Method and system for synchronizing magnetic resonance image acquisition to the arrival of a signal-enhancing contrast agent

A method of synchronizing initiation of a magnetic resonance image acquisition to the arrival of a contrast agent in a structure of interest, comprising:

• repetitively performing a partial MRI scan, including performing a first plurality of MRI pulse sequences that acquire sample MRI data for a first three-dimensional MRI data set;
• displaying a series of real time images of the structure of interest, said series of images being generated based on the first three-dimensional MRI data sets acquired during said first MRI scans;
• and
• terminating said repetitively performing step and completing a full MRI scan after said partial MRI scan indicates that the contrast agent has arrived in the structure of interest, including performing a second plurality of MRI pulse sequences that acquire sample MRI data for a second three-dimensional MRI data set.

A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system comprising:

• (A) means for performing a plurality of three-dimensional MRI scans each comprised of a series of three-dimensional pulse sequences in which two phase encoding gradients are stepped through values which produce MRI signals that sample a region surrounding a center of a two-dimensional plane defined by the two phase encoding gradients in a three-dimensional k-space, such that an area near said center is sampled initially during the scan and sampling continues at points further away from said center as said scan is performed;
• (B) means for displaying images of the structure of interest in real-time, said images being generated based on said plurality of three-dimensional MRI scans;
• (C) means for detecting arrival of a contrast agent in a structure of interest based on said plurality of three-dimensional MRI scans;
• and
• (D) means for causing said means for performing to switch from a first mode of operation to a second mode of operation upon detection of a contrast agent in the structure of interest, said first mode of operation being a partial acquisition mode of operation in which a partial set of three-dimensional data is acquired, and said second mode of operation being a full acquisition mode of operation in which a full set of three-dimensional data is acquired and used to produce a full fidelity image set.