Abstract: A method of employing a central computer database (18) for supporting a characterization of tissue by magnetic resonance fingerprinting measurements, includes: exciting nuclei of a subject of interest by applying (50) a radio frequency excitation field B1 generated according to a magnetic resonance fingerprinting sequence (38), acquiring (52) magnetic resonance imaging signal data from radiation emitted by excited nuclei of the subject of interest, transferring (54) a magnetic resonance fingerprinting data set (42) to the central computer database (18), retrieving (56) a predefined dictionary from the central computer database (18), matching (60) the acquired magnetic resonance imaging signal data to the retrieved dictionary by applying a pattern recognition algorithm to determine a value (40) or a set of values (40) for at least one physical quantity (T1, T2), adding (62) at least the determined value (40) or the determined set of values (40) as a new entry of an associated medical data set (36) to the centr

Abstract: The invention provides for a magnetic resonance imaging system (100, 300) comprising: a radio-frequency system (116, 122, 124, 126, 126?, 126?, 126??) for acquiring magnetic resonance data (152) from an imaging zone (108), wherein the radio-frequency system comprises multiple antenna elements (126, 126?, 126?, 126??); a memory (140) containing machine executable instructions (170) and pulse sequence commands (150), wherein the pulse sequence commands cause the processor to acquire magnetic resonance data from the multiple antenna elements according to a SENSE protocol; and a processor.

Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging system (100) acquires magnetic resonance data (142) from a subject (118) within a measurement zone (108). Pulse sequence commands (140) control the magnetic resonance imaging system to acquire the magnetic resonance data according to a magnetic resonance fingerprinting protocol. The pulse sequence commands are configured for controlling the magnetic resonance imaging system to repeatedly generate an RF pulse train (300) and acquire the magnetic resonance data as multiple k-space traces. The machine executable instructions causes the processor to: sequentially acquire (200) the multiple k-space traces of magnetic resonance data by controlling the magnetic resonance imaging system with pulse sequence commands and calculate (202) the abundance of each of a set of predetermined substances for k-space traces that are acquired after a predetermined number of k-space traces of the multiple k-space traces has been acquired and the acquired magnetization has reached a steady state.

Abstract: A magnetic resonance (MR) imaging system includes a memory for storing machine executable instructions and for storing pulse sequence commands to acquire the measured MR data according to a compressed sensing MR imaging protocol; and a processor for controlling the system. The MR imaging system with the pulse sequence commands acquires the measured MR data; reconstruct an intermediate MR image according to the compressed sensing MR imaging protocol; calculate a predicted data portion for each of the measured data portions; calculate a residual for each of the measured data portions; identify one or more of the measured data portions as outlier data portions; and reconstruct a corrected MR image according to the compressed sensing MR imaging protocol, wherein the one or more outlier data portions are excluded from the reconstruction of the corrected MR image.

Abstract: The invention provides for a medical instrument (100, 400, 500, 600) comprising an activity measurement system (106) configured for measuring brain activity data (138) from a subject (102). The medical instrument further comprises a stimulus presentation system (108) configured for providing sensory stimulus to the subject. The medical instrument further comprises a memory (130) for storing machine executable instructions (132) and for storing a stimulus reinforcer database (134). The stimulus reinforcer database comprises entries. Each entry comprises commands configured for controlling the stimulus presentation system to provide the sensory stimulus to the subject. The medical instrument further comprises a processor (120) for controlling the medical instrument.

Abstract: The invention provides for a magnetic resonance imaging system (100) for acquiring magnetic resonance data (146) from a subject (118) from a region of interest (109) within an imaging zone (108). The magnetic resonance imaging system comprises a memory (134) for storing machine executable instructions (140) and pulse sequence commands (142). The pulse sequence commands are configured for controlling the magnetic resonance imaging system to perform magnetization preparation pulses which causes magnetization inversion within the region of interest and initiates a T1 relaxation process. The pulse sequence commands are configured for acquiring portions of the magnetic resonance data as discrete units during a rest and relaxation interval of a heart phase of the subject. The magnetic resonance imaging system further comprises a processor (130) for controlling the magnetic resonance imaging system.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of MR imaging of an object (10). The problem of the invention is to provide an improved MR imaging technique that enables fast and robust determination of spatial sensitivity profiles of RF receiving antennas (11, 12, 13) used in parallel imaging as well as B1 and/or B0 mapping. The method of the invention comprises subjecting the object (10) to a stimulated echo sequence. Two or more stimulated echo signals (STE, STE*) are acquired, namely a direct stimulated echo signal (STE) and a conjugated stimulated echo signal (STE*), wherein at least one of the stimulated echo signals (STE, STE*) is received in parallel via an array of two or more RF receiving antennas (11, 12, 13) having different spatial sensitivity profiles, and wherein at least another one of the stimulated echo signals (STE, STE*) is received via a body RF coil (9) having an essentially homogeneous spatial sensitivity profile.

Abstract: The invention provides for a medical instrument (100, 500) comprising a magnetic resonance imaging system (102) for acquiring magnetic resonance data (142) from a subject (118) within an imaging zone (108). The magnetic resonance imaging system comprises: a main magnet (104) for generating a B0 magnetic field within the imaging zone; a memory (134, 136) containing machine executable instructions (160, 162, 164, 166) and pulse sequence commands (140); a processor (130) for controlling the medical instrument.

Abstract: The invention provides for a method of operating a magnetic resonance imaging system for imaging a subject. The method comprises acquiring (700) tagged magnetic resonance data (642) and a first portion (644) of fingerprinting magnetic resonance data by controlling the magnetic resonance imaging system with tagging pulse sequence commands (100). The tagging pulse sequence commands comprise a tagging inversion pulse portion (102) for spin labeling a tagging location within the subject. The tagging pulse sequence commands comprise a background suppression portion (104). The background suppression portion comprises MRF pulse sequence commands for acquiring fingerprinting magnetic resonance data according to a magnetic resonance fingerprinting protocol. The tagging pulse sequence commands comprise an image acquisition portion (106).

Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging protocol includes an acquisition segment to control an acquisition sequence to acquire magnetic resonance signals at a lower main magnetic field strength. A reconstruction segment controls reconstruction of a diagnostic magnetic resonance image from the magnetic resonance signals at a lower main magnetic field strength. A segmentation segment controls segmentation of a predetermined image detail of the diagnostic magnetic resonance image. In the magnetic resonance imaging protocol, the acquisition sequence has a set of imaging parameters that cause the image quality of the diagnostic magnetic resonance to be similar to the image quality of the magnetic resonance training images, e.g., acquired at 7 T.

Abstract: The invention provides for a method of operating an instrument (100). The instrument comprises a magnetic resonance system (102) for measuring dictionary magnetic resonance data (154) from a measurement zone (108). The magnetic resonance system comprises a magnet (104) for generating a main magnetic field within the measurement zone. The magnetic resonance system comprises a test fixture (124) for holding a test sample (132) within the measurement zone. The test fixture comprises a supplementary magnetic field coil (126) and a magnetic resonance antenna (128).

Abstract: The invention provides for a medical instrument comprising a magnetic resonance imaging system with an imaging zone. The magnetic resonance imaging system comprises a gradient coil system with three orthogonal gradient coils.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of MR imaging of at least a portion of a body (10) placed in a main magnetic field within the examination volume of a MR device (1). It is an object of the invention to facilitate the planning of an arterial spin labeling (ASL) MR imaging session and to improve the image quality in perfusion weighted MR imaging. The method of the invention comprises the following steps: acquiring angiographic MR signal data by subjecting the portion of the examined body (10) to one or more MR angiography scans; deriving quantitative blood flow parameters from the angiographic MR signal data;—computing a labeling efficiency of an ASL sequence from the sequence parameters of the ASL sequence and from the quantitative blood flow parameters; optimizing the sequence parameters by maximizing the labeling efficiency; acquiring perfusion weighted MR signal data by subjecting the portion of the body to the ASL sequence; and—reconstructing a MR image from the perfusion weighted MR signal data.

Abstract: A medical system (10) and method (100) image a vessel wall automatically. A scout scan of a patient for localizing a target vessel of the patient is automatically performed (102) using magnetic resonance (MR). The scout scan is three-dimensional (3D) and isotropic. An MR data set of the scout scan is automatically reconstructed (104) into foot-to-head (FH), left-to-right (LR) and posterior-to-anterior (PA) projections. A3D imaging volume (16) encompassing the target vessel is automatically determined (106) from the projections, and a diagnostic scan of the 3D imaging volume (16) is performed (108) using MR.

Abstract: The invention relates to a magnetic resonance imaging system (100). The magnetic resonance imaging system (100) comprises a gradient system and a processor (124) for controlling the magnetic resonance imaging system (100). Execution of machine executable instructions causes the magnetic resonance imaging system (100) to: acquire by coil elements (114) first magnetic resonance data simultaneously from a group of passive local probes 5 (302, 312, 402, 702, 901), wherein the first group of passive local probes (302, 312, 402, 702, 901) comprises a plurality of passive local probes (302, 312, 402, 702, 901) located spaced apart from each other; disentangle contributions to the first magnetic resonance data from the individual local probes, calculate for the magnetic resonance imaging system (100) a gradient impulse response function of the gradient system using the first magnetic resonance data 10 from the local probes; determine correction factors using the gradient impulse response function.

Abstract: The invention provides for a magnetic resonance imaging system (100) comprising: a memory (150) for storing machine executable instructions (160) and for storing pulse sequence commands (162) to acquire the measured magnetic resonance data according to a compressed sensing magnetic resonance imaging protocol; and a processor (144) for controlling the magnetic resonance imaging system.

Abstract: A phase sensitive inversion recovery (PSIR)-based MR imaging method of at least two chemical species having different MR spectra enables distinction between myocardial scar and myocardial triglyceride deposition. The method includes the steps of: a) generating echo signals at two or more different echo times by subjecting an object (10) positioned in the examination volume of a MR device (1) to an imaging sequence of RF pulses and switched magnetic field gradients, which imaging sequence is an inversion recovery sequence including an inversion RF pulse followed by an excitation RF pulse after an inversion recovery time; b) acquiring the echo signals; c) separating signal contributions of the at least two chemical species to the acquired echo signals; and d) reconstructing a phase-sensitive MR image (28, 29) from the signal contributions of at least one of the chemical species.

Abstract: A target treatment apparatus for treating a target region (130) within a subject (140) is provided. The apparatus includes an MRI apparatus (100) for generating MR images during an MR scan of the subject disposed within an examination region (110). The apparatus further includes an MRI localizer (150) for receiving the image data from the MRI apparatus wherein the target (130) is localized and a reference marker localizer (160, 160?) for non-invasively receiving reference data from a plurality of reference points disposed in proximity to the target wherein the reference points are localized. A tracking processor (300) is also included in the apparatus for receiving localized data from the MRI localizer wherein a relationship between the reference markers and the target region is generated.

Abstract: The invention provides for a method of operating a magnetic resonance system for acquiring magnetic resonance data (152) from a phantom (124) within a measurement (zone 108). The phantom comprises a known volume of at least one predetermined substance ((128), 130). The method comprises the step of acquiring (300) the magnetic resonance data by controlling the magnetic resonance system with pulse sequence instructions (150). The pulse sequence instructions cause the magnetic resonance system to acquire the magnetic resonance data according to a magnetic resonance fingerprinting technique. The pulse sequence instructions specify a train of pulse sequence repetitions. Each pulse sequence repetition has a repetition time chosen from a distribution of repetition times. Each pulse sequence repetition comprises a radio frequency pulse chosen from a distribution of radio frequency pulses. The distribution of radio frequency pulses cause magnetic spins to rotate to a distribution of flip angles.

Abstract: The invention provides for a magnetic resonance imaging system (100, 300, 100) for acquiring magnetic resonance data (110, 1104) from a subject (118) within an imaging zone (108). The magnetic resonance imaging system comprises a memory (136) for storing machine executable instructions (160, 162, 164, 166, 316) and pulse sequence data (140, 1102). The pulse sequence data comprises instructions for controlling the magnetic resonance imaging system to acquire magnetic resonance data according to a magnetic resonance imaging method. The magnetic resonance imaging system further comprises a processor (130) for controlling the magnetic resonance imaging system.