Curved Slice Profile MR Angiography for Vascular Occlusion Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional inflow-based MR angiography methods suffer from in-plane flow artifacts when blood vessels do not run orthogonally to the imaging slice, leading to incorrect or undetectable vascular occlusions, particularly in regions like the trifurcation below the knee and pelvic area, requiring additional high-resolution scans that increase time and costs.
Innovation Solution
The method employs curved slice profiles in MR imaging, allowing for a more orthogonal inflow of unsaturated spins, which reduces in-plane flow artifacts and improves signal quality, enabling accurate imaging of vessels with non-orthogonal courses using a standard linear gradient system and empirical patient data for automatic marking and optimization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional transverse imaging slices are used, then the imaging process is simple, but in-plane flow artifacts occur when vessels do not run orthogonally to the imaging slice
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies curved slice profiles instead of conventional flat transverse slices. The curved slices are designed to better match the natural curvature of blood vessels, allowing vessels that do not run orthogonally to the imaging slice to be captured without in-plane flow artifacts. This curvature adaptation resolves the contradiction by maintaining imaging simplicity while eliminating the reliability issue of artifact generation.
2Reliability
If additional high-resolution scans with thinner imaging slices are performed, then in-plane flow artifacts are reduced, but measurement time and examination costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The curved slice profile allows a single scan to capture vessels at various angles without the need for multiple additional scans. By matching the slice curvature to vessel geometry, the method eliminates in-plane flow artifacts while maintaining reasonable slice thickness, thus resolving the contradiction between reliability and measurement time.
3Reliability
If thinner layer thickness is used, then in-plane flow artifacts are reduced, but signal-to-noise ratio decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The curved slice profile improves vessel visualization by matching anatomical curvature, reducing in-plane flow artifacts without requiring thinner slices. This maintains adequate slice thickness and preserves the signal-to-noise ratio while achieving reliable detection of vascular occlusions.
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
This approach enhances the reliability and efficiency of angiographic MR imaging by reducing measurement time and personnel costs while providing higher image quality and minimizing in-plane flow artifacts, especially in critical regions like the knee and pelvis.
Implementation Method 1
nuclear magnetization is excited in at least a first imaging slice to generate MR signals
Implementation Method 2
utilize the inflow of fresh unsaturated blood for a hyper-intense display of the vessels
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a method for generating angiographic MR images based on unsaturated spins flowing into an imaging volume, wherein vessels of the subject that do not run parallel to a coordinate axis of the MR system are imaged. The nuclear magnetization in at least one first imaging layer of the subject is excited to generate MR signals in at least one first imaging layer, and MR signals from the at least one first imaging layer are received to generate angiographic MR images of the vessels. The at least first imaging layer has a curved layer profile.