Magnetic resonance imaging apparatus and imaging position determination method

Abstract

A technique for automatically setting an imaging position is provided, considering a respiratory motion of a subject, thereby reducing a user's burden and enabling robust imaging against variation of an organ position. Using a scout image acquired over at least one cycle of a periodic motion of the subject, the imaging position for a main imaging is determined according to imaging conditions. At this time, a predetermined tissue is extracted from the scout image, and multiple imaging ranges are calculated, including a minimum imaging range that embraces the tissue and a maximum imaging range that embraces a range where the tissue is displaced within the cycle of the periodic motion. Then, according to the imaging conditions, any of the imaging ranges is determined as the imaging position. When the periodic motion is a respiratory motion, the imaging conditions include a breathing method designated by the user, and the imaging range is selected based on thus designated breathing method, and the imaging position (slice position) is automatically set.