Magnetic resonance imaging apparatus and image data generating method

A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus comprising:

• a static magnetic field generating unit which generates a static magnetic field;
• a gradient magnetic field generating unit which generates a gradient magnetic field to be superposed on the static magnetic field;
• a transmitting unit which transmits a radio-frequency pulse with which a subject having the static magnetic field and the gradient magnetic field applied thereto is irradiated;
• a plurality of coil elements which respectively receive magnetic resonance signals generated from the subject;
• a collecting unit which collects the magnetic resonance signals respectively received by the plurality of coil elements or a plurality of sections formed by grouping the plurality of coil elements;
• a reconstructing unit which reconstructs a plurality of pieces of first image data respectively associated with the coil elements or the sections that have received the magnetic resonance signals, by use of the plurality of magnetic resonance signals collected by the collecting unit;
• a first generating unit which generates second image data by combining a plurality of pieces of combination target data as at least some of the plurality of pieces of first image data to generate second image data;
• a display unit which displays an image represented by the second image data;
• and
• a second generating unit which generates third image data by combining the first image data specified in accordance with specification of the first image data including an artifact from the combination target data after display of the image by the display unit with the plurality of pieces of combination target data while differentiating weighting of the plurality of pieces of combination target data excluding the specified pieces of first image data to reduce an influence of the artifact.

An image data generating method comprising:

• generating a static magnetic field;
• generating a gradient magnetic field to be superposed on the static magnetic field;
• transmitting a radio-frequency pulse with which a subject having the static magnetic field and the gradient magnetic field applied thereto is irradiated;
• respectively receiving magnetic resonance signals generated from the subject by a plurality of coil elements;
• collecting the magnetic resonance signals respectively received by the plurality of coil elements or a plurality of sections formed by grouping the plurality of coil elements;
• reconstructing a plurality of pieces of first image data associated with the coil elements or the sections that have received the magnetic resonance signals, by use of the plurality of collected magnetic resonance signals;
• determining the coil elements or the sections having received a plurality of magnetic resonance signals that are at least some of the plurality of collected magnetic resonance signals as target elements or target sections, and generates second image data by combining the plurality of pieces of first image data associated with the target elements or the target sections;
• displaying an image represented by the second image data;
• and
• changing the target elements or the target sections in accordance with specification of changing the target elements or the target sections when the specification is carried out after displaying the second image, and generates third image data by combining the plurality of pieces of first image data associated with the changed target elements or the changed target sections.

An image data generating method comprising:

• generating a static magnetic field;
• generating a gradient magnetic field to be superposed on the static magnetic field;
• transmitting a radio-frequency pulse with which a subject having the static magnetic field and the gradient magnetic field applied thereto is irradiated;
• respectively receiving magnetic resonance signals generated from the subject by a plurality of coil elements;
• collecting the magnetic resonance signals respectively received by the plurality of coil elements or a plurality of sections formed by grouping the plurality of coil elements;
• reconstructing a plurality of pieces of first image data associated with the coil elements or the sections that have received the magnetic resonance signals, by use of the plurality of collected magnetic resonance signals;
• generating second image data by combining a plurality of pieces of combination target data as at least some of the plurality of pieces of first image data to generate second image data;
• displaying an image represented by the second image data;
• and
• generating third image data by combining specified pieces of first image data in accordance with the specification of the first image data including an artifact from the combination target data after displaying the image with the plurality of pieces of combination target data while differentiating weighting of the plurality of pieces of combination target data excluding the specified pieces of first image data to reduce an influence of the artifact.