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US 6,823,205 B1Granted
Synthetic images for a magnetic resonance imaging scanner using linear combination of source images to generate contrast and spatial navigation
AssigneeBoston University Radiology Associates
InventorHernan Jara
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention consists of three image-postprocessing phases for the purposes of generating high-quality quantitative MR images (proton density (PD), T1, and T2) as well as high-quality virtual MR images with continuously adjustable computer-synthesized contrast weightings, from source images acquired directly with an MRI scanner. Each of the image-postprocessing phases uses one or several new computer algorithms that improve image quality with respect to prior art, including linear-combination-of source-images (LCSI) algorithms for generating PD images and model-conforming algorithms for generating Q-MR images of tissue properties that influence NMR relaxation.
Claims40
A method for analyzing data obtained from a magnetic resonance imaging scanner, comprising:
- acquiring a plurality of directly acquired images by said magnetic resonance imaging scanner using a predefined pulse sequence;
- forming a linear combination of said plurality of directly acquired images, said linear combination formed by summing a product of a coefficient and an image of said plurality of directly acquired images to form a sum of coefficients and images;
- synthesizing a desired proton density image using said linear combination of said plurality of directly acquired images;
- and
- computing, in response to said proton density image, a synthesized virtual MR image.
2 more elements
A magnetic resonance imaging scanner, comprising:
- means for acquiring a plurality of directly acquired images by said magnetic resonance imaging scanner using a predefined pulse sequence;
- means for forming a linear combination of said plurality of directly acquired images, said linear combination formed by summing a product of a coefficient and an image of said plurality of directly acquired images to form a sum of coefficients and images;
- means for synthesizing a desired proton density image using said linear combination of said plurality of directly acquired images;
- and
- means for computing, in response to said proton density image, a synthesized virtual MR image.
2 more elements
A method for analyzing data obtained from a magnetic resonance imaging scanner, comprising:
- acquiring a plurality of directly acquired images by said magnetic resonance imaging scanner using a predefined pulse sequence;
- forming a linear combination of said plurality of directly acquired images, said linear combination formed by summing a product of a coefficient and an image of said plurality of directly acquired images to form a sum of coefficients and images;
- synthesizing a desired proton density image using said linear combination of said plurality of directly acquired images;
- and
- computing, in response to said proton density image and in response to a virtual MRI pulse sequence, a synthesized virtual MR image.
2 more elements
A magnetic resonance imaging scanner, comprising:
- means for acquiring a plurality of directly acquired images by said magnetic resonance imaging scanner using a predefined pulse sequence;
- means for forming a linear combination of said plurality of directly acquired images, said linear combination formed by summing a product of a coefficient and an image of said plurality of directly acquired images to form a sum of coefficients and images;
- means for synthesizing a desired proton density image using said linear combination of said plurality of directly acquired images;
- means for computing, in response to said proton density image and in response to a virtual MRI pulse sequence, a synthesized virtual MR image.
1 more element
A method for analyzing data obtained from a magnetic resonance imaging scanner, comprising:
- acquiring a plurality of directly acquired images by said magnetic resonance imaging scanner using a first pulse sequence;
- forming a linear combination of said plurality of directly acquired images, said linear combination formed by summing a product of a coefficient and an image of said plurality of directly acquired images to form a sum of coefficients and images;
- synthesizing a desired proton density image using said linear combination of said plurality of directly acquired images;
- computing a synthesized virtual MR image using the equation
- Synthetic—I(i,j)=LCSI—PD(i,j).PSw[{TE, TR, FA, . . . }m;{T1(i,j), T2(i,j), . . . }],
- where Synthetic_I(i,j) is the i,j pixel of the synthesized virtual MR image,
- LCSI_PD(i,j) is the i,j pixel of the Proton Density image computed as a Linear Combination of Directly Acquired Images,
- PSw[{TE, TR, FA, . . . }m;
- {T1{i,j), T2(i,j), . . . }] is the pulse sequence weighting factor for the virtual MR image, and the subscript m indicates a m'th directly acquired image;
- and
- computing the pulse sequence weighting factor PSw[{TE, TR, FA, . . . }m;
- {T1{i,j), T2(i,j), . . . }] for a virtual MRI pulse sequence.
9 more elements
A magnetic resonance imaging scanner, comprising:
- means for acquiring a plurality of directly acquired images by said magnetic resonance imaging scanner using a first pulse sequence;
- means for forming a linear combination of said plurality of directly acquired images, said linear combination formed by summing a product of a coefficient and an image of said plurality of directly acquired images to form a sum of coefficients and images;
- means for synthesizing a desired proton density image using said linear combination of said plurality of directly acquired;
- means for computing a synthesized virtual MR image using the equation
- Synthetic—I(i,j)=LCSI—PD(i,j).PSw[{TE, TR, FA, . . . }m;{T1(i,j), T2(i,j), . . . }],
- where Synthetic_I(i,j) is the i,j pixel of the synthesized virtual MR image,
- LCSI_PD(i,j) is the i,j pixel of the Proton Density image computed as a Linear Combination of Directly Acquired Images,
- PSw[{TE, TR, FA, . . . }m;
- {T1{i,j), T2(i,j), . . . }] is the pulse sequence weighting factor for the virtual MR image, and
- the subscript m indicates a m'th directly acquired image;
- and
- computing the pulse sequence weighting factor PSw[{TE, TR, FA, . . . }m;
- {T1{i,j), T2(i,j), . . . }] for a virtual MRI pulse sequence.
10 more elements
A method for analyzing data obtained from a magnetic resonance imaging scanner, comprising:
- acquiring a plurality of directly acquired images by said magnetic resonance imaging scanner using a predefined pulse sequence;
- in a computer remote from said magnetic resonance imaging scanner, performing the steps of,
- forming a linear combination of said plurality of directly acquired images, said linear combination formed by summing a product of a coefficient and an image of said plurality of directly acquired images to form a sum of coefficients and images;
- synthesizing a desired proton density image using said linear combination of said plurality of directly acquired images;
- and
- computing, in response to said proton density image, a synthesized virtual MR image.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.