Combined arterial spin labeling and magnetic resonance fingerprinting

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, wherein execution of the machine executable instructions causes the processor to:

• acquire tagged magnetic resonance data by means of a conventional arterial spin labeling protocol by controlling the magnetic resonance imaging system with tagging pulse sequence commands and execute the background suppression portion and acquire a first portion of fingerprinting magnetic resonance data, wherein the tagging pulse sequence commands comprise a tagging inversion pulse portion for spin labeling a tagging location within the subject, wherein the tagging pulse sequence commands comprise a background suppression portion, wherein the background suppression portion comprises MRF pulse sequence commands for acquiring fingerprinting magnetic resonance data according to a magnetic resonance fingerprinting protocol, wherein the tagging pulse sequence commands comprise an image acquisition portion;
• acquire control magnetic resonance data by means of a conventional arterial spin labeling protocol by controlling the magnetic resonance imaging system with control pulse sequence commands and execute the background suppression portion and acquire a second portion of the fingerprinting magnetic resonance data, wherein the control pulse sequence commands comprise a control inversion pulse portion, wherein the control pulse sequence commands comprise the background suppression portion, wherein the control pulse sequence commands comprise the image acquisition portion;
• reconstruct tagged magnitude images using the tagged magnetic resonance data;
• reconstruct control magnitude images using the control magnetic resonance data;
• construct an ASL image by subtracting the control magnitude images and the tagged magnitude images from each other;
• reconstruct a series of magnetic resonance fingerprinting images using the first portion of the fingerprinting magnetic resonance data and/or the second portion of the fingerprinting magnetic resonance data;
• and
• generate at least one magnetic resonance parametric map by comparing the series of magnetic resonance fingerprinting images with a magnetic resonance fingerprinting dictionary.

A method of operating a magnetic resonance imaging system for imaging a subject, wherein the method comprises:

• acquiring tagged magnetic resonance data and a first portion of fingerprinting magnetic resonance data by controlling the magnetic resonance imaging system with tagging pulse sequence commands, wherein the tagging pulse sequence commands comprise a tagging inversion pulse portion for spin labeling a tagging location within the subject, wherein the tagging pulse sequence commands comprise a background suppression portion, wherein the background suppression portion comprises MRF pulse sequence commands for acquiring fingerprinting magnetic resonance data according to a magnetic resonance fingerprinting protocol, wherein the tagging pulse sequence commands comprise an image acquisition portion;
• acquiring control magnetic resonance data and a second portion of the fingerprinting magnetic resonance data by controlling the magnetic resonance imaging system with control pulse sequence commands, wherein the control pulse sequence commands comprise a control inversion pulse portion, wherein the control pulse sequence commands comprise the background suppression portion, wherein the control pulse sequence commands comprise the image acquisition portion;
• reconstructing tagged magnitude images using the tagged magnetic resonance data;
• reconstructing control magnitude images using the control magnetic resonance data;
• constructing an ASL image by subtracting the control magnitude images and the tagged magnitude images from each other;
• reconstructing a series of magnetic resonance fingerprinting images using the first portion of the fingerprinting magnetic resonance data and/or the second portion of the fingerprinting magnetic resonance data;
• and
• generating at least one magnetic resonance parametric map by comparing the series of magnetic resonance fingerprinting images with a magnetic resonance fingerprinting dictionary.