Magnetic resonance inspecting method and apparatus

A magnetic resonance inspecting apparatus comprising:

• magnetic field generating means for generating a static magnetic field, a gradient magnetic field and a radio frequency magnetic field in a predetermined space including an inspection object;
• means for applying an irritation to a sense organ of said inspection object substantially in synchronism with a predetermined timing for generating each of said gradient magnetic field and radio frequency magnetic field;
• signal detection means, installed in said predetermined space, for detecting a nuclear magnetic resonance signal from the inspection object;
• an electronic computer, responsive to said detected nuclear magnetic resonance signal, for performing a predetermined operation on said nuclear magnetic resonance signal , and for outputting an operation result;
• and
• display means for displaying said operation result outputted by said electronic computer.

A magnetic resonance inspecting apparatus comprising:

• magnetic field generating means for generating a static magnetic field, a gradient magnetic field, and a radio frequency magnetic field in a predetermined space including an inspection object;
• means for activating brain tissue of said inspection object;
• signal detection means, installed in said predetermined space, for detecting a nuclear magnetic resonance signal from the inspection object;
• an electronic computer, responsive to said detected nuclear magnetic resonance signal, for performing a predetermined operation on said nuclear magnetic resonance signal , and for outputting an operation result;
• and
• control means, which is connected between said electronic computer and both of said magnetic field generation means and said brain tissue activation means , for effecting control so that said activation of the brain tissue is executed substantially in synchronism with a predetermined timing for generating each of said gradient magnetic field and radio frequency magnetic field;
• and
• display means for displaying said operation result outputted by said electronic computer.

A method of inspecting an active function of a brain of a living body using a magnetic resonance phenomenon, comprising the steps of:

• (1) arranging a head portion of the living body in a static magnetic field, and applying a gradient magnetic field and a radio frequency magnetic field according to a predetermined pulse sequence to effect acquisition of first image data of the brain including a portion to be inspected;
• (2) externally applying to a sense organ of the living body an irritation to which the portion to be inspected in the brain reacts during a period of time after effecting the acquisition of the first image data;
• (3) restarting the predetermined pulse sequence of applying the gradient magnetic field and the radio frequency magnetic field after lapse of a period of time from the start of the applying of the irritation to the sense organ to effect acquisition of second image data of the portion to be inspected activated by the irritation;
• and
• (4) calculating a difference between the first and second image data to effect acquisition of third image data in which a relation between the applied irritation and tissue active information at the portion to be inspected reacted to the irritation is indicated.

An inspecting apparatus of an active function of a brain of a living body using a magnetic resonance phenomenon, comprising:

• (1) means for arranging a head portion of the living body in a static magnetic field, and for applying a gradient magnetic field and a radio frequency magnetic field according to a predetermined pulse sequence to effect acquisition of first image data of the brain including a portion to be inspected;
• (2) means for externally applying to a sense organ of the living body an irritation to which the portion to be inspected in the brain reacts during a period of time after effecting the acquisition of the first image data;
• (3) means for restarting the predetermined pulse sequence of applying the gradient magnetic field and the radio frequency magnetic field after lapse of a period of time from the start of the applying of the irritation to the sense organ to effect acquisition of second image data of the portion to be inspected activated by the irritation;
• and
• (4) means for calculating a difference between the first and second image data to effect acquisition of third image data in which a relation between the applied irritation and tissue active information at the portion to be inspected reacted to the irritation is indicated.