Leland Stanford Junior University

Tolga Cukur

Dwight G Nishimura

Michael Lustig

A method for enhancing resolution and contrast in an MRI image is provided. A transient signal acquisition is applied to acquire a plurality of samples of data, comprising reducing transient signal oscillations and acquiring a plurality of MRI samples of data. Transient signal compensation is applied to the plurality of samples of data to provide data with signal compensation. A noise reduction technique is applied to the data with signal compensation. Data resulting from the applying the noise reduction is used to generate an MRI image.

Contrast and resolution enhancement with signal compensation

A method of providing selective spectral suppression in balanced SSFP magnetic resonance imaging for a first and second species is provided. A plurality of balanced SSFP images are acquired. Each acquisition includes applying RF excitations in a sequence of TR intervals with each being applied in an associated TR interval. The sequence of TR intervals includes at least one data acquisition TR interval and at least two secondary TR intervals each having a duration that is shorter than the data acquisition TR interval. A first secondary TR interval precedes the data acquisition TR interval and a second secondary TR interval follows the data acquisition TR interval. The duration of the second secondary TR interval is substantially equal to the first secondary TR interval such that the sequence of TR intervals is substantially symmetric with respect to duration about a center point of the sequence of TR intervals.

Multiple repetition time steady-state free precession imaging

A method of providing selective spectral suppression in balanced steady-state free procession (SSFP) magnetic resonance imaging for a first species and a second species is provided. A plurality of balanced SSFP images are acquired, wherein each acquisition of a balanced SSFP image comprises applying an alternating TR RF excitation, wherein the alternating TR RF excitation has a first TR and a second TR, wherein a period of the first TR (TR) is greater than a period of the second TR (TR), applying balanced magnetic gradients, acquiring an in-phase acquisition of the first and second species, acquiring an out-of-phase acquisition of the first and second species, and combining the in-phase acquisition and the out-of-phase acquisition to produce a combined image.

Species separation using selective spectral supression in balanced steady-state free precession imaging

A method of collecting image data with selective spectral suppression for at least two species is provided. A sequence of RF excitation pulses is repeatedly applied, whereby a repeated sequence of at least two substantially different spectrally selective steady-state magnetizations is established. Magnetic gradients are applied between said RF pulses. A plurality of magnetic resonance image (MRI) signals is acquired. The plurality of MRI signals is combined using a weighted combination where the weights depend on a control parameter that adjusts a trade-off between selective spectral suppression and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR).

Enhanced spectral selectivity for steady-state free precession imaging

A method of reducing artifacts in steady-state free precession (SSFP) signals for use in magnetic resonance imaging is provided. A plurality of SSFP imaging sequences is applied to an object. An imaging data for each of the SSFP imaging sequences is acquired. The imaging data is combined using a weighted combination where weights depend on a control parameter that adjusts a trade-off between banding artifact reduction and signal to noise ratio (SNR).

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Stanford, CA, United States of America

Tolga Cukur