Siemens Aktiengesellschaft

Michael Szimtenings

Diana Martin

Thorsten Feiweier

Sebastian Schmidt

Günther Platsch

Kristin Schmiedehausen

Ralf Ladebeck

Josef Pfeuffer

Vladimir Jellus

Harald Werthner

Hartwig Newiger

Timothy Hughes

Martin Requardt

A computerized method is disclosed for detecting a brain region with neurodegenerative change and also a brain region with vascular change in the brain of a patient and also an imaging arrangement suitable for this. In at least one embodiment, the method includes recording a first data record of the brain via positron emission tomography and a second data record of the brain via magnetic resonance imaging; reconstructing a PET image from the first data record and an MRI image from the second data record; identifying evidence for a brain region with vascular change in the MRI image; segmenting the MRI image into gray matter and white matter; identifying a brain region with neurodegenerative change in the PET image; and superposing the PET image and the segmented MRI image to determine whether the brain region with neurodegenerative change is present in gray matter or in white matter, the recording of the first data record and the second data record being carried out in quick succession without repositioning the patient or is even carried out simultaneously.

Method for detecting a brain region with neurodegenerative change

A method is disclosed for determining an attenuation map for use in positron emission tomography and for the use of homogeneity information relating to the magnetic resonance magnetic field, in particular for the purpose of determining shim settings, within the scope of a single magnetic resonance image recording. In at least one embodiment of the method, a first and a second image data record are firstly recorded with a three-dimensional gradient echo sequence during a first and a second echo time, respectively, with the phase difference between the water and the fat signal amounting to zero during the first echo time and amounting to 180 degrees during the second echo time. The attenuation map is determined from fat/water ratios obtained from the image data records by way of a Dixon technology, in particular a 2-point Dixon technology. In at least one embodiment, all voxels with a signal intensity below a first threshold value are excluded at least for the second image data record by using a mask and only the non excluded voxels of the first and second image data record are taken into consideration in order to determine the homogeneity information from the phase differences of adjacent voxels.

Method for determining an attenuation map for use with positron emission tomography and magnetic resonance magnetic field homogeneity from a single three dimensional gradient echo sequence

A method is disclosed for data acquisition and/or data evaluation during a functional brain examination with the aid of a combined magnetic resonance/PET unit. In at least one embodiment, functional image data of the brain are acquired in at least two activity states with the aid of both modalities. Further, magnetic resonance image data and PET image data are acquired within time windows determined by the activity states, the acquisition mode and/or the image data being synchronized as a function of a timing of stimulations determining the activity states.

Method for data acquisition and/or data evaluation during a functional brain examination with the aid of a combined magnetic resonance/PET unit

A method is disclosed for determining attenuation values for PET data of a patient. In at least one embodiment, the method includes detecting at least one accessory of a magnetic resonance imaging scanner and detecting the position and/or alignment of the accessory by way of an imaging measuring method; comparing the detected accessory with data from a database; and assigning an attenuation map, which is contained in the database, to attenuation values of the detected accessory and adapting the attenuation map to the detected position and/or alignment of the accessory.

Method for determining attenuation values for PET data of a patient

In a magnetic resonance method and system to automatically differentiate whether a pixel of an MR image acquired with magnetic resonance system originated from fat-dominated tissue or water-dominated tissue, only one spin echo-based magnetic resonance signal per pixel is acquired at a point in time at which the phase of a magnetic resonance signal of aqueous tissue has a phase opposite to the phase of a magnetic resonance signal of fat tissue. The phase angle of the pixel is then calculated, a base phase at the pixel depending on the magnetic resonance system is determined, and a corrected phase angle of the pixel is determined from the phase angle and the base phase. Whether the pixel originated from fat-dominated tissue or water-dominated tissue is then determined using the corrected phase angle of the pixel.

Magnetic resonance method and device to automatically differentiate water-dominated and fat-dominated tissue with only one spin echo acquired for each pixel

Disclosed is a method and apparatus for recording measured data from a patient by taking movements into account by use of a medical device designed both for recording motion-related measured data and for recording nuclear medicine measured data. The method may include recording nuclear medicine measured data by use of the medical device, simultaneously recording motion-related measured data by use of the medical device, determining at least one motion information item relating to at least one movement of the patient and/or at least one movement inside the body of the patient during the ongoing measured data recording by evaluating at least a portion of the previously recorded motion-related measured data, and carrying out motion correction for at least a portion of the nuclear medicine measured data by use of the computational device in parallel with recording the measured data.

Method for recording measured data from a patient by taking movements into account, and associated medical device

A method is disclosed for recording measured data of a patient while taking account of movement operations by way of a medical device that is designed both for recording movement-related measured data, in particular measured data of high temporal resolution and/or measured data that can be interpolated with regard to movement operations, with the aid of an imaging method and/or by means of at least one sensor element, and also for recording nuclear medicine measured data, in particular of lower temporal resolution. In at least one embodiment, the method includes recording nuclear medicine measured data with the aid of the medical device; simultaneously recording movement-related measured data with the aid of the medical device; determining at least one item of movement information relating to at least one movement operation of the patient and/or in the body of the patient by evaluating at least a portion of the recorded measured data of high temporal resolution on the part of a computing device of the medical device; and adapting at least one item of attenuation correction information available for the computing device and serving for reconstructing the nuclear medicine measured data, doing so as a function of the at least one determined item of movement information.

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Bonn, Germany

Michael Szimtenings