Magnetic resonance image generation method and apparatus, and magnetic resonance imaging system
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing magnetic resonance imaging techniques struggle to effectively suppress fat artifacts due to limitations in minimum slice thickness or radio-frequency pulse bandwidth, leading to residual fat artifacts in magnetic resonance images.
Innovation Solution
The method involves acquiring data sets using pulse sequence groups with offset data acquisition windows and synthesizing reconstructed images to cancel out fat artifacts by offsetting data acquisition windows of different pulse sequence groups in time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional fat suppression techniques (chemical shift saturation, slice-selective gradient reversal, STIR, or spectral-spatial water excitation) are used, then fat artifacts can be suppressed, but these techniques cannot be used when minimum slice thickness or radio-frequency pulse bandwidth is limited, resulting in residual fat artifacts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies periodic action by acquiring the same k-space data multiple times using different pulse sequence groups with different data acquisition time windows. These periodic acquisitions are then combined through synthesis to achieve fat artifact suppression. The method periodically samples the signal under different conditions and reconstructs the final image by combining these periodic measurements, enabling fat suppression without requiring specific slice thickness or RF bandwidth parameters.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If multiple pulse sequence groups with offset data acquisition windows are acquired and synthesized, then fat artifacts are suppressed, but the scanning time and data acquisition complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the data acquisition process into multiple pulse sequence groups, where each group acquires a portion of the k-space data with a different data acquisition time window offset. By dividing the overall acquisition into these segmented groups that can be collected sequentially or in parallel, the method achieves fat suppression while managing total scan time more efficiently than a single prolonged acquisition would require.
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 effectively suppresses fat artifacts and can also suppress artifacts from other substances with different resonance frequencies, enhancing image quality in magnetic resonance imaging.
Implementation Method 1
Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging systems are widely used in the field of medical diagnosis. A magnetic resonance system generally has a main magnet, a gradient amplifier, a radio-frequency amplifier, a gradient coil, a transmit chain module, a transmit/receive coil, a receive chain module, etc.
Implementation Method 2
Hydrogen (H) protons from fat and H protons from water have different electron environments around them, and thus there is a difference in resonance frequency between the two, resulting in generation of fat artifacts in magnetic resonance images.
Data Source
AI summary
A magnetic resonance image generation method, apparatus, and imaging system are provided. The method includes acquiring at least two data sets using two or more pulse sequence groups with offset data acquisition windows, generating reconstructed images from each data set, and synthesizing at least two of the reconstructed images to produce a magnetic resonance image. This approach reduces or suppresses fat artifacts in magnetic resonance images.