Abstract: Methods for data acquisition and processing of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging to obtain the oxygen saturation (O2sat) of blood using a relationship between transverse relaxation time (T2) of blood and oxygen saturation. The method includes obtaining multiple images at various T2 preparation times. Next, non-linear curve fitting may be used to solve for arterial or venous O2sat. The disclosure provides a calibration-free method for accurate quantitative assessment of blood in the heart and deep vessels, even in locations having limited accessibility with other diagnostic techniques.

Abstract: Methods and systems for accelerated Phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging (PC-MRI). The technique is based on Bayesian inference and provides for fast computation via an approximate message passing algorithm. The Bayesian formulation allows modeling and exploitation of the statistical relationships across space, time, and encodings in order to achieve reproducible estimation of flow from highly undersampled data.

Abstract: A low-cost magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) apparatus that may be used for, e.g., Cardiac MRI (CMR). CMR is a clinical imaging tool that can investigate a wide range of cardiac conditions by exploring changes in the anatomy, physiology, or dynamics of the heart. The applications of CMR include, but are not limited to, the evaluation of congenital heart disease, coronary heart disease, ischemic heart disease, cardiac masses, the pericardium, cardiomyopathy, hibernating myocardium, and valvular and ventricular function. Generally, the MRI apparatus is a low-field (˜0.5T) system equipped with a high-end data processing unit (DPU) to enable the implementation of structure aware (SA) recovery in clinically relevant times.

Abstract: MRI techniques seek to simultaneously measure physiological parameters in multiple directions, requiring the application of multiple encoding magnetic field gradient waveforms. The use of multiple encoding waveforms degrades the temporal resolution of the measurement, or may distort the results depending on the methodology used to derive physiological parameters from the measured data. The disclosed Direct Inversion Reconstruction Method (DiR) provides distortion-free velocity images with high temporal resolution, without changing the method of acquiring the phase data. The disclosed method provides a more stable and accurate recovery of phase-based dynamic magnetic resonance signals with higher temporal resolution than current state-of-the-art methods.

Abstract: A low-cost magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) apparatus that may be used for, e.g., Cardiac MRI (CMR). CMR is a clinical imaging tool that can investigate a wide range of cardiac conditions by exploring changes in the anatomy, physiology, or dynamics of the heart. The applications of CMR include, but are not limited to, the evaluation of congenital heart disease, coronary heart disease, ischemic heart disease, cardiac masses, the pericardium, cardiomyopathy, hibernating myocardium, and valvular and ventricular function. Generally, the MRI apparatus is a low-field (˜0.5T) system equipped with a high-end data processing unit (DPU) to enable the implementation of structure aware (SA) recovery in clinically relevant times.

Abstract: A pseudo-random, incoherent sampling technique, called Variable density Incoherent Spatiotemporal Acquisition (VISTA) is disclosed, which is based on minimal Riesz energy problem. Compared with other pseudorandom methods (e.g., PDS), VISTA has the unique ability to incorporate a variety of problem-specific constraints. In this study, VISTA was applied to real-time CMR, where it not only provided an incoherent sampling with variable density but also ensured a constant temporal resolution and a fully sampled time-averaged data.

Abstract: Systems and methods of correcting eddy current-induced background phase (EC-BP) in magnetic resonance imaging (PC-MRI) data. The method includes acquiring a slice of interest (SOI) at a first table position using a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner, the slice of interest having a predetermined imaging orientation and being acquired having predetermined gradient waveforms; acquiring at least one additional slice at a second table position using the MRI scanner, the at least one additional slice having a same imaging orientation as the slice of interest and being acquired using the same gradient waveforms as the slice of interest; determining time-averaged phase maps from the slice of interest and the at least one additional slice; determining a correction map from the time-averaged phase maps; and correcting a background phase (BP) of the slice of interest using the correction map.

Abstract: A low-cost magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) apparatus that may be used for, e.g., Cardiac MRI (CMR). CMR is a clinical imaging tool that can investigate a wide range of cardiac conditions by exploring changes in the anatomy, physiology, or dynamics of the heart. The applications of CMR include, but are not limited to, the evaluation of congenital heart disease, coronary heart disease, ischemic heart disease, cardiac masses, the pericardium, cardiomyopathy, hibernating myocardium, and valvular and ventricular function. Generally, the MRI apparatus is a low-field (˜0.5 T) system equipped with a high-end data processing unit (DPU) to enable the implementation of structure aware (SA) recovery in clinically relevant times.

Abstract: Methods for data acquisition and processing of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging to obtain the oxygen saturation (O2sat) of blood using a relationship between transverse relaxation time (T2) of blood and oxygen saturation. The method includes obtaining multiple images at various T2 preparation times. Next, non-linear curve fitting may be used to solve for arterial or venous O2sat. The disclosure provides a calibration-free method for accurate quantitative assessment of blood in the heart and deep vessels, even in locations having limited accessibility with other diagnostic techniques.

Abstract: Methods and systems for accelerated Phase-contrast magnetic resonance imaging (PC-MRI). The technique is based on Bayesian inference and provides for fast computation via an approximate message passing algorithm. The Bayesian formulation allows modeling and exploitation of the statistical relationships across space, time, and encodings in order to achieve reproducible estimation of flow from highly undersampled data.

Abstract: A low-cost magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) apparatus that may be used for, e.g., Cardiac MRI (CMR). CMR is a clinical imaging tool that can investigate a wide range of cardiac conditions by exploring changes in the anatomy, physiology, or dynamics of the heart. The applications of CMR include, but are not limited to, the evaluation of congenital heart disease, coronary heart disease, ischemic heart disease, cardiac masses, the pericardium, cardiomyopathy, hibernating myocardium, and valvular and ventricular function. Generally, the MRI apparatus is a low-field (˜0.5 T) system equipped with a high-end data processing unit (DPU) to enable the implementation of structure aware (SA) recovery in clinically relevant times.

Abstract: Magnetic resonance reconstruction includes motion compensation. Inverse-consistent non-rigid registration is used to determine motion between shots. The motion is incorporated into reconstruction. The incorporation compensates for the motion resulting from the period over which the MR data is acquired.

Abstract: A hybrid filtering method called Karhunen Loeve Transform-Wavelet (KW) filtering is presented to de-noise dynamic cardiac magnetic resonance images that simultaneously takes advantage of the intrinsic spatial and temporal redundancies of real-time cardiac cine. This filtering technique combines a temporal Karhunen-Loeve transform (KLT) and spatial adaptive wavelet filtering. KW filtering has four steps. The first is applying the KLT along the temporal direction, generating a series of “eigenimages”. The second is applying Marcenko-Pastur (MP) law to identify and discard the noise-only eigenimages. The third applying a 2-D spatial wavelet filter with adaptive threshold to each eigenimage to define the wavelet filter strength for each of the eigenimages based on the noise variance and standard deviation of the signal. Lastly, the inverse KLT is applied to the filtered eigenimages to generate a new series of cine images with reduced image noise.

Abstract: A pseudo-random, incoherent sampling technique, called Variable density Incoherent Spatiotemporal Acquisition (VISTA) is disclosed, which is based on minimal Riesz energy problem. Compared with other pseudorandom methods (e.g., PDS), VISTA has the unique ability to incorporate a variety of problem-specific constraints. In this study, VISTA was applied to real-time CMR, where it not only provided an incoherent sampling with variable density but also ensured a constant temporal resolution and a fully sampled time-averaged data.

Abstract: MRI techniques seek to simultaneously measure physiological parameters in multiple directions, requiring the application of multiple encoding magnetic field gradient waveforms. The use of multiple encoding waveforms degrades the temporal resolution of the measurement, or may distort the results depending on the methodology used to derive physiological parameters from the measured data. The disclosed Direct Inversion Reconstruction Method (DiR) provides distortion-free velocity images with high temporal resolution, without changing the method of acquiring the phase data. The disclosed method provides a more stable and accurate recovery of phase-based dynamic magnetic resonance signals with higher temporal resolution than current state-of-the-art methods.

Abstract: A cine imaging filter and method of use that includes a denoising image-filter based on the Karhunen-Loeve transform along the temporal direction to take advantage of the high temporal correlation among images. The cine imaging filter may further include the application of a simple formula describing the quantitative noise reduction capabilities of the KLT filter as a function of eigenimage cutoff. Additionally, the filter may validate its accuracy in numerical simulation and in in-vivo real time cine images. Furthermore, exemplary embodiments of the cine imaging filter may employ a technique to automatically select the optimal eigenimage cutoff to maximize noise reduction with minimal effect on image information.

Abstract: A hybrid filtering method called Karhunen Loeve Transform-Wavelet (KW) filtering is presented to de-noise dynamic cardiac magnetic resonance images that simultaneously takes advantage of the intrinsic spatial and temporal redundancies of real-time cardiac cine. This filtering technique combines a temporal Karhunen-Loeve transform (KLT) and spatial adaptive wavelet filtering. KW filtering has four steps. The first is applying the KLT along the temporal direction, generating a series of “eigenimages”. The second is applying Marcenko-Pastur (MP) law to identify and discard the noise-only eigenimages. The third applying a 2-D spatial wavelet filter with adaptive threshold to each eigenimage to define the wavelet filter strength for each of the eigenimages based on the noise variance and standard deviation of the signal. Lastly, the inverse KLT is applied to the filtered eigenimages to generate a new series of cine images with reduced image noise.

Abstract: An exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a method for increasing temporal resolution in Phase Contrast (PC) MR imaging. The increased temporal resolution may be obtained by reusing information encoded into phase of an MRI signal where said reuse occurs prior to the difference reconstruction.

Abstract: A cine imaging filter and method of use that includes a denoising image-filter based on the Karhunen-Loeve transform along the temporal direction to take advantage of the high temporal correlation among images. The cine imaging filter may further include the application of a simple formula describing the quantitative noise reduction capabilities of the KLT filter as a function of eigenimage cutoff. Additionally, the filter may validate its accuracy in numerical simulation and in in-vivo real time cine images. Furthermore, exemplary embodiments of the cine imaging filter may employ a technique to automatically select the optimal eigenimage cutoff to maximize noise reduction with minimal effect on image information.

Abstract: A cine imaging filter and method of use that includes a denoising image-filter based on the Karhunen-Loeve transform along the temporal direction to take advantage of the high temporal correlation among images. The cine imaging filter may further include the application of a simple formula describing the quantitative noise reduction capabilities of the KLT filter as a function of eigenimage cutoff. Additionally, the filter may validate its accuracy in numerical simulation and in in-vivo real time cine images. Furthermore, exemplary embodiments of the cine imaging filter may employ a technique to automatically select the optimal eigenimage cutoff to maximize noise reduction with minimal effect on image information.