University of Minnesota

Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Inc.

Sebastian Weingartner

Mehmet Akcakaya

Reza Nezafat

Steen Moeller

Methods for fast magnetic resonance imaging ('MRI') using a combination of outer volume suppression ('OVS') and accelerated imaging, which may include simultaneous multislice (&#x201c;SMS&#x201d;) imaging, data acquisitions amenable to compressed sensing reconstructions, or combinations thereof. The methods described here do not introduce fold-over artifacts that are otherwise common to reduced field-of-view (&#x201c;FOV&#x201d;) techniques.

Methods and apparatus for scan time reductions in magnetic resonance imaging using outer volume supression

Systems and methods for producing quantitative maps of a longitudinal relaxation parameter, such as a longitudinal relaxation time ('T1'), using magnetic resonance imaging ('MRI') are described. More particularly, a pulse sequence and imaging method for cardiac phase-resolved myocardial T1 mapping are provided.

System and method for dynamic, cardiac phase-resolved quantitative longitudinal relaxation parameter mapping

Systems and methods for mapping the transmit sensitivity of one or more radio frequency ('RF') coils for use in magnetic resonance imaging ('MRI') are described. The transmit RF field (&#x201c;B1+&#x201d;) for an RF coil, or an array of RF coils, is mapped using a robust, motion-insensitive technique that implements Bloch-Siegert shifts performed with interleaved positive and negative off-resonance shifts. The motion insensitivity of this technique makes it particularly useful for applications where there is significant motion, such as cardiac imaging, in which previous B1+ mapping techniques are not as accurate or effective.

Motion-robust transmit radio frequency field mapping in magnetic resonance imaging using interleaved bloch-siegert shifting

An MRI method includes: performing a first data acquisition block of a pulse sequence to acquire a first MR data from a plurality of slices of a subject during a period of fully recovered longitudinal magnetization within the plurality of slices disposed at different locations in the subject; performing a second data acquisition block of the pulse sequence including a magnetization preparation module followed by a recovery period and an imaging sequence executed during the recovery period, to acquire a second MR data from the plurality of slices during the recovery period; and generating a Tmap of the subject based on the first MR data and the second MR data, of the plurality of slices.

System and method for tissue characterization using multislice magnetic resonance imaging

A system and method for obtaining magnetic resonance images are provided. The system is programmed to control the RF system to apply a saturation pulse at a reference frequency that saturates a selected labile spin species of the subject. The system is programmed to control the RF system to apply an inversion pulse after a variable delay. The system is programmed to control the RF system and the plurality of gradient coils to apply a motion sensitized driven equilibrium (MSDE) preparation pulse. The system is programmed to control the plurality of gradient coils to read imaging data during an acquisition time period. The system is programmed to reconstruct a Tmapping image of the subject with black-blood contrast.

System and method for reducing partial voluming artifacts in quantitative myocardial tissue characterization

A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system and methods are provided for producing images of a subject. In some aspects, a method includes identifying a point in the cardiac cycle, performing an inversion recovery (IR) pulse at a selected time point from the pre-determined point, and sampling a k-space segment at an inversion time from the IR pulse that is substantially coincident with the pre-determined point. The method also includes repeating the IR pulse and k-space sampling for multiple inversion times, and multiple segments of k-space, in an interleaved manner, to generate datasets having T1-weighted contrasts determined by their respective inversion times. The method further includes reconstructing three-dimensional (3D) spatially-aligned images using the datasets, and generating a T1 recovery map by combining the 3D images. In some aspects, a prospective/retrospective scheme may be used to obtain data fully sampled in the center of k-space and randomly undersampled in the outer regions.

Growing community of inventors

Heidelberg, Germany

Sebastian Weingartner