The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 07, 2006
Filed:
May. 15, 2002
William Thomas Dixon, Clifton Park, NY (US);
Christopher Judson Hardy, Niskayuna, NY (US);
William Thomas Dixon, Clifton Park, NY (US);
Christopher Judson Hardy, Niskayuna, NY (US);
General Electric Company, Niskayuna, NY (US);
Abstract
A method and system are provided for acquiring images using a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system. The method comprises the step of applying a plurality of steady-state free precession (SSFP) radio-frequency (RF) excitation pulses in a selected pattern of varying amplitudes and phases such that signals corresponding to the pattern of pulses are substantially immune to magnetic field inhomogeneity of the MRI system. The pulses have substantially equal spacing between all neighboring pulses and between successive groups of pulses. The method further comprises the step of reading a plurality of signals corresponding to the pulses.