Case Western Reserve University

Yong Chen

Mark A Griswold

Vikas Gulani

Nicole Seiberlich

Bhairav Bipin Mehta

Simone Coppo

A system and method for generating quantitative images of a subject using a nuclear magnetic resonance system. The method includes performing a navigator module to acquire navigator data, and performing an acquisition module during free breathing of the subject to acquire NMR data from the subject that contains one or more resonant species that simultaneously produce individual NMR signals in response to the acquisition module. The above steps are repeated to acquire data from a plurality of partitions across the volume. The navigator data is analyzed to determine if the NMR data meets a predetermined condition and if not, the above steps are repeated for at least an affected partition corresponding to NMR data that did not meet the predetermined condition. The NMR data is compared to a dictionary of signal evolutions to determine quantitative values for two or more parameters of the resonant species in the volume.

Systems and methods for free-breathing three-dimensional magnetic resonance fingerprinting

Example apparatus and methods are provided to reconstruct under-sampled three-dimensional (3D) data associated with nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) signals acquired from a liver. The data is reconstructed using a 3D through-time non-Cartesian generalized auto-calibrating partially parallel acquisitions (GRAPPA) approach to produce a quantized value for a contrast agent concentration in the liver from a signal intensity in the data based, at least in part, on a compartment model of the liver. The quantized value describes a perfusion parameter for the liver.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) based quantitative liver perfusion analysis

Example embodiments associated with characterizing a sample using NMR fingerprinting are described. One example NMR apparatus includes an NMR logic that repetitively and variably samples a (k, t, E) space associated with an object to acquire a set of NMR signals that are associated with different points in the (k, t, E) space. The NMR signals are produced in response to a FISP-MRF pulse sequence. Sampling is performed with t and/or E varying in a non-constant way. The NMR apparatus may also include a signal logic that produces an NMR signal evolution from the NMR signals and a characterization logic that characterizes a tissue in the object as a result of comparing acquired signals to reference signals. Acquired signals are corrected using data describing an inhomogeneous B1 field produced by the NMR apparatus while the set of NMR signals are acquired.

Rapid quantitative abdominal imaging with magnetic resonance fingerprinting (MRF)

Example apparatus and methods provide improved spatial and temporal resolution over conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for a large (e.g., 500 cm) three dimensional (3D) volume. Example apparatus and methods reconstruct under-sampled 3D data associated with nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) signals acquired from the volume using a 3D through-time non-Cartesian generalized auto-calibrating partially parallel acquisitions (GRAPPA) approach. The NMR signals are produced in response to a 3D non-Cartesian (e.g., stack-of-spirals) pulse sequence. Example apparatus and methods produce a quantified value for T1 relaxation, T2 relaxation, diffusion, or other NMR parameters in the volume from signal intensities in the data. The quantified value may describe, for example, a perfusion parameter, a blood flow parameter, a blood volume parameter, or other value. Greater precision is achieved for the NMR parameter in the volume as a result of the quantization performed on data acquired with greater spatial resolution and temporal resolution.

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Beachwood, OH, United States of America

Yong Chen