Contrast-Free Breast MRI Using Arterial Spin Labeling

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional Magnetic Resonance Angiography (MRA) methods require contrast media to obtain blood flow images, limiting time and spatial resolution, making it difficult to differentiate small tumors and posing safety concerns due to associations with Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis.

Innovation Solution

A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus and method that acquire blood flow images without contrast media using spin labeling pulses with different inversion times, allowing for the distinction of blood flowing into specific regions and normalization using a marker, enabling high-resolution imaging of tumors without temporal restrictions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Illumination intensity

If contrast medium is used to obtain blood flow images, then blood flow contrast is improved, but time resolution is restricted and spatial resolution is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveblood flow contrastVSAvoidtime resolution

Core Design Contradiction:

Illumination intensityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts and removes the contrast medium from the imaging system, replacing it with an endogenous contrast mechanism based on arterial spin labeling. This eliminates the need for exogenous agents while maintaining blood flow visualization capability, thereby resolving the contradiction between achieving blood flow contrast and maintaining time resolution.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the fundamental parameter of contrast generation from exogenous chemical agents to endogenous magnetic properties of blood. By using spin labeling techniques that exploit the magnetic characteristics of arterial blood itself, the system achieves both adequate contrast and unrestricted time resolution.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Illumination intensity

If contrast medium is used to obtain blood flow images, then blood flow contrast is improved, but spatial resolution is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveblood flow contrastVSAvoidspatial resolution

Core Design Contradiction:

Illumination intensityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts and removes the contrast medium from the imaging system, replacing it with an endogenous contrast mechanism based on arterial spin labeling. This eliminates the need for exogenous agents while maintaining blood flow visualization capability, thereby resolving the contradiction between achieving blood flow contrast and maintaining time resolution.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the fundamental parameter of contrast generation from exogenous chemical agents to endogenous magnetic properties of blood. By using spin labeling techniques that exploit the magnetic characteristics of arterial blood itself, the system achieves both adequate contrast and unrestricted time resolution.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Measurement precision

If contrast medium is used for tumor differentiation, then blood flow image acquisition is enabled, but safety concerns arise due to NSF association

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetumor differentiation capabilityVSAvoidsafety concerns from contrast medium

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts and removes the harmful contrast medium from the imaging system, replacing it with an endogenous contrast mechanism based on arterial spin labeling. This eliminates the need for exogenous agents while maintaining blood flow visualization capability, thereby resolving the contradiction between achieving blood flow contrast and maintaining time resolution.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention enables the body's own blood to serve as the contrast agent through spin labeling techniques. By magnetically labeling arterial blood and tracking its flow, the system uses endogenous resources rather than external substances, eliminating safety concerns while maintaining tumor differentiation capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Enables safe and high-resolution blood flow imaging without contrast media, effectively differentiating benign from malignant tumors and identifying feeding arteries, improving accuracy and safety by avoiding contrast medium-related limitations.

Implementation Method 1

Magnetic Resonance Imaging is an imaging method which excites nuclear spin of an object set in a static magnetic field with a RF signal having the Larmor frequency magnetically and reconstruct an image based on NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance) signals generated due to the excitation

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectNuclear magnetic resonance:

Data Source

PatentUS8515526B2Magnetic resonance imaging apparatus and magnetic resonance imaging method

Publication Date: 2013.08.20 TOSHIBA MEDICAL SYST CORP

AI summary

A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus includes a first blood flow image acquisition unit and a second blood flow image acquisition unit. The first blood flow image acquisition unit acquires a first blood flow image of a breast of an object without contrast medium. The second blood flow image acquisition unit acquires a second blood flow image without contrast medium with applying a spin labeling pulse by which a region to be tagged is set based on the first blood flow image as a reference image so as to distinguish blood flowing into a desired region.