Ge Medical Systems Global Technology Company, LLC

General Electric Company

Kenichi Kanda

Yuji Iwadate

Aki Yamazaki

A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus includes a scan section for executing a navigator sequence which transmits an RF pulse to a subject to obtain each magnetic resonance signal as navigator data. Upon execution of the navigator sequence, the scan section excites both a navigator area having two regions from which intensities of different navigator data signals are obtained, the two regions containing a body-moved region of the subject, and a region different from the two regions simultaneously, and transmits the RF pulse in such a manner that the phase of navigator data obtained from the different region differs from the phase of at least one region of navigator data obtained from the two regions.

Magnetic resonance imaging apparatus and RF pulse for navigator and imaging sequence applying method

A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus includes a first navigator data processor that generates a first phase profile based on first navigator data acquired by executing a first navigator sequence, generates a position profile indicative of a relationship between a plurality of region positions and time at which the first navigator sequence is executed, and detects a specific position in the position profile. A second navigator data processor generates a second phase profile based on second navigator data acquired by executing a second navigator sequence, detects the position of each region with respect to each second phase profile within a reference range set so as to contain the specific position, based on each second phase profile, and acquires the same as its corresponding position data.

Magnetic resonance imaging apparatus and image generating method

A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus includes a scan execution unit configured to execute a regular scan in which a navigator sequence for generating a magnetic resonance signal in a navigator area containing a region of interest moving with a biological movement of a subject and an imaging sequence for generating a magnetic resonance signal in an imaging area of the subject are carried out, and a signal processing unit configured to detect a position of a region of interest based on a magnetic resonance signal generated by a navigator sequence in the regular scan and to generate an image based on the detected position and the magnetic resonance signal generated by the imaging sequence. The signal processing unit is configured to generate an intensity profile with respect to the magnetic resonance signal generated by a navigator sequence in the pre-scan and received at each of the coil elements, determine the gradient polarity of the profile line corresponding to the high-signal substance in the predetermined direction in the generated intensity profile, and to select a coil element that received a magnetic resonance signal of the intensity profile highest in maximum signal intensity among the intensity profiles the gradient polarity of which was determined to face upward. The position of the region of interest is detected based on a magnetic resonance signal generated by a navigator sequence in the regular scan and received at the selected coil element.

Magnetic resonance imaging apparatus

An MRI apparatus includes a navigator device for obtaining information of body motion produced by respiration of a subject by a navigator pulse sequence, and a respiration waveform display device for displaying a respiration waveform on the basis of the body motion information obtained by the navigator device.

MRI apparatus for analyzing body motion of a subject

An MRI apparatus includes: an image display device for displaying diffusion weighted images of respective axes corresponding to one slice; a designation operating device for allowing an operator to designate each diffusion weighted image targeted for rephotograph from the displayed diffusion weighted images of axes; a diffusion weighted imaging device for rephotographing only the axis of each diffusion weighted image designated by the operator; a diffusion weighted image substituting device for substituting an original diffusion weighted image with each diffusion weighted image obtained at the diffusion weighted photography; and a diffusion tensor image creating device for creating a diffusion tensor image from a set of the post-substitution diffusion weighted images.

MRI apparatus combining diffusion weighted imaging and diffusion tensor imaging of one or more slices for efficient selective substitution and extraction

A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus executes scans for executing a navigator sequence for acquiring as navigator data a magnetic resonance signal from a navigator area containing tissues body-moved in a subject and executing an imaging sequence for acquiring a magnetic resonance signal from an imaging area as imaging data at the subject, thereby to generate an image with respect to the imaging area. The magnetic resonance imaging apparatus includes, a phase profile generating part which generates a phase profile so as to show a relationship between a phase of the navigator data and a position of the navigator area, a phase correcting part which corrects folding back of the phase profile generated by the phase profile generating part, and a position detecting part which detects a position of a tissue body-moved in the navigator area, based on the phase profile corrected by the phase correcting part.

Magnetic resonance imaging apparatus and navigator data analyzing method

A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus has a controller which controls an operation of a scan section in such a manner that the scan section executes a scan in an imaging sequence, based on the imaging sequence condition set so as to correspond to a slice tracking method by an imaging sequence condition setting unit, and controls the operation of at least one of the scan section and an image reconstruction unit, based on a phase difference calculated by a phase difference calculation unit so as to eliminate the phase difference at which phases of the magnetic resonance signals produced in an imaging slice areas change, when an RF pulse subsequent to having been adjusted in frequency so as to the slice tracking method is transmitted upon execution of the scan in the imaging sequence.

Magnetic resonance imaging apparatus and magnetic resonance imaging method

For the purpose of providing an MRI apparatus which gives rise to no phase deviation due to frequency alteration of the RF magnetic field and signals for detection use, the MRI apparatus includes: signal collecting means which detects and collects magnetic resonance signals generated by applying a magnetostatic field, a gradient magnetic field and an RF magnetic field onto an object; frequency altering means which alters the frequency of the RF magnetic field and the frequency of signals for detection use in accordance with change in the Larmor frequency with time; and image reconstructing means which reconstructs an image on the basis of the collected signals, and further comprises: phase control means which sets as the phase at the time of starting detection of signals for detection use a phase &#x394;&#x3b8; given by a relational expression &#x394;&#x3b8;=2&#x3c0;&#xb7;&#x394;f&#xb7;T using the difference &#x394;f between the frequency altered by the frequency altering means and a reference frequency, and a time period T from the start of applying the RF magnetic field to the start of detection of magnetic resonance signals.

Growing community of inventors

Tokyo, Japan

Kenichi Kanda