Method of determining real-time spatially localized velocity distribution using magnetic resonance measurements
AssigneeThe Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
InventorsPablo Irarrazabal, Bob S. Hu, John Pauly
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Real-time spatially localized velocity distribution is measured using magnetic resonance techniques by first exciting a region of interest using an RF excitation pulse simultaneously with gradient pulses along two orthogonal axes. A cyclical read-out gradient is then applied along a read-out axis and a magnetic resonance signal is continuously sampled while the read-out gradient is applied. The excitation and read-out is repeated at time intervals to obtain time varying spatially localized velocities within the region of interest.
Claims21
A method of measuring real-time spatially localized velocity distribution in a region of a body comprising the steps of:
- (a) placing said body in a static magnetic field along a first axis (z),
- (b) applying magnetic gradient pulses along two orthogonal axes (x,y) and an RF excitation pulse to selectively excite said region,
- (c) applying a magnetic gradient along a read-out axis,
- (d) sampling a magnetic resonance signal while applying said read-out gradient, said magnetic resonance signal including velocity distribution along a spatial dimension on said read-out axis, and
- (e) obtaining a velocity distribution along said spatial dimension.
Apparatus for measuring real-time spatially localized velocity distribution in a region of a body comprising:
- (a) means for aligning nuclei spins in said body with a static magnetic field along a first axis (z),
- (b) means for applying magnetic gradient pulses along two orthogonal axes (x,y) and an RF excitation pulse to selectively excite said region,
- (c) means for applying a magnetic gradient along a read-out axis,
- (d) means for sampling a magnetic resonance signal while applying said read-out gradient, said magnetic resonance signal including velocity distribution along a spatial dimension on said read-out axis, and
- (e) means for obtaining a velocity distribution along said spatial dimension.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.