Abstract: A method, system and user interface for synthetic image generation for magnetic resonance (MR) imaging is described. A plurality of MR imaging data sets is received, each data set being acquired at a different value for a MR acquisition parameter. A response value for a particular property of tissues is determined, based on a calculated fit of each pixel to a property response model. A synthetic image is generated for a selected value of the MR acquisition parameter, based on the determined response value. An option is provided to dynamically change the selected value of the MR acquisition parameter and the synthetic image is re-generated for the changed value. An option may be provided to dynamically change the value. Another option may be provided to calculate a reliability measure for the synthetic image.

Abstract: A method, system and user interface for synthetic image generation for magnetic resonance (MR) imaging is described. A plurality of MR imaging data sets is received, each data set being acquired at a different value for a MR acquisition parameter. A response value for a particular property of tissues is determined, based on a calculated fit of each pixel to a property response model. A synthetic image is generated for a selected value of the MR acquisition parameter, based on the determined response value. An option is provided to dynamically change the selected value of the MR acquisition parameter and the synthetic image is re-generated for the changed value. An option may be provided to dynamically change the value. Another option may be provided to calculate a reliability measure for the synthetic image.

Abstract: An MRI system and method for acquiring motion-compensated MR image data of an object. The MRI system includes an MRI device for generating a uniform magnetic field through the object, magnetic field gradients for imaging a portion of the object and an RF excitation field for evoking NMR response signals from the object; a computer for controlling the operation of the MRI system; a motion compensation module for generating a plurality of navigator waveforms for evoking a corresponding plurality of navigator echoes from the portion of the object while the object is being imaged, and processing the plurality of navigator echoes by determining a subset of similar navigator echoes and removing rigid-body translation from the NMR response signals associated with the subset of similar navigator echoes; and, interface circuitry for generating the magnetic gradient, RF and navigator waveforms and sampling the NMR response signals and the plurality of navigator echoes.

Abstract: Various embodiments are described herein for acquiring MRI image data from an object. Various waveforms are provided for producing magnetic field gradients and an RF excitation field such that NMR response signals are sampled according to a spiral-PR k-space trajectory having a plurality of angular sectors. A given angular sector can be defined by a sampling function having a period that defines radial sampling density and an envelope function that defines the angular extent of the angular sector. Various sampling and envelope functions can be used and a variety of values for the parameters for these functions can be used.

Abstract: The present invention provides several embodiments of a device for physically separating RF imaging coils from any source of movement thereby minimizing potential coil-displacement related reconstruction effect or artifact. The device can be used to enable parallel imaging of the abdomen, pelvis and other moving body parts such that normal or abnormal patient movement does not displace the coil elements between the calibration scan and the subsequent imaging scans.

Abstract: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) uses direct, continuous, unaliased, real-time imaging for motion compensation. Unaliased, real-time two dimensional (2D) images are acquired continuously of the anatomy of interest. The images are compared to at least one template to using a correlation coefficient technique to select images corresponding to minimal motion and distortion. A spatial grid of templates can be used to cover an anatomy of interest. Multiple temporal templates can be used to create a time series of magnetic resonance (MR) images. The selected images are used to provide a high-resolution image, preferably a three dimensional (3D) image.

Abstract: The present invention relates to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and includes a method and apparatus to track motion of anatomy or medical instruments, for example, between MR images. The invention includes acquiring a time series of MR images of a region of interest, where the region of interest contains the anatomy or structure that is prone to movement, and the MR images contain signal intensity variations. The invention includes identifying a local reference region in the region of interest of a reference image and acquired from the time series. The local reference region of the reference image is compared to that of the other MR images and a translational displacement is determined between the local reference region of the reference image and of another MR image. The translational displacement has signal intensity invariance and can accurately track anatomy motion or the movement of a medical instrument during an invasive procedure.