# US 7,612,561 B2 · Magnetic resonance diagnosing apparatus and its operating method

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- Number: US 7,612,561 B2
- Document ID: US7612561B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 11/889,115
- Filed: 2007-08-09
- Published: 2008-02-14
- Granted: 2009-11-03
- Earliest claimed: 2006-08-11
- Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba; Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation
- Inventors: Isao Tatebayashi; Kiyomi Ooshima; Masaaki Umeda
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7612561B2

## CPC

- G01R 33/485: based on chemical shift information {[CSI] or spectroscopic imaging, e.g. to acquire the spatial distributions of metabolites}
- G01R 33/483: with selection of signals or spectra from particular regions of the volume, e.g. in vivo spectroscopy
- G01R 33/4835: {of multiple slices}
- G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12)

## Abstract

A magnetic resonance diagnosing apparatus includes a generating unit which generates a plurality of slice images of a object for an imaging region, a determining unit which determines a plurality of slice regions for spectroscopy within the imaging region, and a measurement unit which measures a magnetic resonance spectrum of the object for each of voxels set on the plurality of determined slice regions.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A magnetic resonance diagnosing apparatus comprising:
a generating unit which generates a plurality of MRI slice images of an object for an imaging region;
a determining unit which determines a plurality of designated slice regions for MR spectroscopy (MRS) within the imaging region including the movement of a designated slice region as required to make an MRI slice image voxel position coincide with an MRI slice image position; and
a measurement unit which measures a magnetic resonance spectrum of the object for each of voxels set on the plurality of designated slice regions still contained within said MRI slice imaging region.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The magnetic resonance diagnosing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the determining unit determines the plurality of designated slice regions in accordance with an instruction from a user.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The magnetic resonance diagnosing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the determining unit determines the plurality of designated slice regions such that positions of voxels included in the plurality of designated slice regions each coincide with a respectively corresponding MRI slice position of the plurality of MRI slice images.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The magnetic resonance diagnosing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the determining unit determines the plurality of designated slice regions in accordance with an instruction from a user.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The magnetic resonance diagnosing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the determining unit determines the plurality of designated slice regions such that center positions of voxels included in the plurality of designated slice regions each coincide with a respectively corresponding MRI slice center position of the plurality of MRI slice images.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The magnetic resonance diagnosing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:
a generating unit which generates an image showing (a) one MRI slice image included in the plurality of MRI slice images and (b) the magnetic resonance spectrum measured with respect to each respectively corresponding voxel located at a respectively corresponding position with respect to a position of that one of the MRI slice images.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The magnetic resonance diagnosing apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising:
a generating unit which generates an image showing (a) one MRI slice image included in the plurality of MRI slice images and (b) the magnetic resonance spectrum measured with respect to each respectively corresponding voxel containing a respectively corresponding center position with respect to a center position of that one of the MRI slice images.

### Claim 8

A magnetic resonance diagnosing apparatus comprising:
a determining unit which determines a plurality of MRS slice regions for spectroscopy;
a measurement unit which measures a magnetic resonance spectrum of an object for each of voxels set on the plurality of determined MRS slice regions; and
a generating unit which generates MRI slice images of the object with regard to each of a plurality of MRI slice positions that coincide with positions of the voxels in the plurality of MRS slice regions.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The magnetic resonance diagnosing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein:
the generating unit generates MRI slice images containing a slice center position which coincides with a center position of a respective one of the MRS voxels respectively.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The magnetic resonance diagnosing apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising:
a generating unit which generates an image showing the magnetic resonance spectrum and one MRI slice image included in the slice images respectively corresponding to the shown image.

### Claim 11

A method of operating a magnetic resonance diagnosing apparatus, said method comprising:
generating a plurality of MRI slice images of an object for an imaging region;
determining a plurality of designated slice regions for MR spectroscopy (MRS) within the imaging region including the movement of a designated slice region as required to make an MRI slice image voxel position coincide with an MRI slice image position; and
measuring a magnetic resonance spectrum of the object for each of voxels set on the plurality of designated slice regions still contained within said MRI slice imaging region.

### Claim 12

A method of operating a magnetic resonance diagnosing apparatus, said method comprising:
determining a plurality of MRS slice regions for spectroscopy;
measuring a magnetic resonance spectrum of an object for each of voxels set on the plurality of determined MRS slice regions; and
generating MRI slice images of the object with regard to each of a plurality of MRI slice positions that coincide with positions of the voxels in the plurality of MRS slice regions.
