Abstract: Methods and systems for performing T1 mapping. T1 samples are obtained from an acquisition including one or more inversion groupings. The acquisition may be designed to result in incomplete tissue magnetization recovery between inversion groupings. The acquisition may be designed for the use of non-uniform, non-180° preparatory pulses. The method may also include the combined use of data from different inversion groupings. A model is used in which fit parameters are variable dependent on the inversion grouping.

Abstract: Methods and systems for performing T1 mapping. T1 samples are obtained from an acquisition including one or more inversion groupings. The acquisition may be designed to result in incomplete tissue magnetization recovery between inversion groupings. The acquisition may be designed for the use of non-uniform, non-180° preparatory pulses. The method may also include the combined use of data from different inversion groupings. A model is used in which fit parameters are variable dependent on the inversion grouping.

Abstract: A medical robot for use inside an MRI includes a horizontal motion assembly, a vertical motion assembly and a controller. The horizontal motion assembly and the vertical assembly each includes a motion joint, an ultrasonic motor operably connected to the motion joint and an encoder operably connected to the ultrasonic motor. The motor and encoder are positioned proximate to the joint of the respective horizontal motion assembly and vertical motion assembly. Each motor has a cross section positioned in one of the axial and sagittal plane of the MRI. A medical instrument assembly is operably connectable to one of the moving joint of the vertical motion assembly. The controller is operably connected to the horizontal motion joint and the vertical motion joint and it is adapted to be powered off when the magnetic resonance imager is being used to collect images.

Abstract: A medical robot for use inside an MRI includes a horizontal motion assembly, a vertical motion assembly and a controller. The horizontal motion assembly and the vertical assembly each includes a motion joint, an ultrasonic motor operably connected to the motion joint and an encoder operably connected to the ultrasonic motor. The motor and encoder are positioned proximate to the joint of the respective horizontal motion assembly and vertical motion assembly. Each motor has a cross section positioned in one of the axial and sagittal plane of the MRI. A medical instrument assembly is operably connectable to one of the moving joint of the vertical motion assembly. The controller is operably connected to the horizontal motion joint and the vertical motion joint and it is adapted to be powered off when the magnetic resonance imager is being used to collect images.

Abstract: Various embodiments are described herein for acquiring MRI image data from an object. Various waveforms are provided for producing magnetic field gradients and an RF excitation field such that NMR response signals are sampled according to a spiral-PR k-space trajectory having a plurality of angular sectors. A given angular sector can be defined by a sampling function having a period that defines radial sampling density and an envelope function that defines the angular extent of the angular sector. Various sampling and envelope functions can be used and a variety of values for the parameters for these functions can be used.

Abstract: A system and method for adaptive averaging of velocity spectra using variable density trajectories, comprising: acquiring at least one series of velocity spectra using interleaved variable density trajectories and sampling low kv data more often or more densely than high kv data, the series of velocity spectra further comprising at least one spectrum; identifying a series of velocity spectra that comprises at least one velocity spectrum as a template, aligning at least one of the acquired series of velocity spectra with the template using low kv data; and averaging the aligned spectra, the averaging further comprising averaging the low kv data of the aligned spectra, and combining the averaged low kv data with the high kv data of the aligned spectra, wherein the combination produces enhanced spectra.

Abstract: A system and method for adaptive averaging of velocity spectra using variable density trajectories, comprising: acquiring at least one series of velocity spectra using interleaved variable density trajectories and sampling low kv data more often or more densely than high kv data, the series of velocity spectra further comprising at least one spectrum; identifying a series of velocity spectra that comprises at least one velocity spectrum as a template, aligning at least one of the acquired series of velocity spectra with the template using low kv data; and averaging the aligned spectra, the averaging further comprising averaging the low kv data of the aligned spectra, and combining the averaged low kv data with the high kv data of the aligned spectra, wherein the combination produces enhanced spectra.