US 2011/0216955 A1Published application

Magnetic resonance imaging apparatus

AssigneesKabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation

InventorHiroshi TAKAI

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Abstract

In an MRI apparatus, an executing unit executes an image taking sequence according to a parallel imaging method so as to collect MR signals by using a plurality of RF coils; a reconstructing unit reconstructs an MR image from the MR signals; an unfolding processing unit performs an unfolding process to unfold aliasing that has occurred in the MR image, by using sensitivity distribution data indicating a spatial sensitivity distribution of the RF coils; a judging unit judges whether the unfolded image includes one or more pixels of which the pixel values are abnormal; and when the judgment result is in the affirmative, a correcting unit corrects the sensitivity distribution data so that the pixel values of the pixels become closer to a normal value. After the sensitivity distribution data has been corrected, the unfolding processing unit performs the unfolding process again by using the corrected sensitivity distribution data.

Claims9

Dependent claims

A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus comprising:

an executing unit that executes an image taking sequence according to a parallel imaging method so as to collect magnetic resonance signals by using a plurality of radio frequency coils;
a reconstructing unit that reconstructs a magnetic resonance image from the magnetic resonance signals;
an unfolding processing unit that performs an unfolding process so as to unfold aliasing that has occurred in the magnetic resonance image, by using sensitivity distribution data indicating a spatial sensitivity distribution of the radio frequency coils;
a judging unit that judges whether the unfolded image obtained as a result of the unfolding process includes one or more pixels of which pixel values are abnormal;
and
a correcting unit that, in a case where the judging unit has judged that the unfolded image includes one or more pixels of which the pixel values are abnormal, corrects the sensitivity distribution data in such a manner that the pixel values of the pixels become closer to a normal value, wherein
after the sensitivity distribution data has been corrected, the unfolding processing unit performs the unfolding process again by using the sensitivity distribution data that has been corrected.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/040,591Filed 4 Mar 2011
Priority: JP 2010-0495245 Mar 2010
Published: 8 Sep 2011
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

G06T 7/00
Image analysis
G01R 33/5608
Image enhancement or correction, e.g. subtraction or averaging techniques , e.g. improvement of signal-to-noise ratio and resolution: data…
G01R 33/5611
By reduction of the scanning time, i.e. fast acquiring systems, e.g. using echo-planar pulse sequences: parallel magnetic resonance imaging, e.g.…
G01R 33/56545
Correction of image distortions, e.g. due to magnetic field inhomogeneities: caused by finite or discrete sampling, e.g. Gibbs ringing, truncation…