Using A Nuclear Resonance Spectrometer System Patents (Class 324/307)
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Patent number: 9841481Abstract: A method for producing images of a subject with a MRI system is provided. A radio frequency (RF) excitation field in combination with a slice-select magnetic gradient field along a slice-select direction is provided. At least one readout magnetic field gradient is established along a frequency-encoding direction and at least one phase encoding magnetic field gradient along a phase-encoding direction. The RF field or magnetic field gradient is manipulated along a slice-select direction in order to impart a sequence of phase shifts to the formed echo signals such that image data corresponding to an at least one adjacent slice location is incoherently aliased across a field-of-view (FOV) of a current slice location. Image data is acquired indicative of the formed echo signals. A plurality of images of the subject is reconstructed.Type: GrantFiled: April 16, 2014Date of Patent: December 12, 2017Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior UniversityInventors: Adam B. Kerr, John M. Pauly, Kangrong Zhu
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Patent number: 9841478Abstract: In a method and a control device for operating a magnetic resonance system by a pulse sequence that includes an excitation phase, material in an examination volume is excited by emission of an RF excitation pulse during a selection gradient pulse in a first gradient direction. RF refocusing pulses are then emitted and readout gradient pulses are activated in a second gradient direction for spatially coded acquisition of raw data of the examination volume along the second gradient direction. A prephasing gradient pulse is switched before a first RF refocusing pulse in the second gradient direction, and/or a rephaser gradient pulse is switched before an RF restore pulse, following the RF refocusing pulses, in the second gradient direction. The prephaser gradient pulse and/or the rephaser gradient pulse have lower slew rates than the readout gradient pulses.Type: GrantFiled: December 24, 2014Date of Patent: December 12, 2017Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventor: Dominik Paul
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Patent number: 9839371Abstract: In a method and an image capturing system (5) for capturing signals and image data of a volume segment of an examination object, raw data of the volume segment are captured, and image time stamps are captured at which certain of the raw data are captured. Physiological signals of the examination object are captured at the same time as capturing the raw data. Signal time stamps are captured at which certain of the physiological signals are captured. The capture of the raw data and the capture of the physiological signals is controlled by the same processor of the image capturing system, so that both the image time stamps and the signal time stamps are predetermined by the same processor.Type: GrantFiled: April 1, 2016Date of Patent: December 12, 2017Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventor: Thomas Beck
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Patent number: 9838395Abstract: The present disclosure relates to enhancing load processing for facilitated assignment or modification of access-right data. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to enhancing load processing and data storage using hierarchical data structures that can store various iterations of resource objects. In some embodiments, a computer-implemented method, system, and/or computer-program product tangibly embodied in a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium for enhanced load processing using hierarchical data structures may be provided.Type: GrantFiled: April 17, 2017Date of Patent: December 5, 2017Assignee: Live Nation Entertainment, Inc.Inventors: Jonathan Washbrook, Brooke Breyfogle
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Patent number: 9829548Abstract: In a magnetic resonance method and apparatus to determine a subject-specific B1 distribution of an examination subject in a measurement volume in the magnetic resonance apparatus, a first measurement data set of the examination subject is acquired using a first pulse sequence, a second measurement data set of the examination subject is acquired using a second pulse sequence, and a third measurement data set of the examination subject is acquired using a third pulse sequence. A first phase is determined from the first measurement data set, a second phase from the second measurement data set and a third phase from the third measurement data set. A relevant phase shift is calculated from the first phase, the second phase and the third phase, and the B1 distribution are determined from the calculated relevant phase shift.Type: GrantFiled: May 31, 2013Date of Patent: November 28, 2017Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventors: Michael Koehler, Thorsten Speckner
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Patent number: 9830711Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: January 23, 2015Date of Patent: November 28, 2017Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventors: Rene Gumbrecht, Michael Koehler, Rainer Schneider
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Patent number: 9823317Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) apparatus includes a housing which has a bore to which a magnetic field for use in an MRI scan is applied, a moving table on which an inspection target may be placed and that enters the bore of the housing, a projector which projects an image onto an inner wall that forms the bore of the housing, and a controller which controls the projection unit and transmits a video signal to the projector.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 2014Date of Patent: November 21, 2017Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.Inventor: Myung-kyu Lee
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Patent number: 9823321Abstract: In a method and apparatus for magnetic resonance imaging of an examination subject using an acquisition sequence that includes at least one acquisition cycle, wherein the acquisition cycle includes a readout block set with at least two readout blocks, and a saturation pulse set with at least two saturation pulses, the saturation pulses of the saturation pulse set are respectively associated with respective readout blocks of the readout block set, and the saturation pulses of the saturation pulse set have respectively varying flip angles.Type: GrantFiled: March 19, 2014Date of Patent: November 21, 2017Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventors: John Kirsch, Dominik Paul, Benjamin Schmitt
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Patent number: 9824448Abstract: A method for acquiring a basic magnetic field inhomogeneity value of a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system includes homogenizing an original basic magnetic field of the MRI system into a target magnetic field, providing a magnetic field compensation amount for the MRI system by a dynamic shimming method. The dynamic shimming method includes performing a 3D low-resolution dual-echo gradient echo sequence, and using a general formula to acquire the magnetic field inhomogeneity value, the general formula being: ?B=?Boriginal+?Bcompensating, wherein ?B is the magnetic field inhomogeneity value, ?Boriginal is a difference value between the original magnetic field and the target magnetic field, and ?Bcompensating is the magnetic field compensation amount. This method for acquiring a magnetic field inhomogeneity value for an MRI system saves considerable time to map the magnetic field again, thereby shortening the magnetic resonance imaging time, and increasing the efficiency of magnetic resonance imaging.Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 2015Date of Patent: November 21, 2017Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GmbHInventors: Wei Liu, Kun Zhou
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Patent number: 9823324Abstract: In a method and a control sequence determination device for determining a magnetic resonance system control sequence includes at least one radio-frequency pulse train to be emitted by a magnetic resonance system, a target magnetization is acquired and a k-space trajectory is determined. A radio-frequency pulse train for the k-space trajectory is then determined in an RF pulse optimization method using a target function, wherein the target function includes a combination of different trajectory curve functions, of which at least one trajectory curve function is based on a trajectory error model. A method for operating a magnetic resonance system uses such a control sequence and a magnetic resonance system has such a control sequence determination device.Type: GrantFiled: October 21, 2014Date of Patent: November 21, 2017Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventors: Josef Pfeuffer, Rainer Schneider
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Patent number: 9823381Abstract: A method for mapping and monitoring of hydraulic fracture includes capturing, using an array of sensors, a first magnetic image of a well pay zone. A second magnetic image is captured using the array of sensors, after a well bore is padded with a fluid. A background is established based on the first and the second magnetic images. A third magnetic image is captured using the array of sensors, after a doped proppant is injected into a stage. The third image is processed to subtract the background and to obtain information regarding distribution of the fluid and the proppant in the stage.Type: GrantFiled: March 31, 2017Date of Patent: November 21, 2017Assignee: Lockheed Martin CorporationInventor: Thomas J. Meyer
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Patent number: 9817096Abstract: A gradient coil system has a cylindrical section in a central region, which contains no conductor elements and has a maximum outer radius that is larger than a minimum inner radius of conductor elements of a main gradient coil. An outer radius of this cylindrical section is only insubstantially smaller or equal in size to a minimum inner radius of a shielding coil in this axial range. The free space in the center of the gradient coil system is used to insert a passive RF shield, whose radius in a central region becomes larger over a certain length than its radius in outer regions. The RF shield is constructed from at least three partial sections, which are electrically interconnected. The actively shielded gradient coil system maximizes the volume of the RF region without loss of gradient coil system performance.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 2014Date of Patent: November 14, 2017Assignee: Bruker BioSpin AGInventor: Nicolas Freytag
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Patent number: 9817097Abstract: A method for homogenizing the static magnetic field with a distribution B0(r) in the active volume of a magnetic resonance apparatus having a number N of shim coils defines a target field distribution B0T(r) using a filter method in which a norm of the shim currents is influenced by means of filter factors. An optimization procedure works in a parameter space having M control parameters, wherein 2?M<N. One of the control parameters is used as a weighting parameter for modification of a spatial weighting function and another control parameter is used to control the filter factors. Using this method the hardware limitations can be taken into account when determining the target field distribution, without a significant increase in the computational effort to determine the target field distribution during optimization.Type: GrantFiled: September 23, 2014Date of Patent: November 14, 2017Assignee: Bruker BioSpin AGInventors: Jacco Douwe van Beek, Thomas Speck
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Patent number: 9817090Abstract: An intracavity probe for use with a magnetic resonance system includes: a pair of coil loops arranged in a phased array configuration; a pair of decoupling circuits; a pair of output cables; and a spacer material positioned adjacent to an anterior surface of the coil loops. Each coil loop has a drive capacitor and a tuning capacitor. Each decoupling circuit is connected across the tuning capacitor of one of the coil loops. Each output cable is connected at a first end thereof across the drive capacitor of one of the coil loops such that each of the drive capacitors is provided with a separate ground. The spacer material assures a predetermined distance between the pair of coil loops and the region of interest, which thereby reduces intensity of the magnetic resonance signals in proximity to the coil loops, maintains SNR at depth within the region of interest and reduces artifacts.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2011Date of Patent: November 14, 2017Assignee: Bayer HealthCare LLCInventors: Sriram Sambandamurthy, Maged R. Kamel, Robert J. McKenney
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Patent number: 9810757Abstract: Provided are high-speed magnetic resonance imaging methods and apparatuses that enable simultaneously obtaining magnetic resonance images with different resolutions. The present embodiments may produce magnetic resonance images with different resolutions more quickly by decreasing time taken to complete scan operations that are performed for producing the magnetic resonance images.Type: GrantFiled: November 8, 2013Date of Patent: November 7, 2017Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.Inventors: Jong-bum Son, Seong-deok Lee, Jaemock Yi
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Patent number: 9804247Abstract: In a method and a magnetic resonance system to acquire MR data of a slice of a volume segment within an examination subject, a slice selection gradient is activated along a first direction that is orthogonal to the slice. An RF excitation pulse is radiated for selective excitation of the slice, a first phase coding gradient is activated along the first direction, and a second phase coding gradient is activated along a second direction. The second direction is orthogonal to the first direction. A readout gradient is activated along a third direction that is orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction. MR data are acquired while the readout gradient is activated. A number of phase coding steps for the second phase coding gradient is determined depending on the first phase coding gradient.Type: GrantFiled: November 14, 2014Date of Patent: October 31, 2017Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventor: Dominik Paul
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Patent number: 9804240Abstract: Starting with a magnetic resonance imaging system control sequence that has a radio-frequency (RF) pulse train to control the RF transmission system and a gradient pulse train, chronologically matching the RF pulse train, to control the gradient system, the gradient pulse train including a predetermined selection gradient pulse chronologically matched to a refocusing pulse of the RF pulse train, the execution capability of the control sequence is initially established using an execution capability criterion, in particular under consideration of a refocusing flip angle of the refocusing pulse. Modification of the refocusing pulse and/or of the selection gradient pulse takes place depending on the establishment of the execution capability of the control sequence.Type: GrantFiled: October 8, 2014Date of Patent: October 31, 2017Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventor: David Grodzki
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Patent number: 9801953Abstract: This disclosure relates to nanoparticles carrying nucleic acid cassettes for expressing RNA. In certain embodiments, the disclosure relates to improved methods for targeted delivery and expression of siRNAs in vivo using DNA-based siRNA-expressing nanocassettes and receptor-targeted nanoparticles. In certain embodiments, the disclosure relates to methods of targeted delivery of survivin siRNA expressing nanocassettes which enhance sensitivity of human cancer cells to anticancer agents.Type: GrantFiled: October 14, 2013Date of Patent: October 31, 2017Assignee: Emory UniversityInventor: Lily Yang
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Patent number: 9804239Abstract: Methods and systems for Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectra of complex chemical mixtures are described. The methods and systems allow undesired NMR spectral background to be removed or suppressed and target spectral peaks to be uncovered, for example, when strong background signals overlap weaker peaks. In some embodiments, the methods and systems employ a quantum filter utilizing nuclear spin singlet states.Type: GrantFiled: February 28, 2013Date of Patent: October 31, 2017Assignee: President and Fellows of Harvard CollegeInventors: Ronald L. Walsworth, Stephen J. Devience, Matthew S. Rosen
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Patent number: 9797972Abstract: An image processing apparatus according to an embodiment includes processing circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to generate, from three-dimensional medical image data, a first cross-sectional image and a second cross-sectional image intersecting the first cross-sectional image and is configured to change display locations of the first cross-sectional image and the second cross-sectional image on a display, in conjunction with a change in an intersecting location of the first and the second cross-sectional images.Type: GrantFiled: May 22, 2015Date of Patent: October 24, 2017Assignee: TOSHIBA MEDICAL SYSTEMS CORPORATIONInventors: Shuhei Nitta, Tomoyuki Takeguchi, Nobuyuki Matsumoto, Masahiro Sekine
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Patent number: 9797969Abstract: In a method to generate a spatially selective excitation in an imaging region of a magnetic resonance apparatus that precedes an acquisition of magnetic resonance data, in the course of the excitation an excitation trajectory in k-space is traversed, the excitation trajectory having a symmetry relative to the k-space center in at least one direction of k-space in the sense that a first traversed extreme value in this direction corresponds to the negative of the other extreme value traversed in this direction, so the excitation trajectory is shortened in the at least one directions on one side of the zero point between the extreme values, and the shortened excitation trajectory is used for excitation.Type: GrantFiled: September 12, 2014Date of Patent: October 24, 2017Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventors: Josef Pfeuffer, Rainer Schneider
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Patent number: 9797974Abstract: A method for providing an magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with nonrigid motion correction of an object is provided. An MRI excitation is applied to the object. A magnetic field read out from the object using a plurality of sensor coils. Spatially localized motion estimates are obtained for each sensor coil of the plurality of sensor coils. The motion estimates are used for each sensor coil to provide motion correction.Type: GrantFiled: January 30, 2014Date of Patent: October 24, 2017Assignees: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University, The Regents of the University of CaliforniaInventors: Joseph Y. Cheng, John M. Pauly, Michael Lustig, Shreyas S. Vasanawala
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Patent number: 9791531Abstract: A method for establishing a magnetic resonance system actuation sequence is described. A first number of field distribution maps are acquired for slices of the measurement region, and a radiofrequency pulse train is established on the basis thereof for the magnetic resonance system actuation sequence. This acquisition of the first number of field distribution maps may be brought about on the basis of an acquisition scheme. A reduced number of field distribution representation maps are established on the basis of the acquired field distribution maps, which field distribution representation maps represent the first number of acquired field distribution maps in accordance with a predetermined optimization criterion, and the radiofrequency pulse train is established on the basis of the field distribution representation maps.Type: GrantFiled: March 31, 2014Date of Patent: October 17, 2017Assignee: Siemens AktiengeschaftInventors: Thomas Beck, Rainer Schneider
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Patent number: 9788721Abstract: Some examples include a secure low-power sensor platform able to be used for activity monitoring or other purposes. For instance, a sensor system may sense sparse signals using compressed sensing. As one example, compressed sensing may be used to obtain sparse signals from analog sensor signals received from one or more sensors. The data obtained by compressed sensing may be sent subsequently to a computing device to reconstruct the sensor signal. Examples herein enable lower power usage, lower cost, and lower weight than conventional devices, while also enabling processing advantages, such as less overall data to process and lower data storage utilization.Type: GrantFiled: July 22, 2015Date of Patent: October 17, 2017Assignee: BIOBIT, INC.Inventors: Rohit Mittal, Neeraj Jhanji
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Patent number: 9788753Abstract: A method of identifying brain structures is disclosed. The method comprises imaging the cortex of the brain via inversion recovery magnetic resonance imaging, such that at least two areas are zeroed in terms of their longitudinal relaxation times, and associating the two areas with different brain structures, thereby identifying brain structures.Type: GrantFiled: February 25, 2010Date of Patent: October 17, 2017Assignee: Ramot at Tel-Aviv University Ltd.Inventors: Yaniv Assaf, Daniel Barazany
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Patent number: 9791526Abstract: A dynamic field camera arrangement for monitoring electromagnetic field behavior in a spatial region comprises a main magnetic field and a radiofrequency (RF) field limited to a first RF band, particularly in an MRI or NMR apparatus. The arrangement comprises a magnetic field detector set comprising a plurality of low-frequency magnetic field detectors, each one of said magnetic field detectors comprising a magnetic resonance (MR) active substance, means for pulsed MR excitation of said substance and means for receiving an MR signal generated by said substance, wherein said pulsed excitation and said MR detector signal is in a second RF band that does not overlap said first RF band. The MR signal receiving means comprise a first RF filter which suppresses RF signal from said first RF band and transmits RF signal from said second RF band.Type: GrantFiled: April 23, 2012Date of Patent: October 17, 2017Assignees: Eidgenossische Technische Hochschule (ETH), Universitat ZurichInventors: Christoph Barmet, David Brunner, Bertram Wilm, Klaas Prussmann
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Patent number: 9791534Abstract: The present invention describes a method for magnetic resonance (MR) and/or MR imaging, comprising acquisition of signals and MR images originating from a RF and gradient sequence causing isotropic diffusion weighting of signal attenuation, wherein the isotropic diffusion weighting is achieved by one time-dependent dephasing vector q(t) having an orientation, wherein the isotropic diffusion weighting is proportional to the trace of a diffusion tensor D, and wherein the orientation of the time-dependent dephasing vector q(t) is either varied discretely in more than three directions in total, or changed continuously, or changed in a combination of discretely and continuously during the gradient pulse sequence, 0?t?echo time, where t represents the time. The method may be performed during a single shot (single MR excitation).Type: GrantFiled: May 3, 2013Date of Patent: October 17, 2017Assignee: CR DEVELOPMENT ABInventors: Daniel Topgaard, Samo Lasic, Markus Nilsson
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Patent number: 9788811Abstract: An imaging system of microbubble therapy cooperated with an ultrasound device for monitoring a cavitation on microbubbles in a vessel of an affected part is disclosed in the present invention, in which the cavitation is occurred by applying an ultrasound to disrupt the microbubbles. The system comprises an image acquiring module and a controlling module. The image acquiring module comprises at least one magnetic resonance device for acquiring a plurality of magnetic resonance images of the cavitation, and the controlling module provided for controlling an acquiring time of the magnetic resonance device and an irradiation time of the ultrasonic device through a controlling mode. An image evaluation method using the same is also disclosed herein and comprises steps as the following. First, injecting the microbubbles into the vessel of the affected part is performed. And then, a plurality of magnetic resonance images by a magnetic resonance device and in an acquiring time is acquired.Type: GrantFiled: June 12, 2014Date of Patent: October 17, 2017Assignee: NATIONAL TSING HUA UNIVERSITYInventors: Chen-Hua Wu, Hsu-Hsia Peng
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Patent number: 9791530Abstract: A method of acquiring image data with an MRI system from an object using a sequence of tip-down and tip-up RF pulses is described. A slice-selective first pulse ? rotates the in-slice spins from the longitudinal axis (z) toward a transverse plane (x, y). Image data is acquired from the in-slice spins during a free precession interval (Tfree) in which the in-slice spins precess along the transverse plane (x, y). A spatially tailored, non-slice-selective second pulse ?({right arrow over (r)}) is applied for rotating the in-slice spins from the transverse plane (x, y) to at least substantially along the longitudinal axis (z). A third pulse S may be applied to the in-slice and out-of-slice spins to eliminate (spoil) residual transverse signal from out-of-slice spins.Type: GrantFiled: April 12, 2013Date of Patent: October 17, 2017Assignee: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGANInventors: Jon-Fredrik Nielsen, Daehyun Yoon, Douglas C. Noll
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Patent number: 9784809Abstract: A method is offered which permits NMR measurements of integer spin nuclei to be performed at higher sensitivity than heretofore. In particular, the method enables high-resolution multidimensional correlation NMR measurements on integer spin nucleus S having integer spin S and nucleus I of other spin species. The method starts with applying an RF magnetic field having a frequency that is n times (where n is an integer equal to or greater than 2) the Larmor frequency of the integer spin nucleus S to the spin S. Magnetization transfer is effected between the nucleus I and the integer spin nucleus S.Type: GrantFiled: April 10, 2013Date of Patent: October 10, 2017Assignee: JEOL Ltd.Inventors: Yusuke Nishiyama, Takahiro Nemoto
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Patent number: 9786069Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for refined data reconstruction. In accordance with one aspect, the framework performs a first four-dimensional reconstruction of time-varying data to generate a four-dimensional Digital Subtraction Angiography (DSA) dataset of an object of interest. The framework extracts a volume of interest from the four-dimensional DSA dataset to generate a volume array. The volume of interest may be refined based on the volume array to generate a refined dataset. A second four-dimensional reconstruction may then be performed based on the refined dataset to generate a zoomed-in four-dimensional representation of the volume of interest.Type: GrantFiled: March 7, 2016Date of Patent: October 10, 2017Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GmbHInventors: Sebastian Schafer, Markus Kowarschik, Sonja Gehrisch, Kevin Royalty, Christopher Rohkohl
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Patent number: 9787140Abstract: A power circuit for wirelessly communicating power to a receiving device includes one or more switches for coupling respective ends of different coils of a group of coils together to facilitate selectively connecting the coils in a series configuration, parallel configuration, or combination thereof. The circuit includes a controller configured to control a conduction state of each of the one or more switches, and power terminals in electrical communication with the coils through which a power signal flows.Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 2014Date of Patent: October 10, 2017Assignee: TE Connectivity CorporationInventors: Mudhafar Hassan-Ali, Jason Larson
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Patent number: 9778335Abstract: The polarization of nuclear spins of a material may be enhanced by encapsulating the material within a reverse micelle.Type: GrantFiled: May 9, 2013Date of Patent: October 3, 2017Assignee: The Trustees of the University of PennsylvaniaInventor: Andrew Joshua Wand
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Patent number: 9778333Abstract: Systems and methods for reducing acoustic noise in a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) are provided. One method includes applying a labeling phase of an arterial spin labeling (ASL) pulse sequence to a region of interest, applying a three-dimensional (3D) radial pulse sequence to the region of interest to generate a tag image, applying a control phase of the ASL pulse sequence to the region of interest, and applying the 3D radial pulse sequence to the region of interest to generate a control image.Type: GrantFiled: May 23, 2013Date of Patent: October 3, 2017Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Wei Sun, Gaohong G. Wu, Jason Andrew Polzin, Ajit Shankaranarayanan
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Patent number: 9775557Abstract: Systems and methods for magnetic resonance analysis and imaging are provided. IN particular, pulse sequences for DWI, APT, and MRS analysis and imaging are provided which rely on an RF excitation pulse for the signal of interest, followed by one or more refocusing pulses and acquisition steps, based on the type of imaging.Type: GrantFiled: April 3, 2014Date of Patent: October 3, 2017Assignee: VANDERBILT UNIVERSITYInventor: Zhu He
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Magnetic resonance imaging apparatus and apparatus for measuring radio frequency output for the same
Patent number: 9766309Abstract: An apparatus for measuring radio frequency output for a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus includes a plurality of directional couplers, a comparator, a switcher and a converter. The plurality of directional couplers are different in degree of coupling from each other, and attenuate an RF signal which is generated in an RF signal generator and amplified in an RF power amplifier. The comparator compares input-level information of a signal inputted into the RF power amplifier with a threshold value. The switcher switches to any one of the plurality of the directional couplers based on a result of the comparison so as to output an RF signal by the one directional coupler. The converter performs a digital conversion of the RF signal from the one directional coupler so as to output a digital signal.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 2014Date of Patent: September 19, 2017Assignee: TOSHIBA MEDICAL SYSTEMS CORPORATIONInventors: Haruki Nakamura, Kazuyuki Soejima, Sojiyuuro Kato -
Patent number: 9766192Abstract: A device and system for generating a broadband excitation signal and corresponding excitation field to a substance under test in an NMR system is presented. The excitation signal is generated, according to a broadband transmitter, to a coil in the NMR system. A corresponding broadband receiver is also presented that acquires a response signal resulting from a response field emanating from the substance under test. Neither the transmitter nor the receiver require that the frequency of operation be determined according to a particular configuration of electrical devices to determine a resonance characteristic that tunes to a particular operational frequency. Rather, the operational frequency is determined according to control and driver devices triggered according to command and control signals in the case of the transmitter, and according to reactive elements, that are not configured as a tuned circuit, in the case of the receiver.Type: GrantFiled: March 7, 2014Date of Patent: September 19, 2017Assignee: One Resonance Sensors, LLCInventor: Kevin Derby
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Patent number: 9759794Abstract: Techniques, apparatus and systems are described for using parameters including chain length, number of double bonds and number of double-double bonds of a complex, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-generated fat spectrum to determine the composition and properties of fat and to perform various diagnostic functions. In one aspect, a method using MRI to characterize fat includes acquiring a magnetic resonance (MR) image that includes MR data from a target, determining fat characterization parameters based on the acquired MR data, and using the determined fat characterization parameters to produce a relationship between regions of fat and/or water in the MR image.Type: GrantFiled: November 7, 2011Date of Patent: September 12, 2017Assignee: The Regents of the University of CaliforniaInventors: Mark Bydder, Gavin Hamilton, Michael Middleton, Claude Sirlin
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Patent number: 9760337Abstract: A method for generating a signal for a transmission antenna in a magnetic resonance imaging system includes generating a real part and an imaginary part of a baseband signal, generating a real part and an imaginary part of variations in frequency and in phase, and performing a complex multiplication of the baseband signal with the variations in frequency and in phase and a radiofrequency carrier signal for modulation. The method also includes modifying the modulated signal, and may include establishing a characteristic angle for a phase shift of the modified signal, and correcting the modulation based on the established angle in a closed-loop control.Type: GrantFiled: May 8, 2014Date of Patent: September 12, 2017Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventor: Nikolaus Demharter
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Patent number: 9759786Abstract: A magnetic resonance apparatus configured to select a coil mode that includes a combination of coil elements to be used when a subject is scanned from within a plurality of coil elements and configured to execute a predetermined scan for acquiring data on the subject using the selected coil mode is provided. The magnetic resonance apparatus includes a coil device having n coil modes, a selecting unit configured to select, from within the n coil modes, a candidate for the selected coil mode, a scanning unit configured to execute a first scan for acquiring the data on the subject using the candidate, and a sensitivity map preparing unit configured to prepare a sensitivity map of the candidate based on data obtained by the first scan.Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 2013Date of Patent: September 12, 2017Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Yusuke Asaba, Ken Arai, Janeiro Aguilar, Mitsuhiro Bekku, Miho Nagasawa
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Patent number: 9759673Abstract: The present invention provides an MRI-based hazard screening system for detecting contaminating particles within or on the surface of an object, the system characterized by a. a sampling environment adapted for at least partially confining said object; said sampling environment is in fluid communication with at least one inlet and at least one fluid outlet; b. a fluid streamer for streaming a fluid, throughout said at least one inlet, towards said sampling environment where said fluid effectively interfaces said object; and further throughout said at least one outlet; c. an MRI device in fluid communication with said at least one outlet, adapted for providing an image of said particles streamed by said fluid thereby screening the presence of said particles within or on the surface of said object.Type: GrantFiled: May 31, 2013Date of Patent: September 12, 2017Assignee: ASPECT IMAGING LTD.Inventor: Uri Rapoport
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Patent number: 9753113Abstract: In a method and magnetic resonance (MR) apparatus to image a partial region of an examination subject by means of a multislice measurement, which partial region includes at least two measurement slices, and is located at least in part at the edge of a field of view of the magnetic resonance apparatus, for each voxel to be optimized that is located at the edge of the field of view, a gradient field is configured for each measurement slice of the partial region that is to be measured and is used to acquire magnetic resonance data in the multislice measurement. The gradient field is configured so as to cause a nonlinearity of the gradient field and a B0 field inhomogeneity to cancel at each of the aforementioned voxel to be optimized at the partial region at the edge of the field of view. An image of the partial region of the examination subject is determined from the magnetic resonance data acquired in this manner.Type: GrantFiled: September 7, 2012Date of Patent: September 5, 2017Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventors: Jan Ole Blumhagen, Matthias Fenchel, Ralf Ladebeck
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Patent number: 9750427Abstract: Methods, devices, and systems are disclosed for implementing a fully quantitative non-injectable contrast proton MRI technique to measure spatial ventilation-perfusion (VA/Q) matching and spatial distribution of ventilation and perfusion. In one aspect, a method using MRI to characterize ventilation and perfusion in a lung includes acquiring an MR image of the lung having MR data in a voxel and obtaining a breathing frequency parameter, determining a water density value, a specific ventilation value, and a perfusion value in at least one voxel of the MR image based on the MR data and using the water density value to determine an air content value, and determining a ventilation-perfusion ratio value that is the product of the specific ventilation value, the air content value, the inverse of the perfusion value, and the breathing frequency.Type: GrantFiled: December 7, 2011Date of Patent: September 5, 2017Assignee: The Regents of the University of CaliforniaInventors: Gordon Kim Prisk, Susan Roberta Hopkins, Richard Bruce Buxton, Rui Carlos Pereira De Sá, Rebecca Jean Theilmann, Matthew Vincent Cronin
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Patent number: 9753103Abstract: Disclosed is a method of providing content related to capture of a medical image of an object. The method includes acquiring at least one of information related to a state of the object and information related to a capture protocol, determining content to be provided to the object on a basis of the acquired information, and outputting the determined content.Type: GrantFiled: August 8, 2014Date of Patent: September 5, 2017Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.Inventors: Dae-ho Lee, Sang-young Zho, Joon-soo Kim
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Patent number: 9753109Abstract: At least two chemical species are imaged using magnetic resonance imaging with signal separation for two chemical species resulting in separate signal datasets for these two chemical species. First and second echo data are acquired at different echo times resulting in a first and second acquired complex dataset. The first and second acquired datasets are modelled by employing a spectral signal model of at least one of the chemical species. The modelling results in a first and second modelled complex dataset. The first and second modelled datasets include a first and second phase error and the separate signal datasets for the two chemical species. From the first and second acquired dataset and the first and second modelled dataset the separate signal datasets for the two chemical species are determined.Type: GrantFiled: February 16, 2011Date of Patent: September 5, 2017Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V.Inventor: Holger Eggers
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Patent number: 9746538Abstract: Magnetic resonance imaging uses regularized SENSE reconstruction for a reduced field of view, but minimizes folding artifacts. A reference scan is oversampled relative to the reduced field of view. The oversampling provides coil sensitivity information for a region greater than the reduced field of view. The reconstruction of the object for the reduced field of view using the coil sensitivities for the larger region may have fewer folding artifacts.Type: GrantFiled: August 13, 2014Date of Patent: August 29, 2017Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GmbHInventors: Qiu Wang, Derya Gol Gungor, Michael Zenge, Marcel Dominik Nickel, Edgar Müller, Mariappan S. Nadar
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Patent number: 9746537Abstract: In order to eliminate a global phase change caused by static magnetic field inhomogeneity included in a nuclear magnetic resonance signal, focusing on that phase components generated in a nuclear magnetic resonance signal caused by the static magnetic field inhomogeneity is in a predetermined frequency band (low-frequency band), phase components in the frequency band caused by the static magnetic field inhomogeneity is eliminated from an image generated from the nuclear magnetic resonance signal in main imaging. The predetermined frequency band of the phase components caused by the static magnetic field inhomogeneity is calculated from the nuclear magnetic resonance signal obtained in preliminary imaging.Type: GrantFiled: August 28, 2013Date of Patent: August 29, 2017Assignee: HITACHI, LTD.Inventor: Takenori Murase
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Patent number: 9739862Abstract: A DNP apparatus includes a cryostat (7) having an opening (8) and a loading path for a sample (1), the loading path extending from the opening to a sample receptacle (29), with a cryomagnet and a microwave source (2) as well as a configuration for supplying microwave radiation from the microwave source to the sample, which comprises a microwave path extending directly to the sample. The microwave path extends spatially separately from the loading path and the configuration for supplying microwave radiation has at least one microwave feed-through passing through one or more walls of the cryostat. The microwave path is incident on the sample from a direction opposite to the loading path or from a sideward direction at right angles to or at an inclination with respect to the axis of the loading path. This leads to simple and efficient polarization of the electron spins in the sample.Type: GrantFiled: September 18, 2014Date of Patent: August 22, 2017Assignee: Bruker BioSpin AGInventors: Dirk Wilhelm, Joost A. B. Lohman, Joerg Hinderer, Hannes Grubinger
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Patent number: 9739857Abstract: In a method and apparatus for echo planar magnetic resonance (MR) imaging sequence of phase encoding gradient fields and a sequence of readout gradient fields are applied in order to produce a well-defined zigzag-type trajectory for entering raw data into k-space. Zigzag-type trajectories can be achieved that have flanks without curvature, or without significant curvature. Cartesian methods for image reconstruction of parallel MR imaging are applied to echo planar MR imaging with such zigzag-type trajectories.Type: GrantFiled: January 14, 2014Date of Patent: August 22, 2017Assignees: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft, Max-Planck-Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der Wissenschaften E.V.Inventors: David Andrew Porter, Robin Heidemann
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Patent number: 9737234Abstract: A diagnostic imaging system includes a first controller that detects any unsafe or dangerous conditions in a diagnostic scanner and generates safety/emergency data indicative of the unsafe or dangerous conditions. A communication unit generates a safety/emergency signal from the safety/emergency data using a digital protocol and communicates the safety/emergency over a local digital network.Type: GrantFiled: November 7, 2011Date of Patent: August 22, 2017Assignee: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.Inventors: Filips Van Liere, Henricus Gerardus Roeven