Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus according to an embodiment includes a static field magnet, a gradient coil and a shim housing box. The static field magnet generates a static magnetic field in a space within a substantially cylindrical hollow. The gradient coil is provided inside the static field magnet and generates a gradient magnetic field. The shim housing box is capable of housing a metallic shim, the shim housing box being formed into a shape such that an attractive force of the static magnetic field applied to the shim housing box under magnetic excitation becomes smaller than a predetermined threshold.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a gradient coil unit for a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus includes gradient coils for forming gradient magnetic fields in mutually orthogonal three axis directions. At least one of the gradient coils includes a conductor part along a coil pattern and a holding part holding the coil pattern. A passage of a coolant is formed inside at least one of the conductor part and the holding part. The passage has a non-constant cross section.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, an MRI apparatus (10) includes a profile data generation unit (68) and a judging unit (65). The profile data generation unit generates a plurality of profile data that respectively correspond to a plurality of coil elements and indicate reception intensity distributions of nuclear magnetic resonance signals. The profile data are generated on the basis of the nuclear magnetic resonance signals from an object detected by the plurality of coil elements of each of a first RF coil device (100) and a second RF coil device (120). The judging unit judges at least one coil element effective for magnetic resonance imaging in each of the first RF coil device and the second RF coil device, by performing analysis of the plurality of profile data in which the first RF coil device and the second RF coil device are separately analyzed.

Abstract: A gradient coil according to an embodiment includes a saddle coil conductor part that is formed of a conductive material to have a substantially cylindrical shape. The conductor part includes a first region on which a spiral shaped first pattern is formed and a second region on which a second pattern different from the spiral shaped first pattern is formed.

Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, method and/or computer readable medium is configured to effect improved parallel MR imaging with reduced unfolding artifacts by using either or both of: (a) an unfolded “intermediate” diagnostic image to create a more accurate mask for use in further processing raw image data for final unfolded diagnostic images; and/or (b) an extension of coil sensitivity maps by replication (rather than curve-fitted extrapolation) for use in final unfolding of diagnostic images.

Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus according to an embodiment includes a processor and memory. The memory stores processor-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to extract, based on a plurality of sagittal images at least including an intervertebral disk of a subject, an intervertebral disk region spanning across the plurality of sagittal images from spines visualized in the plurality of sagittal images; and set an imaging region of an intervertebral disk image based on the intervertebral disk region.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided to decompose spectral computed tomography (CT) projection data into material components using singles-counts and total-counts projection data. The singles-counts projection data more accurately solves the material decomposition problem, but can produce multiple results only one of which is correct. The total-counts projection data generates a unique result, but is less precise. The total-counts projection data is used to disambiguate the multiple results of the singles-counts projection data providing a unique results that is also precise.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a position detection unit detects position information of an ultrasonic probe including ultrasonic transducers, with reference to a reference position. A transmission/reception unit supplies a driving signal to each transducer and generates a reception signal based on a reception echo signal generated by the transducer. Based on the reception signal, a three-dimensional data generation unit generates first three-dimensional data, in which a region corresponding to a living body tissue is specified by a specifying unit. A setting unit sets a first viewpoint based on the position information and specified region. An image generation unit generates a rendering image by rendering processing using the first viewpoint and first three-dimensional data.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus according to an embodiment includes processing circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to detect a region of body fluid flowing in a subject from time-series images acquired by scanning an imaging area including a tagged region to which a tagging pulse is applied and imaging the imaging area; generate a plurality of display images in which the detected body fluid region is displayed in a display mode determined based on a positional relation between the body fluid region and a boundary line, the boundary line determined based on the tagged region; and output time-series display images including the plurality of display images to be displayed on a display.

Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus according to an embodiment includes a first acquiring unit, a second acquiring unit, and a combining unit. The first acquiring unit is configured to acquire data by executing a pulse sequence based on a first radio-frequency pulse transmission condition. The second acquiring unit is configured to acquire data by executing a pulse sequence based on a second radio-frequency pulse transmission condition that is different from the first radio-frequency pulse transmission condition. The combining unit is configured to perform a combining process either on the data acquired by the first acquiring unit and the data acquired by the second acquiring unit or on data obtained by reconstructing the data acquired by the first acquiring unit and data obtained by reconstructing the data acquired by the second acquiring unit.

Abstract: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) systems and methods to effect MRI data acquisition with reduced noise in fast spin echo (FSE) and spin echo (SE) implementations are described. The improved MRI data acquisition is performed by acquiring k-space data while maintaining a constant or near constant slice select gradient amplitude throughout a sequence kernel. The acquired k-space data can then be used to generate an MR image.

Abstract: An embodiment of a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus is configured to carry out plural series of imaging while changing plural imaging conditions for a patient on a series basis, and has a storage unit configured to group plural parameter types related to some of the plural imaging conditions for carrying out the series of imaging into a plurality of groups, and to store a parameter value corresponding to one of the parameter types on a group basis, and has a controller which specifies a first series included in the plural series and a group to be used in the first series to read one of the parameter values belonging to the specified group from the storage unit, the controller setting the read parameter value as a parameter value related to some of plural imaging conditions to be used in a second series included in the plural series.

Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus includes a processor and a memory. The memory stores processor-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to receive a breath holdable time of a subject and adjust a parameter value of an imaging parameter included in imaging condition for imaging of the subject, according to the breath holdable time.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus provided with a plurality of transmission channels includes a signal processing unit and a control unit. The signal processing unit acquires a radio frequency magnetic field emitted from each of the plurality of transmission channels through a receiver coil mounted on an object and measure a phase of the radio frequency magnetic field. The control unit determines a phase difference between the plurality of transmission channels based on the phase of the radio frequency magnetic field of each of the plurality of transmission channels measured by the signal processing unit. The control unit controls a phase of a radio frequency pulse inputted to each of the plurality of transmission channels, based on the phase difference.

Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus according to embodiments includes processing circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to detect, defining at least either intervertebral discs or vertebral bodies as target regions, target region information indicative of a position and a direction of each target region for each of a plurality of target regions included in a spine of a subject based on an image in which the spine is imaged; select target regions of imaging subjects out of the target regions based on the target region information; and cause a display to display, regarding the target regions, information representing imaging areas that concern the target regions of imaging subjects and information representing imaging areas that concern other target regions in different display forms.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an MRI apparatus (20) includes a reference scan setting unit (100), a reference scan execution unit, and an image generation unit. The reference scan setting unit calculates a signal acquisition region of “a reference scan in which MR signals used for generation of a sensitivity distribution map of each coil element are acquired”, depending on an imaging region of a main scan of parallel imaging. The reference scan execution unit executes the reference scan on the calculated signal acquisition region. The image generation unit generates image data according to “MR signals acquired by the main scan” and “the sensitivity distribution map generated based on MR signals acquired by the reference scan”.

Abstract: Black blood time to inversion (BBTI) tag-on and tag-off images acquired by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are analyzed to produce difference magnitude 3D images as a function of time (BBTI values) representing blood perfusion in a region of interest (ROI). Perfusion data of the ROI having values which are different for normal and abnormal myocardial tissues are displayed for plural slices of a 3D image and for plural BBTI values in a single display panel.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus includes a static field magnet, a gradient coil, at least one radio frequency coil, a receiver and processing circuitry. The static field magnet, the gradient coil, the at least one radio frequency coil and the receiver are configured to acquire magnetic resonance signals from an object. The processing circuitry is configured to generate magnetic resonance image data based on the magnetic resonance signals. The receiver is configured to convert analog magnetic resonance signals received by the at least one radio frequency coil into digital magnetic resonance signals without a downconversion; separate the digital magnetic resonance signals into in-phase signals and quadrature-phase signals; and perform filter processing for removing noises of the in-phase signals and the quadrature-phase signals.

Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus of an embodiment includes: a bed top plate provided with a connector which can be coupled with a receiving coil; a bed which supports the bed top plate, the bed being configured to shift the bed top plate vertically and horizontally, the bed being configured to be jointly coupled with a stretcher apparatus having a stretcher top plate, and the stretcher top plate being placed on top of the bed top plate in a case where the stretcher apparatus is jointly coupled and; a bed controller configured to control a shift of the bed top plate correspondingly to at least one of a joint coupling condition between the bed and the stretcher apparatus and a coupling condition between the receiving coil and the connector.

Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment includes a memory, a specifying unit, and a display controller. The memory stores a corresponding color table representing correspondence relationships between T1 values of which value ranges with respect to each tissue are known and colors to be assigned to pixels with the T1 values. The specifying unit analyzes a T1-valued image and specifies colors to be assigned to each pixel on the basis of T1 values converted from pixel values of each pixel and the corresponding color table. The display controller displays on a display the image color-coded with the specified colors.