General Electric Company

Ge Medical Systems Global Technology Company, LLC

Frederick Joseph Frigo

Bryan James Mock

Richard Scott Hinks

Bruce David Collick

Jason Andrew Polzin

Xiaoli Zhao

Michael R Hartley

Matthew A Bernstein

Josef P Debbins

Louis Martin Frigo

Bo Pettersson

R Scott Hinks

Tejaswini Shubhachint

Thomas E Raidy

Jeffery A Hopkins

Bo J Petersson

James A Heinen

The present invention provides an apparatus and method of phase correction whereby changes in phase characteristics are measured during data acquisition and, accordingly, phase correction parameters that are applied during image reconstruction are updated in real-time. This adaptive and dynamic phase correction reduces variability in image fidelity during the course of long MR scans, such as EPI scans, and provides consistent artifact reduction during the course of an MR scan.

Method and apparatus of echo planar imaging with real-time determination of phase correction coefficients

A nearest neighbor phase correction technique is implemented to reduce image artifacts due to phase errors in data acquired in an EPI scan. Image quality for EPI applications, such as DWI, DTI, and fMRI, is improved.

Method and system for image artifact reduction using nearest-neighbor phase correction for echo planar imaging

A method and system of MR imaging where variable readout gradient filtering (VRGF) is carried out after MR data acquired during gradient field transitions has been phase-corrected. Thus, phase errors can be removed prior to VRGF re-sampling of the MR data. As such, image artifacts due to phase errors can be reduced, improving image fidelity and reducing ghosting especially for poorly calibrated systems.

Method and system of MR imaging with variable readout gradient filtering

A system and method for multi-channel MR spectroscopy (MRS) includes simultaneously acquiring MR signals from multiple coils and processing the MR signals individually to generate multiple sets of MRS results. The multiple sets of MRS results are combined to form a single superset of MRS results that is displayed as a simple proton MRS absorption spectrum.

Method and system of generating an MRS spectrum from multiple receiver data

A method of synchronizing initiation of a magnetic resonance image (MRI) acquisition to the arrival of a contrast agent in a structure of interest, such as an artery, includes repeatedly performing a first MRI scan until the first MRI scan indicates that the contrast agent has arrived. The first MRI scan acquires a three-dimensional MRI data set from the structure of interest. Preferably, the first MRI scan is a partial MRI scan that produces a low resolution image. Once the first MRI scan indicates that the contrast agent has arrived in the structure of interest, a second MRI scan is performed that acquires a second three-dimensional MRI data set from the structure of interest. The second MRI scan is preferably a full MRI scan that produces a full fidelity image. The manner of data acquisition is advantageously the same for both the first MRI scan and the second MRI scan.

Method and system for synchronizing magnetic resonance image acquisition to the arrival of a signal-enhancing contrast agent

The present invention provides a system and method of increasing the sampling rate for MR data acquisition. By implementing ensemble sampling techniques, the present invention provides higher data sampling rates that are useful for several MR data acquisition applications including Echo Planar Imaging, Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging, and Sensitivity Encoding Imaging (SENSE) techniques. By multiplying an MR signal by a series of pure sinusoids having the same frequency but shifted by an incremental phase, the MR signal may be separated into a number of channels which can be sampled at lower rates by analog-to-digital converters. The output from the converters may then be reconstructed using one of a number of interpolation techniques to create a single digital channel with increased bandwidth. The single channel with increased bandwidth may then be used to acquire MR data with an improved sampling rate.

Method and apparatus of MR data acquisition using ensemble sampling

An MRI system acquires NMR signals and digitizes them at a fixed sample rate. A lower, prescribed sample rate is obtained by fractionally decimating the sampled NMR signals. Fractional decimation is achieved by a combination of zeropadding the sampled NMR signal in the frequency domain and decimating the sampled NMR signal in the time domain.

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Waukesha, WI, United States of America

Frederick Joseph Frigo