Patents by Inventor Ronald Ouwerkerk

Ronald Ouwerkerk 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).

  • Patent number: 8633695
    Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, comprising: a magnetic resonance imaging scanner comprising: a main magnet providing a substantially uniform main magnetic field B0 for a subject under observation; and a radio frequency (RF) coil configured to irradiate a radio frequency (RF) pulse into a region of interest of the subject under observation, wherein the RF pulse comprises a base pulse comprising an adiabatic pulse having a first bandwidth time product (BWTP), wherein the RF pulse selectively suppresses magnetic resonance signals from more than one chemical component or more than one spatial region within the region of interest of the subject under observation, and wherein the adiabatic pulse is characterized by an amplitude modulation function and a frequency modulation function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: The Johns Hopkins University
    Inventor: Ronald Ouwerkerk
  • Publication number: 20110144474
    Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, comprising: a magnetic resonance imaging scanner comprising: a main magnet providing a substantially uniform main magnetic field B0 for a subject under observation; and a radio frequency (RF) coil configured to irradiate a radio frequency (RF) pulse into a region of interest of the subject under observation, wherein the RF pulse comprises a base pulse comprising an adiabatic pulse having a first bandwidth time product (BWTP), wherein the RF pulse selectively suppresses magnetic resonance signals from more than one chemical component or more than one spatial region within the region of interest of the subject under observation, and wherein the adiabatic pulse is characterized by an amplitude modulation function and a frequency modulation function.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2009
    Publication date: June 16, 2011
    Applicant: The Johns Hopkins University
    Inventor: Ronald Ouwerkerk
  • Patent number: 7787930
    Abstract: Adiabatic pulses that define an amplitude modulation and a frequency modulation are applied in a sequence of pulses to obtain a T2 weighted magnetic resonance image. Such an adiabatic T2 prep sequence typically includes a first 90° pulse, an even number of adiabatic pulses, and a second 90° pulse. Adiabatic pulses can be selected based on function pairs, or can be defined numerically. A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system includes a library of adiabatic pulse waveforms, and is configured to select a waveform and apply an RF magnetic field based on the selected pulse waveform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignees: The United States of America as represented by the Department of Health and Human Services, The Johns Hopkins University
    Inventors: Reza Nezafat, Ronald Ouwerkerk, Matthias Stuber
  • Patent number: 7375520
    Abstract: A T2 preparation sequence uses a segmented BIR-4 adiabatic pulse with two substantially equal delays and is insensitive to B1 field variations and can simultaneously suppress fat signals with low specific absorption rate (SAR). An adiabatic reverse half passage pulse is applied followed by a predetermined delay. An adiabatic full passage pulse is applied followed by a substantially equal delay, followed by an adiabatic half passage pulse. Fat signal suppression is achieved by increasing or decreasing either the first delay or the second delay.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignees: The United States of America as represented by the Department of Health, Johns Hopkins University
    Inventors: Reza Nezafat, J. Andrew Derbyshire, Ronald Ouwerkerk, Matthias Stuber, Elliot R. McVeigh
  • Publication number: 20060284615
    Abstract: A T2 preparation sequence uses a segmented BIR-4 adiabatic pulse with two substantially equal delays and is insensitive to B1 field variations and can simultaneously suppress fat signals with low specific absorption rate (SAR). An adiabatic reverse half passage pulse is applied followed by a predetermined delay. An adiabatic full passage pulse is applied followed by a substantially equal delay, followed by an adiabatic half passage pulse. Fat signal suppression is achieved by increasing or decreasing either the first delay or the second delay.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2006
    Publication date: December 21, 2006
    Inventors: Reza Nazafat, J. Derbyshire, Ronald Ouwerkerk, Matthias Stuber, Elliot McVeigh
  • Publication number: 20060253015
    Abstract: Adiabatic pulses that define an amplitude modulation and a frequency modulation are applied in a sequence of pulses to obtain a T2 weighted magnetic resonance image. Such an adiabatic T2 prep sequence typically includes a first 90° pulse, an even number of adiabatic pulses, and a second 90° pulse. Adiabatic pulses can be selected based on function pairs, or can be defined numerically. A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system includes a library of adiabatic pulse waveforms, and is configured to select a waveform and apply an RF magnetic field based on the selected pulse waveform.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2005
    Publication date: November 9, 2006
    Inventors: Reza Nezafat, Ronald Ouwerkerk, Matthias Stuber