K-space sampling for accelerated stack-of-stars magnetic resonance imaging using compressed sense and AI

A computer program comprising machine executable instructions stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium for execution by a computational system, wherein execution of the machine executable instructions causes the computational system to:

• receive k-space data, wherein the k-space data comprises lines of k-space data sampled according to a three-dimensional stack of stars sampling pattern, wherein the three-dimensional stack of stars comprises discrete sampling planes distributed periodically at a regular interval displaced along a cartesian sampling direction axis, wherein a portion of the lines of k-space data pass through the cartesian sampling direction axis, wherein the portion of the lines of k-space data are perpendicular to the cartesian sampling direction axis, wherein at least another portion of the lines of k-space data are distributed between the discrete sampling planes;
• receive a selection of a rectangular field of view;
• calculate the minimum and maximum distance between k-space sampling locations in the lines of k-space data for a volume representing the rectangular field of view;
• modify the stack of stars sampling pattern so that the stack of stars fits the maximum distance between sample points and the minimum distance between sample points in k-space;
• and
• reconstruct at least one three-dimensional magnetic resonance image from the k-space data, wherein the at least a portion of the k-space lines distributed between the discrete sampling planes are distributed irregularly in a linear direction aligned with the cartesian sampling direction axis.

A method of medical imaging, wherein the method comprises:

• receiving k-space data, wherein the k-space data comprises lines of k-space data sampled according to a three-dimensional stack of stars sampling pattern, wherein the three-dimensional stack of stars comprises discrete sampling planes distributed periodically at a regular interval displaced along a cartesian sampling direction axis, wherein a portion of the lines of k-space data pass through the cartesian sampling direction axis, wherein the portion of the lines of k-space data are perpendicular to the cartesian sampling direction axis, wherein at least a portion of the lines of k-space data are distributed between the discrete sampling planes;
• receiving a selection of a rectangular field of view;
• calculating the minimum and maximum distance between k-space sampling locations in the lines of k-space data for a volume representing the rectangular field of view;
• modifying the stack of stars sampling pattern so that it fits the maximum distance between sample points and the minimum distance between sample points in k-space;
• and
• reconstructing at least one three-dimensional magnetic resonance image from the k-space data, wherein the at least a portion of the k-space lines distributed between the discrete sampling planes are distributed irregularly in a linear direction aligned with the cartesian sampling direction axis.