Methods and systems to reduce magnetic resonance imaging sensitivity to magnetic field inhomogeneities

A computer program product, embodied on a computer-readable medium, operable to cause a data processing apparatus to perform operations for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) comprising:

• applying at a first time, to a subject located in a magnetic field, a first adiabatic magnetic pulse train comprising excitation pulses and adiabatic refocusing pairs;
• obtaining a first MRI image comprising first MRI data acquired after the applying of the first adiabatic magnetic pulse train to the subject at the first time;
• applying a second adiabatic magnetic pulse train comprising excitation pulses and adiabatic refocusing pairs to the subject at a second time while the subject is located in the magnetic field;
• obtaining a second MRI image comprising second MRI data acquired after the applying of the second adiabatic magnetic pulse train to the subject at the second time;
• acquiring third MRI data corresponding to blood flow in the subject based on differences between the first MRI image and the second MRI image;
• and
• obtaining an MRI perfusion image based on the third MRI data that excludes some or all MRI artifacts arising from regions of inhomogeneity in the magnetic field,
• wherein at least one of the first adiabatic magnetic pulse train or the second adiabatic magnetic pulse train further comprises gradient pulses,
• wherein at least one of the first MRI image or the second MRI image is obtained in-part based on selective interaction of the first adiabatic magnetic pulse train or the second adiabatic magnetic pulse train with spins in arterial blood water of the subject based on a velocity of the arterial blood water being at or above a predetermined threshold velocity.

A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, comprising:

• a radio frequency (RF) subsystem configured to:
• apply at a first time, to a subject located in a magnetic field, a first adiabatic magnetic pulse train comprising excitation pulses and adiabatic refocusing pairs, and
• apply at a second time, to the subject while located in the magnetic field, a second adiabatic magnetic pulse train comprising excitation pulses and adiabatic refocusing pairs;
• and
• a processor and a computer-readable medium with instructions stored thereon, wherein the instructions upon execution by the processor cause the processor to:
• obtain a first MRI image comprising first MRI data acquired after the applying of the first adiabatic magnetic pulse train to the subject at the first time;
• obtain a second MRI image comprising second MRI data acquired after the applying of the second adiabatic magnetic pulse train to the subject at the second time;
• acquire third MRI data corresponding to blood flow in the subject based on differences between the first MRI image and the second MRI image;
• and
• obtain an MRI perfusion image based on the third MRI data that excludes some or all MRI artifacts arising from regions of inhomogeneity in the magnetic field,
• wherein at least one of the first adiabatic magnetic pulse train or the second adiabatic magnetic pulse train further comprises gradient pulses,
• wherein at least one of the first MRI image or the second MRI image is obtained in-part based on selective interaction of the first adiabatic magnetic pulse train or the second adiabatic magnetic pulse train with spins in arterial blood water of the subject based on a velocity of the arterial blood water being at or above a predetermined threshold velocity.