Patents by Inventor Benjamin Ellingson

Benjamin Ellingson has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11378638
    Abstract: An echo planar imaging technique in which a quadruple echo gradient and spin echo echo-planar imaging pulse sequence is utilized. The pulse train includes generation of two echo trains between an excitation pulse (90) and a refocusing pulse (180) to achieve two gradient echo images (also called T2*-weighted images); with one echo train directly after the 180 pulse, leading to asymmetric spin echo images (T2?-weighted images); and a last echo train afterward that generates spin echo images (T2-weighted). The technique has a number of advantages over existing techniques with regard to voxel size, mapping relative oxygen extraction, determining permeability, determining relative cerebral blood volume, vessel parameters (diameter, density, size, arterial/venous, etc.), stroke imaging, imaging perfusion, fMRI imaging, and additional benefits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Benjamin Ellingson, Kevin Leu
  • Patent number: 11061094
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method that includes applying at least one radiofrequency saturation pulse at a frequency or a range of frequencies to substantially saturate magnetization corresponding to an exchangeable proton in the ROI to generate magnetic resonance (MR) data. The MR data is then acquired using an echo-planar imaging readout, which is configured to sample a series of gradient echo pulse trains at a series of gradient echo times and a series of spin echo pulse trains at a series of spin echo times. One or more relaxometry measurement is then computed using the MR data sampled at the gradient echo times and the spin echo times. An oxygen-weighted image is then generated using the one or more relaxometry measurement, and a pH-weighted image is generated using MR data sampled at one or more of the spin echo times or gradient echo times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Robert Harris, Kevin Leu, Benjamin Ellingson
  • Patent number: 10973433
    Abstract: A post-processing leakage correction system and method that accounts for bidirectional contrast agent transport between the intravascular and interstitial spaces that commonly occurs in angiogenic high-grade gliomas without a substantial increase in post-processing computation time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Benjamin Ellingson, Kevin Leu
  • Patent number: 10884088
    Abstract: A pH-weighted chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) method and system are provided that works by indirectly measuring the NMR signal from amine protons found on the backbones of amino acids and other metabolites, which resonate at a frequency of +2.8-3.2 ppm with respect to bulk water protons. The technique uses a modified magnetization transfer radiofrequency saturation pulse for the generation of image contrast. A train of three 100 ms Gaussian pulses at high amplitude (6 uT) or Sinc3 pulses are played at a particular frequency off-resonance from bulk water prior to a fast echo planar imaging (EPI) readout, with one full image acquired at each offset frequency. This non-invasive pH-weighted MRI technique does not require exogenous contrast agents and can be used in preclinical investigations and clinical monitoring in patients with malignant glioma, stroke, and other ailments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Benjamin Ellingson, Robert Harris
  • Publication number: 20200371185
    Abstract: A pH-weighted chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) method and system are provided that works by indirectly measuring the NMR signal from amine protons found on the backbones of amino acids and other metabolites, which resonate at a frequency of +2.8-3.2 ppm with respect to bulk water protons. The technique uses a modified magnetization transfer radiofrequency saturation pulse for the generation of image contrast. A train of three 100 ms Gaussian pulses at high amplitude (6 uT) or Sinc3 pulses are played at a particular frequency off-resonance from bulk water prior to a fast echo planar imaging (EPI) readout, with one full image acquired at each offset frequency. This non-invasive pH-weighted MRI technique does not require exogenous contrast agents and can be used in preclinical investigations and clinical monitoring in patients with malignant glioma, stroke, and other ailments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2020
    Publication date: November 26, 2020
    Inventors: Benjamin Ellingson, Robert Harris
  • Patent number: 10677869
    Abstract: A pH-weighted chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) method and system are provided that works by indirectly measuring the NMR signal from amine protons found on the backbones of amino acids and other metabolites, which resonate at a frequency of +2.8-3.2 ppm with respect to bulk water protons. The technique uses a modified magnetization transfer radiofrequency saturation pulse for the generation of image contrast. A train of three 100 ms Gaussian pulses at high amplitude (6 uT) or Sinc3 pulses are played at a particular frequency off-resonance from bulk water prior to a fast echo planar imaging (EPI) readout, with one full image acquired at each offset frequency. This non-invasive pH-weighted MRI technique does not require exogenous contrast agents and can be used in preclinical investigations and clinical monitoring in patients with malignant glioma, stroke, and other ailments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: The Regents of the University of California
    Inventors: Benjamin Ellingson, Robert Harris
  • Publication number: 20200158803
    Abstract: A method is provided that includes applying at least one radiofrequency saturation pulse at a frequency or a range of frequencies to substantially saturate magnetization corresponding to an exchangeable proton in the ROI to generate magnetic resonance (MR) data. The MR data is then acquired using an echo-planar imaging readout, which is configured to sample a series of gradient echo pulse trains at a series of gradient echo times and a series of spin echo pulse trains at a series of spin echo times. One or more relaxometry measurement is then computed using the MR data sampled at the gradient echo times and the spin echo times. An oxygen-weighted image is then generated using the one or more relaxometry measurement, and a pH-weighted image is generated using MR data sampled at one or more of the spin echo times or gradient echo times.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2018
    Publication date: May 21, 2020
    Inventors: Robert Harris, Kevin Leu, Benjamin Ellingson
  • Publication number: 20180249925
    Abstract: A post-processing leakage correction system and method that accounts for bidirectional contrast agent transport between the intravascular and interstitial spaces that commonly occurs in angiogenic high-grade gliomas without a substantial increase in post-processing computation time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2016
    Publication date: September 6, 2018
    Inventors: Benjamin Ellingson, Kevin Leu
  • Publication number: 20180252789
    Abstract: An echo planar imaging technique in which a quadruple echo gradient and spin echo echo-planar imaging pulse sequence is utilized. The pulse train includes generation of two echo trains between an excitation pulse (90) and a refocusing pulse (180) to achieve two gradient echo images (also called T2*-weighted images); with one echo train directly after the 180 pulse, leading to asymmetric spin echo images (T2?-weighted images); and a last echo train afterward that generates spin echo images (T2-weighted). The technique has a number of advantages over existing techniques with regard to voxel size, mapping relative oxygen extraction, determining permeability, determining relative cerebral blood volume, vessel parameters (diameter, density, size, arterial/venous, etc.), stroke imaging, imaging perfusion, fMRI imaging, and additional benefits.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2016
    Publication date: September 6, 2018
    Inventors: Benjamin Ellingson, Kevin Leu
  • Publication number: 20180164393
    Abstract: A pH-weighted chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) method and system are provided that works by indirectly measuring the NMR signal from amine protons found on the backbones of amino acids and other metabolites, which resonate at a frequency of +2.8-3.2 ppm with respect to bulk water protons. The technique uses a modified magnetization transfer radiofrequency saturation pulse for the generation of image contrast. A train of three 100 ms Gaussian pulses at high amplitude (6 uT) or Sinc3 pulses are played at a particular frequency off-resonance from bulk water prior to a fast echo planar imaging (EPI) readout, with one full image acquired at each offset frequency. This non-invasive pH-weighted MRI technique does not require exogenous contrast agents and can be used in preclinical investigations and clinical monitoring in patients with malignant glioma, stroke, and other ailments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2016
    Publication date: June 14, 2018
    Inventors: Benjamin Ellingson, Robert Harris