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US 8,274,285 B2Granted
Modification of frequency response profiles of steady state free precession for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
AssigneeUniversity Hospital of Basel
InventorsOliver Bieri, Klaus Scheffler
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Abstract
Apparatus and methods for modification of the frequency response profile of steady-state free precession (SSFP) type of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sequences. Using alternating dephasing moments within succeeding radiofrequency (RF) excitation pulses, the frequency response function of SSFP sequences can be modified to different shapes such as near triangular or bell shaped. The particular response function as produced by alternating dephasing moments can be used, among others, for functional brain MRI, MR spectroscopy or spatial encoding.
Claims14
A MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) method comprising:
- subjecting a sample to a chimera steady-state free precession (ch-SSFP) protocol, said ch-SSFP protocol comprising a sequence of two alternating TR-intervals,
- wherein one of said two TR-intervals is a nb-SSFP TR interval which comprises dephasing spin isochromats to create a non-balanced steady-state free precession (nb-SSFP),
- wherein another of said two TR-intervals is a b-SSFP TR interval which comprises rephasing spin isochromats to create a balanced steady-state free precession (b-SSFP),
- wherein said ch-SSFP has a frequency response profile during the b-SSFP TR interval, which correlates an amplitude and/or phase to a frequency, and
- wherein the amplitude and/or phase is altered by frequency changes resulting from said sample.
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Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.