Continuous magnetic resonance line-scan imaging in the presence of motion and varying magnetic field inhomogeneities within the field of view

Apparatus for creating substantially undistorted magnet resonance images of a field of view containing extraneous, time-varying magnetic field inhomogeneitics and/or motion, said apparatus comprising:

• magnetic resonance means for generating image signals that together are representative of a time series of images of a predefined field of view using a single-shot line-scan imaging technique or another single-shot imaging technique without shot-to-shot phase encoding, said apparatus comprising:
• analysis means for analyzing said image signals so as to identify missing and/or deteriorated images, image portions image lines and/or segments of image lines in each of said time series of images of said field of view, which compares spatial and temporal neighbors;
• processing means for replacing and/or repairing the so identified missing and/or deteriorated images, image portions image lines and/or segments of image lines in each of said time series of images of said field of view, which compare spatial and temporal neighbors;
• selection means for selecting from among said image signals those image signals representative of a specified time series of said magnetic resonance images;
• calculation means for averaging those of said selected signals representative of corresponding portions of said field of view, which compare spatial and temporal neighbors;
• and means for displaying said averaged signals in the form of a single image.

A method for acquiring substantially undistorted images from a field of view containing time-varying magnetic field inhomogeneities and/or motion, said method comprising the steps of:

• generating a plurality of magnetic resonance signals representative of a time series of magnetic resonance images from the field of view using a single-shot line-scan imaging technique or another single-shot imaging technique without shot-to-shot phase encoding;
• storing the magnetic resonance signals so generated;
• analyzing said image signals so as to identify missing and/or deteriorated images, image portions, image lines and/or segments of image lines in each of said time series of images of said field of view, by comparing spatial and temporal neighbors;
• replacing and/or repairing the so identified missing and/or deteriorated images, image portions, image lines and/or segments of image lines in each of said time series of images of said field of view, by comparing spatial and temporal neighbors;
• selecting from among said image signals those image signals representative of a specified time series of said magnetic resonance images;
• averaging those of said selected signals representative of corresponding portions of said field of view;
• and
• displaying said averaged signals in the form of a single image.

An apparatus for identifying and replacing missing images, image portions image lines and/or segments of image lines in a database of signals representative of a time sequenced series of magnetic resonance images of a selected field of view obtained by a single-shot line-scan imaging technique or another single-shot imaging technique without shot-to-shot phase encoding, wherein each said image includes a plurality of mutually parallel lines, said apparatus comprising:

• division means for sequentially incrementally dividing each image of said field of view into smaller and smaller fractional portions until a preselected minimum portion size is reached;
• projecting means for projecting each said portion of each said image along a read direction so as to form an associated summation profile;
• identification means for identifying points along each said associated summation profile having signal amplitudes that are less than a preselected threshold percentage of the signal amplitude of the nearest neighboring points in space and time thereto in said profile;
• forming means for forming a bit map of said images, image portions, image lines and/or segments of image lines represented by said identified points;
• and
• interpolation means for interpolating replacement images, image portions, image lines and/or segments of image lines for said identified images, image portions, image lines and/or segments of image lines using said nearest neighbor images, image portions, image lines and/or segments of image lines.