Accelerated Multispectral MRI Data Reconstruction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current MRI techniques face challenges in imaging patients with metal implants due to magnetic field perturbations, leading to signal contamination and image artifacts, and require lengthy acquisition sequences that can result in blurred images from patient movement.
Innovation Solution
The method involves accessing MRI data sets collected at different excitation frequencies, determining missing data using correlations between sampled data from adjacent frequency bins, and synthesizing images by interpolating missing phase-encoding points to accelerate data acquisition and reduce image aliasing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If discrete frequency offset sections are acquired to account for magnetic field perturbations from metal implants, then image quality near metal implants is improved, but acquisition time increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial sampling by acquiring only a subset of the required k-space data points at each frequency offset. Instead of fully sampling all phase-encoding lines at every frequency bin, the system samples only certain lines and uses interpolation to estimate the missing data, thereby reducing acquisition time while maintaining image quality near metal implants
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an interpolation algorithm as an intermediary process that estimates missing k-space data by utilizing information from adjacent frequency bins. This mediator fills in the unsampled phase-encoding points by correlating data across frequency offsets, enabling accelerated acquisition without sacrificing diagnostic image quality
2Measurement precision
If acquisition sequence duration is extended to capture sufficient frequency bins, then image quality near metal implants is improved, but patient movement increases causing image blurring
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs partial sampling by acquiring only essential k-space data points at each frequency offset rather than complete sampling. This reduces the number of required frequency bins and shortens the total acquisition duration, minimizing patient movement while still achieving sufficient image quality through interpolation of missing data
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a stable data acquisition environment by reducing the temporal window during which patient movement can occur. By accelerating the acquisition through partial sampling and interpolation, the system effectively protects the imaging process from the harmful variable of patient motion, similar to creating an inert atmosphere that isolates a process from detrimental external factors
3Productivity
If accelerated data acquisition is implemented by sampling fewer phase-encoding points, then acquisition time is reduced, but image reconstruction quality deteriorates due to missing data
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs an interpolation algorithm as a mediator that reconstructs missing k-space data by utilizing correlations with data from adjacent frequency bins. This intermediary process fills in the unsampled phase-encoding points, enabling high-quality image reconstruction despite accelerated acquisition with fewer sampled points
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates copies of information from adjacent frequency bins to reconstruct missing data. By copying and adapting data patterns from neighboring frequency offsets, the interpolation algorithm recreates the unsampled phase-encoding points, maintaining image reconstruction quality while enabling faster acquisition
Data Source
AI summary
A method for processing magnetic resonance imaging data includes accessing the magnetic resonance imaging data, the data including a plurality of magnetic resonance data sets each collected at different excitation frequencies and defining reconstructable images representative of sections of a single image of a subject. Each magnetic resonance data set includes sampled data for sampled phase encoding points but is missing data for unsampled phase encoding points. The method further includes determining the missing data of at least one of the magnetic resonance data sets using a correlation between the sampled data for the respective magnetic resonance data set and sampled data from at least one other magnetic resonance data set within a spectral window encompassing at least the respective magnetic resonance data set and the at least one other magnetic resonance data set.