MRI apparatus combining diffusion weighted imaging and diffusion tensor imaging of one or more slices for efficient selective substitution and extraction

• US 7,782,055 B2
• Filed: 01/28/2008
• Issued: 08/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company LLC (GE Healthcare Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company LLC (GE Healthcare Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kanda, Kenichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Shrivastav; Brij B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fetzner; Tiffany A
• Application Number:
  US12/021,034
• Publication Number:
  US 20080180097A1
• Time in Patent Office: 939 Days
• Field of Search: 324300-322, 324/76.21, 600407-435, 702/19, 382128-131, 367/42, 379/285
• US Class Current: 324/309
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/56341 Diffusion imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 33/56509 due to motion, displacement or flow, e.g. gradient moment nulling G01R33/567 takes precedence

Abstract

An MRI apparatus includes: an image display device for displaying diffusion weighted images of respective axes corresponding to one slice; a designation operating device for allowing an operator to designate each diffusion weighted image targeted for rephotograph from the displayed diffusion weighted images of axes; a diffusion weighted imaging device for rephotographing only the axis of each diffusion weighted image designated by the operator; a diffusion weighted image substituting device for substituting an original diffusion weighted image with each diffusion weighted image obtained at the diffusion weighted photography; and a diffusion tensor image creating device for creating a diffusion tensor image from a set of the post-substitution diffusion weighted images.

Claims

1. A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) apparatus comprising:

an image display device configured to display a plurality of diffusion weighted images of respective axes corresponding to one slice;

a designation operating device configured to enable an operator to designate each diffusion weighted image targeted for rephotograph from the displayed diffusion weighted images;

a diffusion weighted imaging device configured to rephotograph only the axis of each diffusion weighted image designated by the operator to generate a rephotographed diffusion weighted image;

a diffusion weighted image substituting device configured to generate a set of post-substitution diffusion weighted images by substituting each designated diffusion weighted image with each rephotographed diffusion weighted image; and

a diffusion tensor image creating device configured to create a diffusion tensor image from the set of post-substitution diffusion weighted images.

2. The MRI apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an abnormal image extracting device configured to extract an abnormal image from the diffusion weighted images of the respective axes corresponding to the one slice, and a warning device configured to present a notification to the operator of a presence of the abnormal image.

3. The MRI apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the abnormal image extracting device is configured to extract the abnormal image based on an average of pixel values of the plurality of diffusion weighted images.

4. The MRI apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an imaging condition storing device configured to store at least one imaging condition for the diffusion weighted images of the respective axes therein,

wherein the diffusion weighted imaging device roads an is configured to read the at least one imaging condition for each diffusion weighted image designated by the operator and to perform the rephotograph under the read imaging condition.

5. A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) apparatus comprising:

an abnormal image extracting device configured to extract an abnormal image from diffusion weighted images of respective axes corresponding to one slice;

a diffusion weighted imaging device configured to rephotograph only the axis of the extracted diffusion weighted image to generate a rephotographed diffusion weighted image;

a diffusion weighted image substituting device configured to generate a post-substitution diffusion weighted image by substituting the extracted diffusion weighted image with each the rephotographed diffusion weighted image; and

a diffusion tensor image creating device configured to create a diffusion tensor image from the post-substitution diffusion weighted image.

6. The MRI apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the abnormal image extracting device is configured to extract the abnormal image, based on an average of pixel values of the plurality of diffusion weighted images.

7. The MRI apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising an imaging condition storing device configured to store at least one imaging condition for the diffusion weighted images of the respective axes therein,

wherein the diffusion weighted imaging device is configured to read the at least one imaging condition for each diffusion weighted image designated by the operator and to perform the rephotograph under the read imaging condition.

8. A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) apparatus comprising:

a selection operating device configured to enable an operator to select a diffusion tensor image targeted for rephotograph from a plurality of diffusion tensor images of one or more slices;

an image display device configured to display a plurality of diffusion weighted images of respective axes corresponding to the selected diffusion tensor image;

a designation operating device configured to enable the operator to designate a diffusion weighted image targeted for rephotograph from the displayed diffusion weighted images of axes;

a diffusion weighted imaging device configured to rephotograph only the axis of the diffusion weighted image designated by the operator to generate a rephotographed diffusion weighted image;

a diffusion weighted image substituting device configured to generate a post-substitution diffusion weighted image by substituting the designated diffusion weighted image with the rephotographed diffusion weighted image;

a diffusion tensor image creating device configured to create a substitute diffusion tensor image from the post-substitution diffusion weighted image; and

a diffusion tensor image substituting device configured to substitute the selected diffusion tensor image with the substitute diffusion tensor image.

9. The MRI apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising an abnormal image extracting device configured to extract an abnormal diffusion tensor image from the plurality of diffusion tensor images of the one or more slices, and a warning device configured to present a notification to the operator of a presence of the abnormal diffusion tensor image.

10. The MRI apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the abnormal image extracting device is configured to extract the abnormal diffusion tensor image based on an average of pixel values of the plurality of diffusion tensor images.

11. The MRI apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the abnormal image extracting device is further configured to extract an abnormal diffusion weighted image from the plurality of diffusion weighted images of the respective axes corresponding to the diffusion tensor image selected by the operator, and the warning device is further configured to present a notification to the operator of a presence of the abnormal diffusion weighted image.

12. The MRI apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the abnormal image extracting device is configured to extract the abnormal diffusion weighted image, based on an average of pixel values of the plurality of diffusion weighted images.

13. The MRI apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising an imaging condition storing device configured to store at least one imaging condition for the plurality of diffusion weighted images of the respective axes therein,

wherein the diffusion weighted imaging device is configured to read the at least one imaging condition for each diffusion weighted image designated by the operator and to perform the rephotograph under the read imaging condition.

14. An MRI apparatus comprising:

a selection operating device configured to enable an operator to select a diffusion tensor image targeted for rephotograph from a plurality of diffusion tensor images of one or more slices;

an abnormal image extracting device configured to extract an abnormal diffusion weighted image from a plurality of diffusion weighted images of respective axes corresponding to the diffusion tensor image selected by the operator;

a diffusion weighted imaging device configured to rephotograph only the axis of the extracted diffusion weighted image to generate a rephotographed diffusion weighted image;

a diffusion weighted image substituting device configured to generate a post-substitution diffusion weighted image by substituting the extracted diffusion weighted image with the rephotographed diffusion weighted image;

a diffusion tensor image creating device configured to create a substitute diffusion tensor image from the post-substitution diffusion weighted image; and

a diffusion tensor image substituting device configured to substitute the selected diffusion tensor image with the substitute diffusion tensor image.

15. The MRI apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the abnormal image extracting device is configured to extract the abnormal diffusion weighted image, based on an average of pixel values of the plurality of diffusion weighted images.

16. The MRI apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising an imaging condition storing device configured to store at least one imaging condition for the plurality of diffusion weighted images of the respective axes therein,

wherein the diffusion weighted imaging device is configured to read the at least one imaging condition for each diffusion weighted image designated by the operator and to perform the rephotograph under the read imaging condition.

17. An MRI apparatus comprising:

an abnormal image extracting device configured to extract an abnormal diffusion tensor image from a plurality of diffusion tensor images of one or more slices and to extract an abnormal diffusion weighted image from a plurality of diffusion weighted images of respective axes corresponding to the extracted abnormal diffusion tensor image;

a diffusion weighted imaging device configured to rephotograph only the axis of the extracted diffusion weighted image to generate a rephotographed diffusion weighted image;

a diffusion weighted image substituting device configured to generate a post-substitute diffusion weighted image by substituting the extracted diffusion weighted image with the rephotographed diffusion weighted image;

a diffusion tensor image creating device configured to create a substitute diffusion tensor image from the post-substitution diffusion weighted image; and

a diffusion tensor image substituting device configured to substitute the selected diffusion tensor image with the substitute diffusion tensor image.

18. The MRI apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the abnormal image extracting device is configured to extract the abnormal diffusion tensor image, based on an average of pixel values of the plurality of diffusion tensor images and to extract the abnormal diffusion weighted image based on an average of pixel values of the plurality of diffusion weighted images.

19. The MRI apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising an imaging condition storing device configured to store at least one imaging condition for the plurality of diffusion weighted images of the respective axes therein,

wherein the diffusion weighted imaging device is configured to read the at least one imaging condition for each diffusion weighted image designated by the operator and to perform the rephotograph under the read imaging condition.

20. The MRI apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the diffusion weighted image substituting device is configured to generate a set of post-substitute diffusion weighted images that includes the rephotographed diffusion weighted image and the remaining diffusion weighted images of the plurality of diffusion weighted images corresponding to the extracted abnormal diffusion tensor image, and

wherein the diffusion tensor image creating device is configured to create the substitute diffusion tensor image from the set of post-substitution diffusion weighted images.