Abstract: A method of magnetic resonance is provided that uses a frequency swept excitation wherein the acquired signal is a time domain signal is provided. In one embodiment, the method comprises, applying a sweeping frequency excitation and acquiring a time domain signal. The sweeping frequency excitation has a duration and is configured to sequentially excite isochromats having different resonant frequencies. Acquisition of the time domain signal is done during the duration of the sweeping frequency excitation. The time domain signal is based on evolution of the isochromats.

Abstract: An implantable tissue marker incorporates a contrast agent sealed within a chamber in a container formed from a solid material. The contrast agent is selected to produce a change, such as an increase, in signal intensity under magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). An additional contrast agent may also be sealed within the chamber to provide visibility under another imaging modality, such as computed tomographic (CT) imaging or ultrasound imaging.

Abstract: A method of magnetic resonance is provided that uses a frequency swept excitation wherein the acquired signal is a time domain signal is provided. In one embodiment, the method comprises, applying a sweeping frequency excitation and acquiring a time domain signal. The sweeping frequency excitation has a duration and is configured to sequentially excite isochromats having different resonant frequencies. Acquisition of the time domain signal is done during the duration of the sweeping frequency excitation. The time domain signal is based on evolution of the isochromats.

Abstract: A method of magnetic resonance is provided that uses a frequency swept excitation wherein the acquired signal is a time domain signal is provided. In one embodiment, the method comprises, applying a sweeping frequency excitation and acquiring a time domain signal. The sweeping frequency excitation has a duration and is configured to sequentially excite isochromats having different resonant frequencies. Acquisition of the time domain signal is done during the duration of the sweeping frequency excitation. The time domain signal is based on evolution of the isochromats.

Abstract: A method of magnetic resonance imaging based on rapid acquisition by sequential excitation and refocusing is provided. The method comprises turning on a first time-encoding gradient and applying an excitation pulse in the presence of the first time-encoding gradient. The excitation pulse excites magnetization sequentially along one spatial axis. Thereafter, a first refocusing pulse is applied. A second time-encoding gradient is turned on followed by a second refocusing pulse. A third time-encoding gradient is turned on and a signal is acquired in the presence of the third time-encoding gradient. The third time-encoding gradient sums to zero with the first time-encoding gradient and the second time-encoding gradient for sequential points in space.

Abstract: A method of magnetic resonance is provided that uses a frequency swept excitation wherein the acquired signal is a time domain signal is provided. In one embodiment, the sweeping frequency excitation has a duration and is configured to sequentially excite isochromats having different resonant frequencies. Acquisition of the time domain signal is done during the duration of the sweeping frequency excitation. The time domain signal is based on evolution of the isochromats.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a packer cup 5 having a deformable leading edge 20 which moves away from well bore or casing obstructions as the packer cup 5 is moved into a well bore. The anaxisymmetric deformable leading edge 20 can be formed by an angled leading edge 19 which presents only a portion of the leading edge 18 to a well bore obstruction and allows the edge 19 to move past the obstruction with little or no longitudinal force. Another embodiment provides an anaxisymmetric deformable leading interior edge 72 which is unduloid providing alternatively stiff and deformable sections 74, 76 of the edge 72 to move past the obstructions.

Abstract: A method of magnetic resonance is provided that uses a frequency swept excitation wherein the acquired signal is a time domain signal is provided. In one embodiment, the sweeping frequency excitation has a duration and is configured to sequentially excite isochromats having different resonant frequencies. Acquisition of the time domain signal is done during the duration of the sweeping frequency excitation. The time domain signal is based on evolution of the isochromats.

Abstract: A method of magnetic resonance is provided that uses a frequency swept excitation wherein the acquired signal is a time domain signal is provided. In one embodiment, the method comprises, applying a sweeping frequency excitation and acquiring a time domain signal. The sweeping frequency excitation has a duration and is configured to sequentially excite isochromats having different resonant frequencies. Acquisition of the time domain signal is done during the duration of the sweeping frequency excitation. The time domain signal is based on evolution of the isochromats.

Abstract: An implantable tissue marker incorporates a contrast agent sealed within a chamber in a container formed from a solid material. The contrast agent is selected to produce a change, such as an increase, in signal intensity under magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). An additional contrast agent may also be sealed within the chamber to provide visibility under another imaging modality, such as computed tomographic (CT) imaging or ultrasound imaging.

Abstract: This document discusses, among other things, a system and method for modulating transverse and longitudinal relaxation time contrast in a rotating frame based on a train of radio frequency pulses.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a packer cup 5 having a deformable leading edge 20 which moves away from well bore or casing obstructions as the packer cup 5 is moved into a well bore. The anaxisymmetric deformable leading edge 20 can be formed by an angled leading edge 19 which presents only a portion of the leading edge 18 to a well bore obstruction and allows the edge 19 to move past the obstruction with little or no longitudinal force. Another embodiment provides an anaxisymmetric deformable leading interior edge 72 which is unduloid providing alternatively stiff and deformable sections 74, 76 of the edge 72 to move past the obstructions.

Abstract: Adiabatic radiofrequency (RF) pulses are commonly used in nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and imaging. Adiabatic half passage (AHP) pulses show increased non-ideal behavior with respect to adiabatic full passage pulses. The invention is a method of analysis of the initial and final states existing at the beginning and end of an AHP pulse which shows that this non-ideal behavior arises from these initial and final states. In a first embodiment of the invention, a method is obtained to allow forward AHP pulses to be used as selective RF pulses in selective NMR spectroscopy. In a second embodiment of the invention, a method called “an amplitude ramp” is added to an AHP pulse to increase the effective bandwidth of the AHP pulse. In a third embodiment of the invention, a method called “a frequency offset ramp” is added to an AHP pulse to eliminate Gibbs truncation artifacts generated by the truncation of the RF amplitude modulation function used in the AHP pulse.

Abstract: A data processing system having multiple independent paths for communication between a host and a plurality of storage devices where each path has its own queue for servicing requests generated by the host for accessing the storage devices. Each request is assigned a unique sequential ID before it is stored, along with its unique ID, in all the queues. Each storage device has a "mailbox" register where the ID and the status of the latest request being carried out is stored. Queues are serviced and their status updated based on the content of the mailbox in each storage device. The combination of assigning a unique task ID to each request and a "mailbox" register in each storage device allows the queue in each path to be completely out of sync with each of the queues in the other paths without causing data integrity problems, duplication of requests at the device level, or a need for complex locking schemes to keep the queues in sync with each other.

Abstract: A data processing system having multiple independent paths for communication between a host and a plurality of storage devices where each path has its own queue for servicing requests generated by the host for accessing the storage devices. Each request is assigned a unique sequential ID before it is stored, along with its unique ID, in all the queues. Each storage device has a "mailbox" register where the ID and the status of the latest request being carried out is stored. Queues are serviced and their status updated based on the content of the mailbox in each storage device. The combination of assigning a unique task ID to each request and a "mailbox" register in each storage device allows the queue in each path to be completely out of sync with each of the queues in the other paths without causing data integrity problems, duplication of requests at the device level, or a need for complex locking schemes to keep the queues in sync with each other.

Abstract: A method for achieving plane rotations using symmetrical adiabatic and composite pulses provides that the pulses are generated to include a pair of symmetrically positioned discontinuous phase shifts of equal but opposite magnitude and, in the case of adiabatic pulses, a flip in the effective B.sup.e executed concomitantly with the discontinuous phase shifts. Methods of spectral editing utilize the symmetrical pulse form with the discontinuous phase shifts accomplished with predetermined delays between segments of a pulse.

Abstract: Two amplitude/frequency/phase modulated pulses that can achieve 90.degree. plane rotations over large B.sub.1 field inhomogeneities are described. The pulses achieve this by use of a "flip" in the direction of the effective B.sub.1 field half-way through the pulse, and by use of a discontinuous phase jump in addition to continuous frequency of phase modulation. These pulse can be used for rotation of magnetization vectors between any plane that is perpendicular to the transverse plane and the transverse plane of the rotating reference frame. Consequently, then can be used for interchanging amplitude and phase information and converting amplitude modulated rotating frame experiments into phase modulated experiments.

Abstract: Several magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) methods using adiabatic excitation are disclosed. One method accomplishes slice selection with gradient modulated adiabatic excitation. Another method employs slice selection with adiabatic excitation despite large variations in B.sub.1 magnitude. There is also described .sup.1 H spectroscopy using solvent suppressive adiabatic pulses.

Abstract: Two amplitude/frequency/phase modulated pulses that can achieve 90.degree. plane rotations over large B.sub.1This invention was made with Government support under Grant No. HL 33600 awarded by NIH. The Government has certain rights in the invention.