Magnetic resonance thermography: high resolution imaging for thermal abnormalities
AssigneeKoninklijke Philips N.V.
InventorsFeng Huang, Arne Reykowski, George Randall Duensing
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A magnetic resonance scanner (12) is configured for thermographic imaging. One or more processors (28) receive (56) thermal image data from the magnetic resonance scanner and reconstruct at least one thermal image in which each voxel includes a measure of temperature change. The one or more processors identify (58) thermally abnormal voxels. A display (44) displays at least one reconstructed image with the identified abnormal thermal locations.
Claims17
A magnetic resonance system, comprising:
- a thermal source configured to one of heat a region of interest or cool the region of interest relative to a baseline temperature;
- a magnetic resonance scanner configured to generate thermographic data from the region of interest;
- a diagnostic database configured to store at least one preselected temperature change curve characteristic;
- one or more processors configured to:
- receive the thermographic data from the magnetic resonance scanner and construct a thermal change curve for each voxel of the region of interest during a period of time when the temperature of the region of interest is returning toward the baseline temperature;
- and
- compares characteristics of the constructed temperature change curve with the at least one stored temperature change curve characteristic to identify thermally abnormal voxels;
- a display device configured to display at least one reconstructed image with the thermally abnormal voxels identified.
A method of magnetic resonance thermography, comprising, with one or more processors:
- receiving thermal image data form a magnetic resonance scanner and reconstructing thermal images in which values of each voxel in a region of interest of a patient indicates temperature change over time;
- constructing a thermal change curve for each voxel of the region of interest during a period of time when the temperature of the region of interest is returning toward the baseline temperature;
- comparing characteristics of the constructed temperature change curve for each voxel with the at least one stored temperature change curve characteristic to identify thermally abornal voxels;
- reconstructing an image of the patient in which thermally abnormal voxels are identified;
- and
- controlling a display device to display the image in which the thermally abnormal images are identified.
A magnetic resonance system for diagnosing thermally abnormal voxels of a patient, the system comprising:
- a diagnostic database configured to store temperature change over time curve characteristics indicative of normal tissue;
- one or more processors configured to:
- receive magnetic resonance data from voxels of a region of interest as a temperature of the region of interest returns toward a baseline temperature from one of an elevated temperature or a decreased temperature,
- determine temperature changed over time curves for the voxels of the region of interest from the received magnetic resonance data,
- compare characteristics of the determined temperature change over time curves with the temperature change curve characteristics stored in the diagnostic database to determine abnormal tissue,
- reconstruct a diagnostic image in which the voxels corresponding to the abnormal tissue are identified;
- and
- a display device configured to display the diagnostic image.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.