Method and magnetic resonance apparatus for generating a measurement sequence executable by apparatus hardware

A method as claimed in 1 comprising determining said solution values by

• specifying said target parameter as a function of the associated variables;
• in said computer, determining a point at which said function assumes an extreme value in a multi-dimensional space that encompasses the associated variables and that is limited by the said at least boundary condition;
• and
• determining said solution values respectively as values that the associated variables have at the coordinates of said point in said multi-dimensional space.

A magnetic resonance apparatus comprising:

• apparatus hardware for executing a measurement sequence to obtain magnetic resonance data;
• a computerized control unit that generates control signals for operating said apparatus hardware;
• said computerized control unit being programmable with a measurement sequence having a sequence type and a k-space sampling, for use with said measurement sequence, having a sampling type;
• said computerized control unit also being programmed to divide said measurement sequence, dependent on the type of said measurement sequence and the type of said k-space sampling, into a series of time slices selected from the group consisting of transmission type, acquisition type, and warp type, each of said time slices being characterized by at least one parameter for that time slice;
• said computerized control unit, for each parameter of each of said time slices, being programmed to associate a mathematical variable with that parameter as an associated variable;
• said computerized control unit, for at least one of the associated variables, being programmed to determine at least one boundary condition selected from the group consisting of a range for that variable and a relationship of that associated variable to at least one other of the associated variables;
• an input unit connected to said computerized control unit allowing designation of at least one target parameter for said measurement sequence;
• said computerized control unit being programmed to automatically determine, for said associated variables, respective solution values that optimize said target parameter under constraint by said at least one boundary condition;
• and
• said computerized control unit being programmed to generate an executable measurement sequence, that is able to be executed by said existing hardware, by setting the respective parameters of said time slices in said selected measurement sequence to said solution values, and to implement said executable measurement sequence with said existing hardware by generating and supplying control signals to said existing hardware in each of said time slices that cause said executable measurement sequence to be executed by said existing hardware.

A computer-readable medium encoded with a data structure that is loadable into a computerized control unit of a magnetic resonance apparatus having apparatus hardware, for computer-assisted generation of a measurement sequence that is able to be executed by said apparatus hardware, said data structure causing said computerized control unit to:

• for a measurement sequence having a sequence type and a k-space sampling used with said measurement sequence having a sampling type, divide said measurement sequence, dependent on the type of said measurement sequence and the type of said k-space sampling, into a series of time slices selected from the group consisting of transmission type, acquisition type, and warp type, each of said time slices being characterized by at least one parameter for that time slice;
• for each parameter of each of said time slices, associate a mathematical variable with that parameter as an associated variable;
• for at least one of the associated variables, determine at least one boundary condition selected from the group consisting of a range for that associated variable and a relationship of that associated variable to at least one other of the associated variables;
• based on at least one target parameter for said measurement sequence, determine for said associated variables, respective solution values that optimize said target parameter under constraint by said at least one boundary condition;
• generate an executable measurement sequence, that is able to be executed by said existing hardware, by setting the respective parameters of said time slices in said selected measurement sequence to said solution values;
• and
• implement said executable measurement sequence with said existing hardware by generating and supplying control signals to said existing hardware in each of said time slices that cause said executable measurement sequence to be executed by said existing hardware.