Magnetic resonance maps for analyzing tissue

Apparatus for operating MRI, comprising:

• an MRI Scanner configured for performing an MRI scan using a 3D MRI pulse sequence;
• an input for receiving first and second MRI scans of an organ of a subject respectively at the beginning and end of a predetermined time interval post contrast administration from said MRI scanner;
• an image processor having a circuit configured for forming a subtraction map from said first and said second MRI scans by analyzing said scans to distinguish between two primary populations, a slow population, in which contrast clearance from the tissue is slower than contrast accumulation, and a fast population in which clearance is faster than accumulation;
• a registration unit having a circuit for carrying out registration between corresponding MRI images;
• and
• a smoothing and interpolation unit having a circuit for smoothing a translation matrix resulting from said registration using circular smearing, and interpolating to obtain translation values per pixel;
• and
• an output converting said scans to a displayed subtraction map on which distributions of said two primary populations are distinguished, wherein a distribution of said fast population corresponds to a tumoral tissue region and a distribution of said slow population corresponds to a non-tumoral tissue region;
• wherein said control is configured to carry out said first scan and said second scan such that said predetermined time interval is at least twenty minutes.

Method for analyzing MRI of an organ of a subject, comprising:

• operating an MRI scanner to generate a first and a second MRI scan respectively at the beginning and end of a predetermined time interval post contrast administration, wherein the beginning of said predetermined time interval is at least five minutes and no more than ten minutes post contrast injection, and wherein the end of said predetermined time interval is at least twenty minutes after the beginning of said predetermined time interval;
• forming, by an image processor, a subtraction map from said first and said second MRI scans by analyzing said scans to distinguish between two primary populations, a slow population, in which contrast clearance from the tissue is slower than contrast accumulation, and a fast population in which clearance is faster than accumulation;
• applying registration between corresponding MRI images, smoothing a translation matrix resulting from said registration using circular smearing, and interpolating to obtain translation values per pixel;
• and
• converting said scans to a displayed subtraction map on which distributions of said two primary populations are distinguished wherein a distribution of said fast population is corresponds to a tumoral tissue region and a distribution of said slow population corresponds to a non-tumoral tissue region.

Method for analyzing MRI of an organ of a subject, comprising:

• operating an MRI scanner to generate a first MRI scan and a second MRI scan at the beginning and end of a predetermined time interval post contrast administration, wherein said operating comprises applying a 3D MRI pulse sequence;
• forming, by an image processor, a subtraction map from said first and said second MRI scans by analyzing said scans to distinguish between two primary populations, a slow population, in which contrast clearance from the tissue is slower than contrast accumulation, and a fast population in which clearance is faster than accumulation;
• and
• converting said scans to a displayed subtraction map on which distributions of said two primary populations are distinguished, wherein a distribution of said fast population corresponds to a tumoral tissue region and a distribution of said slow population corresponds to a non-tumoral tissue region;
• wherein said predetermined time interval is at least twenty minutes.

Apparatus for operating MRI, comprising:

• a control for operating an MRI scanner to carry out an MRI scan of an organ of a subject;
• an input for receiving first and second MRI scans respectively at the beginning and end of a predetermined time interval post contrast administration, wherein said beginning of said predetermined time interval is at least three minutes and no more than twenty minutes post contrast administration, and wherein said end of said predetermined time interval is at least twenty minutes after said beginning of said predetermined time interval;
• an image processor having a circuit configured for forming a subtraction map from said first and said second MRI scans by analyzing said scans to distinguish between two primary populations, a slow population, in which contrast clearance from the tissue is slower than contrast accumulation, and a fast population in which clearance is faster than accumulation;
• and
• an output converting said scans to a displayed subtraction map on which distributions of said two primary populations are distinguished, wherein a distribution of said fast population corresponds to a tumoral tissue region and a distribution of said slow population corresponds to a non-tumoral tissue region;
• wherein said control is configured to carry out said first scan at said beginning of said predetermined time interval, and to carry out said second scan at said end of said predetermined time interval;
• the apparatus being used for analysis of extra-cranial tumors.

Apparatus for operating MRI, comprising:

• an MRI Scanner configured for performing an MRI scan using a 3D MRI pulse sequence;
• an input for receiving first and second MRI scans of an organ of a subject respectively at the beginning and end of a predetermined time interval post contrast administration from said MRI scanner;
• an image processor having a circuit configured for forming a subtraction map from said first and said second MRI scans by analyzing said scans to distinguish between two primary populations, a slow population, in which contrast clearance from the tissue is slower than contrast accumulation, and a fast population in which clearance is faster than accumulation;
• and
• an output converting said scans to a displayed subtraction map on which distributions of said two primary populations are distinguished, wherein a distribution of said fast population corresponds to a tumoral tissue region and a distribution of said slow population corresponds to a non-tumoral tissue region;
• wherein said control is configured to carry out said first scan and said second scan such that said predetermined time interval is at least twenty minutes;
• the apparatus being used for analysis of extra-cranial tumors.