Corrected multiple-slice magnetic resonance imaging

A computer program product comprising machine executable instructions stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium for execution by a processor controlling a magnetic resonance imaging system for acquiring magnetic resonance data from a subject within an imaging zone, wherein the magnetic resonance imaging system comprises a memory for storing pulse sequence data, wherein the pulse sequence data comprises instructions for controlling the magnetic resonance imaging system to acquire the magnetic resonance data, wherein the pulse sequence data controls the magnetic resonance imaging system to acquire the magnetic resonance data as a multiple slice acquisition performed over multiple repetition cycles, wherein execution of the instructions cause the processor to:

• acquire a first slice group of the magnetic resonance data during a first repetition cycle using the pulse sequence data;
• extract first central k-space data from the first slice group;
• reconstruct first navigator data as a first three-dimensional navigator in image space using the first central k-space data;
• wherein execution of the instructions causes the processor to repeatedly:
• acquire a subsequent slice group of the magnetic resonance data during a subsequent repetition cycle using the pulse sequence data;
• extract subsequent central k-space data from the subsequent slice group;
• reconstruct subsequent navigator data as a subsequent three-dimensional navigator in image space using the subsequent central k-space data;
• determining a mapping from the first navigator data to the subsequent navigator data by performing a three-dimensional transformation between the first navigator data and the subsequent navigator data and
• correct the acquisition of a next slice group of the magnetic resonance data using the mapping.

A method of operating a magnetic resonance imaging system for acquiring magnetic resonance data from a subject within an imaging zone, wherein the method comprises the steps of:

• acquiring a first slice group of the magnetic resonance data during a first repetition cycle using pulse sequence data, wherein the pulse sequence data comprises instructions for controlling the magnetic resonance imaging system to acquire the magnetic resonance data, wherein the pulse sequence data controls the magnetic resonance imaging system to acquire the magnetic resonance data as a multiple slice acquisition performed over multiple repetition cycles;
• extracting first central k-space data from the first slice group;
• reconstructing first navigator data as a first three-dimensional navigator in image space using the first central k-space data;
• wherein the method further comprises repeatedly performing the steps of:
• acquiring a subsequent slice group of the magnetic resonance data during a subsequent repetition cycle using the pulse sequence data;
• extracting subsequent central k-space data from the subsequent slice group;
• reconstructing subsequent navigator data as a subsequent three-dimensional navigator in image space using the subsequent central k-space data;
• determining a mapping from the first navigator data to the subsequent navigator data by performing a three-dimensional transformation between the first navigator data and the subsequent navigator data;
• and
• correcting the acquisition of a next slice group of the magnetic resonance data using the mapping.