Patents by Inventor Berthold Kiefer

Berthold Kiefer 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: 7747313
    Abstract: In a method for acquiring dynamically varying magnetic resonance signals, a respiration cycle of a patient is monitored in a learning phase. Acquisition of varying signals ensues with the highest possible temporal resolution in an initial phase with a breath-hold by the patient. Slowly varying signals are subsequently acquired with lower temporal resolution in a movement phase and with free respiration of the patient. The signal acquisitions are initiated by a pre-established trigger condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2010
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Berthold Kiefer, Niels Oesingmann, Alto Stemmer
  • Publication number: 20080231275
    Abstract: In a method and an apparatus for automatic determination of objects that attenuate high energy/penetrating radiation by magnetic resonance, the magnetic resonance apparatus scans and prepares MR images, and the MR images contain information about the T2 relaxation time constant. Subsequently, penetrating radiation-attenuating objects are determined in the MR images by means of the T2 relaxation time constant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2008
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Inventors: Kirstin Jattke, Berthold Kiefer, Sonia Nielles-Vallespin, Stefan Roell, Marianne Vorbuchner
  • Patent number: 7319324
    Abstract: In a method and apparatus for magnetic resonance imaging based on a partially parallel acquisition (PPA) reconstruction technique, a number of partial k-space data sets are acquired with a number of component coils, the totality of the partial data sets forming a complete k-space data set, the respective coil sensitivity of each component coil is determined based on at least one part of the complete k-space data set, any partial k-space data set is transformed via a PPA reconstruction technique dependent on the determined coil sensitivities, and the transformed partial data sets are superimposed to obtain a low-artifact image data set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2008
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Stephan Kannengieβer, Berthold Kiefer, Mathias Nittka
  • Publication number: 20070210793
    Abstract: In a method for generation of magnetic resonance exposures of an examination subject using a magnetic resonance system with multiple coil elements for acquisition of imaging magnetic resonance signals, magnetic resonance signals for the magnetic resonance exposures to be generated are initially measured with at least one group of the available coil elements. An automatic pre-evaluation of the magnetic resonance signals respectively acquired from the individual coil elements then ensues. One or more of the coil elements are selected on the basis of results of the pre-evaluation and the generation of the magnetic resonance exposures ensues exclusively on the basis of the magnetic resonance signals that were acquired by the selected coil elements. A corresponding control device for a magnetic resonance system for generation of magnetic resonance exposures, and a computer program product, operate according to the method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2007
    Publication date: September 13, 2007
    Inventor: Berthold Kiefer
  • Patent number: 7254435
    Abstract: In a method and magnetic resonance imaging apparatus wherein magnetic resonance signals are simultaneously received from an examination subject by multiple reception coils, a single, uninterrupted pulse sequence is executed which includes reference scans of the subject with a first sequence kernel that is optimized for coil sensitivity calibration, immediately followed by a series of accelerated image scans with a second sequence kernel, different from the first sequence kernel, that is optimized for imaging. Coil sensitivity maps for the respective coils are calculated from the data acquired in the reference scans, and an image of the subject is reconstructed by operating on the image data with a parallel reconstruction algorithm employing the calculated coil sensitivity maps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2007
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Qiang Zhang, Jiamin Wang, Orlando Simonetti, Gerhard Laub, Berthold Kiefer
  • Patent number: 7224165
    Abstract: For generating of magnetic resonance exposures of an examination subject, a dielectric element with high dielectric constant is positioned on the examination subject to locally influence the B1 field distribution, the dielectric element being formed primarily of material whose magnetic resonance line(s) is/are shifted by at least a specific degree relative to the magnetic resonance line of water protons for a given magnetic field. In a measurement for generation of a magnetic resonance exposure a measurement sequence is used, such in the acquisition of the raw image data the dielectric material of the dielectric element supplies no signal contributions for the image generation and/or the signals caused by the dielectric material of the dielectric element can be separated from the signals caused by the examination subject.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2007
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Thorsten Feiweier, Berthold Kiefer, Wolfgang Renz, Lothar Schön
  • Patent number: 7145338
    Abstract: In a method for implementation of a magnetic resonance examination of a patient with an imaging medical magnetic resonance apparatus with a movable patient bed, for of an examination volume of the patient that is larger than an acquisition volume of the magnetic resonance apparatus, anatomical patient information and second technical information for setting the magnetic resonance apparatus are acquired dependent on the position of the patient bed from magnetic resonance signals acquired in a low-resolution calibration measurement (scan). A first group of measurement protocol parameters is generated from the patient information and a second group of measurement protocol parameters is generated from the technical information, to generate a measurement protocol for a subsequent high-resolution magnetic resonance examination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2006
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Swen Campagna, Martin Harder, Peter Heubes, Rainer Kaim, Stephan Kannengiesser, Berthold Kiefer, Cecile Mohr, Katrin Wohlfarth
  • Patent number: 7109711
    Abstract: In a method for magnetic resonance imaging, by combined switching of radio-frequency excitation pulses, slice selection gradient pulses, phase-coding gradient pulses and readout gradient pulses, a matrix in the k-space is scanned row-by-row and transformed using a Fourier transformation into a matrix in the spatial domain, with the polarity of the slice selection gradient being inverted during the scanning of the k-matrix, allowing elimination of the ambiguity artifact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2006
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Berthold Kiefer
  • Patent number: 7050617
    Abstract: In a method for homogenizing the imaging obtained by a magnetic resonance measurement of a body region, wherein a local antenna of small dimensions and an antenna arrangement arranged outside the body and of larger dimensions are used for imaging, in order to obtain a combined image, a reception profile, referenced to the reception profile of the antenna arrangement of the local antenna, is determined, and the combined image is corrected with the aid of this relative reception profile of the local antenna. A homogenized combined magnetic resonance image is obtained without reducing the signal-to-noise ratio that can be achieved by the local antenna.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Berthold Kiefer, Jianmin Wang
  • Publication number: 20050264288
    Abstract: In a method for implementation of a magnetic resonance examination of a patient with an imaging medical magnetic resonance apparatus with a movable patient bed, for of an examination volume of the patient that is larger than an acquisition volume of the magnetic resonance apparatus, anatomical patient information and second technical information for setting the magnetic resonance apparatus are acquired dependent on the position of the patient bed from magnetic resonance signals acquired in a low-resolution calibration measurement (scan). A first group of measurement protocol parameters is generated from the patient information and a second group of measurement protocol parameters is generated from the technical information, to generate a measurement protocol for a subsequent high-resolution magnetic resonance examination.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2005
    Publication date: December 1, 2005
    Inventors: Swen Campagna, Martin Harder, Peter Heubes, Rainer Kaim, Stephan Kannengiesser, Berthold Kiefer, Cecile Mohr, Katrin Wohlfarth
  • Publication number: 20050245813
    Abstract: In a method for acquiring dynamically varying magnetic resonance signals, a respiration cycle of a patient is monitored in a learning phase. Acquisition of varying signals ensues with the highest possible temporal resolution in an initial phase with a breath-hold by the patient. Slowly varying signals are subsequently acquired with lower temporal resolution in a movement phase and with free respiration of the patient. The signal acquisitions are initiated by a pre-established trigger condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2005
    Publication date: November 3, 2005
    Inventors: Berthold Kiefer, Niels Oesingmann, Alto Stemmer
  • Publication number: 20050194974
    Abstract: For generating of magnetic resonance exposures of an examination subject, a dielectric element with high dielectric constant is positioned on the examination subject to locally influence the B1 field distribution, the dielectric element being formed primarily of material whose magnetic resonance line(s) is/are shifted by at least a specific degree relative to the magnetic resonance line of water protons for a given magnetic field. In a measurement for generation of a magnetic resonance exposure a measurement sequence is used, such in the acquisition of the raw image data the dielectric material of the dielectric element supplies no signal contributions for the image generation and/or the signals caused by the dielectric material of the dielectric element can be separated from the signals caused by the examination subject.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2005
    Publication date: September 8, 2005
    Inventors: Thorsten Feiweier, Berthold Kiefer, Wolfgang Renz, Lothar Schon
  • Publication number: 20050187458
    Abstract: In a method and apparatus for magnetic resonance imaging based on a partially parallel acquisition (PPA) reconstruction technique, a number of partial k-space data sets are acquired with a number of component coils, the totality of the partial data sets forming a complete k-space data set, the respective coil sensitivity of each component coil is determined based on at least one part of the complete k-space data set, any partial k-space data set is transformed via a PPA reconstruction technique dependent on the determined coil sensitivities, and the transformed partial data sets are superimposed to obtain a low-artifact image data set.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2004
    Publication date: August 25, 2005
    Inventors: Stephan Kannengiesser, Berthold Kiefer, Mathias Nittka
  • Patent number: 6882151
    Abstract: In a processing system for an MRT apparatus, a user interface as presented that permits an operator to undertake a graphical measurement planning based on already-recorded, corrected MRT overview images, the correction having been carried out by the processing system on the basis of stored data accessible by the processing system relating to non-linearities of the gradient system of the MRT apparatus being used. The processor system, in the user interface, automatically graphically demarcates the area of the corrected MRT overview image in which a positioning of additional slices to be measured will lead to a deviation of the desired slices, from the actual slices in a subsequent scan from the ear of the corrected MRT overview image in which a positioning of additional slices to be measured will not lead to such a deviation of the desired slices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2005
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Berthold Kiefer, Robert Krieg
  • Publication number: 20050001619
    Abstract: In a method for magnetic resonance imaging, by combined switching of radio-frequency excitation pulses, slice selection gradient pulses, phase-coding gradient pulses and readout gradient pulses, a matrix in the k-space is scanned row-by-row and transformed using a Fourier transformation into a matrix in the spatial domain, with the polarity of the slice selection gradient being inverted during the scanning of the k-matrix, allowing elimination of the ambiguity artifact.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2004
    Publication date: January 6, 2005
    Inventor: Berthold Kiefer
  • Publication number: 20040160221
    Abstract: In a method and MRT device for planning and generating planar MRT slices based on deformation-free corrected MRT overview images, the MRT device having a nonlinear gradient system with data with regard to the nonlinear variations being stored, at least one MRT overview image is generated, MRT overview image is corrected on the basis of the stored data with regard to the nonlinear variations, the ensuing variations of a planar slice selected by the operator in the corrected MRT overview image are determined on the basis of the stored data with regard to the nonlinear variations, an MR sequence with a radio-frequency excitation pulse as well as gradient pulses is calculated, such that, given simultaneous radiation of these pulses, the slice to be acquired undergoes a curvature in the exposure that is inverse to the nonlinear variations of the MRT overview image, and data for the planar slice are acquired using the calculated MR sequence.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2003
    Publication date: August 19, 2004
    Inventors: Berthold Kiefer, Robert Krieg
  • Publication number: 20040152969
    Abstract: In a method and magnetic resonance imaging apparatus wherein magnetic resonance signals are simultaneously received from an examination subject by multiple reception coils, a single, uninterrupted pulse sequence is executed which includes reference scans of the subject with a first sequence kernel that is optimized for coil sensitivity calibration, immediately followed by a series of accelerated image scans with a second sequence kernel, different from the first sequence kernel, that is optimized for imaging. Coil sensitivity maps for the respective coils are calculated from the data acquired in the reference scans, and an image of the subject is reconstructed by operating on the image data with a parallel reconstruction algorithm employing the calculated coil sensitivity maps.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2003
    Publication date: August 5, 2004
    Inventors: Qiang Zhang, Jianmin Wang, Orlando Simonetti, Gerhard Laub, Berthold Kiefer
  • Publication number: 20040147835
    Abstract: In a processing system for an MRT apparatus, a user interface as presented that permits an operator to undertake a graphical measurement planning based on already-recorded, corrected MRT overview images, the correction having been carried out by the processing system on the basis of stored data accessible by the processing system relating to non-linearities of the gradient system of the MRT apparatus being used. The processor system, in the user interface, automatically graphically demarcates the area of the corrected MRT overview image in which a positioning of additional slices to be measured will lead to a deviation of the desired slices, from the actual slices in a subsequent scan from the ear of the corrected MRT overview image in which a positioning of additional slices to be measured will not lead to such a deviation of the desired slices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2003
    Publication date: July 29, 2004
    Inventors: Berthold Kiefer, Robert Krieg
  • Patent number: 6750650
    Abstract: In a magnetic resonance tomography apparatus and a method for the operation thereof the acquisition of pure fat and water images is enabled, taking the basic field inhomogeneities into consideration, by utilizing the data that are obtained about the relevant measurement volume by means of a conventional 3D field measurement for the correction of the residual phase offset of the imaging data. The imaging data are preferably acquired on the basis of the 2-point Dixon method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2004
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Berthold Kiefer, Ralf Loeffler
  • Publication number: 20030062900
    Abstract: In a magnetic resonance tomography apparatus and a method for the operation thereof the acquisition of pure fat and water images is enabled, taking the basic field inhomogeneities into consideration, by utilizing the data that are obtained about the relevant measurement volume by means of a conventional 3D field measurement for the correction of the noise phase of the imaging data. The imaging data are preferably acquired on the basis of the 2-point Dixon method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2002
    Publication date: April 3, 2003
    Inventors: Berthold Kiefer, Ralf Loeffler