Three-dimensional magnetic resonance image distortion correction method and system
AssigneeSAM Technology, Inc.
InventorsDouglas S. Greer, Alan S. Gevins
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Abstract
A method and system in Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) medical imaging systems corrects for three-dimensional distortions arising from the apparatus and patient specific distortions using a phantom and a helmet, both of which have fiducial markers in a three-dimensional matrix. The positions of the phantom and helmet fiducial markers are automatically detected and compared in a computer system which uses image transform algorithms to correct for the various distortions.
Claims4
A method in nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) for the correction of distortions in an NMR scanner, including the steps of:
- (a) positioning a plurality of fiducial markers at selected locations on a helmet, said markers providing a readily determined distinctive image in an NMR scan;
- (b) placing a phantom having a plurality of predetermined fiducial markers at selected locations therein in said NMR device and taking a scan of said phantom;
- and then removing said phantom from said device after taking the scan;
- (c) placing the helmet on a subject within the NMR device and taking a scan of the helmeted subject;
- (d) comparing the locations of the fiducial markers in the scans of the phantom and the helmeted subject by an automatic comparison using a computer system and pattern recognition algorithms;
- (e) computing in the computer system a first set of distortion corrections providing three-dimensional corrections for the NMR scanner;
- and
- (f) applying said three-dimensional corrections to the NMR scanner to produce corrected NMR scan images.
An NMR phantom adapted to be used to correct distortions in a nuclear magnetic resonance device, said NMR phantom being a helmet having a hollowed-out space having the size and shape of a human head and adapted to receive a human head therein wherein, the helmet comprises a three-dimensional matrix of rows and columns having evenly spaced fiducial markers in each row and column, the markers providing a readily determined image of their location in a scan by a NMR device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.