Abstract: A method for performing patient-specific B1 field shimming in a magnetic resonance imaging system includes obtaining patient information of a patient to be imaged by the magnetic resonance imaging system. The method further includes determining an orientation of a projection based on the obtained patient information. The method also includes acquiring B1 projection data, using the magnetic resonance imaging system, along the determined orientation of the projection. In addition, the method includes determining a set of B1 shimming parameters based on the acquired B1 projection data.

Abstract: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) systems and methods to determine and/or correct slice leakage and/or residual aliasing in the image domain in accelerated MRI imaging. Some implementations process one slice of MRI image domain data by input to a sensitivity encoding (SENSE) un-aliasing matrix built from predetermined RF signal reception sensitivity maps, thereby producing SENSE-decoded MRI image domain data for one pass-through image slice and at least one extra slice, and determine inter-slice leakage and/or in-plane residual aliasing based on content of the at least one extra output slice from the SENSE-decoded MRI image domain data. Some implementations correct slice leakage in reconstructed images by generating a fractional leakage matrix of inter-slice leakage measurements, and by multiplying the inverted fractional leakage matrix with uncorrected reconstructed images.

Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, method and/or computer readable medium is configured to effect improved parallel MR imaging with reduced unfolding artifacts by using either or both of: (a) an unfolded “intermediate” diagnostic image to create a more accurate mask for use in further processing raw image data for final unfolded diagnostic images; and/or (b) an extension of coil sensitivity maps by replication (rather than curve-fitted extrapolation) for use in final unfolding of diagnostic images.

Abstract: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) systems and methods to determine and/or correct slice leakage and/or residual aliasing in the image domain in accelerated MRI imaging. Some implementations process one slice of MRI image domain data by input to a sensitivity encoding (SENSE) un-aliasing matrix built from predetermined RF signal reception sensitivity maps, thereby producing SENSE-decoded MRI image domain data for one pass-through image slice and at least one extra slice, and determine inter-slice leakage and/or in-plane residual aliasing based on content of the at least one extra output slice from the SENSE-decoded MRI image domain data. Some implementations correct slice leakage in reconstructed images by generating a fractional leakage matrix of inter-slice leakage measurements, and by multiplying the inverted fractional leakage matrix with uncorrected reconstructed images.

Abstract: An MRI system according to an embodiment includes an MRI sequence controller and an MRI system controller. Serving as a prescan unit, the MRI sequence controller performs a prescan for acquiring a sensitivity distribution of a coil. Serving as a main scan unit, the MRI sequence controller performs a main scan for acquiring signals of a magnetic resonance image. Serving as a corrector, the MRI system controller corrects the sensitivity distribution in accordance with a distortion that is contained in the magnetic resonance image and that results from the performing of the main scan. Serving as a generator, the MRI system controller generates an output magnetic resonance image using the corrected sensitivity distribution.

Abstract: Described herein is an apparatus and method for reducing artifacts in MRI images. The method includes acquiring a first set of data by under-sampling a first portion of a k-space at a first rate, and a second set of data by under-sampling a second portion of the k-space at a second rate. The method generates a first intermediate image and a second intermediate image based on the acquired first set of data and the acquired second set of data, respectively, and constructs a difference image including artifacts based on the generated first intermediate image and second intermediate image. The method includes reconstructing a final image, by selectively combining the first intermediate image with the second intermediate image, wherein the combining is based on identifying, for each artifact included in the difference image, one of the first intermediate image and the second intermediate image as being a source of the artifact.

Abstract: Described herein is an apparatus and method for reducing artifacts in MRI images. The method includes acquiring a first set of data by under-sampling a first portion of a k-space at a first rate, and a second set of data by under-sampling a second portion of the k-space at a second rate. The method generates a first intermediate image and a second intermediate image based on the acquired first set of data and the acquired second set of data, respectively, and constructs a difference image including artifacts based on the generated first intermediate image and second intermediate image. The method includes reconstructing a final image, by selectively combining the first intermediate image with the second intermediate image, wherein the combining is based on identifying, for each artifact included in the difference image, one of the first intermediate image and the second intermediate image as being a source of the artifact.

Abstract: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) systems and methods to effect accelerated MR image reconstruction for undersampled data acquisitions with radial strip acquisitions of k-space are described. The improved MR image reconstruction is performed by acquiring k-space data in accordance with a data acquisition pattern which comprises a plurality of strips leaving a plurality of undersampled areas therebetween that do not have another undersampled area in a diametrically opposed position of k-space. The acquired k-space data is then used to generate an MR image.

Abstract: In one embodiment a magnetic resonance imaging method includes the steps of comparing a first image and a second image to determine whether there is a distorted region present in the first image or the second image, each of the first image and second image having a total field of view that is the distance of the image along an axis, assigning an affected field of view to a width of the distorted region, determining an acceleration factor by dividing the total field of view of one or both of the first image and the second image by the affected field of view, acquiring sampled image data according to the acceleration factor of one or both of the first image and the second image and applying a mask to a third image in the affected field of view.

Abstract: Eddy current fields in a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system are mapped by acquiring MRI data from an object located in an imaging volume of the MRI system. An MRI data acquisition sequence is preceded by a pre-sequence including (a) a gradient magnetic field transition that stimulates eddy current fields in the MRI system, and (b) a spatial modulation grid tag module that sensitizes a spatially resolved MR image of the acquired MRI data to the stimulated eddy current fields that existed during the spatial modulation grid tag module. The eddy-sensitized MR image is processed to calculate a spatially resolved map of fields produced by the eddy currents.

Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus according to an embodiment includes sequence controlling circuitry and image generating circuitry. The sequence controlling circuitry executes a pulse sequence which applies a excitation pulse and then continuously applies a readout gradient magnetic field with alternating polarity thereof and acquires echo signals continuously generated by the pulse sequence from a plurality of receive channels. The image generating circuitry corrects the echo signals so as to generate an image, correcting the echo signals for all of the receive channels collectively on the basis of phase differences between echo signals corresponding to even lines of k-space and echo signals corresponding to odd lines of k-space, and corrects the echo signals for each of the receive channels individually on the basis of magnitude differences between echo signals corresponding to the even lines of k-space and echo signals corresponding to the odd lines of k-space.

Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, method and/or computer readable medium is configured to effect MR imaging with reduced artifact by generating one or more image reconstruction maps from one or more prescans, acquiring a main scan dataset from a main MRI scan of an object, warping one or more image reconstruction maps to have geometric distortions substantially corresponding to geometric distortions in the main scan dataset, and forming a diagnostic MR image of the object using the main scan dataset and the warped one or more image reconstruction maps.

Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, method and/or computer readable medium is configured to effect MR imaging with reduced ghosting artifacts by operations including determining spatially varying signal magnitude differences associated with first and second parts of a reference MR data, and reconstructing a diagnostic image based upon a first and a second parts of main scan data and the determined spatially varying signal magnitude differences. The first parts of the reference data and main scan data is acquired using a first readout gradient, and the second parts of the reference data and main scan data is acquired using a second readout gradient that is different from the first readout gradient.

Abstract: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) systems and methods to effect accelerated MR image reconstruction for undersampled data acquisitions with radial strip acquisitions of k-space are described. The improved MR image reconstruction is performed by acquiring k-space data in accordance with a data acquisition pattern which comprises a plurality of strips leaving a plurality of undersampled areas therebetween that do not have another undersampled area in a diametrically opposed position of k-space. The acquired k-space data is then used to generate an MR image.

Abstract: In one embodiment a magnetic resonance imaging method is disclosed. The method includes the steps of comparing a first image and a second image to determine whether there is a distorted region present in the first image or the second image, each of the first image and second image having a total field of view that is the distance of the image along an axis, assigning an affected field of view to a width of the distorted region, determining an acceleration factor by dividing the total field of view of one or both of the first image and the second image by the affected field of view, acquiring sampled image data according to the acceleration factor of one or both of the first image and the second image and applying a mask to a third image in the affected field of view.

Abstract: An MRI system according to an embodiment includes an MRI sequence controller and an MRI system controller. Serving as a prescan unit, the MRI sequence controller performs a prescan for acquiring a sensitivity distribution of a coil. Serving as a main scan unit, the MRI sequence controller performs a main scan for acquiring signals of a magnetic resonance image. Serving as a corrector, the MRI system controller corrects the sensitivity distribution in accordance with a distortion that is contained in the magnetic resonance image and that results from the performing of the main scan. Serving as a generator, the MRI system controller generates an output magnetic resonance image using the corrected sensitivity distribution.

Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus according to an embodiment includes sequence controlling circuitry and image generating circuitry. The sequence controlling circuitry executes a pulse sequence which applies a excitation pulse and then continuously applies a readout gradient magnetic field with alternating polarity thereof and acquires echo signals continuously generated by the pulse sequence from a plurality of receive channels. The image generating circuitry corrects the echo signals so as to generate an image, correcting the echo signals for all of the receive channels collectively on the basis of phase differences between echo signals corresponding to even lines of k-space and echo signals corresponding to odd lines of k-space, and corrects the echo signals for each of the receive channels individually on the basis of magnitude differences between echo signals corresponding to the even lines of k-space and echo signals corresponding to the odd lines of k-space.

Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, method and/or computer readable medium is configured to effect MR imaging with reduced artifact by generating one or more image reconstruction maps from one or more prescans, acquiring a main scan dataset from a main MRI scan of an object, warping one or more image reconstruction maps to have geometric distortions substantially corresponding to geometric distortions in the main scan dataset, and forming a diagnostic MR image of the object using the main scan dataset and the warped one or more image reconstruction maps.

Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, method and/or computer readable medium is configured to effect MR imaging with reduced ghosting artifacts by operations including determining spatially varying signal magnitude differences associated with first and second parts of a reference MR data, and reconstructing a diagnostic image based upon a first and a second parts of main scan data and the determined spatially varying signal magnitude differences. The first parts of the reference data and main scan data is acquired using a first readout gradient, and the second parts of the reference data and main scan data is acquired using a second readout gradient that is different from the first readout gradient.

Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, method and/or computer readable medium is configured to effect improved parallel MR imaging with reduced unfolding artifacts by using either or both of: (a) an unfolded “intermediate” diagnostic image to create a more accurate mask for use in further processing raw image data for final unfolded diagnostic images; and/or (b) an extension of coil sensitivity maps by replication (rather than curve-fitted extrapolation) for use in final unfolding of diagnostic images.