Patents by Inventor Rene Gumbrecht

Rene Gumbrecht 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).

  • Publication number: 20230251337
    Abstract: Nuclear spins are excited in a region of interest in an object under examination by a radio-frequency pulse. During at least one phase of the radio-frequency pulse, excitation fields are transmitted while magnetic field gradients are simultaneously applied so that the magnetization of the nuclear spins moves on a trajectory through a transmission k-space. In a first phase of the at least one phase of the radio-frequency pulse, the trajectory moves at a radial distance around the center of the transmission k-space. The radial distance corresponds to the radius of a sphere superimposed with at least one radial harmonic.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2023
    Publication date: August 10, 2023
    Inventors: Jürgen Herrler, Patrick Liebig, Rene Gumbrecht, Armin Nagel
  • Patent number: 11656311
    Abstract: A pulse-design unit for creating pulse data for controlling a magnetic resonance system includes a data interface configured for receiving an examination scheme, and a calculation module configured for generating pulse data based on an examination scheme. The pulse-design unit includes a data grid and/or parameter values created from map pairs of a plurality of patients and is configured to select and/or calculate pulse data using the data grid and/or parameter values and a provided examination scheme. A method and a control device for controlling a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system and a related magnetic resonance imaging system are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GmbH
    Inventors: Patrick Liebig, Rene Gumbrecht, Jürgen Herrler, Armin Nagel
  • Patent number: 11567157
    Abstract: A method is provided for calibration of a magnetic resonance device with a transmitting device for generating an excitation field. In a first acquisition phase, a first transmitting coil element is detuned, at least one second transmitting coil element is tuned, and an MR data set is acquired using the transmitting device. In a second acquisition phase, the first transmitting coil element, the at least one second transmitting coil element are tuned, and at least one further MR data set is acquired using the transmitting device. By an arithmetic unit, a calibration factor is determined based on the MR data set and the at least one further MR data set for calculating a total voltage value at a feeding point of the first transmitting coil element from voltage values, which may be measured at a measuring point of an electrical supply line of the first transmitting coil element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GmbH
    Inventor: Rene Gumbrecht
  • Patent number: 11428767
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method is disclosed for providing an actuation sequence which specifies transmit signals for at least one high-frequency transmit channel of an antenna arrangement of a magnetic resonance device for acquiring measurement data of an object under investigation by the magnetic resonance device. The method includes providing different actuation sequences, wherein each sequence is the result of an optimization method and which differs with regard to the value of an optimization parameter taken into account in the course of the optimization method. The method further includes providing a plurality of field distribution maps, (e.g., at least one B0 map and/or at least one B1 map), acquired by the or a further magnetic resonance device from the object under investigation. The method further includes selecting the actuation sequence to be used from the different actuation sequences depending on the field distribution maps and providing the actuation sequence to be used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GmbH
    Inventors: Rene Gumbrecht, Jürgen Herrler, Patrick Liebig, Armin Nagel
  • Publication number: 20220034987
    Abstract: A method is provided for calibration of a magnetic resonance device with a transmitting device for generating an excitation field. In a first acquisition phase, a first transmitting coil element is detuned, at least one second transmitting coil element is tuned, and an MR data set is acquired using the transmitting device. In a second acquisition phase, the first transmitting coil element, the at least one second transmitting coil element are tuned, and at least one further MR data set is acquired using the transmitting device. By an arithmetic unit, a calibration factor is determined based on the MR data set and the at least one further MR data set for calculating a total voltage value at a feeding point of the first transmitting coil element from voltage values, which may be measured at a measuring point of an electrical supply line of the first transmitting coil element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2021
    Publication date: February 3, 2022
    Inventor: Rene Gumbrecht
  • Publication number: 20210333345
    Abstract: A pulse-design unit for creating pulse data for controlling a magnetic resonance system includes a data interface configured for receiving an examination scheme, and a calculation module configured for generating pulse data based on an examination scheme. The pulse-design unit includes a data grid and/or parameter values created from map pairs of a plurality of patients and is configured to select and/or calculate pulse data using the data grid and/or parameter values and a provided examination scheme. A method and a control device for controlling a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system and a related magnetic resonance imaging system are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2021
    Publication date: October 28, 2021
    Inventors: Patrick Liebig, Rene Gumbrecht, Jürgen Herrler, Armin Nagel
  • Publication number: 20210109178
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method is disclosed for providing an actuation sequence which specifies transmit signals for at least one high-frequency transmit channel of an antenna arrangement of a magnetic resonance device for acquiring measurement data of an object under investigation by the magnetic resonance device. The method includes providing different actuation sequences, wherein each sequence is the result of an optimization method and which differs with regard to the value of an optimization parameter taken into account in the course of the optimization method. The method further includes providing a plurality of field distribution maps, (e.g., at least one B0 map and/or at least one B1 map), acquired by the or a further magnetic resonance device from the object under investigation. The method further includes selecting the actuation sequence to be used from the different actuation sequences depending on the field distribution maps and providing the actuation sequence to be used.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2020
    Publication date: April 15, 2021
    Inventors: Rene Gumbrecht, Jürgen Herrler, Patrick Liebig, Armin Nagel
  • Patent number: 10761155
    Abstract: In order to reduce the memory footprint used for monitoring specific absorption rate (SAR) in a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, a hybrid sliding window method is provided. The method includes receiving a measured value once every first time interval, processing the measured value, and storing a value resulting from the processing in a first memory element. Measured values stored in second memory elements are summed every second time interval, where the first time interval is less than the second time interval. A representation of SAR is calculated every first time interval based on the value resulting from the processing and the sum of the measured values of the second memory elements. When the second time interval is reached, the value stored in the first memory element is moved to one of the second memory elements, and the value stored in the first memory element is reset to zero.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Holger Adolf, Thomas Benner, Jörg Ulrich Fontius, Rene Gumbrecht
  • Patent number: 10416258
    Abstract: A method for controlling a magnetic resonance system outputs a pulse sequence including a first slice-selective excitation pulse that excites a first slice with a first magnetization. The pulse sequence includes a second slice-selective excitation pulse that excites a second slice with the first magnetization and a third slice-selective excitation pulse that excites the first slice with a second magnetization that cancels the first magnetization. The pulse sequence also includes and a fourth slice-selective excitation pulse that excites the second slice with a magnetization that cancels the first magnetization. The first slice and the second slice intersect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Hans Peter Fautz, Rene Gumbrecht
  • Patent number: 10135549
    Abstract: A method for operating a transmission device of a magnetic resonance device is provided. In order to actuate coil elements of a radiofrequency coil with different phases, phase differences in a reference plane are taken into consideration. In a first calibration measurement to be performed once for each transmission path, a first phase of a transmitted radiofrequency signal is measured by an internal measuring device installed permanently in the transmission device spaced apart from the reference plane. A second phase of the transmitted radiofrequency signal is measured by a second, external measuring device to be connected to the reference plane for the first calibration measurement. At least one phase of the first phase and the second phase is taken into consideration in the phase-accurate actuating of the coil elements and/or for correcting further measurements with the internal measuring device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Holger Adolf, Thomas Benner, Hans-Peter Fautz, Joerg Ulrich Fontius, Rene Gumbrecht
  • Patent number: 10082548
    Abstract: A circuit arrangement for driving a transmission coil arrangement with at least two individual transmission coils of a magnetic resonance system for supplying a radiofrequency signal for producing alternating electromagnetic fields over at least two channels, with in each case a digital section and an analog section, is provided. In the digital section, in an envelope generator, base frequency signals that respectively generate an envelope are provided. The circuit arrangement also includes an intermediate frequency oscillator that generates a common intermediate frequency, a frequency mixer per channel for mixing the common intermediate frequency into the base frequency signals, and in the analog sections of the channels, respectively, second frequency mixers that mix a common radiofrequency signal into each base frequency signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Holger Adolf, Rudi Baumgartl, Nikolaus Demharter, Jörg Ulrich Fontius, Rene Gumbrecht
  • Patent number: 9970998
    Abstract: In a method to determine a B1 phase map for at least two excitation modes of a radio-frequency coil arrangement of a magnetic resonance apparatus, the radio-frequency coil arrangement having multiple independently controllable transmission channels, and the B1 phase map describing, with spatial resolution, the phase of radio-frequency field this is generated in a respective excitation mode relative to a common reference phase map, first magnetic resonance data describing the phase change of a basic magnetic field of the magnetic resonance apparatus between a first echo time and a second echo time are acquired, and are evaluated to determine a spatially resolved Larmor frequency value that describes the deviation from a nominal Larmor frequency of the magnetic resonance apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Hans-Peter Fautz, Patrick Gross, Rene Gumbrecht
  • Patent number: 9880250
    Abstract: An MR image is produced from data acquired by radiating an RF pulse and switching multiple bipolar magnetic field gradients to generate multiple gradient echoes that are acquired in a raw data set with multiple raw data lines by a reception coil, the multiple gradient echoes being acquired with bipolar magnetic field gradients of different polarity. Due to the bipolar magnetic field gradients of different polarity, in the raw data set first raw data lines are filled with MR signals in one direction in raw data space, and second raw data lines are filled with MR signals in the opposite direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Patrick Gross, Rene Gumbrecht
  • Patent number: 9864035
    Abstract: Methods are provided for measurement of RF excitation pulses by a magnetic resonance device. The methods include the following acts: (1) sending of an RF excitation pulse by a radio-frequency system of the magnetic resonance device, (2) triggering of a receive event for capturing the RF excitation pulse by the control device of the magnetic resonance device, and (3) capturing of the sent RF excitation pulse in the form of excitation data by the radio frequency system. The excitation data may be used for checking process execution sequences.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Holger Adolf, Thomas Benner, Hans-Peter Fautz, Jörg Ulrich Fontius, Rene Gumbrecht, Franz Schmitt
  • Patent number: 9830711
    Abstract: In a method for correction of a B0 field map measured with a magnetic resonance device, that describes deviations from a nominal field strength in the homogeneity area of the magnetic resonance device by deviations from a nominal frequency for protons bonded to water, the deviations being represented as Larmor frequency values for different picture elements shifted by chemical shifts, the B0 field map is recorded with spins of the fat and water protons not in phase. The B0 field map is segmented by evaluating the differences of the Larmor frequency values of adjacent picture elements of the B0 field map in at least two contiguous clusters. For each cluster, a decision is made on the basis of a smoothness criterion and a compactness criterion as to whether a cluster containing a majority of protons bonded into fat is involved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Rene Gumbrecht, Michael Koehler, Rainer Schneider
  • Patent number: 9739859
    Abstract: A method and control device operate a magnetic resonance system in order to execute a first pulse sequence that includes an excitation phase and an acquisition phase. In the excitation phase, a first gradient is applied in a gradient direction to generate a spatially dependent basic magnetic field. A selective radio-frequency excitation pulse is executed, wherein the selective radio-frequency excitation pulse excites a first material and does not excite a second material in a first partial region of an examination volume, and wherein the selective radio-frequency excitation pulse does not excite the first material and excites the second material in a second partial region of the examination volume. In the acquisition phase, non-selective refocusing pulses are executed in order to acquire raw data of the first and second partial region of the examination volume, which acquisition is spatially coded along the gradient direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Theresa Bachschmidt, Hans-Peter Fautz, Rene Gumbrecht, Dominik Paul
  • Patent number: 9709643
    Abstract: A method for generation of a radio-frequency (RF) pulse for excitation of nuclear spins in a predetermined layer of a specimen for magnetic resonance imaging and a magnetic resonance imaging device for performing the method are provided. The method includes determining a variation of a magnetic field in a measuring volume, and defining a spectral frequency distribution of the RF pulse. The RF pulse with the spectral frequency distribution is configured to excite nuclear spins in the specimen. The nuclear spins are polarized by the magnetic field at a predetermined flip angle in the measuring volume under a boundary condition of a substantially minimum energy content. The method also includes generating the RF pulse with the defined spectral frequency distribution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Hans-Peter Fautz, Rene Gumbrecht
  • Patent number: 9671475
    Abstract: In a computer-implemented method, device and system for controlling an imaging system, a specific absorption rate is calculated with a computation unit and an RF transmission signal of the imaging system is controlled with a control device. The process of controlling of the RF transmission signal includes disconnecting the RF transmission signal when a remaining period during which the RF transmission signal is harmless for the patient has been reduced to zero.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Holger Adolf, Thomas Benner, Hans-Peter Fautz, Joerg Ulrich Fontius, Rene Gumbrecht
  • Patent number: 9625541
    Abstract: In order to provide online monitoring of local specific absorption rate (SAR) within a body subject to a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan, directional couplers measure a phase and an amplitude of a transmission radio frequency (RF) pulse generated and transmitted by an MRI system. A measured local SAR value is calculated based on the measured phase and the measured amplitude of the transmission RF pulse using a voxel model of the body and an electromagnetic (EM) simulation. In order to verify proper operation of the local SAR monitoring, the measured local SAR value is compared to a predetermined local SAR value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Jörg Ulrich Fontius, Holger Adolf, Thomas Benner, Hans-Peter Fautz, Matthias Gebhardt, Rene Gumbrecht
  • Patent number: 9519039
    Abstract: The invention relates to a magnetic resonance method involving the generation of high-frequency pulses and magnetic gradients (gx, gy, gz) for the selective excitation of an object to be examined. According to the invention, the magnetic resonance method is characterized in that a magnetic resonance signal s(t) according to the following signal equation is generated: s ? ( t ) = ? V ? m ( r r , T ) ? exp ? [ t ? / ? T 2 ] ? exp ? [ ? ? ? t ? ? ? s ] ? exp ? [ - ? ? ? k r ? ( T - t ) · r r ] ? ? ? 3 ? r wherein stands for a desired transversal magnetization after the selective excitation, t stands for a time, {right arrow over (r)} stands for a position vector and T stands for a duration of a pulse, and whereby s(t) stands for a magnetic resonance signal, V stands for a volume that is to be examined, T2 stands for a transversal relaxation time, and ?s stands for a shift of the resonance frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GmbH
    Inventors: Rene Gumbrecht, Kaveh Vahedipour, Tony Stoecker, Nadim Joni Shah