method comprising,
administering magnetic resonance contrast agent to the patient; - and
collecting image data which is representative of a center of k-space while the patient suspends respiration and while a concentration of the contrast agent in the artery is substantially a maximum relative to a concentration of contrast agent in adjacent veins and background tissue. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method of imaging a portion of an artery in a patient using magnetic resonance imaging, the method comprising,
administering magnetic resonance contrast agent to the patient by intravenous injection; - and
collecting image data which is representative of a substantial portion of a center of k-space while a concentration of the contrast agent in the artery is substantially a maximum relative to a concentration of contrast agent in adjacent veins and background tissue. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method of imaging a portion of an artery in a patient using magnetic resonance imaging, the portion of the artery being within a region of interest, the method comprising,
administering magnetic resonance contrast agent to the patient by bolus injection; - and
performing a 3D gradient echo pulse sequence to image the portion of the artery including collecting image data which is representative of a substantial portion of a center of k-space while a concentration of the contrast agent in the artery is substantially higher than a concentration of the contrast agent in veins and background tissue adjacent to the artery. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A method of imaging an artery in a patient using magnetic resonance imaging, comprising,
administering a magnetic resonance contrast agent to the patient; - and
collecting image data which is representative of a substantial portion of a center of k-space while a concentration of the contrast agent in the artery is substantially higher than a concentration of the contrast agent in veins and background tissue adjacent to the artery and while a flip angle is between about 20°
to about 90° and
a slice thickness is less than about 5 millimeters. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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Specification