Magnetic resonance imaging system

A magnetic resonance imaging system comprising:

• static field generating means for generating a homogeneous static magnetic field in a predetermined imaging volume in which an object to be examined is placed;
• gradient magnetic field applying means for applying a gradient magnetic field to the imagnig volume;
• RF pulse applying means for applying an RF pulse to the imaging volume;
• sequence control means for controlling said gradient magnetic field applying means and said RF pulse applying means in accordance with a predetermined sequence so as to cause said gradient magnetic field applying means and said RF pulse applying means to respectively apply a predetermined gradient magnetic field and RF pulses to the imaging volume, thereby causing a magnetic resonance phenomenon in the imaging volume;
• receiving means for receiving a magnetic resonance signal generated in the imaging volume by the magnetic resonance phenomenon;
• imaging processing means for obtaining a magnetic resonance image by performing predetermined processing including image reconstruction processing for the magnetic resonance signal received by said receiving means,
• said sequence control means including first means for driving said RF pulse applying means to cause magnetic resonance excitation, second means for driving at least oen fo said RF pulse applying means and said gradient magnetic field applying means to produce a magnetic resonance echo, third means for driving said gradient magnetic field applying means during reception of the magnetic resonance echo to apply a read gradient field to the imaging volume, and fourth emans for driving said gradient magnetic field applying means to generate at least one additional magnetic resonance echo by inverting the read gradient field at least once, thereby applying an inverted gradient field to the imaging volume, and
• said imaging processing means including echo processing means for processing image data derived from a plurality of magnetic resonance echoes;
• wherein said echo processing means includes adding means for adding and averaging the plurality of magnetic resonance echo data;
• and
• wherein said adding means includes means for inverting image data of the magnetic resonance echo produced by the inverted read gradient field on a frequency axis to add the image data.

A method of imaging a magnetic resonance image by applying a predetermined gradient field and an RF pulse to a predetermined imaging volume of an object to be examined in a static field, causing a magnetic resonance phenomenon in a predetermined portion within the iamging volume, receiving a magnetic resonance signal generated by the magnetic resonance phenomenon, and performing predetermined processing including image reconstruction processing, including the steps of:

• the first step of applying the RF pulse to the imaging volume to cause magnetic resonance excitatino;
• the second step of applying at least oen of the RF pulse and the gradient field to produce a magnetic resonance echo;
• the third step of applying a read magnetic field to the imaging volume during reception of the magnetic resonance echo;
• the fourth step of inverting the read gradient field at least once to apply the inverted read gradient field to the imaging volume so as to produce at least one additional magnetic resonance echo;
• the fifth step of processing data of a plurality of magnetic resonance echoes;
• wherein the fifth step includes the sixth step of adding and averaging the data of the plurality of magnetic resonance echoes;
• and
• wherein the sixth step includes the step of inverting magnetic resonance echo data generated by the inverted read gradient field on a frequency axis and adding the magnetic resonance echo data.