Patents by Inventor Shinji Kurokawa

Shinji Kurokawa 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: 20170202527
    Abstract: An X-ray CT device which improves resolution in a peripheral region distant from a rotation center. According to an FFS method of moving an X-ray focal point, a gap width of projection positions on an X-ray detector of a first X-ray trajectory from the X-ray focal point of a first view and a second X-ray trajectory from the X-ray focal point of a second view is obtained. A position of the X-ray focal point of the first and second views is set so that a gap width 15 of the projection positions on the X-ray detector of the first X-ray trajectory and the second X-ray trajectory which pass through a point within a predetermined first region close to the X-ray focal point from the rotation center is closer to (N?½) times (N=any one of 1, 2, 3, . . . ) of a width of a channel of the X-ray detector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2015
    Publication date: July 20, 2017
    Inventors: Shinji KUROKAWA, Yushi TSUBOTA
  • Publication number: 20170176609
    Abstract: Provided is a technique in an X-ray imaging apparatus for implementing data interpolation approximating an ideal point response trajectory interpolation, along with reducing calculation load. A method is provided to perform interpolation at high speed, in a direction along the point response trajectory. Sinograms are interpolated in advance from measured data, as to representative angles (e.g., 0°, ±30°, ±60°, and 90°) only. When a pixel targeted for back projection is determined at the time of reconstruction, a slope of the point response trajectory is determined as to each view. According to the slope of the trajectory, each representative sinogram is added with weight, whereby interpolation data in association with any angle can be obtained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2015
    Publication date: June 22, 2017
    Inventors: Yushi TSUBOTA, Shinji KUROKAWA, Keisuke YAMAKAWA, Yasutaka KONNO, Shinichi KOJIMA, Fumito WATANABE
  • Patent number: 9594133
    Abstract: In multi-echo multi-contrast imaging, the image quality is improved by suppressing an increase in imaging time. In order to do so, the arrangement order of echo signals that form an echo train and k space filled with each echo signal are determined such that the continuity of the echo arrangement is maintained while sharing an echo signal between contrasts in multi-echo multi-contrast imaging. Echo trains that perform echo sharing are arranged in non-oscillatory centric view ordering (NOCO). In addition, the starting point of echo sharing of one echo train is connected to the same position of another echo train. When some discontinuous regions are present, the discontinuous regions may be corrected using continuous data of regions symmetrical thereto on the k space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: HITACHI, LTD.
    Inventors: Shinji Kurokawa, Norihiko Ozawa, Takayuki Abe
  • Publication number: 20170018080
    Abstract: To provide a technique for supporting diagnosis by reducing a user's time and effort in quantitative diagnosis using a quantitative value acquired by a medical image acquisition apparatus. A user is allowed in advance to select only desired diagnostic information from vast amounts of diagnostic information such as images and numerical values. Only the selected diagnostic information is presented to the user in a user-friendly mode. The diagnostic information is calculated by using a physical property value necessary for the calculation of the diagnostic information in question and calculation information such as arithmetic functions and variables, the physical property value and calculation information being stored in advance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2014
    Publication date: January 19, 2017
    Inventors: Suguru YOKOSAWA, Yo TANIGUCHI, Hisaaki OCHI, Toru SHIRAI, Shinji KUROKAWA
  • Patent number: 9541623
    Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to obtain an image with a desired contrast while minimizing specific absorption rate and without deteriorating image quality in a variable refocus flip angle sequence. To this end, Teequiv specified by a signal decay pattern SSP obtained by a flip angle changing pattern FAP is compared with a designated Teequiv, and the flip angle changing pattern FAP is changed according to the comparison result to search for the flip angle changing pattern FAP which gives a desired contrast. Then, the flip angle changing pattern FAP which is capable of realizing the designated Teequiv is determined. Then, imaging is performed using each flip angle constitutes the determined flip angle changing pattern FAP.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: HITACHI, LTD.
    Inventors: Yusuke Hoshino, Akiko Kaneta, Shinji Kurokawa
  • Publication number: 20160373435
    Abstract: Realized is a low-cost provision system capable of providing a provision item or a provision system that requires a smaller number of operation steps to be made by a user. A server includes a first receiving unit receiving transaction information transmitted by a communication terminal requesting a provision device having a provision item stored thereon to make a transaction of the provision item, a second receiving unit receiving a communication result including authentication information input to the communication terminal before the communication, the communication result being generated by a communication between the provision device and the communication terminal, and a transmission unit transmitting an instruction to execute the transaction to the provision device based on the transaction information or the communication result.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2016
    Publication date: December 22, 2016
    Inventors: Makoto SHIBATA, Shinji KUROKAWA, Yuji KITADA, Atsuo IKEYA, Takeshi IKETANI
  • Patent number: 9500732
    Abstract: In the non-contrast 3D angiography, degradation of image quality caused by change of the cardiac cycle and degradation of image quality depending on the blood flow direction are prevented to provide an MRA image of favorable image quality, which is useful for diagnosis. A pulse sequence of the multi echo type for performing sampling of three-dimensional k-space data in a circular or elliptical shape is employed as the imaging sequence, and gated imaging based on body motion information is performed. Heart rate is monitored during the imaging, delay time DT from a gating signal and data acquisition time AT determined according to the cardiac cycle are calculated, and according to these imaging parameters, sampling trajectory and echo train number of the circular sampling are controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: HITACHI, LTD.
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Yoshizawa, Shinji Kurokawa
  • Patent number: 9400319
    Abstract: There is provided an MRI apparatus capable of measuring the B1 distribution of an RF transmission coil in a short time with high accuracy. In order to realize this, imaging means of the MRI apparatus includes a B1 distribution measurement sequence that includes an application of a pre-pulse by RF radiation means and a plurality of signal acquisition sequences with different elapsed time (TI) from the pre-pulse. The signal acquisition sequence uses a pulse having a small flip angle as an RF pulse and is executed before the longitudinal relaxation after the pre-pulse ends. Calculation means calculates the B1 distribution of the RF radiation means using image data with different TI acquired in the respective signal acquisition sequences.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: HITACHI MEDICAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kosuke Ito, Masahiro Takizawa, Shinji Kurokawa
  • Publication number: 20160199018
    Abstract: A change of X-ray radiation quality due to a material existing between an X-ray source and a detection element is estimated and corrected. Accordingly, deterioration of material discrimination ability in a dual energy imaging method can be prevented. An X-ray imaging apparatus is provided with an inherent filtration calculator configured to use measured data obtained by imaging air at two or more types of different tube voltages to calculate a deviation from a reference radiation quality, as a transmission length (inherent filtration) of a predetermined reference material. A reference-material transmission-length conversion is applied to the measured data according to the dual energy imaging method, thereby calculating the reference material transmission length (inherent filtration). When a subject is imaged, the dual energy imaging is performed by adding the inherent filtration calculated as to each detection element, and this produces an image with the change of radiation quality having been corrected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2014
    Publication date: July 14, 2016
    Inventors: Yushi TSUBOTA, Fumito WATANABE, Yasutaka KONNO, Shinichi KOJIMA, Keisuke YAMAKAWA, Shinji KUROKAWA
  • Publication number: 20150355304
    Abstract: In multi-echo imaging, in imaging in which pulses other than a 180° pulse are included in refocus RF pulses, a high-quality image in which the intended contrast is emphasized is obtained by reducing unnecessary contrast. Therefore, imaging parameters are adjusted so as to reduce the unnecessary contrast. The adjustment is performed so that, for echo signals from tissues having the same relaxation time to cause intended contrast among echo signals from a plurality of tissues having different relaxation times, the difference between the signal strengths of echo signals to determine the contrast, such as echo signals at the k-space center, is reduced. Imaging parameters to be adjusted include a repetition time, the FA of a DE pulse, the FA of a saturation pulse, the application timing of the saturation pulse, the application strength of a gradient magnetic field in a recovery period, application timing, and the like.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2014
    Publication date: December 10, 2015
    Inventor: Shinji KUROKAWA
  • Publication number: 20150293197
    Abstract: When imaging is performed by executing a pulse sequence on an MRI apparatus, silencing is realized with securing sufficient application amount of crusher without extending the application time thereof. In the pulse sequence carried by the MRI apparatus, at least one gradient magnetic field pulse included in the pulse sequence has a waveform synthesized from two or more base waves shifting along the time axis direction (synthesized waveform), and the base waves have a smoothly changing waveform convex upward. The pulse of the synthesized waveform is generated from one or more trapezoidal or triangular base pulses by a waveform conversion part of a computer of the MRI apparatus or an external computer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2015
    Publication date: October 15, 2015
    Inventors: Yo Taniguchi, Toru Shirai, Suguru Yokosawa, Hisaaki Ochi, Shinji Kurokawa, Hiroyuki Takeuchi
  • Publication number: 20150276903
    Abstract: A quantitative image (resonance frequency map) of a resonance frequency difference is obtained using a high-speed phase compensated pulse sequence of a gradient echo (GE) system. A signal function of the pulse sequence used when obtaining the resonance frequency map is generated by a numerical simulation. The high-speed phase compensated pulse sequence uses a BASG sequence, for example.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2015
    Publication date: October 1, 2015
    Inventors: Yo Taniguchi, Toru Shirai, Suguru Yokosawa, Shinji Kurokawa, Hisaaki Ochi
  • Patent number: 8964051
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus capable of communicating with an external apparatus includes an imaging unit configured to photograph an object to acquire an image, an acquisition unit configured to acquire positional information, an addition unit configured to add the positional information acquired by the acquisition unit to the image acquired by the imaging unit, an operation unit configured to receive an instruction from a user, and a notification unit configured to notify before sending the image, when the operation unit receives an instruction to send the image to the external apparatus after the acquisition unit starts to perform processing for acquiring the positional information and before the addition unit adds the positional information to the image, the user that the positional information has not been added to the image which is instructed to be sent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroshi Toriumi, Takashi Morii, Hidenori Shiba, Keita Sonoda, Masakazu Nakadokoro, Shinji Kurokawa, Shozo Endo
  • Publication number: 20140084918
    Abstract: In order to maximize the SNR of an image in consideration of signal correction in a multi-echo sequence, flip angles of a plurality of refocus high frequency magnetic field pulses are determined in a multi-echo imaging sequence. Using an index that reflects the SNR of an image after signal correction of a plurality of acquired echo signals, a flip angle at which the SNR of the image becomes a maximum is determined by repeatedly calculating the index by changing information specifying the flip angle of each refocus RF pulse according to an optimization method set in advance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2012
    Publication date: March 27, 2014
    Applicant: HITACHI MEDICAL CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shinji Kurokawa
  • Publication number: 20140077805
    Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to obtain an image with a desired contrast while minimizing specific absorption rate and without deteriorating image quality in a variable refocus flip angle sequence. To this end, Teequiv specified by a signal decay pattern SSP obtained by a flip angle changing pattern FAP is compared with a designated Teequiv, and the flip angle changing pattern FAP is changed according to the comparison result to search for the flip angle changing pattern FAP which gives a desired contrast. Then, the flip angle changing pattern FAP which is capable of realizing the designated Teequiv is determined. Then, imaging is performed using each flip angle constitutes the determined flip angle changing pattern FAP.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2012
    Publication date: March 20, 2014
    Applicant: HITACHI MEDICAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yusuke Hoshino, Akiko Kanet, Shinji Kurokawa
  • Patent number: 8624724
    Abstract: A position information acquisition apparatus capable of wireless communication with an imaging apparatus, the position information acquisition apparatus includes position information acquisition apparatus configured to acquire position information that indicates a position of the position information acquisition apparatus, reception apparatus configured to receive a request for the position information from the imaging apparatus; position information transmission apparatus configured to transmit by the wireless communication the position information acquired by the position information acquisition apparatus in response to a request for position information from the imaging apparatus, determination apparatus (209) configured to determine whether the position information acquisition apparatus transmit the position information, and signal transmission apparatus configured to transmit a signal to the imaging apparatus by the wireless communication if the determination apparatus determines that position informatio
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Morii, Shozo Endo, Shinji Kurokawa, Keita Sonoda, Hidenori Shiba, Tadashi Koyama, Hiroshi Toriumi, Masakazu Nakadokoro
  • Publication number: 20130307537
    Abstract: In the non-contrast 3D angiography, degradation of image quality caused by change of the cardiac cycle and degradation of image quality depending on the blood flow direction are prevented to provide an MRA image of favorable image quality, which is useful for diagnosis. A pulse sequence of the multi echo type for performing sampling of three-dimensional k-space data in a circular or elliptical shape is employed as the imaging sequence, and gated imaging based on body motion information is performed. Heart rate is monitored during the imaging, delay time DT from a gating signal and data acquisition time AT determined according to the cardiac cycle are calculated, and according to these imaging parameters, sampling trajectory and echo train number of the circular sampling are controlled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2012
    Publication date: November 21, 2013
    Applicant: HITACHI MEDICAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Yoshizawa, Shinji Kurokawa
  • Publication number: 20130147483
    Abstract: In multi-echo multi-contrast imaging, the image quality is improved by suppressing an increase in imaging time. In order to do so, the arrangement order of echo signals that form an echo train and k space filled with each echo signal are determined such that the continuity of the echo arrangement is maintained while sharing an echo signal between contrasts in multi-echo multi-contrast imaging. Echo trains that perform echo sharing are arranged in non-oscillatory centric view ordering (NOCO). In addition, the starting point of echo sharing of one echo train is connected to the same position of another echo train. When some discontinuous regions are present, the discontinuous regions may be corrected using continuous data of regions symmetrical thereto on the k space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2011
    Publication date: June 13, 2013
    Inventors: Shinji Kurokawa, Norihiko Ozawa, Takayuki Abe
  • Patent number: 8339136
    Abstract: In the continuous moving table imaging, an image is reconstructed with suppressed artifacts even in imaging under inhomogeneity of static magnetic field. In a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus, signals are measured with moving a table to obtain multiple data sets, and inverse Fourier transform of each data set is carried out in the read-out direction to obtain hybrid data. One-dimensional data are extracted from each hybrid data at a border with respect to the adjacent hybrid data, and correction values for corrections of discontinuity of signal intensity and phase at a border of hybrid data are obtained by using the one-dimensional data. Data obtained by inverse Fourier transform of each hybrid data are corrected by using the correction values, and an image showing continuity for signal intensity and phase is eventually obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi Medical Corporation
    Inventors: Yo Taniguchi, Shinji Kurokawa, Suguru Yokosawa, Yoshitaka Bito
  • Publication number: 20120092508
    Abstract: An imaging apparatus capable of communicating with an external apparatus includes an imaging unit configured to photograph an object to acquire an image, an acquisition unit configured to acquire positional information, an addition unit configured to add the positional information acquired by the acquisition unit to the image acquired by the imaging unit, an operation unit configured to receive an instruction from a user, and a notification unit configured to notify before sending the image, when the operation unit receives an instruction to send the image to the external apparatus after the acquisition unit starts to perform processing for acquiring the positional information and before the addition unit adds the positional information to the image, the user that the positional information has not been added to the image which is instructed to be sent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Publication date: April 19, 2012
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroshi Toriumi, Takashi Morii, Hidenori Shiba, Keita Sonoda, Masakazu Nakadokoro, Shinji Kurokawa, Shozo Endo