External Standard Reference System for MRI Metabolite Quantification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current magnetic resonance spectroscopy methods, particularly in human MRI equipment, face limitations in diagnostic accuracy and temporal efficiency due to reliance on internal standard reference analysis methods, which are restricted by water as a standard and struggle with water suppression efficiency.
Innovation Solution
An external standard reference system is developed, comprising an outer container with multiple inner containers filled with different metabolites, allowing for precise analysis of brain metabolites by inserting these containers into the MRI coil, using a mathematical expression to evaluate performance and minimize artifacts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If internal standard reference analysis method is used, then water is referenced as standard, but there are restrictions and difficulty to estimate water suppression efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the water reference standard from the internal standard reference method and replaces it with an external standard reference system. The external standard contains known concentrations of metabolites (NAA, Cr, Cho, mIns, Glu, Lac) that are inserted into the coil, allowing quantitative analysis without relying on water signal restrictions.
Solution Approach 2:
The external standard reference system acts as an intermediary between the MRI scanner and the brain tissue analysis. By inserting a container with known metabolite concentrations into the coil, it provides a reference standard that mediates the quantitative measurement process, enabling accurate concentration calculations without direct water reference limitations.
2Reliability
If internal standard reference analysis method is used, then water suppression is performed, but temporal efficiency is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The external standard reference system performs preliminary action by pre-preparing a container with known metabolite concentrations before the actual brain measurement. This allows the standard to be ready for immediate use in the coil, eliminating time-consuming water suppression steps and enabling faster quantitative analysis.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a simplified copy approach by creating an external standard container that replicates the reference function without the complex water suppression requirements. The external standard contains simulated metabolite signals that copy the reference behavior needed for quantitative analysis, but without the temporal inefficiencies of internal water-based methods.
3Adaptability or versatility
If substitute phantom external standard reference analysis method is used, then external reference is provided, but it is limited to substitute phantom
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by allowing the external standard container to be filled with different metabolites and concentrations according to specific measurement requirements. The container can be configured with various metabolite combinations (NAA, Cr, Cho, mIns, Glu, Lac) at known concentrations, enabling precise quantitative analysis for different brain regions and diagnostic purposes.
Solution Approach 2:
The external standard reference system introduces dynamics by allowing flexible configuration of the standard container contents based on specific measurement needs. Rather than being fixed as a substitute phantom, the system can be adapted to include different metabolite combinations and concentrations, providing dynamic versatility while maintaining measurement precision.
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 system enhances diagnostic accuracy and temporal efficiency by allowing quantitative analysis of brain metabolites without errors, improving the reliability of magnetic resonance spectroscopy and reducing artifacts, especially in high-field MRI equipment.
Implementation Method 1
Magnetic Resonance Imaging uses principles of nuclear magnetic resonance as one of the imaging techniques. That is, if a human body is put into a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus generating a magnetic field and a high frequency is generated, the hydrogen nucleus of the human body resonates
Implementation Method 2
Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS), capable of detecting chemical components of the brain tissue by providing structural images
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to an external standard reference system of a type inserted into the coil of a human magnetic resonance imaging equipment, and more specifically, to a system capable of analyzing metabolic components (quantity of metabolites) in a human body without an error and a limited range using an external standard reference analysis method, in order to enhance accuracy of diagnosis by utilizing magnetic resonance spectroscopy of the human magnetic resonance imaging equipment. A system for evaluating performance of magnetic resonance spectroscopy includes an outer container for inserting an RF coil and provided with a plurality of holes; a plurality of inner containers arranged to be inserted into the plurality of holes respectively and capable of being filled with metabolites different from each other in at least a type or a concentration; and a frame for fixing a head of an object arranged inside the outer container.