Apparatus for real-time phase correction for diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging using adaptive RF pulses
First Claim
1. A method of performing diffusion weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), the method comprising:
- a) operating an MRI system in order to provide a navigator image of an imaging subject, wherein the MRI system comprises;
an MRI system processor,a main magnet configured to provide a main magnetic field,one or more gradient magnets configured to provide controllable magnetic field gradients, andone or more radio-frequency (RF) sources of RF emission configured to provide controllable RF pulses;
b) computing, in real time with the MRI system processor, a phase error map from the provided navigator image;
c) determining, in real time with the MRI system processor, an adaptive RF pulse from the computed phase error map that compensates for phase errors of the computed phase error map;
d) determining, in real time with the MRI system processor, one or more adaptive magnetic field gradients corresponding to the computed phase error map and the determined adaptive RF pulse;
e) providing the determined adaptive RF pulse to the imaging subject with the one or more sources of RF emission and simultaneously providing the determined adaptive magnetic field gradients to the imaging subject with the one or more gradient magnets; and
f) performing diffusion-weighted MRI of the imaging subject by performing steps a) through e) above in succession one or more times while recording, displaying and/or storing the diffusion weighted magnetic resonance imaging scan results.
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Abstract
Phase error in MR imaging is corrected in real time by providing adaptive RF pulses and corresponding adaptive magnetic field gradients to mitigate the effect of phase error in the imaging subject. A real time phase error map is obtained, and then adaptive RF pulses and corresponding field gradients are applied that remove the problematic effects of the phase error. Depending on details of the MR imaging mode being employed, there are several ways this removal can be done. Phase error can be cancelled by providing RF pulses that make the phase in the imaging subject uniform. Another approach is to make the adaptive RF pulses insensitive to the phase errors that are present.
30 Citations
9 Claims
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1. A method of performing diffusion weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), the method comprising:
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a) operating an MRI system in order to provide a navigator image of an imaging subject, wherein the MRI system comprises; an MRI system processor, a main magnet configured to provide a main magnetic field, one or more gradient magnets configured to provide controllable magnetic field gradients, and one or more radio-frequency (RF) sources of RF emission configured to provide controllable RF pulses; b) computing, in real time with the MRI system processor, a phase error map from the provided navigator image; c) determining, in real time with the MRI system processor, an adaptive RF pulse from the computed phase error map that compensates for phase errors of the computed phase error map; d) determining, in real time with the MRI system processor, one or more adaptive magnetic field gradients corresponding to the computed phase error map and the determined adaptive RF pulse; e) providing the determined adaptive RF pulse to the imaging subject with the one or more sources of RF emission and simultaneously providing the determined adaptive magnetic field gradients to the imaging subject with the one or more gradient magnets; and f) performing diffusion-weighted MRI of the imaging subject by performing steps a) through e) above in succession one or more times while recording, displaying and/or storing the diffusion weighted magnetic resonance imaging scan results. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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Specification