Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems and methods for performing quality control assessments of a three dimensional (3D) printing system. In particular, the present disclosure provides a phantom designs for use in 3D printing systems, as well as methods of quality control for a 3D printing system performed using a 3D printed phantom.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems and methods for performing quality control assessments of a three dimensional (3D) printing system. In particular, the present disclosure provides a phantom designs for use in 3D printing systems, as well as methods of quality control for a 3D printing system performed using a 3D printed phantom.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems and methods for performing quality control assessments of a three dimensional (3D) printing system. In particular, the present disclosure provides a phantom designs for use in 3D printing systems, as well as methods of quality control for a 3D printing system performed using a 3D printed phantom.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems and methods for performing quality control assessments of a three dimensional (3D) printing system. In particular, the present disclosure provides a phantom designs for use in 3D printing systems, as well as methods of quality control for a 3D printing system performed using a 3D printed phantom.

Abstract: A system and method for determining a response of a tumor following a chemotherapy process includes the use of a magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) driver and a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system. The method includes controlling the MRE driver and the MRI system to acquire raw MRE data from the tumor, inverting the raw MRE data to produce an elastogram of the tumor, and determining a response of the tumor to the chemotherapy process from the elastogram.

Abstract: A method for magnetic resonance elastography (“MRE”) is described, in which an MRE inversion that accounts for waves propagating in a finite, bounded media is employed. A vibratory motion is induced in a subject and MRE is performed to measure one or more components of the resulting displacement produced in the subject. This displacement data is subsequently filtered to provide a more accurate and computationally efficient method of inversion. Wave equations based on the geometry of the bounded media are then utilized to calculate the material properties of the subject. Such a method allows for the performance of MRE on tissues such as the heart, eye, bladder, and prostate with more accurate results.

Abstract: A method for calculating a mechanical property of a material using a magnetic resonance imaging (“MRI”) system is provided. The method is particularly robust to image data having low signal-to-noise ratio (“SNR”). An MRI system is used to acquire magnetic resonance elastography (“MRE”) data from a subject containing the material. Exemplary materials include lung tissue. Images are reconstructed from the MRE data and used to produce a wave image from which a spatial frequency spectrum is produced. A principal frequency of the spatial frequency spectrum is produced and used to calculate a mechanical property of the material. For example, shear stiffness may be calculated.

Abstract: A system and method for assessing the operation of a imaging system, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, is disclosed including a that computer is programmed to access an image of a phantom from image data, identify a plurality of seed point in the image of the phantom using a shape recognition algorithm, and rank combinations of the seed points using a pattern recognition algorithm using a priori information about the predefined pattern. The computer is programmed to rank the combinations of the seed points to generate an indication of an imaging quality characteristic of the imaging system.

Abstract: A magnetic resonance elastography (“MRE”) driver that can produce shear waves in a subject without relying on mode conversion of longitudinal waves is disclosed. More specifically, the MRE driver includes a pneumatic driver located remotely from a magnetic resonance imaging (“MRI”) system which is operable in response to an applied electrical current to oscillate, a pressure-activated driver that is positioned on a subject in the MRI system, and a tube that is in fluid communication, at one end, with the pneumatic driver. The pressure-activated driver includes a base plate and a driver plate having a region between them that receives the tube. Oscillations of the pneumatic driver produce a pressure wave in the tube that causes the driver plate to vibrate. The driver plate rests against the subject of interest to apply a corresponding shear oscillatory force to the subject during the MRE examination.

Abstract: A method for calculating a mechanical property of a material using a magnetic resonance imaging (“MRI”) system is provided. The method is particularly robust to image data having low signal-to-noise ratio (“SNR”). An MRI system is used to acquire magnetic resonance elastography (“MRE”) data from a subject containing the material. Exemplary materials include lung tissue. Images are reconstructed from the MRE data and used to produce a wave image from which a spatial frequency spectrum is produced. A principal frequency of the spatial frequency spectrum is produced and used to calculate a mechanical property of the material. For example, shear stiffness may be calculated.

Abstract: A system and method for assessing the operation of a imaging system, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, is disclosed including a that computer is programmed to access an image of a phantom from image data, identify a plurality of seed point in the image of the phantom using a shape recognition algorithm, and rank combinations of the seed points using a pattern recognition algorithm using a priori information about the predefined pattern. The computer is programmed to rank the combinations of the seed points to generate an indication of an imaging quality characteristic of the imaging system.

Abstract: A system and method for determining a response of a tumor following a chemotherapy process includes the use of a magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) driver and a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system. The method includes controlling the MRE driver and the MRI system to acquire raw MRE data from the tumor, inverting the raw MRE data to produce an elastogram of the tumor, and determining a response of the tumor to the chemotherapy process from the elastogram.

Abstract: A noble gas is administered to a subject to fill the lungs and magnetic resonance elastography image data is acquired while vibrations are applied to the chest wall. Shear waves are established in the gas-filled lungs by the vibrations and a shear modulus image is reconstructed from the MRE image data that may be used in the diagnosis of lung disease.

Abstract: A method for magnetic resonance elastography (“MRE”) is described, in which an MRE inversion that accounts for waves propagating in a finite, bounded media is employed. A vibratory motion is induced in a subject and MRE is performed to measure one or more components of the resulting displacement produced in the subject. This displacement data is subsequently filtered to provide a more accurate and computationally efficient method of inversion. Wave equations based on the geometry of the bounded media are then utilized to calculate the material properties of the subject. Such a method allows for the performance of MRE on tissues such as the heart, eye, bladder, and prostate with more accurate results.

Abstract: A magnetic resonance elastography (“MRE”) driver that can produce shear waves in a subject without relying on mode conversion of longitudinal waves is disclosed. More specifically, the MRE driver includes a pneumatic driver located remotely from a magnetic resonance imaging (“MRI”) system which is operable in response to an applied electrical current to oscillate, a pressure-activated driver that is positioned on a subject in the MRI system, and a tube that is in fluid communication, at one end, with the pneumatic driver. The pressure-activated driver includes a base plate and a driver plate having a region between them that receives the tube. Oscillations of the pneumatic driver produce a pressure wave in the tube that causes the driver plate to vibrate. The driver plate rests against the subject of interest to apply a corresponding shear oscillatory force to the subject during the MRE examination.

Abstract: An MRA image is corrected for motion artifacts using an iterative, autocorrection process in which corrections are tried and the quality of the resulting reconstructed image is measured. Corrections are made to the acquired three-dimensional data while the metric which measures image quality is applied to a two-dimensional projection image.

Abstract: An MRI image acquired with a phase-array coil is corrected for motion artifacts using an iterative, autocorrection process in which corrections are tried and the quality of the resulting reconstructed image is measured. In one embodiment autocorrections are calculated for the data acquired with one coil element and the same corrections are made to data acquired with the other coil elements. In another embodiment autocorrections are calculated separately for the data acquired with each coil element. In either embodiment, the separate corrected images are combined to form the output image.

Abstract: A three-dimensional image data set is acquired with an MRI system and autocorrected to reduce artifacts caused by subject motion during image acquisition. Correction for motion along one or two axes is performed by selecting a 2D slice of data and autocorrecting it to produce phase corrections that are then made to the entire 3D image data set. This may be repeated by autocorrecting an additional 2D slice perpendicular to the first 2D slice to produce phase corrections for the 3D image data set for motion along the third axis.

Abstract: Navigator echo signals are acquired during an MRI scan in which image data is acquired. The navigator echo signals are used to estimate an initial correction of the acquired image data for patient motion during the scan. The initially corrected image data is then autocorrected in an iterative process which measures image quality and makes further corrections to the image data until the measured image quality is within tolerance.