Leland Stanford Junior University

Heartvista, Inc.

William Ryan Overall

Juan Santos

Greig Scott

Aimee Brigitte Angel

R Hardwin Mead

Daniel Francis

A computer-implemented method for sequencing magnetic resonance imaging waveforms uses a multistage sequencing hardware. A method comprises creating, with the aid of a computer processor, an active memory region that includes waveforms and schedules being played, and creating one or more buffer memory regions that contain waveforms and schedules not currently being played. Next, the waveforms and schedules in the one or more buffer memory regions may be updated while waveforms may be played in the active memory region. Upon completion of the waveform playback in the active memory region, the active and buffer memory regions may be swapped so that the former buffer memory region becomes the active memory region, and the former active memory region becomes the buffer memory region. The method may be repeated as needed until the imaging process is completed or otherwise halted.

Methods for optimal gradient design and fast generic waveform switching

This disclosure provides a computer-implemented method for sequencing magnetic resonance imaging waveforms using a multistage sequencing hardware. The method comprises creating, with the aid of a computer processor, an active memory region that includes waveforms and schedules being played, and creating one or more buffer memory regions that contain waveforms and schedules not currently being played. Next, the waveforms and schedules in the one or more buffer memory regions may be updated while waveforms may be played in the active memory region. Upon completion of the waveform playback in the active memory region, the active and buffer memory regions may be swapped so that the former buffer memory region becomes the active memory region, and the former active memory region becomes the buffer memory region. The method may be repeated as needed until the imaging process is completed or otherwise halted.

Systems and methods are provided for the imaging of a subject (e.g., patient). A pipeline architecture is presented that facilitates the development of high-quality, application-specific data reconstructions. A plurality of processing nodes is provided, each node comprising one or more processing tasks for data transformation. Two or more processing nodes are linked together to form a functional pipeline, each pipeline configured to generate image data from a raw image data set, such as raw magnetic resonance imaging data. The generated image data is used to generate the image of the subject. The processing nodes and the functional pipeline can be dynamically reconfigured to optimize the computing resources used. The processing nodes and the pipeline may be visualized and queried to facilitate debugging and the configuration of an image processing procedure.

Pipeline engine for specifying, visualizing, and analyzing MRI image reconstructions

A method for detecting coupled RF current magnetic resonance (MR) objects in a body and determining MR risk is provided. The body is scanned with reverse circularly polarized RF. MR signals generated by coupling of the reverse circularly polarized RF with the RF current MR objects are detected. The detected MR signals are used to determine a risk value.

Reverse circularly polarized non-tissue damaging RF in MRI detection of coupled RF current producing objects in a body

Systems, devices and methods for detecting and monitoring cardiac dysfunction. The devices include motion sensors for detecting signals representative of the total movement of the heart, and of the apex of the heart in particular.

Detection of apex motion for monitoring cardiac dysfunction

A method of generating MRI signals with fat suppressed steady state free precession (SSFP) contrast without requiring any additional scan time over standard SSFP procedures and with comparable signal to noise ratio (SNR) to other techniques. Oscillating steady state free precession is employed to achieve the fat suppressed MRI signals. In the oscillating steady state sequence, a pattern of tips and precession is repeated every N repetition time in order to produce useful contrasts. In a described embodiment, a specific oscillating sequence has four tips in a repetition interval with four steady states being produced. With equal precession in each repetition time, the sequence of complex tips can be determined by an inverse Shinnar-LeRoux (SLR) transform.

Fat suppression in MRI using oscillating steady-state free precession

A method of oscillating dual-equilibrium steady-state angiography (ODESSA), utilizes a modified steady state free precession (SSFP) pulse sequence. The SSFP sequence is modified such that flowing material reaches a steady state which oscillates between two equilibrium values, while stationary material attains a standard, non-oscillatory steady state. When alternating sequences are employed, subtraction of adjacent echoes results in large, uniform signal from all flowing spins and zero signal from stationary spins. Venous signal can be suppressed based on its reduced T . ODESSA arterial signal is more than three times as large as that of traditional phase-contrast angiography (PCA) in the same scan time, and also compares favorably with other techniques of MR angiography. Pulse sequences are implemented in 2D, 3D, and volumetric projection modes. Angiograms of the lower leg, generated in as few as 5 s, show high arterial SNR and full suppression of other tissues.

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Palo Alto, CA, United States of America

William Ryan Overall