# US 10,768,256 B2 · Method, processor and magnetic resonance apparatus for displaying quantitative magnetic resonance image data > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,768,256 B2 - Document ID: US10768256B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/582,054 - Filed: 2017-04-28 - Published: 2017-11-02 - Granted: 2020-09-08 - Earliest claimed: 2016-04-28 - Assignees: Siemens Healthcare GmbH - Applicants: Siemens Healthcare GmbH - Inventors: Berthold Kiefer; Lars Lauer; Heiko Meyer; Edgar Mueller; Elmar Rummert; David Grodzki - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10768256B2 ## CPC - G01R 33/50: based on the determination of relaxation times {, e.g. T1 measurement by IR sequences; T2 measurement by multiple-echo sequences} - G01R 33/5608: {Data processing and visualization specially adapted for MR, e.g. for feature analysis and pattern recognition on the basis of measured MR data, segmentation of measured MR data, edge contour detection on the basis of measured MR data, for enhancing measured MR data in terms of signal-to-noise ratio by means of noise filtering or apodization, for enhancing measured MR data in terms of resolution by means for deblurring, windowing, zero filling, or generation of gray-scaled images, colour-coded images or images displaying vectors instead of pixels (image data processing or generation, in general G06T)} - G01R 33/4828: {Resolving the MR signals of different chemical species, e.g. water-fat imaging} - G01R 33/56518: {due to eddy currents, e.g. caused by switching of the gradient magnetic field} - G01R 33/56563: {caused by a distortion of the main magnetic field B0, e.g. temporal variation of the magnitude or spatial inhomogeneity of B0 (G01R33/56509, G01R33/56518, G01R33/56536 take precedence)} - G01R 33/5659: {caused by a distortion of the RF magnetic field, e.g. spatial inhomogeneities of the RF magnetic field (G01R33/56509, G01R33/56518, G01R33/56536 take precedence)} - G01R 33/445: {MR involving a non-standard magnetic field B0, e.g. of low magnitude as in the earth's magnetic field or in nanoTesla spectroscopy, comprising a polarizing magnetic field for pre-polarisation, B0 with a temporal variation of its magnitude or direction such as field cycling of B0 or rotation of the direction of B0, or spatially inhomogeneous B0 like in fringe-field MR or in stray-field imaging} - G06T 11/20: Drawing from basic elements - G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12) - G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL ## Abstract In a method for displaying quantitative magnetic resonance image data, and a processor, and a magnetic resonance (MR) apparatus that implement such a method, first quantitative MR image data of an examination object are provided to the processor, the first quantitative MR image having been obtained using an MR scanner with a first basic magnetic field strength. The first quantitative magnetic resonance image data are converted in the processor from the first basic magnetic field strength to a second basic magnetic field strength, thereby generating second quantitative MR image data, which are then displayed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for displaying quantitative magnetic resonance (MR) image data of an examination object, comprising: providing a processor with first quantitative MR image data of an examination object, said first quantitative MR image data having been produced by an MR scanner using a first basic magnetic field strength; in said processor, executing an algorithm that acts on the first quantitative MR image data in order to convert said first quantitative MR image data into synthetic second quantitative MR image data as would be acquired by said MR scanner using a second basic magnetic field strength that differs from said first basic magnetic field strength; and displaying the second quantitative MR image data at a display screen. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said first quantitative MR image data are composed of a plurality of image elements, selected from the group consisting of pixels and voxels, and converting said first quantitative MR image data individually for each image element thereof. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said first basic magnetic field strength is larger than said second basic magnetic field strength. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) A method as claimed in claim 3 wherein said first basic magnetic field strength is 7 tesla, and said second basic magnetic field strength is 1.5 tesla or 3 tesla. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising converting said first quantitative MR image data using a function that describes a dependence of quantitative data values of the first quantitative magnetic resonance image on the basic magnetic field strength. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising, in said processor, segmenting said first quantitative MR image data into a plurality of material classes, and converting the first quantitative MR image data dependent on the segmentation thereof. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) A method as claimed in claim 6 comprising, for the plurality of material classes, storing a respective quantitative data value with the second basic magnetic field strength in a database accessible by said processor, and converting said first quantitative MR image data dependent on the quantitative data values accessed from said database. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising acquiring said first quantitative MR image data by execution of an MR fingerprinting method with said MR scanner. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) A method as claimed in claim 8 comprising, for the plurality of material classes, storing a respective quantitative data value with the second basic magnetic field strength in an MR fingerprinting database accessible by said processor, and converting said first quantitative MR image data dependent on the quantitative data values accessed from said MR fingerprinting database. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) A method as claimed in claim 9 comprising storing data values of at least one material parameter with the first basic magnetic field strength and with the second basic magnetic field strength in said MR fingerprinting database, and converting the first quantitative MR image data based on the stored at least one material parameter. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising, in said processor, using the second quantitative MR image data to produce, as said synthetic second qualitative MR image data, MR data that have a contrast that applies at said second basic magnetic field strength. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) A method as claimed in claim 1 comprising converting said first quantitative MR image data using a system configuration parameter that accounts for different system properties of said MR scanner with said first basic magnetic field strength and said second basic magnetic field strength. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) A method as claimed in claim 12 wherein said system configuration parameter describes a dependence of at least one item on said basic magnetic field strength, said item being selected from the group consisting of eddy current behavior, and inhomogeneity of the basic magnetic field, and inhomogeneity of a radio-frequency field used to acquire the first quantitative MR image data, and an occurrence of image artifacts in said first quantitative MR image data. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein providing said processor with said first quantitative MR image data comprises operating said MR scanner from said processor in order to acquire said first quantitative MR image data, and wherein said method comprises operating a further MR scanner from said processor to acquire third quantitative MR image data at least day before acquiring said first quantitative MR image data, said further MR scanner having said second basic magnetic field strength, and comprising displaying the synthetic second quantitative MR image data at said display screen together with said third quantitative MR image data in a format allowing a comparison to be made between said synthetic second quantitative MR image data and said third quantitative MR image data. ### Claim 15 A computer for displaying quantitative magnetic resonance (MR) image data of an examination object, comprising: a processor configured to receive first quantitative MR image data of an examination object, said first quantitative MR image data having been produced by an MR scanner using a first basic magnetic field strength; said processor being configured to execute an algorithm that acts on the first quantitative MR image data in order to convert said first quantitative MR image data into synthetic second quantitative MR image data as would be acquired by said MR scanner using a second basic magnetic field strength that differs from said first basic magnetic field strength; and a display monitor comprising a display screen at which said processor is configured to display the synthetic second quantitative MR image data. ### Claim 16 A magnetic resonance (MR) apparatus comprising: an MR data acquisition scanner; a processor provided with first quantitative MR image data of an examination object, said first quantitative magnetic resonance image data having been produced by said MR scanner using a first basic magnetic field strength; said processor being configured to execute an algorithm that acts on the first quantitative MR image data in order to convert said first quantitative MR image data into synthetic second quantitative MR image data as would be acquired by said MR scanner using a second basic magnetic field strength that differs from said first basic magnetic field strength; and a display monitor comprising a display screen at which said processor is configured to display the synthetic second quantitative MR image data. ### Claim 17 A non-transitory, computer-readable data storage medium encoded with programming instructions, said storage medium being loaded into a control computer of a magnetic resonance (MR) apparatus that comprises an MR data acquisition scanner, said programming instructions causing said control computer to: receive first quantitative MR image data of an examination object, said first quantitative MR image data having been produced by the MR data acquisition scanner using a first basic magnetic field strength; execute an algorithm that acts on the first quantitative MR image data in order to convert said first quantitative MR image data into synthetic second quantitative MR image data as would be acquired by said MR scanner using a second basic magnetic field strength that differs from said first basic magnetic field strength; and display the synthetic second quantitative MR image data at a display screen.