Abstract: To efficiently calculate a precise phase map, phase differentials are calculated for each pixel of pixel data of an image, corresponding integrals are calculated for each pixel, and the phase map is formed using this integral. A phase correction of the image is performed using the phase map, and separate water/lipid images are formed from the phase-corrected image.

Abstract: For the purpose of reducing degradation of image quality due to attenuation of signal intensity, or satisfactorily rendering blood flow even when fast blood flow and slow blood flow are simultaneously present in an imaged region, an imaged region A is divided into a plurality of adjacent slabs S1-S6; RF pulses are transmitted with a flip angle profile whose flip angle &agr; varies with respect to the thickness direction in each of the slabs S1-S6 and whose average flip angle differs for each of the slabs S1-S6, to collect NMR signals; and blood flow imaging is conducted based on the NMR signals.

Abstract: With an object of separately and preferably forming a water image and a fat image even when there are present a plurality of independent signal regions in a complex number image taken by utilizing magnetic resonance, a complex number image is taken by utilizing magnetic resonance to provide a phase difference between water and fat (J1), phases are respectively corrected in respective signal regions a plurality of which are present independently in the complex number image (J3), phase shifts among the respective signal regions are corrected (J4) and a water image and a fat image are separately formed from the complex number image by utilizing a phase difference between water and fat (J5).

Abstract: For the purpose of restraining an effect of residual magnetization caused by a previous MR imaging pulse sequence on an MR image, a demagnetizing gradient pulse sequence RS1-RS4 is applied prior to an MR imaging pulse sequence to cancel the residual magnetization caused by the previous MR imaging pulse sequence and reduce the residual magnetization.

Abstract: For the purpose of identifying the phases of water and fat in a complex image captured using magnetic resonance, a complex image G1 is divided into a multiplicity of sections; if the phases of water and fat can be identified from a phase histogram of one section Sc, the phases of water and fat are obtained from a phase histogram of the section; if the phases cannot be identified, phase histograms of proximate sections in a predefined range C1 are added; if the phases of water and fat can be identified from the additive phase histogram, the phases of water and fat are obtained from the additive phase histogram; and if the phases cannot be identified, the same processing is repeated with stepwise enlargement of the predefined range.

Abstract: In order to perform imaging with water and fat separated in an efficient manner, a tomographic image is obtained having a phase difference of &pgr;/2 between water and fat using magnetic resonance (700), the phase of the tomographic image is multiplied by n (706), the phase after being corrected for wraparound is multiplied by 1/n (714, 716), and a phase image representing magnetic field inhomogeneity is generated. The tomographic image is corrected for phase using the phase image (718), and is separated into a water image and a fat image (726).

Abstract: To calculate a precise phase map even when there is a local phase disturbance and perform this phase correction, an image acquired by magnetic resonance imaging is subjected to lowpass filtering (702), pixel positions for which the ratio of a value after filtering to a value before filtering does not exceed a predetermined ratio are detected (704), a phase distribution excluding pixel data at these positions is calculated, and the phases at the excluded pixel positions are estimated from the phases of neighboring pixel positions to provide compensation so as to complete a phase map.

Abstract: Medical software is easily evaluated, used and updated on a medical image diagnostic device. To simply evaluate or purchase an option part, an MRI device registering medical software with use limitation is connected by a network to a vendor management server device managed by a vendor as a provider of the medical software. When the “use” request button or the “purchase” request button of the medical software is clicked on a customer Web Page screen, the MRI device sends the use request or the purchase request through the network to the vendor management server device. Upon reception of the use request or the purchase request, the vendor management server device sends an option key for making the medical software available through the network to the MRI device.

Abstract: For the purpose of restraining residual magnetization, eddy current etc. caused by a phase encoder gradient from affecting an echo that corresponds to that phase encoder gradient, in addition to an echo next to the echo that corresponds to that phase encoder gradient, a corrective component for restraining residual magnetization, eddy current etc. caused by a phase encoder gradient pe from affecting an echo next to an echo that corresponds to that phase encoder gradient pe is divided in two into a pre-corrective component Cpr and a post-corrective component Cpo, and the pre-corrective component Cpr is added to the phase encoder gradient pe and the post-corrective component Cpo is added to a rewinder gradient rw.

Abstract: For the purpose of restraining an effect of residual magnetization caused by a previous MR imaging pulse sequence on an MR image, a demagnetizing gradient pulse sequence RS1-RS4 is applied prior to an MR imaging pulse sequence to cancel the residual magnetization caused by the previous MR imaging pulse sequence and reduce the residual magnetization.

Abstract: For the purpose of accurately measuring and correcting a phase error in spins in a phase axis direction, a gradient magnetic field having an integral value of zero is applied in the phase axis direction during a time period between first and second 180° excitations to read out a first spin echo SE1; a gradient magnetic field having an integral value of zero is applied in the phase axis direction during a time period between second and third 180° excitations to read out a second spin echo SE2; and a phase error due to an effect of residual magnetization Gp0 is determined based on these spin echoes.

Abstract: With an object of separately and preferably forming a water image and a fat image even when there are present a plurality of independent signal regions in a complex number image taken by utilizing magnetic resonance, a complex number image is taken by utilizing magnetic resonance to provide a phase difference between water and fat (J1), phases are respectively corrected in respective signal regions a plurality of which are present independently in the complex number image (J3), phase shifts among the respective signal regions are corrected (J4) and a water image and a fat image are separately formed from the complex number image by utilizing a phase difference between water and fat (J5).

Abstract: In order to provide a magnetic resonance imaging method and apparatus which avoids artifacts due to the motion of a subject when the imaging is conducted with the interval between time phases reduced, a two-dimensional Fourier space is divided into a plurality of regions A,A'-D,D' symmetrically with respect to the frequency axis kx, and data acquisitions for the peripheral regions B and B', C and C', and D and D' are sequentially conducted with the data acquisition for the central regions A and A' interposed each time. At this time, the data acquisition is conducted alternately for each TR in a pair of symmetric regions, thereby minimizing the time difference between symmetric data.