Method and apparatus for reconstructing contrast levels from magnetic resonance acquisitions

A magnetic resonance (MR) apparatus comprising:

• an MR data acquisition scanner;
• a computer configured to operate the MR data acquisition scanner in order to acquire MR raw data representing at least two contrast levels acquired from a subject, and said MR raw data also comprising a plurality of reference lines;
• said computer being configured to reconstruct a plurality of reference line images respectively from said reference lines for at least two of the contrast levels among said at least two contrast levels;
• said computer being configured to conduct a histogram analysis of an attribute of the plurality of reference line images;
• and
• said computer being configured to implement a parallel acquisition technique (PAT) reconstruction of image representations of said at least two contrast levels in the MR raw data, with selected reference lines, among said plurality of reference lines, being used in said PAT reconstruction dependent on an outcome of said histogram analysis.

A non-transitory, computer-readable data storage medium encoded with programming instructions, said storage medium being loaded into a computer and said programming instructions causing said computer to:

• receive magnetic resonance raw data representing at least two contrast levels acquired from a subject, and said magnetic resonance raw data also comprising a plurality of reference lines;
• reconstruct a plurality of reference line images respectively from said reference lines for at least two of the contrast levels among said at least two contrast levels;
• conduct a histogram analysis of an attribute of the plurality of reference line images;
• and
• implement a parallel acquisition technique (PAT) reconstruction of image representations of said at least two contrast levels in the magnetic resonance raw data, with selected reference lines, among said plurality of reference lines, being used in said PAT reconstruction dependent on an outcome of said histogram analysis.