Method and device for automated generation of a formal description of a magnetic resonance system measurement sequence, using a sequence model

A method for formalized description of a measurement sequence, said measurement sequence being executable by a magnetic resonance scanner, said method comprising the steps of:

• formulating a sequence model for a measurement sequence, said sequence model being comprised of blocks selected from the group consisting of a warp block and an X block, and a pause block, and depicting said sequence model as a directed graph comprising at least nodes, edges between said nodes, and properties of said edges for workflow control of the directed graph, said nodes being formed from the group consisting of said X blocks, an entrance point, and an exit point;
• providing said sequence model to a processor and, in said processor, automatically parameterizing said measurement sequence using said directed graph, except for a predetermined set of parameters that must still be parameterized;
• making the measurement sequence, parameterized from said directed graph except for said predetermined set of parameters, available from said processor as an output;
• providing said measurement sequence parameterized from said directed graph, except for said predetermined set of parameters, to a solver;
• providing boundary conditions to said solver that must be satisfied for execution of said measurement sequence by said magnetic resonance scanner;
• in said solver, automatically determining, dependent on said boundary conditions, timing values for each warp block and each X block in said measurement sequence, and determining permissible values for said predetermined set of parameters, to generate a complete formal description of said measurement sequence comprising said measurement sequence parameterized from said directed graph, said timing values, and said permissible values for said predetermined set of parameters;
• and
• in said solver, automatically translating said formal description of said measurement sequence into a series of time slices in a form executable by said magnetic resonance scanner, and making said series of time slices available at an output of said solver.

A device for formalized description of a measurement sequence, said measurement sequence being executable by a magnetic resonance scanner, said device comprising:

• a sequence model interface configured to receive a sequence model for a measurement sequence, said sequence model being comprised of blocks selected from the group consisting of a warp block and an X block, and a pause block;
• a processor that generates and depicts said sequence model as a directed graph comprising at least nodes, edges, between said nodes, and properties of said edges for workflow control of the directed graph, said nodes being formed from the group consisting of said X blocks, an entrance point, and an exit point;
• said processor comprising a parameterization module that automatically parameterizes said measurement sequence using said directed graph, except for a predetermined set of parameters that must still be parameterized;
• and
• said processor being configured to make the measurement sequence, parameterized from said directed graph except for said predetermined set of parameters, available from said processor as an output.

A device for formalized description of a measurement sequence, said measurement sequence being executable by a magnetic resonance scanner, said device comprising the steps of:

• a sequence model interface configured to receive a sequence model for a measurement sequence, said sequence model being comprised of blocks selected from the group consisting of a warp block and an X block and a pause block;
• a processor that generates and depicts at a monitor associated with said processor, said sequence model as a directed graph comprising at least nodes, edges, between said nodes, and properties of said edges for workflow control of the directed graph, said nodes being formed from the group consisting of said X blocks, an entrance point, and an exit point;
• comprising a parameterization module that said processor automatically parameterizes said measurement sequence using said directed graph, except for a predetermined set of parameters that must still be parameterized;
• said processor being configured to make the measurement sequence, parameterized from said directed graph except for said predetermined set of parameters, available from said processor as an output;
• a solver having a measurement sequence interface configured to receive said measurement sequence parameterized from said directed graph, accept for said predetermined set of parameters, from said processor;
• said solver comprising a boundary conditions interface configured to receive boundary conditions that must be satisfied for execution of said measurement sequence by said magnetic resonance scanner;
• said solver being configured to automatically determine, dependent on said boundary conditions, timing values for each warp block and each X block in said measurement sequence, and to determine permissible values for said predetermined set of parameters, to generate a complete formal description of said measurement sequence comprising said measurement sequence parameterized from said directed graph, said timing values, and said permissible values for said predetermined set of parameters;
• and
• said solver being configured to automatically translate said formal description of said measurement sequence into a series of time slices in a form executable by said magnetic resonance scanner, and to make said series of time slices available at an output of said solver.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded with programming instructions for formalized description of a measurement sequence, said measurement sequence being executable by a magnetic resonance scanner, said programming instructions causing computerized devices to:

• formulate a sequence model for a measurement sequence, said sequence model being comprised of blocks selected from the group consisting of a warp block and an X block, and a pause block, and depict said sequence model as a directed graph comprising at least nodes, edges between said nodes, and properties of said edges for workflow control of the directed graph, said nodes being formed from the group consisting of said X blocks, an entrance point, and an exit point;
• automatically parameterize said measurement sequence using said directed graph, except for a predetermined set of parameters that must still be parameterized;
• and
• make the measurement sequence, parameterized from said directed graph except for said predetermined set of parameters, available as an output from one of said computerized devices.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded with program instructions for formalized description of a measurement sequence, said measurement sequence being executable by a magnetic resonance scanner, said method said programming instructions causing computerized devices to:

• formulate a sequence model for a measurement sequence, said sequence model being comprised of blocks selected from the group consisting of a warp block and an X block, and a pause block, and depict said sequence model as a directed graph comprising at least nodes, edges between said nodes, and properties of said edges for workflow control of the directed graph, said nodes being formed from the group consisting of said X blocks, an entrance point, and an exit point;
• automatically parameterize said measurement sequence using said directed graph, except for a predetermined set of parameters that must still be parameterized;
• automatically determine, dependent on said boundary conditions, timing values for each warp block and each X block in said measurement sequence, and determining permissible values for said predetermined set of parameters, to generate a complete formal description of said measurement sequence comprising said measurement sequence parameterized from said directed graph, said timing values, and said permissible values for said predetermined set of parameters;
• and
• automatically translate said formal description of said measurement sequence into a series of time slices in a form executable by said magnetic resonance scanner, and make said series of time slices available at an output from one of said computerized devices.

A magnetic resonance system comprising:

• a magnetic resonance scanner having a control unit;
• a sequence model interface configured to receive a sequence model for a measurement sequence executable by said magnetic resonance scanner, said sequence model being comprised of blocks selected from the group consisting of a warp block and an X block and a pause block;
• a processor that generates and depicts at a monitor associated with said processor, said sequence model as a directed graph comprising at least nodes, edges, between said nodes, and properties of said edges for workflow control of the directed graph, said nodes being formed from the group consisting of said X blocks, an entrance point, and an exit point;
• comprising a parameterization module that said processor automatically parameterizes said measurement sequence using said directed graph, except for a predetermined set of parameters that must still be parameterized;
• said processor being configured to make the measurement sequence, parameterized from said directed graph except for said predetermined set of parameters, available from said processor as an output;
• a solver having a measurement sequence interface configured to receive said measurement sequence parameterized from said directed graph, accept for said predetermined set of parameters, from said processor;
• said solver comprising a boundary conditions interface configured to receive boundary conditions that must be satisfied for execution of said measurement sequence by said magnetic resonance scanner;
• said solver being configured to automatically determine, dependent on said boundary conditions, timing values for each warp block and each X block in said measurement sequence, and to determine permissible values for said predetermined set of parameters, to generate a complete formal description of said measurement sequence comprising said measurement sequence parameterized from said directed graph, said timing values, and said permissible values for said predetermined set of parameters;
• said solver being configured to automatically translate said formal description of said measurement sequence into a series of time slices in a form executable by said magnetic resonance scanner, and to supply said series of time slices in said form to said control unit;
• and
• said control unit operating said magnetic resonance scanner according to the time slices supplied thereto by said solver.