Magnetic Resonance Fingerprinting Waveform Comparison
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional magnetic resonance fingerprinting methods require complex comparisons of acquired signal waveforms with a large number of database waveforms, making it inefficient to determine the presence of specific substances within examination objects.
Innovation Solution
The method involves acquiring and comparing magnetic resonance signal waveforms with a restricted set of substance-specific signal waveforms, reducing the comparison database to a maximum of 5-10 waveforms, allowing for efficient determination of substance presence by correlating the acquired waveform with a characteristic substance waveform.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional magnetic resonance fingerprinting methods are used to determine substance presence, then comprehensive substance identification is achieved, but computational complexity and processing time increase significantly due to comparison with large database waveforms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the necessary comparison waveforms from the complete database based on the examined region and suspected substance type. Instead of comparing with all possible database waveforms, the system selectively extracts a reduced set of relevant waveforms, thereby maintaining identification accuracy while significantly reducing computational complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the substance identification process into distinct stages: first determining the examination region and suspected substance type, then extracting corresponding reference waveforms, and finally performing targeted comparison. This segmentation allows the system to handle complex identification tasks through a series of simpler, more manageable steps.
2Reliability
If conventional magnetic resonance fingerprinting methods compare signal waveforms with extensive databases, then thorough substance detection is achieved, but examination time and processing duration increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary actions by pre-determining the examination region and suspected substance type before the actual waveform comparison. Reference waveforms corresponding to the suspected substance are pre-selected and prepared, so that when comparison is needed, only relevant waveforms are processed, significantly reducing examination time while maintaining detection reliability.
3Productivity
If the database of signal waveforms is reduced to improve processing efficiency, then computational speed increases, but substance identification accuracy may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by tailoring the waveform database specifically to each examination case. Instead of using a uniform reduced database for all cases, the system selects and extracts reference waveforms that are locally optimized for the specific examination region and suspected substance type, ensuring high identification accuracy while maintaining processing efficiency.
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 significantly reduces computational effort and enables precise, efficient identification of substances by correlating the acquired magnetic resonance signal waveform with a substance-specific waveform, providing information on the presence and location of substances within the examination area.
Implementation Method 1
the body of a person to be examined, such a patient, is usually exposed, with the use of a basic field magnet, to a relatively strong magnetic field, of 1.5 or 3 or 7 Tesla for example
Implementation Method 2
Radio frequency (RF) pulses, particularly excitation pulses, are then emitted by a radio-frequency system via suitable antennas, which causes nuclear spins of specific atoms that excited resonantly by these high RF pulses to be flipped by a defined flip angle
Implementation Method 3
During the relaxation of the nuclear spins, radio-frequency signals, so called magnetic resonance signals, are emitted that are received by suitable radio frequency antennas
Data Source
AI summary
In a method and apparatus for magnetic resonance examination of an examination object, in order to determine a substance by execution of a magnetic resonance fingerprinting procedure for examination of an examination object in which a substance is located, a magnetic resonance signal waveform of a voxel of an examination area of the examination object is acquired by a magnetic resonance fingerprinting recording procedure, and a signal comparison of the magnetic resonance signal waveform is made in a computer with a substance signal waveform stored in a database, and the result of the signal comparison is provided as an output from the computer.