Magnetic Resonance Imaging Phase-Based Echo Data Rejection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current magnetic resonance imaging methods for the carotid artery, such as black blood imaging, are affected by local movements during long scanning times, leading to unclear images due to the complexity of navigation sequences, manual movement detection, time wastage, and generation of black belt artifacts.
Innovation Solution
A method that uses a navigation acquisition timeslot to collect echo data, determining acceptance based on the phase relationship with reference data in k-space, allowing only data with a phase relationship greater than or equal to a reference value to be accepted, thereby eliminating the need for additional navigation modules and manual positioning, and avoiding black belt artifacts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If navigation sequence module is added to detect local movements, then image quality is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the navigation detection function from a separate navigation sequence module and integrates it into the existing imaging sequence. By using the imaging sequence itself to acquire navigation data at specific timeslots, the system eliminates the need for additional dedicated navigation hardware and software modules, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining the ability to detect and compensate for local movements.
Solution Approach 2:
The imaging sequence is made multi-functional by serving both as the primary imaging acquisition mechanism and as the navigation data collection mechanism. The same radio frequency pulses and gradient fields used for imaging are also utilized to acquire navigation echoes that indicate local movement, eliminating the need for separate navigation functionality and reducing overall system complexity.
2Measurement precision
If manual positioning of local movements is required, then measurement precision is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs automatic movement detection and compensation without requiring manual intervention. The navigation echoes are automatically acquired during the imaging sequence, and the processor automatically compares these echoes to detect local movements and determines whether to accept or reject imaging data, eliminating the need for manual positioning while maintaining detection precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements automatic feedback control by continuously monitoring navigation echoes and using this information to make real-time decisions about data acceptance. The processor automatically adjusts the imaging process based on detected movements, providing precise movement detection and compensation without requiring manual operation.
3Reliability
If navigation pulse scanning is performed to detect local movements, then reliability is improved, but loss of time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the navigation data acquisition with the imaging data acquisition by using the same radio frequency pulses and gradient fields for both purposes. The navigation echoes are acquired at specific timeslots within the existing imaging sequence, eliminating the need for separate navigation scanning time and reducing total examination time while maintaining reliable movement detection.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary navigation data acquisition at the beginning of the imaging sequence or at predetermined timeslots before full imaging data collection. This allows movement detection to be prepared in advance, enabling rapid determination of data acceptance without adding significant time to the overall scanning process.
4Measurement precision
If additional navigation sequence module is added, then measurement precision is improved, but productivity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the navigation detection function from a separate module and integrates it into the existing imaging sequence, eliminating the overhead and time consumption associated with additional dedicated navigation modules. This integration maintains precise movement detection capability while improving imaging efficiency by removing redundant system components and processing steps.
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 simplifies the imaging process, reduces time wastage, and improves image quality by automatically rejecting data affected by local movements, resulting in clearer carotid artery images without the need for manual navigation or additional navigation pulses.
Implementation Method 1
magnetic resonance imaging method
Implementation Method 2
a 90° excitation radio frequency pulse is applied to a radio frequency (RF) signal, then a 180° rephasing radio frequency pulse is applied
Implementation Method 3
in the direction of slice-select gradient Gs, phase encoding gradient Gp and readout gradient Gr, a corresponding slice-select gradient, phase encoding gradient and readout gradient are respectively applied
Implementation Method 4
readout gradient Gr
Implementation Method 5
an analog-digital converter (ADC) collects a signal, wherein the analog-digital converter (ADC) collects echo signals in the data acquisition timeslots (ACST)
Data Source
AI summary
In a magnetic resonance imaging method and apparatus, navigation data are collected in a navigation acquisition timeslot of a scanning sequence. A determination as to whether to accept or reject echo data that are subsequently collected in multiple echo acquisition timeslots is made. If the phase relationship of the navigation data and the reference data in k-space is greater than or equal to the reference value, the collected echo data are accepted and if the aforementioned phase in k-space is less than the reference value, the collected echo data will be rejected, and sequential scanning will be performed again, and the navigation data again will be collected using the navigation acquisition timeslot, and the aforementioned determination is repeated.