MRI Scanning Protocol Optimization for Spatial Image Fidelity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Magnetic resonance scanning methods face challenges in achieving optimal image quality due to ambient condition deviations, particularly in regions where specific signal components need to be suppressed, leading to suboptimal spatial image fidelity, signal-to-noise ratio, and image contrast.
Innovation Solution
The method involves determining a relevant volume for scanning optimization that accounts for suppression volumes, allowing for precise adjustment of scanning parameters to enhance image quality by focusing on areas of interest and ignoring regions where no signal is needed, thereby improving spatial homogeneity and signal-to-noise ratio.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If suppression modules are used to suppress specific signal components, then interference and ghost artifacts are reduced, but spatial image fidelity and signal-to-noise ratio deteriorate in suppressed regions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating between suppressed regions and relevant volumes. Scanning parameters are optimized locally only in regions where signal acquisition is desired, while suppression modules continue to function in other regions. This localized optimization preserves spatial image fidelity in important areas while maintaining the interference suppression benefits in targeted regions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the scanning space into suppressed regions and relevant volumes. By identifying and separating these regions, the system can apply different scanning parameter optimizations to each segment, ensuring that image quality is maintained in relevant volumes while suppression modules effectively reduce interference in designated regions.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If suppression modules are used to suppress specific signal components, then interference and ghost artifacts are reduced, but image contrast and brightness homogeneity deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements local quality by applying scanning parameter optimization specifically to relevant volumes where image quality is critical. By focusing optimization efforts on these localized regions, the system maintains brightness homogeneity and contrast in important areas while allowing suppression modules to operate effectively in other regions to reduce interference.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the examination space into suppressed regions and relevant volumes. This segmentation allows the system to maintain stable image composition characteristics in relevant volumes through optimized scanning parameters, while simultaneously achieving interference suppression in designated regions through the suppression modules.
3Measurement precision
If scanning parameters are optimized for the entire scanning volume, then image quality is improved, but scanning time and computational resources increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and identifies the relevant volume within the larger scanning space. By taking out only the portions of the scanning volume where signal acquisition is desired and optimizing parameters specifically for these regions, the system achieves high image quality without the time and computational cost of optimizing the entire scanning volume, including regions where suppression is applied.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by optimizing scanning parameters only for relevant volumes rather than the complete scanning space. This selective optimization provides sufficient image quality for diagnostically important regions while reducing the overall scanning time and computational resources required compared to full-volume optimization.
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 enhances the quality of acquired scan data by optimizing scanning parameters within the relevant volume, resulting in improved spatial image fidelity, more homogeneous image brightness, and contrast, compared to methods that do not consider suppression volumes.
Implementation Method 1
the examination object is positioned in a magnetic resonance scanner in a strong, static, homogeneous basic magnetic field, also called the B0 field... Radio frequency excitation pulses (RF pulses) are radiated into the examination object and trigger nuclear spin resonances
Implementation Method 2
For spatial encoding of the scan data, rapidly switched magnetic gradient fields are superimposed on the basic magnetic field
Data Source
AI summary
The method and apparatus for the acquisition of scan data of an examination object by execution of a magnetic resonance scanning protocol having at least one suppression module, a relevant volume in the examination object is determined in which the magnetization of the examination object to be examined is to be manipulated and/or the scan data are to be acquired. For each suppression module contained in the scanning protocol, the associated suppression volume in which signals are to be suppressed is determined. The relevant volume that has been determined is optimized by taking account of the determined suppression volumes. Optimized scanning parameters of the scanning protocol are determined such that the best possible scanning conditions prevail in the optimized relevant volume. The scanning protocol is executed as a scanner with the optimized scanning parameters determined and the scan data acquired thereby are made available as a data file.