Comprehensive Cardiovascular Analysis with Volumetric Phase-Contrast MRI
AssigneeThe Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
InventorsAlbert Hsiao, Shreyas S. Vasanawala, Marcus T. Alley
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Abstract
Processing techniques of volumetric anatomic and vector field data from volumetric phase-contrast MRI on a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system are provided to evaluate the physiology of the heart and vessels. This method includes the steps of: (1) correcting for phase-error in the source data, (2) visualizing the vector field superimposed on the anatomic data, (3) using this visualization to select and view planes in the volume, and (4) using these planes to delineate the boundaries of the heart and vessels so that measurements of the heart and vessels can be accurately obtained.
Claims51
A method of processing volumetric anatomic data and vector field data from volumetric phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data to evaluate the physiology of a heart and vessels, comprising:
- (a) a computer obtaining said volumetric phase-contrast (MRI) data from a magnetic resonance imaging system, wherein said volumetric phase-contrast (MRI) data comprises said volumetric anatomic data and said vector field data;
- (b) said computer applying volumetric phase-error correction to said volumetric-phase contrast MRI data;
- (c) said computer visualizing on a display said corrected volumetric-phase contrast MRI data by superimposing said vector field data on said volumetric anatomic data;
- (d) using said visualization of (c) to select and view planes in said volumetric phase-contrast (MRI) data;
- and
- (e) using said selected planes to delineate boundaries of said heart, said vessels or a combination thereof for said computer to obtain measurements.
A method of operation in at least one component of a medical imaging system that employs volumetric phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data, the method comprising:
- receiving volumetric phase-contrast MRI data that includes a plurality of voxels;
- identifying at least one set of voxels that represent static soft tissue;
- generating via at least one computer at least one eddy current related phase offset based on the at least one set of voxels that represent static soft tissue;
- and
- performing a phase error correction based at least in part on the generated at least one eddy current related phase offset.
At least one component of a medical imaging system that employs volumetric phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data, the at least one component comprising:
- a computer, that in use:
- receives volumetric phase-contrast MRI data that includes a plurality of voxels;
- identifies at least one set of voxels that represent static soft tissue;
- generates at least one eddy current related phase offset based on the at least one set of voxels that represent static soft tissue;
- and
- performs a phase error correction based at least in part on the generated at least one eddy current related phase offset.
A method of operation in at least one component of a medical imaging system that employs volumetric phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data, the method comprising:
- rendering anatomic images via a computer;
- and
- superimposing vector field data on the rendered anatomic images by the computer.
A computer that employs volumetric phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data, wherein in use the computer:
- renders anatomic images via a computer;
- and
- superimposes vector field data on the rendered anatomic images by the computer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.