Selective MR Sampling for High-Resolution Tissue Texture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current diagnostic techniques face challenges in accurately assessing fine tissue textures in vivo due to motion-induced blurring, particularly in bone, fibrotic, and neurologic diseases, limiting early disease detection and monitoring capabilities.
Innovation Solution
A magnetic resonance (MR)-based method for selective sampling that enhances tissue texture contrast using time-varying radio frequency signals and gradients, allowing for rapid acquisition of specific k-values to minimize motion effects and improve signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) for high-resolution texture assessment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional MRI imaging is used to assess tissue texture, then comprehensive spatial information is obtained, but motion-induced blurring degrades measurement precision
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential k-values needed for texture assessment from the complete k-space, rather than acquiring all spatial frequency data. This selective sampling of specific k-values reduces the total acquisition time while maintaining the precision needed for texture measurement, thereby resolving the contradiction between measurement precision and acquisition time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by acquiring only a subset of k-values that are most critical for texture characterization, rather than performing a complete k-space acquisition. This partial sampling approach maintains sufficient measurement precision for texture assessment while significantly reducing the time required, thus resolving the time-precision tradeoff.
2Reliability
If complete k-space sampling is performed to ensure accurate texture assessment, then measurement reliability is improved, but patient motion during extended scanning degrades precision
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and prioritizes the most informative k-values for texture assessment, acquiring these selectively rather than performing complete k-space sampling. This approach maintains reliability by focusing on critical data points while reducing scan time to minimize motion artifacts, thereby preserving precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the sampling parameters by selecting specific k-values based on the texture frequency content rather than uniform sampling. This adaptive parameter selection ensures that the most reliable texture information is captured while reducing acquisition time, thus maintaining both reliability and precision despite motion constraints.
3Measurement precision
If gradient strength is increased to improve spatial resolution, then texture assessment precision is improved, but signal-to-noise ratio deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by using different gradient strengths for different parts of the k-space sampling process. Stronger gradients are used selectively for acquiring specific high-frequency k-values that contribute most to texture resolution, while weaker gradients are used for other acquisitions. This localized optimization maintains spatial resolution precision while preserving signal-to-noise ratio by not unnecessarily increasing gradients across the entire acquisition.
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 robust, non-invasive, high-resolution measurement of fine tissue textures, reducing motion-induced blurring and improving SNR, thereby facilitating early disease detection and monitoring across various pathologies.
Implementation Method 1
A method for selective sampling to assess tissue texture using magnetic resonance (MR) is accomplished
Implementation Method 2
A volume of interest (VOI) is then selectively excited employing a plurality of time varying radio frequency signals and applied gradients
Implementation Method 3
An encoding gradient pulse is applied to induce phase wrap to create a spatial encode for a specific k-value and orientation
Implementation Method 4
A time varying series of acquisition gradients is initiated to produce a time varying trajectory through 3D k-space of k-value encodes
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosed embodiments provide a method for acquiring MR data at resolutions down to tens of microns for application in in-vivo diagnosis and monitoring of pathology for which changes in fine tissue textures can be used as markers of disease onset and progression. Bone diseases, tumors, neurologic diseases, and diseases involving fibrotic growth and/or destruction are all target pathologies. Further the technique can be used in any biologic or physical system for which very high-resolution characterization of fine scale morphology is needed. The method provides rapid acquisition of selected values in k-space, with multiple successive acquisitions of individual k-values taken on a time scale on the order of microseconds, within a defined tissue volume, and subsequent combination of the multiple measurements in such a way as to maximize SNR. The reduced acquisition volume, and acquisition of only select values in k-space along selected directions, enables much higher in-vivo resolution than is obtainable with current MRI techniques.