Method of processing MR images to estimate a longitudinal relaxation time constant

A method of estimating a longitudinal magnetic relaxation T1 time constant for a region of a subject, the method comprising:

• providing a computer with at least two magnetic resonance (MR) images of the region of the subject that were respectively acquired at different times after generation of a preparation pulse during a MR pulse sequence;
• in said computer, analyzing said at least two MR images in order to obtain, from the same location in each of the MR images, a pixel value, wherein each of the pixel values and the time at which their respective MR images was acquired form a data point;
• in said computer, fitting the data points to a model representing said magnetic relaxation by varying a single adjustable parameter to estimate the T1 time constant for the region of interest, wherein the single adjustable parameter represents the T1 time constant within the model;
• in said computer, estimating a plurality of T1 times, wherein each of the T1 times is for a different location in the MR images;
• for each of the different locations in the MR images, obtaining, from the location in each of the MR images, a pixel value, wherein each of the pixel values and the time at which their respective MR image was acquired form one of the data points;
• and
• fitting the data points to the model.

A method of estimating a longitudinal magnetic relaxation T1 time constant for a region of a subject, the method comprising:

• providing a computer with at least two magnetic resonance (MR) images of the region of the subject that were respectively acquired at different times after generation of a preparation pulse during a MR pulse sequence;
• in said computer, analyzing said at least two MR images in order to obtain, from the same location in each of the MR images, a pixel value, wherein each of the pixel values and the time at which their respective MR images was acquired form a data point;
• in said computer, fitting the data points to a model representing said magnetic relaxation by varying a single adjustable parameter to estimate the T1 time constant for the region of interest, wherein the single adjustable parameter represents the T1 time constant within the model, wherein the fitting the data points to the model comprises:
• obtaining a dictionary comprising a plurality of dictionary entries, each dictionary entry being a potential solution to the model, wherein the dictionary is generated by inputting a range of T1 values into the model;
• and
• searching the dictionary entries to find the optimal solution to the model for the data points, and using the optimal solution to estimate the T1 time for the data points.