Systems, devices and methods for imaging cortical and trabecular bone
AssigneeThe Regents of the University of California
InventorsJiang Du, Yajun Ma
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Abstract
Devices, systems and methods for imaging cortical and trabecular bone are described. An example method for imaging cortical and trabecular bone is provided to include applying one or more adiabatic inversion recovery pulses to a cortical and trabecular bone, wherein the one or more adiabatic inversion recovery pulses are provided with multiple spokes in a three dimensional adiabatic ultrashort TE cones sequence (3D UTE-Cones sequence) that has a TR/TI combination, TR and TI corresponding to repetition time and inversion time, respectively; and performing data acquisition, by using the multiple spokes, on a target signal obtained after the applying of the one or more adiabatic inversion recovery pulses.
Claims14
A method for imaging a cortical and trabecular bone, comprising:
- applying to the cortical and trabecular bone one or more adiabatic inversion recovery pulses configured to suppress unwanted signals from a tissue surrounding the cortical and trabecular bone and from pore water in the cortical and trabecular bone having a range of T1 relaxation times, wherein the one or more adiabatic inversion recovery pulses are provided with multiple spokes in a three dimensional adiabatic ultrashort TE cones sequence (3D UTE-Cones sequence) that has a TR/TI combination, TR and TI corresponding to a repetition time and an inversion time, respectively;
- applying a soft-hard composite pulse to the cortical and trabecular bone, wherein the soft-hard composite pulse comprises:
- a soft pulse with a negative flip angle, wherein the soft pulse is configured to further suppress the unwanted signals from the tissue, and
- a hard pulse, applied after the soft pulse, with a positive flip angle that has a same absolute value as the negative flip angle;
- performing data acquisition, by using the multiple spokes, on a target signal obtained after the applying of the one or more adiabatic inversion recovery pulses and the applying of the soft-hard composite pulse;
- and
- obtaining mapping information on at least one of total water, bound water, pore water, or collagen proton based on image data associated with the cortical and trabecular bone, wherein the image data is obtained using the 3D UTE-Cones sequence.
A system for imaging a cortical and trabecular bone, comprising:
- a pulse application device structured to apply, to the cortical and trabecular bone, one or more adiabatic inversion recovery pulses configured to suppress unwanted signals from a tissue surrounding the cortical and trabecular bone and from pore water in the cortical and trabecular bone having a range of T1 relaxation times;
- a data acquisition device interfaced with the pulse application device and operable to obtain image data associated with the cortical and trabecular bone and perform data acquisition on the obtained image data, wherein the data acquisition device with the pulse application device is configured to apply a soft-hard composite pulse to the cortical and trabecular bone, wherein the soft-hard composite pulse comprises:
- a soft pulse with a negative flip angle, wherein the soft pulse is configured to further suppress the unwanted signals from the tissue, and
- a hard pulse, applied after the soft pulse, with a positive flip angle that has a same absolute value as the negative flip angle;
- and
- a data processing and control device in communication with the data acquisition device, the data processing and control device including a processor configured to process the image data obtained by the data acquisition device to provide, based on the processed image data, mapping information on at least one of total water, bound water, pore water, or collagen proton associated with the cortical and trabecular bone,
- wherein the data acquisition device is configured to perform data acquisition using multiple spokes,
- wherein the one or more adiabatic inversion recovery pulses and the multiple spokes are provided during a three dimensional adiabatic ultrashort TE cones sequence (3D UTE-Cones sequence) that has a TR/TI combination to sufficiently suppress an unwanted signal from a tissue in the cortical and trabecular bone, TR and TI corresponding to repetition time and inversion time, respectively,
- wherein the image data is obtained using the 3D UTE-cones sequence.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.