Patents Examined by Gregory H Curran
  • Patent number: 11624796
    Abstract: A method for correcting TOF MR data, including providing a coil sensitivity map for an examination region of an examination object, providing the TOF MR data of the examination region, and generating corrected TOF MR image data comprising multiplying the TOF MR data by an inverse of the coil sensitivity map.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GmbH
    Inventors: Flavio Carinci, Dominik Paul
  • Patent number: 11619692
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a method for acquiring and processing magnetic resonance data, a magnetic resonance imaging system and method, and a computer-readable storage medium. The method for acquiring and processing magnetic resonance data comprises: populating, to a K-space, a plurality of sets of echo data acquired from a plurality of excitations of a tissue to be imaged, wherein at least two of the plurality of sets of echo data have opposite K-space populating orders; and reconstructing an image based on the echo data populated to the K-space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: GE Precision Healthcare LLC
    Inventors: Nan Cao, Yongchuan Lai
  • Patent number: 11619760
    Abstract: A device for generating oscillating signals includes an energy transfer device configured to apply an oscillating signal to a sensitive volume, and a resonant tuning circuit including the energy transfer device. The tuning circuit includes a tuning capacitor configured to cause the tuning circuit to resonate at a selected frequency, and an energy storage device. The transmitting device also includes a controller configured to apply a pulse sequence to the tuning circuit having a series of pulses, the energy storage device configured to retain electrical energy at an end of a first pulse, and discharge the electrical energy to the tuning circuit at an onset of a next pulse of the pulse sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: BAKER HUGHES OILFIELD OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Youssef Boulaknadal, Stanislav Forgang, Ryan Rocheleau, Marc Stephen Ramirez
  • Patent number: 11619693
    Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus according to an embodiment includes processing circuitry. The processing circuitry acquires an echo signal generated for each of intervals of repetition time by applying an excitation pulse to a subject at the intervals of repetition time, and acquires data of a plurality of trajectories set for a k-space using the echo signals. The processing circuitry acquires a plurality of echo signals by setting echo time to lengths different between a plurality of periods of repetition time and acquires data of the same trajectory using the echo signals, and the echo time serves as time from application of the excitation pulse to generation of the echo signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: CANON MEDICAL SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshimori Kassai, Masao Yui
  • Patent number: 11619696
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a fast susceptibility imaging techniques for performing flow compensations in the slice, phase, and frequency encoding directions for the central echo of a plurality of echoes excited each time in interleaved echo planar imaging (iEPI). The echo data for which flow compensations have been performed may be collected, and susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI) performed for collected echo data. The fast susceptibility imaging techniques may reduce scan time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GmbH
    Inventors: Wei Liu, Kun Zhou
  • Patent number: 11614417
    Abstract: A porosity model of a core sample obtained from a subterranean formation is determined. The porosity model includes a macroporosity group and a microporosity group. A nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) measurement is performed to obtain an NMR T2 distribution of the core sample at 100% water saturation. A desaturation step is performed on the core sample. An NMR measurement is performed for the desaturation step to obtain an NMR T2 distribution of the core sample. A resistivity index of the subterranean formation is determined at least based on the porosity model and each of the NMR T2 distributions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2023
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Jun Gao, Hyung Tae Kwak
  • Patent number: 11604242
    Abstract: Phase-incrementing MRSI (pi-MRSI) method has resolved overlapping biomarker images in the presence of a read-gradient. On a Bruker 9.4T MRI spectrometer, the pi-SEE-HSelMQC sequence was implemented. The choline-selective and lactate CH-selective RF pulses were phase incremented by 10° in opposite signs, synchronized with the phase-encoding steps. The lactate and choline images from a yogurt phantom displayed opposite image offsets without image overlapping. In vivo one-dimensional pi-SEE-HSelMQC CSI images of lactate and choline, acquired from the MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer xenograft in a nude mouse, as well as two-dimensional pi-SEE-HSelMQC imaging of lactate and choline acquired from the PC3 human prostate cancer xenograft in a nude mouse, also had opposite image offsets, shifted away from the spurious residual water signals in the image center. The pi-SEE-HSelMQC method completely suppresses lipid and water with potential clinical applications in disease diagnosis and therapeutic interventions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILL
    Inventor: Qiuhong He
  • Patent number: 11604243
    Abstract: Systems and methods for estimating magnetic susceptibility of a patient through continuous motion in an MRI scanner are provided herein. In one or more examples, during the collection of data, the patient can be instructed to move their head or other part of the body in a continuous manner and for a fixed duration of time. During the fixed duration of time, magnitude a data from the RF signal can be received by one or more RF coils can be collected. The received and undersampled magnitude data can be converted to phase data which can then be converted to magnetic susceptibility. Thus magnetic susceptibility can be determined while allowing for continuous motion during the MRI scan, which can be more comfortable and feasible for the patient in contrast to techniques that require the patient to hold their body at a particular orientation in the scanner for a fixed duration of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: The MITRE Corporation
    Inventors: Joseph Dagher, Ben Berman
  • Patent number: 11584148
    Abstract: A motor control apparatus configured to control a motor, includes: a drive circuit of the motor including a semiconductor device and being installed on a different substrate from a substrate of the motor; a load switching unit configured to set a load of the motor in a first state as a first load, and set a load of the motor in a second state as a second load that is smaller than the first load; and a control unit configured to control the drive circuit and the load switching unit, wherein the control unit is configured to control the drive circuit to start rotation of the motor when the load switching unit is in the second state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masatoshi Itoh
  • Patent number: 11585884
    Abstract: A correction method for reducing temperature-related deviations in a gradient response of an MR pulse sequence in MR imaging is provided. An MR pulse sequence that includes at least one nominal test gradient is run. A gradient response to the at least one nominal test gradient is repeatedly acquired by a magnetic field measurement in an examination region. A gradient system transfer function is determined based on the gradient response. A corrected MR pulse sequence is determined based on the gradient system transfer function and of the at least one nominal test gradient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GmbH
    Inventors: Manuel Stich, Dominik Paul, Mario Zeller, Nadine Dispenza
  • Patent number: 11585876
    Abstract: A system is provided for MRI coil sensitivity estimation and reconstruction At least two cascades of regularization networks are serially connected such that the output of a cascade is used as input of a following cascade, at least two deepsets coil sensitivity map networks are serially connected such that the output of a deepsets coil sensitivity map network is used as input of a following deepsets coil sensitivity map network (CR), and wherein the outputs of the deepsets coil sensitivity map networks are also used as inputs for the cascades.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GmbH
    Inventors: Mahmoud Mostapha, Boris Mailhe, Mariappan S. Nadar, Simon Arberet, Marcel Dominik Nickel
  • Patent number: 11579326
    Abstract: A method for analyzing unconventional rock samples using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), tracking fluid change in the rock sample over a time period, calculating transverse relaxation time (T2) generating fluid distribution profiles by the computer processor and based on a NMR imaging, where the fluid distribution profiles representing a movement of the fluid, and obtaining, quantification of fracture volume by the computer processor and based on the NMR imaging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
    Inventors: Stacey Marie Althaus, Jin-Hong Chen, Mohammed Boudjatit
  • Patent number: 11579231
    Abstract: To provide a technique in which, in imaging using an EPI method, an occurrence of an artifact when phase correction is performed for each channel is avoided and the phase correction is accurately performed. A common phase correction value to be applied to data of all channels is calculated using pre-scan data of each channel. The common phase correction value is obtained by combining a difference phase obtained for each of the channels. The difference phase is obtained by complex integration, while an absolute value of each channel is maintained as it is. The combination is performed by complex average, and averaging processing according to a weight of the absolute value is performed. The occurrence of an artifact can be prevented by using the common phase correction value, and robust phase correction can be performed by including the weight of the absolute value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Healthcare Corporation
    Inventors: Ryota Satoh, Keisuke Nishio, Yasuhiro Kamada, Yoshitaka Sato, Masahiro Takizawa, Toru Shirai
  • Patent number: 11573348
    Abstract: A nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) logging system and method is disclosed. The method may include obtaining an NMR well log, a measured downhole temperature, and at least one rock sample for a formation in a subsurface region. The method may further include determining an NMR distribution for each sample and selecting a set of samples based on the determined NMR distribution. For each selected sample, the method may further include determining a first parameter of the NMR distribution, a regression parameter of a relationship, and a first and second fractal parameters of the NMR distribution. The method may further include determining a second parameter of the NMR distribution based on the first and second fractal parameters, the regression parameter, and the downhole temperature. The method may still further include determining a parameter of the formation based on the second parameter of the NMR distributions of the set of samples.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
    Inventors: Jun Gao, Hyung T. Kwak
  • Patent number: 11550013
    Abstract: A magnetic resonance (MR) dynamically imaging method is provided. The method includes acquiring a functional MR dataset including frames of k-space datasets, while a functional stimulus is applied to the subject. Acquiring the functional MR dataset includes, acquiring a frame of k-space datasets by setting an orientation as an initial angle, and acquiring a free induction decay (FID) dataset. Acquiring an FID dataset includes applying a sequence of gradients, each gradient of the sequence corresponding to a k-space spoke, wherein the sequence of k-space spokes define a k-space segment having the orientation in a 3D k-space volume. Acquiring a frame of k-space datasets also includes acquiring a gradient echo dataset corresponding to the FID dataset, and updating the orientation as golden angles. The method also includes generating anatomical MR images and functional images based on the functional MR dataset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: GE PRECISION HEALTHCARE LLC
    Inventors: Florian Wiesinger, Ana Beatriz Solana Sanchez, Brice Fernandez, Peder Larson, Andrew Leynes
  • Patent number: 11550014
    Abstract: A method for phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging (PC-MRI) acquires undersampled PC-MRI data using a magnetic resonance imaging scanner and reconstructs MRI images from the undersampled PC-MRI data by reconstructing a first flow-encoded image using a first convolutional neural network, reconstructing a complex difference image using a second convolutional neural network, combining the complex difference image and the first flow-encoded image to obtain a second flow-encoded image, and generating a velocity encoded image from the first flow-encoded image and second flow-encoded image using phase difference processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignees: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University, The United States of America as represented by The Department Of Veterans Affairs
    Inventors: Daniel B. Ennis, Matthew J. Middione, Julio A. Oscanoa Aida, Shreyas S. Vasanawala
  • Patent number: 11550076
    Abstract: Methods and logging systems for performing nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) logging in downhole operations are described. The methods include performing a scout logging acquisition operation using an NMR logging tool to determine NMR logging parameters of a formation interval, setting an NMR logging acquisition mode based on the NMR logging parameters from the scout logging acquisition operation, and performing an NMR data logging operation to determine properties of the formation interval based on the set NMR logging acquisition mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: BAKER HUGHES OILFIELD OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Carl Edwards, Marc Ramirez, Otto Fanini, Stanislav Forgang, Ryan Rocheleau
  • Patent number: 11543479
    Abstract: An MRI system coil insert 2 for use within a bore B of a main MRI system 1, the coil insert 2 comprising at least one gradient coil, for creating a spatially varying magnetic field along a respective axis and being arranged to be electrically driven at an ultrasonic frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignees: Tesla Dynamic Coils BV, Futura Composites B.V., UMC Utrecht Holding B.V.
    Inventors: Dennis Klomp, Edwin Versteeg, Jeroen Siero, Martino Borgo
  • Patent number: 11543480
    Abstract: An image generating apparatus according to an embodiment includes processing circuitry. The processing circuitry obtains a coil sensitivity distribution indicating a sensitivity distribution of a reception coil used for an imaging process performed on an examined subject and magnetic resonance data acquired from the imaging process that is non-Cartesian and performed in a k-space. The processing circuitry performs, on the basis of the coil sensitivity distribution, registration between the coil sensitivity distribution and a gridding sensitivity distribution indicating a distribution of gridding sensitivity related to arranging the magnetic resonance data in the k-space. The processing circuitry generates a magnetic resonance image on the basis of a result of the registration, magnetic resonance data, coil sensitivity distribution, and gridding sensitivity distribution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: CANON MEDICAL SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hideaki Kutsuna, Masahito Nambu
  • Patent number: 11536789
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a plurality of particles, wherein each particle contains a plurality of magnetizable (for example, ferromagnetic) and ferroelectric materials in fixed physical relationship (for example, physical contact) with one another. A method and apparatus measure magnetic fields arising from or within the plurality of particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: WEINBERG MEDICAL PHYSICS INC
    Inventors: Irving Weinberg, Lamar Odell Mair, Oleg Udalov