Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus includes an array coil in which a plurality of element coils are arranged to receive magnetic resonance signals from a subject, a calculation unit which calculates projection data for the element coils regarding an arrangement direction of the plurality of element coils on the basis of the plurality of magnetic resonance signals received by the plurality of element coils, and a determination unit which determines the positions of the plurality of element coils or the position of the array coil on the basis of the projection data for the plurality of element coils.

Abstract: In a method and device for monitoring the physiologically effective radio-frequency exposure in at least one specific volume region of an examination subject in a magnetic resonance data acquisition scan in a magnetic resonance system, amplitude values are acquired that respectively represent, at specific acquisition points in time, a signal amplitude of the radio-frequency signals emitted or to be emitted via the radio-frequency signal channels. Also, phase values are acquired that represent the phases of the appertaining radio-frequency signals at these points in time. Local exposure values are then determined on the basis of the amplitude values and phase values, respectively representing a physiological exposure that the radio-frequency pulses cause at the examination subject at a specific location at a specific time. Based on this, exposure control values are determined that are compared with predetermined exposure limit values.

Abstract: A radio frequency coil includes an operative radio frequency circuit (100, 100?) and a trap radio frequency circuit (110, 110?). The operative radio frequency circuit is tuned to a magnetic resonance frequency and is spatially configured to at least one of generate magnetic resonance in or receive magnetic resonance from a spatial region of interest. The trap radio frequency circuit is tuned to block a selected frequency and is disposed with the operative radio frequency circuit. The trap radio frequency circuit includes at least a generally linear transmission line (120) having a first end (122, 122?) at which the operative radio frequency circuit and the trap radio frequency circuit are coupled together and a second end (124) at which the generally linear transmission line is terminated with a termination impedance (136).

Abstract: Provided is a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus capable of highly precisely detecting and compensating body motions within a short processing time during radial scanning. The magnetic resonance imaging apparatus includes a control unit that applies radiofrequency magnetic fields and magnetic field gradients to a subject lying down in a static magnetic field and that detects magnetic resonance signals generated from the subject, and an arithmetic unit that handles the signals. The arithmetic unit performs subject's body motion detection in an image space, uses an image, which is reconstructed using the low-frequency portion of the k-space data of the image, as criterial data, produces templates by moving the criterial data in advance by predetermined magnitudes of rotations and predetermined magnitudes of translations, and uses the produced templates to perform the body motion detection.

Abstract: A high-frequency coil for a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus includes two end members formed of a conductive material and arranged opposite to each other. A plurality of rod members, each of which is formed of a conductive material having a rod shape have one end portion connected to one of the two end members and the other end portion connected to the other of the two end members. At east one additional member is formed of a conductive member having a rod shape, the additional member having both ends connected to one of the rod members, the additional member being disposed outside a first imaging region formed by the end members and the rod members, and forming a second imaging region.

Abstract: A method for producing images of a subject containing M spin species using a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system includes obtaining N k-space data matrices from N k-space data sets acquired with the MRI system using a pulse sequence with an individual associated echo time. The k-space data matrices each include corresponding data at the same plurality of k-space locations and time stamps are tracked for each k-space location. For each k-space location, a set of linear equations in k-space is solved. The set of linear equations relates corresponding data from the N k-space data matrices, echo times and time stamps to desired calculated k-space data. Calculated data in k-space which is corrected for chemical shift is produced corresponding to each k-space location and aggregated to obtain a k-space calculated data set. The k-space calculated data set is transformed to image space to obtain a corresponding image.

Abstract: A multi-element MRI head coil is formed in the shape of a helmet that fits over the head of a subject to be imaged. The coil elements are separately driven by rf transmit channels during an MR scan to shape the rf fields produced in the region of interest. The head coil can be used in the transmit only phase of the scan, or it can be used in both the transmit and receive phases.

Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus has at least one RF coil and a data processing control unit. The RF coil generates unique information receives a nuclear magnetic resonance signal, and wirelessly transmits the received nuclear magnetic resonance signal and the unique information. The data processing control unit receives the wirelessly transmitted nuclear magnetic resonance signal and the unique information, and generates image data based on the nuclear magnetic resonance signal in accordance with the unique information.

Abstract: A system and method for MR imaging includes the use of a form of autocalibrated parallel imaging. By combining a segmented, rotated acquisition trajectory with autocalibration parallel imaging (API), the system and method can achieve improved motion insensitivity while maintaining the benefits of accelerated acquisition due to parallel imaging. In various embodiments, calibration values from a set of reference data or from another set of imaging data can be used in determining reconstruction weights for a given k-space data set. Thus, separate calibration data need not necessarily be acquired for each set of imaging data.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for actively controlling quench protection of a superconducting magnet includes a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system and a computer readable storage medium having stored thereon a computer program comprising instructions which when executed by a computer cause the computer to detect a quench condition of the superconducting magnet. The instructions also cause the computer to actively control a quench protection system of the superconducting magnet in response to the detected quench condition.

Abstract: Methods and circuit arrangements for operating a multi-channel transmit/receive antenna device or arrangement, especially for use in a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, are disclosed by which RF amplifiers can be used to their full peak power capability without running the risk that the RF amplifier is damaged due to excessive reflected power at its output. Furthermore by evaluating certain forward and reflected power signals patient safety is achieved with respect to monitoring the limits of the specific absorption rate.

Abstract: A phantom for use in an MRI or MRS system includes an array of subresolvable compartments that are each connected to receive fluid from one of a plurality of fluid reservoirs. The array of compartments is divided into sub-arrays which differ from each other by the mix of compartments in each sub-array receiving fluids from the different reservoirs. Studies can be performed with the phantom by filling the compartments with selected fluids from the reservoirs, disconnecting the reservoirs and placing the phantom in the system bore. The phantom can be reused in other studies by replacing the fluids with different fluids.

Abstract: A magnetic resonance diagnosing apparatus includes a generating unit which generates a plurality of slice images of a object for an imaging region, a determining unit which determines a plurality of slice regions for spectroscopy within the imaging region, and a measurement unit which measures a magnetic resonance spectrum of the object for each of voxels set on the plurality of determined slice regions.

Abstract: A flow-through microfluidic NMR-chip comprising a substrate (5) which is planar in an yz-plane with a sample chamber (2) within the substrate (5), the sample chamber (2) being elongated and having walls which run parallel to the z-direction, the substrate (5) having a thickness in x-direction of a Cartesian xyz-coordinate system between 100 ?m and 2 mm, and at least one planar receiving and/or transmission coil (1, 1?) with conductor sections (11) the coil (1, 1?) being arranged at least on one planar surface of the substrate (5), wherein the extension of the sample chamber (2) along the z-direction exceeds the extension of the coil (1) along the z-direction is characterized in that the extension of the coil (1, 1?) along the z-direction is larger than its extension along the y-direction. The inventive NMR-chip facilitated NMR-spectroscopic measurements with improved resolution, sensitivity as well as B1 homogeneity.

Abstract: A phased array for a magnetic resonance (MR) imaging apparatus is disclosed that includes a plurality of receiver coils arranged to form a staggered hexagonal coil array, with the staggered hexagonal coil array being rectangular in shape. Included in the plurality of receiver coils are a plurality of standard coils and a plurality of filler coils differing in shape from the standard coils. The shape of the filler coils is such that no more than negligible mutual inductance between the filler coils and all adjacent overlapping standard coils is present.

Abstract: In a method for operating a magnetic resonance imaging system to generate a magnetic resonance data file, raw magnetic resonance data are acquired, and k-space is established in a computerized storage medium, with k-space being divided into a contiguous central region and a contiguous region surrounding the central region. In a computerized procedure, the raw data are entered into k-space at a constant sampling rate for both of the central and peripheral regions, while sampling the central region with a first density of sampling points, and sampling the peripheral region at a second density of sampling points that is less than the first sampling density. The set of data points thereby representing sampled k-space is made available in a data file as an output from the computerized procedure, in a form allowing an image to be reconstructed from the contents of the data file.

Abstract: A mobile positioning device for an MRI inductively coupled coil, has at least one pair of coupled coils which are coupled with each other for transmitting signals, wherein one of the at least one pair of coupled coils is deployed on a surface of a patient's bed. A moveable platform is provided that can move in a direction parallel to the patient's bed, and the other one of the at least one pair of coupled coils is deployed on the moveable platform opposite to the coupled coil deployed on the patient's bed. The device can be driven by a motor or a spring. When the patient's bed needs to be placed at different positions for an examination, the coupled coil deployed on the moveable platform can be aligned completely and in parallel to the coupled coil fixed on the patient's bed by moving the moveable platform, so as to achieve the best coupling effects.

Abstract: For the brain, a variety of automated non-iterative shimming methods using phase evolution derived B0 maps have been reported. These methods assume that there is only a single chemical species contributing to the image. Although true in the brain, lipid contributions from skin, bone marrow and structural fat, may approach or exceed the concentration of water in other organs. In these instances, standard B0 mapping methods cannot be used due to contributions arising from the lipids. To overcome these limitations the present invention discloses a multi-point B0 mapping method combined with Dixon imaging to provide fully automated shimming of the human calf.

Abstract: Magnetic resonance device comprises a patient support table and a main field magnet. The main field magnet is supported so that it can be rotated around at least one axis. The patient support table is able to be rotated around an axis essentially perpendicular in respect of its table surface.

Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus is provide that includes static magnetic field generation means arranged around an imaging space where an examinee is to be located and generating a static magnetic field in the imaging space; gradient magnetic field generation means arranged in the imaging space side of the static magnetic field generation means and generating a gradient magnetic field in the imaging space; and high-frequency magnetic field generation means arranged at the imaging space side of the gradient magnetic field generation means and generating a high-frequency magnetic field in the imaging space. The gradient magnetic field generation means has a concave portion in the vicinity of the imaging space depressed toward the static magnetic field generation means. At least a part of the high-frequency magnetic field generation means is contained in the concave portion.