Cardiac MRI Slice Tracking Using Interleaved Perpendicular 2D Acquisitions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Dynamic 2D cardiovascular MRI is challenged by respiratory motion, particularly through-plane motion, which cannot be corrected retrospectively and requires effective prospective correction methods that are not adequately addressed by existing 1D diaphragmatic navigators due to anatomical variability and interference with imaging pulses.
Innovation Solution
The method involves interleaving acquisitions of 2D images with perpendicular orientations to the initial plane, using in-plane displacement to correct through-plane motion by determining shifted plane positions, allowing for accurate slice tracking without additional navigator data and avoiding interference with diagnostic image acquisition.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If 1D diaphragmatic navigator is used for prospective slice tracking, then through-plane motion can be corrected, but the assumption of fixed tracking factor does not cover intermittent or singular deep-breathing events and may be imprecise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from 1D diaphragmatic navigator to 2D cardiac plane-based motion estimation. By acquiring images in the cardiac plane and analyzing motion within that plane, the system captures actual cardiac motion in two dimensions rather than relying on projected diaphragmatic motion, thereby improving precision for intermittent deep-breathing events.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the cardiac images themselves to estimate motion, making the imaging process self-sufficient. The cardiac plane images provide both diagnostic information and motion data, eliminating the need for separate navigator acquisitions and their associated assumptions about fixed tracking factors.
2Reliability
If 1D diaphragmatic navigator is used, then prospective slice tracking is possible, but complex interaction with inversion or saturation-preparation pulses requires additional restore pulses affecting diagnostic image acquisition
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the navigator acquisition step from the imaging sequence. By using the cardiac plane images directly for motion estimation, the system eliminates the need for separate 1D navigator pulses and their associated restore pulses, thereby reducing sequence complexity and avoiding interference with diagnostic imaging.
Solution Approach 2:
The system merges the diagnostic imaging and motion estimation functions into a single integrated process. The same cardiac plane images used for diagnosis also provide the motion data, eliminating the need for separate navigator acquisitions and their associated pulse sequences.
3Ease of operation
If 1D diaphragmatic feat-head motion is applied to myocardial short axis slice, then through-plane motion correction is attempted, but feat-head is not necessarily the only contribution to through-plane motion due to anatomical variability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by analyzing motion specific to the cardiac plane and the specific anatomical region being imaged. Instead of using a generic diaphragmatic motion model, the system estimates motion locally within the cardiac plane, accounting for anatomical variability and the specific contributions of different structures to through-plane motion.
Data Source
AI summary
One or more example embodiments of the present invention relates to a method for generating MR images of the heart, the method comprising acquiring and reconstructing a first set of 2D reference images of the heart during a reference heartbeat, the first set comprising a first reference image acquired along a first reference plane position thorough the heart and acquiring a second set of 2D images of the heart during a second heartbeat.