Simultaneous MRI Water-Fat and Stiffness Imaging via Integrated Acquisition
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current multiparametric MRI techniques require multiple separate scans for different physiological parameters, leading to prolonged scan times, suboptimal signal-to-noise ratio, and motion-induced misregistrations, which limit their clinical utility.
Innovation Solution
A method for simultaneous magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) using motion-encoded data acquisition, where multiple echo signals are sampled at different echo times with varying motion-encoding gradients, allowing for the extraction of stiffness maps, water-fat separation, and quantitative measures from a single data set, decoupling motion-induced phase and chemical shift effects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If multiple separate scans are performed for different physiological parameters, then comprehensive physiological information is obtained, but scan time is prolonged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple separate MRI scans (chemical shift encoded imaging and magnetic resonance elastography) into a single integrated scan. This is achieved by acquiring motion-encoded data at multiple echo times within one repetition time period, allowing simultaneous extraction of water-fat information and stiffness information from the same data set, thereby eliminating the need for multiple separate scans and reducing total scan time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal data acquisition method that serves multiple functions simultaneously. The single scan protocol can extract multiple physiological parameters including fat fraction, iron content, and tissue stiffness from the same acquired data, making the imaging system multi-functional without requiring separate specialized scans for each parameter.
2Loss of information
If multiple separate scans are performed for different physiological parameters, then comprehensive physiological information is obtained, but signal-to-noise ratio deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
By merging the acquisition of multiple physiological parameters into a single scan, the patent increases the signal-to-noise ratio. The integrated approach allows all parameters to be derived from the same high-quality source data, avoiding the signal degradation that occurs when multiple separate scans are performed, each with its own noise floor.
3Loss of information
If multiple separate scans are performed for different physiological parameters, then comprehensive physiological information is obtained, but motion misregistration occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates motion misregistration by combining all physiological parameter acquisitions into a single scan. Since all data (water-fat and stiffness) are acquired simultaneously in one repetition time period, there is no temporal separation between scans, thereby preventing the misregistration problems that arise when multiple separate scans are performed and later attempted to be co-registered.
4Productivity
If motion-encoded data is acquired with multiple echo signals in a single repetition time period, then scan time is reduced, but data processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by separating the extraction of different physiological parameters from the acquired data. Motion-induced phase is extracted first to generate stiffness maps, then phase-demodulated data is generated by removing the motion-induced phase, from which water and fat images are separately reconstructed. This segmented processing approach manages complexity while maintaining the efficiency benefits of the integrated scan.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts motion-induced phase information from the acquired data and removes it through phase-demodulation. This extraction process isolates the elastic tissue motion signal from the chemical shift information, allowing independent analysis of stiffness and water-fat content while simplifying the overall processing pipeline despite the integrated 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
This approach reduces scan time, improves signal-to-noise ratio, and mitigates motion misregistration, enabling accurate and efficient extraction of physiological quantities like water, fat, and stiffness from a single data set.
Implementation Method 1
Each echo signal may be encoded for motion along a different motion-encoding direction than the other echo signals by applying a different motion-encoding gradient before each echo signal is sampled
Implementation Method 2
The chemical shift encoded sequence provides information useful for assessing fat fraction and iron content
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for simultaneous water-fat magnetic resonance imaging (“MRI”) and magnetic resonance elastography (“MRE”) using an integrated data acquisition and reconstruction scheme are described. This integrated acquisition and reconstruction technique can mitigate motion misregistration and provide improved image SNR relative to existing multiparametric acquisition techniques that require multiple separate acquisitions.