Systems and methods for ultrashort echo time magnetization transfer (UTE-MT) imaging and signal modeling
AssigneeThe Regents of the University of California
InventorsJiang Du, Yajun Ma
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Abstract
Disclosed are methods and systems for ultrashort echo time magnetization transfer (UTE-MT) imaging and signal modeling to quantify the different proton groups, including free water, bound water and macromolecule protons in short T2 tissues such as the menisci, ligaments, tendons and cortical bone. UTE-MT images with a series of MT frequency offsets and MT power are subject to MT modeling to evaluate T1s, T2s, fractions and exchange rates of bound water, free water and macromolecule protons.
Claims23
A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) method for characterizing a tissue, comprising:
- generating a set of magnetization transfer (MT) parameters associated with one or more substances of the tissue having different proton groups using an MT model to produce an ultrashort echo time (UTE) MR imaging procedure of the tissue;
- acquiring magnetic resonance (MR) data from the tissue using an MRI acquisition system by applying the UTE MR data acquisition procedure based on the generated MT parameters, wherein the UTE MR data acquisition procedure includes:
- applying a first series of off-resonance radio frequency (RF) pulses at a first power setting at two or more frequencies,
- detecting signal data from the tissue based on the applied first series of off-resonance RF pulses,
- applying a second series of off-resonance RF pulses at a second power setting different than that of the first series and at the two or more frequencies that are the same as the first series, and
- detecting signal data from the tissue based on the applied second series of off-resonance RF pulses;
- and
- producing a data set including one or both of quantitative values and MR images indicative of at least one biomarker of the tissue.
A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system for characterizing a tissue, comprising:
- an MRI acquisition system including a magnet to generate a principal magnetic field (B0), a radio frequency (RF) subsystem to apply a plurality of radio frequency pulses to the tissue and to detect an echo signal, and a gradient subsystem to apply a plurality of gradient fields to the tissue;
- and
- a data processing device in communication with the MRI acquisition system and including a processor and memory, the data processing device configured to produce an ultrashort echo time (UTE) MR imaging procedure of the tissue based on a set of magnetization transfer (MT) parameters to control the MRI acquisition system in acquiring magnetic resonance (MR) data from the tissue, and to process acquired MR data to produce a data set including one or both of quantitative values and MR images indicative of at least one biomarker of the tissue, wherein the UTE MR imaging procedure produced by the data processing device includes instructions to:
- apply a first series of off-resonance radio frequency (RF) pulses at a first power setting at two or more frequencies,
- detect signal data from the tissue based on the applied first series of off-resonance RF pulses,
- apply a second series of off-resonance RF pulses at a second power setting different than that of the first series and at the two or more frequencies that are the same as the first series, and
- detect signal data from the tissue based on the applied second series of off-resonance RF pulses,
- wherein the MT parameters are associated with one or more substances of the tissue having different proton groups.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.