Magnetic resonance imaging with machine-learning based shim settings

A magnetic resonance examination system comprising:

• an RF transmit system with RF antenna elements and an RF driver system to activate the RF antenna elements for applying a (B1) radio frequency field having a predetermined spatial distribution;
• an RF shim system to control the RF driver system to apply shim radio frequency fields to correct for deviation of the radio frequency field's spatial distribution from the predetermined spatial distribution on the basis of RF-shim settings;
• and
• a trained machine-learning module trained to return the RF-shim settings from one or more actual load parameters:
• a main magnet configured to apply a uniform static magnetic field;
• an active shim system to apply shim magnetic fields to correct for inhomogeneities of the static magnetic field;
• a shim driver system to activate the active shim system on the basis of B0-shim settings;
• wherein the trained machine-learning module returns the B0-shim settings from one or more actual load parameters, wherein the actual load parameters are determined from images of the examination zone with the patient to be examined in position.

A computer program comprising executable instructions stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium, which when executed by a processor are configured to perform at least one of the following:

• (i) operating a trained machine-learning module trained to return B0-shim settings from one or more actual load parameters that are determined may from images of the examination zone with the patient to be examined in position;
• and
• driving a shim driver system to activate an active shim system on the basis of B0-shim settings to cause the active shim system apply shim magnetic fields to correct for inhomogeneities of a static magnetic field;
• and/or
• (ii) operating a trained machine-learning module trained to return RF-shim settings from one or more actual load parameters;
• and
• driving an RF transmit system with RF antenna elements and an RF driver system to activate the RF antenna elements for applying a (B1) radio frequency field having a predetermined spatial distribution to cause the RF shim system to apply shim radio frequency fields to correct for deviation of the radio frequency field's spatial distribution from the predetermined spatial distribution on the basis of RF-shim settings, and/or
• (iii) operating a trained machine-learning module to return the centre frequency setting from imaging circumstances aspects;
• and
• driving a radio frequency (RF) transmit and receive (T/R) system to transmit a RF field and to acquire magnetic resonance signals causing an adjustable centre frequency of the RF T/R system's RF resonance frequency bandwidth set to the returned centre frequency.