To Obtain Localized Resonance Within A Sample Patents (Class 324/309)
  • Patent number: 11579222
    Abstract: To operate a magnetic resonance tomography system, first analysis signals are received by a main receive antenna and an auxiliary receive antenna. Based thereon, a first interference source and first weighting factors are determined. Second analysis signals are received by the main receive antenna and the auxiliary receive antenna and in accordance with the first weighting factors, a combination of the second analysis signals is created. Based thereon, a second interference source is determined. Second weighting factors are determined in order to suppress the influence of the first interference source and an influence of the second interference source. A magnetic resonance signal is received during an examination phase by the main receive antenna and an interference signal by the auxiliary receive antenna. An interference-suppressed magnetic resonance signal is created as a combination of the magnetic resonance signal and the interference signals depending on the second weighting factors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GmbH
    Inventors: Stephan Biber, Rainer Schneider, Stephan Kannengieβer, David Grodzki
  • Patent number: 11567152
    Abstract: A head coil assembly includes a housing with a lower portion, an upper portion, a left portion, and a right portion, wherein each portion includes two or more radio-frequency (RF) coils, wherein the portions are sized and shaped to adjustably conform to a curvature of the subject's head for magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of the subject's head placed inside the housing, wherein the portions are operable to transition from an open position where the portions are sufficiently apart from each other to a closed position where the portions are adjusted to tighten a wrap around the subject's head along the curvature, and wherein the two or more RF coils in each portion are disposed in such manner that when the portions are operated to transition from the open position to the closed position, the RF coils of each portion remain decoupled to each other even along edges of each portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Inventors: Ian Robert Oliphant Connell, Gilbert Thevathasan, William Wai-Leung Lau, Alexander Gyles Panther
  • Patent number: 11559704
    Abstract: There is provided a patient's cranial position monitoring and controlling device for controlling a magnetic resonance (MR) guided radiation source module via an MR-guided radiation controlling device connected to the patient's cranial position monitoring and controlling device and an MR-guided radiation system including a patient's cranial position monitoring and controlling device, which allows for better MR-imaging while allowing patient position monitoring close to the patient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Inventor: Rui Liu
  • Patent number: 11561272
    Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system and method for acquiring magnetic resonance (MR) images using a pulse sequence implementing driven equilibrium and quadratic phase cycling techniques is provided. The method includes, during a pulse repetition period of a pulse sequence and using a quadratic phase cycling scheme, applying a first RF pulse to deflect a net magnetization vector associated with the subject from a longitudinal plane into a transverse plane; after applying the first RF pulse, applying a first sequence of RF pulses each of which flips the net magnetization vector by approximately 180 degrees within the transverse plane; and after applying the first sequence of RF pulses, applying a second RF pulse to deflect the net magnetization vector from the transverse plane to the longitudinal plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: Hyperfine Operations, Inc.
    Inventors: Hadrien A. Dyvorne, Laura Sacolick, Rafael O'Halloran, Carole Lazarus
  • Patent number: 11557070
    Abstract: Disclosed are a system, method, and computer program product for generating pruned tractograms of neural fiber bundles. The method includes receiving scan data produced by diffusion imaging of at least a portion of a brain from a magnetic-resonance imaging (MRI) device. The method also includes generating an initial tractogram by mapping neuronal fiber pathways of a target fiber bundle of the scan data. The method further includes generating a density map using a set of tracts from the initial tractogram, identifying each tract that passes through a segment of the density map more than once, and setting a contribution of said tract to a unique tract count of the segment equal to a threshold pruning value. The method further includes generating a pruned tractogram by identifying a segment having a unique tract count less than or equal to the threshold pruning value and excluding the segment from the pruned tractogram.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: University of Pittsburgh—Of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education
    Inventors: Fang-Cheng Yeh, Jessica Valentina Barrios Martinez
  • Patent number: 11555876
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to quantitative magnetic resonance imaging. A time series of magnetic resonance images of an examination region are assigned to different time points following an excitation is acquired by means of a magnetic resonance device, a signal evolution varying with respect to time is determined from the magnetic resonance images for each pixel from the magnetic resonance data of all of the magnetic resonance images and, by comparison of the signal evolution with comparison evolutions stored in a database, at least one quantitative result value on which the comparison evolution exhibiting the greatest agreement is based is assigned to a respective pixel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GmbH
    Inventor: David Grodzki
  • Patent number: 11550005
    Abstract: A method of providing content related to capture of a medical image of an object is provided. 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: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Dae-ho Lee, Sang-young Zho, Joon-soo Kim
  • Patent number: 11547804
    Abstract: An MRI system (100) is proposed (for generating one or more images of a body-part of a patient under analysis); the MRI system (100) comprises an injector head assembly (155), for injecting at least one medical fluid into the patient, having a clock unit (340) for providing a clock signal with a clock frequency. The MRI system (100) comprises means (420-425; 445-460) for adjusting the clock frequency in response to a manual command and/or to a detection of a degradation of the images. An injector system (155,165) for use in this MRI system (100) is also proposed. Moreover, a corresponding method (500) for managing the injector head assembly (155) is proposed. A computer program (400) for implementing the method (500) and a corresponding computer program product are also proposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: ACIST MEDICAL SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Steven Mark Guy Rolfe, Volker Kremer, Eckhard Buchholtz, Michael Van De Bruck, Gunter Bruckmann
  • Patent number: 11550010
    Abstract: A spectrum y includes a waveform-of-interest component and a baseline component serving as a wide-band component. An optimum solution of a signal model x is determined according to a first condition to fit a corresponding portion SIFx of a baseline model Fx with respect to a representative portion yI of the baseline component, and a second condition to minimize an Lp norm (wherein p?1) of the signal model x. An estimated baseline component determined from the optimum solution of the signal model x is subtracted from the spectrum y.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: JEOL Ltd.
    Inventor: Tomoki Nakao
  • Patent number: 11550013
    Abstract: A magnetic resonance (MR) dynamically imaging method is provided. The method includes acquiring a functional MR dataset including frames of k-space datasets, while a functional stimulus is applied to the subject. Acquiring the functional MR dataset includes, acquiring a frame of k-space datasets by setting an orientation as an initial angle, and acquiring a free induction decay (FID) dataset. Acquiring an FID dataset includes applying a sequence of gradients, each gradient of the sequence corresponding to a k-space spoke, wherein the sequence of k-space spokes define a k-space segment having the orientation in a 3D k-space volume. Acquiring a frame of k-space datasets also includes acquiring a gradient echo dataset corresponding to the FID dataset, and updating the orientation as golden angles. The method also includes generating anatomical MR images and functional images based on the functional MR dataset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: GE PRECISION HEALTHCARE LLC
    Inventors: Florian Wiesinger, Ana Beatriz Solana Sanchez, Brice Fernandez, Peder Larson, Andrew Leynes
  • Patent number: 11547391
    Abstract: Apparatus for calibration includes a mount and one or more acoustic targets. The mount, which is adapted to hold a medical probe, includes an acoustic imaging device that emits ultrasonic beam in a plane, while permitting an orientation of the plane of the ultrasonic beam to be adjusted. The one or more acoustic targets are arranged to continuously intersect the plane of the ultrasonic beam over a given range of orientation angles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: BIOSENSE WEBSTER (ISRAEL) LTD.
    Inventors: Ran Peled, Eid Adawi, Fares Safe, Michael Berger, Tal Yehezkel
  • Patent number: 11543484
    Abstract: A magnetic resonance (MR) imaging method of correcting phase errors is provided. The method includes applying, by an MR system, a pulse sequence to acquire the precorrection MR image. The method also includes acquiring, by the MR system, reference k-space data having a field of view (FOV) in a phase-encoding direction that is twice or more greater than an FOV of the precorrection MR image in the phase-encoding direction, wherein the reference k-space data and MR signals of the precorrection MR image are acquired with the same type of pulse sequences. The method further includes splitting the reference k-space data into first k-space data and second k-space data, generating a phase error map based on the first k-space data and the second k-space data, generating a phase-corrected image of the precorrection MR image based on the phase error map, and outputting the phase-corrected image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: GE PRECISION HEALTHCARE LLC
    Inventors: Lei Gao, Hua Li, Ting Zhang, Yongchuan Lai
  • Patent number: 11543477
    Abstract: A magnetic resonance detection (MRD) system for and methods of detecting and classifying multiple chemical substances is disclosed. In one example, the presently disclosed MRD system is a nuclear quadrupole resonance (NQR) detection system that provides multi-frequency operation for substantially full coverage of the explosive NQR spectrum using a broadband transmit/receive (T/R) switch (or duplexer) and a single multi-frequency radio frequency (RF) transducer. More particularly, the MRD system provides a frequency-agile system that can operate over a wide band of frequencies or wavelengths. Further, a method of detecting and classifying various chemical substances is provided that includes pulse sequencing with “frequency hopping,” phase cycling for reducing or substantially eliminating background noise, and/or a process of mitigating amplitude modulation (AM) radio interference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: Vadum, Inc.
    Inventors: Todd Nichols, Shaun M. Gidcumb, Thomas Ketterl, Gregory T. Brauns, Eric Phillips
  • Patent number: 11543476
    Abstract: A conduction-cooled radiofrequency coil subsystem of MRI system with high signal-to-noise ratio imaging capability at low field and/or ultra-low field. The conduction-cooled RF coil subsystem includes a radiofrequency (RF) coil module having at least one RF instrumentation; a cryocooler; and a thermal conduction line thermally connected between the cryocooler and the RF instrumentation. The RF coil module further includes a housing defining a thermally insulated vessel for accommodating the RF instrumentation. The thermal conduction line is thermally coupled to the cryocooler which is located outside the housing of the RF coil module and the RF instrumentation in the thermally insulated vessel to conduction cool the RF instrumentation. The at least one RF instrumentation includes one or more of an RF transceiver coil, an RF receiver coil, an RF preamplifier and an RF electronics module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: CHENGDU YIJIAN MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD
    Inventors: Mengye Lyu, Hangxuan Li
  • Patent number: 11534532
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are compositions of matter for inclusion in a medical device for visualization purposes. Such compositions may include a radiopaque metal, such as tungsten, within a functionalized hydrophobic polymer. Methods of making devices incorporating such elements are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: Cook Medical Technologies LLC
    Inventors: David A. Drewes, Jr., Brian Tankersley
  • Patent number: 11534068
    Abstract: A system and method for positioning a scanning table are provided. The method may include obtaining a body length of an object; and determining the number of table positions for scanning the object based on a length of each scanning region of the scanning table, an initial length of an overlapping region of the scanning table at two adjacent table positions, and the body length of the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: SHANGHAI UNITED IMAGING HEALTHCARE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Dong Wu, Zhiguo Zhang
  • Patent number: 11531078
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method for generating a B0 map for a magnetic resonance examination of an examination subject, a magnetic resonance device, and a computer program product for executing the method. The method provides for the application of at least two preparatory RF pulses during a preparatory stage and at least one readout RF pulse during an acquisition stage. At least one stimulated echo signal is acquired after the readout RF pulse. A B0 map that shows the actual spatial distribution of the magnetic field strength of the main magnetic field is derived from the at least one acquired FID echo signal and the at least one acquired stimulated echo signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GmbH
    Inventor: Michael Köhler
  • Patent number: 11523767
    Abstract: Described are a system, method, and computer program product for detecting neurodegeneration using differential tractography and treating neurological disorders accordingly. The method includes obtaining a first diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan of the brain of the patient and obtaining a plurality of diffusion MRI scans of a group of other brains. The method also includes generating a control diffusion MRI scan based on the plurality of diffusion MRI scans of the group of other brains. The method further includes determining a first anisotropy of first neural tracks of the first diffusion MRI scan and a second anisotropy of second neural tracks of the control diffusion MRI scan. The method further includes determining a differential by comparing the first anisotropy to the second anisotropy and identifying at least one neurological disorder based on the differential and a location of the first neural tracks in the brain of the patient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: University of Pittsburgh—Of the Commonwealth System of Higher Education
    Inventors: Fang-Cheng Yeh, Robert Max Friedlander
  • Patent number: 11525879
    Abstract: A nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) system is configured to detect combinatorial signatures stemming from homonuclear and heteronuclear J-couplings. The system comprises a pre-polarization system, a detector, and NMR electronics, wherein the detector includes an NMR magnet with a magnetic field of strength between 300 mT and 10 ?T.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: Triad National Security, LLC
    Inventors: Robert F. Williams, Michelle A. Espy, Derrick C. Kaseman, Jacob Luther Yoder, Per Erik Magnelind, Algis V. Urbaitis, Michael Timothy Janicke, Ryszard Michalczyk, Jurgen G. Schmidt, Pulak Nath, Scarlett Widgeon Paisner, Tammie Renee Nelson
  • Patent number: 11519987
    Abstract: A method for temperature quantification using magnetic resonance fingerprinting (MRF) includes acquiring MRF data from a region of interest in a subject using an MRF pulse sequence with smoothly varying RF phase for MR resonant frequencies that is played out continuously. For each of a plurality of time intervals during acquisition of the MRF data the method further includes comparing a set of the MRF data associated with the time interval to an MRF dictionary to determine at least one quantitative parameter of the acquired MRF data, determining a temperature change based on the at least one quantitative parameter and generating a quantitative map of the temperature change in the region of interest. The region of interest can include aqueous and adipose tissue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignees: Case Western Reserve University, The Regents of the University of Colorado, Government of the United States, As Represented by the Secretary of Commerce
    Inventors: Kathryn Keenan, Megan Poorman, Rasim Boyacioglu, Mark A. Griswold
  • Patent number: 11519979
    Abstract: Various systems and methods are provided for radio frequency coil assemblies for a magnetic resonance imaging system. In one example, a method comprises: flowing air through a plurality of airflow passages formed in a radio frequency (RF) coil assembly for a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system; and receiving magnetic resonance (MR) signals from an RF coil array of the RF coil assembly, wherein the RF coil array comprises a plurality of RF coil elements, each RF coil element having a loop portion which comprises two distributed capacitance wire conductors encapsulated and separated by a dielectric material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: GE Precision Healthcare LLC
    Inventors: Hilary Shuo Qin, Eduardo De Leon, Fraser John Laing Robb, Andrea Nicole Sajewski, Ceara Delmore Stack, Louis Jay Vannatta, Mark Giancola, Victor Taracila
  • Patent number: 11519990
    Abstract: A method for producing an image of an object with a MRI system includes providing a Shear In Readout Encoding Imaging (SIREN) gradient pulse in a phase gradient signal waveform. The phase gradient signal waveform is applied to a phase gradient coil of the MRI system. The application of the SIREN gradient pulse provides a SIREN k-space of the object which has SIREN k-space lines with a shear angle. A MR image space data from the SIREN k-space is then obtained by applying a reconstruction technique. Finally, the image of the object is generated by transforming SIREN MR image space data into regular image space data using a decoding algorithm based on the shear angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: GE Precision Healthcare LLC
    Inventor: Hao Shen
  • Patent number: 11520068
    Abstract: The disclosure discloses a detection coil structure based on interlayer coupling and a metal object detection system. The detection coil structure includes: a top sub-detection coil and a bottom sub-detection coil, wherein the top and bottom sub-detection coils are the same in structure and similar or same in size and are orthogonal to each other, and both the outer boundaries and geometric symmetry centers of the detection coils are completely coincident; the top sub-detection coil includes a first terminal, a second terminal, a third terminal and a fourth terminal, and the bottom sub-detection coil includes a fifth terminal, a sixth terminal, a seventh terminal and an eighth terminal; and the first terminal is connected to the second terminal, the seventh terminal is connected to the eighth terminal, and the third terminal and the fourth terminal are respectively connected to the fifth terminal and the sixth terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: HARBIN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Kai Song, Ying Sun, Tian Zhou, Guo Wei, Chunbo Zhu
  • Patent number: 11513178
    Abstract: The invention relates to an MRI apparatus and a method of MRI involving the acquisition of a first and a second MRI image with mutually different orientations between the BO magnetic field and the object to be investigated. For instance, when imaging structures such as a tendon, due to the magic angle effect, this results in a change in image contrast. According to the invention, a coregistration can be performed between the first and the second MRI image. Moreover, the orientation of a structure within the object can be determined on the basis of the different orientations and the image intensity in the first and the second MRI image. The invention further discloses an apparatus for carrying out the method and a method of shimming the BO magnetic field of the apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine
    Inventors: Mihailo Ristic, John Vincent Mario McGinley, Ian Robert Young
  • Patent number: 11511113
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed related to increasing prior limits imposed on MR gradient switching speed (dB/dt) without causing significant discomfort or severe pain perception to patients. The technique disclosed herein do so by modifying the pulsing gradient fields that are ordinarily available for MR imaging protocols. Doing so stimulates the peripheral nerves and thus enables a quick, reversible, and complete inhibition of action potential propagation through the stimulated region of tissue, referred to as a nerve conduction block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignees: Siemens Healthcare GmbH, The General Hospital Corporation
    Inventors: Stefan Popescu, Lawrence Wald, Bruce Rosen, Jason Stockmann
  • Patent number: 11508070
    Abstract: Disclosed is a system and method for segmentation of selected data. In various embodiments, automatic segmentation of fiber tracts in an image data may be performed. The automatic segmentation may allow for identification of specific fiber tracts in an image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: Medtronic Navigation, Inc.
    Inventors: Rowena Vigh, Hallehsadat Ghaderi, Daniel H. Adler, Shai Ronen, Nikhil Mahendra
  • Patent number: 11506735
    Abstract: A method for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may include obtaining a magnetic resonance (MR) image of a subject, wherein the MR image may be acquired based on a first MRI device and include at least one region of interest (ROI) of the subject. The method may also include selecting, based on the MR image and an ROI determination model, a portion of a main magnetic field generated by the first MRI device. The selected portion of the main magnetic field may correspond to the at least one ROI. The method may also include performing a magnetic field homogenization operation on the selected portion of the main magnetic field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: SHANGHAI UNITED IMAGING HEALTHCARE CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yuhang Shi
  • Patent number: 11500052
    Abstract: Systems and methods for late gadolinium enhancement (“LGE”) tissue viability imaging in a dynamic (e.g., temporally-resolved) manner using magnetic resonance imaging (“MRI”) are provided. Dynamic LGE images can be generated throughout the entire cardiac cycle at high temporal resolution in a single breath-hold. Dynamic, semi-quantitative longitudinal relaxation maps are acquired and retrospective synthetization of dynamic LGE images is implemented using those semi-quantitative longitudinal relaxation maps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
    Inventors: Sebastian Weingaertner, Mehmet Akcakaya
  • Patent number: 11500044
    Abstract: A method of enhancing the nuclear spin polarization of target molecules (10) uses a hyperpolarized source material (12) that is co-confined with the target molecules (10) in a porous molecular matrix (20). The matrix (20) may be a D4R-polysiloxane copolymer such as polyoligosiloxysilicone number two (PSS-2) that has recesses of an appropriate diameter. A source material (12), such as parahydrogen, is transferred to the matrix (20) together with the target molecules (10), and an external pressure is applied to force them into the recesses of the matrix (20). The nano-confinement of the source material (12) and target molecules (10) together enables or enhances a transfer of spin polarization from the source material (12) to the target molecules (10). When the target molecules (10) are removed from the matrix (20), the enhanced spin polarization greatly enhances the signal strength of the target molecules (10) in any subsequent magnetic resonance measurement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Inventors: Eric Breynaert, Johan Martens, Francis Taulelle, Pieter Leo Hendrik Verlooy, Jean-Max Tyburn, James Kempf
  • Patent number: 11500051
    Abstract: A magnetic resonance tomography system has an interference suppression transmitter and an interference suppression antenna. The interference suppression transmitter is configured to output an interference suppression signal via the interference suppression antenna as a function of a transmission interference suppression parameter determined from a patient property. In a predetermined region of an environment of the magnetic resonance tomography system, a field strength of the excitation pulse is reduced by destructive interference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GmbH
    Inventors: Stephan Biber, Jürgen Nistler, Rainer Schneider, Markus Vester
  • Patent number: 11490815
    Abstract: Described herein are methods and systems for extracting or determining subject motion from multi-channel electrical coupling in imaging of the subject, in particular in magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of the subject. The motion can be of a region of interest of the subject (such as an organ or specific tissue). Changes in the position of the subject and the subjects organs can be monitored by measuring how external coils, such as RF coils, couple to the subject and to one another and change the scattering of the RF coils, for example scattering of RF pulses transmitted by the coils. Changes in position influence this coupling and the scattering and can be detrimental to the quality of the imaging The present methods and systems address and overcome this problem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: OXFORD UNIVERSITY INNOVATION LIMITED
    Inventors: Aaron Hess, Matthew Robson
  • Patent number: 11493583
    Abstract: Embodiments provide a computer-implemented method for selecting thermal images for generating a temperature difference map through proton resonance frequency (PRF) thermometry, including: acquiring a set of baseline images prior to a thermal treatment of an organ of interest; identifying a subset of baseline images in a most stable motion state from the set of baseline images; averaging the subset of baseline images to generate a template image; determining an acceptance threshold based on an image similarity measure (ISM) between each of the set of baseline images and the template image; acquiring a set of thermal images during the thermal treatment; and selecting a subset of thermal images from the set of thermal images, wherein each of the subset of thermal images has the image similarity measure above the acceptance threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GmbH
    Inventors: Waqas Majeed, Himanshu Bhat, Axel Joachim Krafft
  • Patent number: 11486953
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed related to the compensation of phase variations introduced into k-space lines, which cause imaging artifacts. The techniques utilize the detection of motion via an encoding plus motion model, which does not require the use of additional prospective or retrospective motion detection techniques. The techniques described herein use the encoding plus motion model to reconstruct an initial image from a set of motion states, and then calculate phase information from images that are projected form the initial reconstructed image using a projection onto convex sets (POCS). The phase information is incorporated into the encoding plus motion model over several iterations to minimize data consistency error, thereby generating a refined image that compensates for patient motion over the set of motion states.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignees: Siemens Healthcare GmbH, The General Hospital Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel Polak, Kawin Setsompop, Stephen Farman Cauley
  • Patent number: 11486949
    Abstract: A T1-T2* measurement which permits speciation of different components with restricted mobility in samples where a T1-T2 measurement is impossible is disclosed. Tracking the T1-T2* coordinate, and associated signal intensity changes, can reveal additional structural and/or dynamic information such as phase changes in rigid/semi-rigid biopolymer samples or pore level changes in morphology of the water environments in cement-based materials. In another aspect, the T1-T2* measurement may also be employed to discriminate composition in solid mixtures, a very significant analytical problem in industry. In a further aspect, the T1-T2* measurement has particular value in permitting a simple assignment of T1 to different T2* populations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: University of New Brunswick
    Inventors: Bryce MacMillan, Bruce Balcom, Razieh Enjilela, Armin Afrough
  • Patent number: 11488334
    Abstract: In a method for operating a magnetic resonance (MR) apparatus, MR raw-data is acquired from an acquisition region of a patient for a sampling region of k-space using a MR sequence that employs ultrashort echo times; a first MR image dataset is reconstructed from the MR raw-data of the k-space region; a second MR image dataset is reconstructed from the MR raw-data in a central subregion of the sampling region in k-space; a resolution of the second MR image dataset is interpolated to increase the resolution of the second MR image dataset to a resolution of the first magnetic resonance image dataset; and the first and second MR image datasets are combined to obtain an output MR image dataset.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GmbH
    Inventor: David Grodzki
  • Patent number: 11486954
    Abstract: In a medical imaging auto-calibrated reconstruction method, an imaging scan is performed using a data acquisition scanner to generate image data, calibration data having a uniform sampling is determined, a point-spread function is determined based on the calibration data, and an image is reconstructed from the image data based on the point-spread function. A central region of k-space may have uniform sampling. The calibration data may be determined by extracting a uniformly-sampled central region of k-space from the image data. An outer region of k-space may have non-uniform sampling. A calibration scan may be performed to generate the calibration data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignees: Siemens Healthcare GmbH, The General Hospital Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel Polak, Stephen Farman Cauley
  • Patent number: 11474184
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to operating an MR system in which MR signals of an object under examination are acquired in an examining region using a multi echo imaging sequence, in which an RF excitation pulse and a plurality of RF refocusing pulses are applied. The techniques include determining a first accumulated phase of a magnetization in the object under examination. Then, a second accumulated phase of the magnetization in the object under examination is determined due to concomitant magnetic fields occurring between a second pair of consecutive RF pulses. Finally, it is determined whether a deviation from the predefined relationship is larger than a threshold and, if this is the case, a measure is applied in view of the fact that the deviation is larger than the threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GmbH
    Inventors: George William Ferguson, Michael Koehler, Constantin von Deuster
  • Patent number: 11474177
    Abstract: In a method for MRI where k-space describing spatial frequencies in an acquisition volume (AV) is scanned, a first measured data acquisition is performed in the AV with a first gradient field strength of a gradient field, including irradiating a RF pulse into the AV and acquiring a first series of measured values spaced apart temporally, a second measured data acquisition is performed with a second, different gradient field strength, including irradiating a RF pulse into the AV and acquiring a second series of measured values spaced apart temporally. With the first measured data acquisition, the first measured values for a respective response signal are acquired at a first time interval from one another and with the second measured data acquisition, the second measured values for a respective response signal are acquired at a second, different time interval from one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: Siemens Healtchare GmbH
    Inventor: David Grodzki
  • Patent number: 11474179
    Abstract: In a method for MRI of an object, spins of a first material and spins of a second material are excited. An in-phase echo signal is acquired when the spins are in-phase and an out-of-phase echo signal is acquired, when the spins are out of phase. A first image for the first material and/or a second image for the second material is generated by a computing unit depending on the in-phase echo signal and the out-of-phase echo signal. For acquiring the out-of-phase echo signal, a momentum space is sampled asymmetrically in a read-out direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GmbH
    Inventors: Nadine Dispenza, Dominik Paul, Manuel Stich, Mario Zeller
  • Patent number: 11474183
    Abstract: A magnetic resonance (MR) imaging method of correcting motion in precorrection MR images of a subject is provided. The method includes applying, by an MR system, a pulse sequence having a k-space trajectory of a blade being rotated in k-space. The method also includes acquiring k-space data of a three-dimensional (3D) imaging volume of the subject, the k-space data of the 3D imaging volume corresponding to the precorrection MR images and acquired by the pulse sequence. The method further includes receiving a 3D MR calibration data of a 3D calibration volume, wherein the 3D calibration volume is greater than or equal to the 3D imaging volume, jointly estimating rotation and translation in the precorrection MR images based on the k-space data of the 3D imaging volume and the calibration data, correcting motion in the precorrection images based on the estimated rotation and the estimated translation, and outputting the motion-corrected images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: GE PRECISION HEALTHCARE LLC
    Inventors: Shaorong Chang, Xucheng Zhu, Ali Ersoz, Ajeetkumar Gaddipati, Moran Wei
  • Patent number: 11474174
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method for using a magnetic resonance system to measure magnetization data from a region of interest in a subject having a spin system that includes at least a first labile spin species and a second labile spin species experiencing chemical exchange. The method includes applying periodic radiofrequency irradiation to the spin system using a frequency swept pulse sequence having frequency and amplitude modulation functions, wherein sweeping a frequency of the RF irradiation together with amplitude modulation generates a magnetic field component having an effective field. The method further includes generating off resonance side bands in a frequency domain positioned adjacent the resonant frequency of the first labile spin species or the second labile spin species by applying the periodic RF irradiation to induce the instantaneous flip of the effective field with periodicity of RF irradiation tuned to the chemical shift difference of the exchanging sites.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
    Inventors: Shalom Michaeli, Timo Liimatainen, Hanne Laakso, Silvia Mangia
  • Patent number: 11474170
    Abstract: A B0-mapping method determines the spatial distribution of a static magnetic field in a pre-selected imaging zone comprising computation of the spatial distribution of a static magnetic field from a spatial distribution of spin-phase accruals between magnetic resonance echo signals from the imaging zone and an estimate of the proton density distribution in the imaging zone. The invention provides the field estimate also in cavities and outside tissue. Also the field estimate of the invention suffers less from so-called phase-wraps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
    Inventor: Miha Fuderer
  • Patent number: 11468982
    Abstract: A medical imaging apparatus with a medical scanner unit and at least one display is described, as well as a method for actuating at least one display of a medical imaging apparatus. The techniques disclosed are based on a medical imaging apparatus with a medical scanner unit, a computing unit which is connected to a master unit, and at least one display. The at least one display may include a slave unit, and the master unit may be connected to the slave unit by means of a data connection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare GmbH
    Inventors: Philipp Hoecht, Harald Karl, Felix Wolf
  • Patent number: 11467240
    Abstract: A method for accelerating diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) acquisition via slice interleaved diffusion encoding (SIDE) includes conducting a plurality of simultaneous multislice (SMS) excitations for each of a plurality of SIDE diffusion-weighted volumes to obtain SMS images of an MRI subject at different diffusion orientations, regrouping the images into slice groups with different orientations, generating a plurality of slice-undersampled diffusion weighted volumetric images of the subject, wherein each of the plurality of slice-undersampled diffusion weighted volumetric images is produced by cyclically interleaving the slice groups, such that each slice group is associated with a different diffusion wavevector, and reconstructing a full diffusion-weighted volumetric image of the subject by providing the plurality of slice-undersampled diffusion weighted volumetric images to a neural network trained to produce full diffusion-weighted volumetric versions of diffusion magnetic resonance images from
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILL
    Inventors: Pew-Thian Yap, Yoonmi Hong, Wei-Tang Chang
  • Patent number: 11464496
    Abstract: A patient monitor that acquires and displays first vital sign information and second vital sign information of a subject includes an event detection unit that is configured to detect an activation start event for starting an activation process of biological information processing software which performs a process pertaining to the second vital sign information and an activating event for activating the biological information processing software and a software control unit that causes the biological information processing software to be in a standby state, in which a part of the activation process of the biological information processing software has been performed, when the activation start event is detected by the event detection unit, and causes the biological information processing software to be in an active state from the standby state when the activating event is detected by the event detection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: NIHON KOHDEN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Oura, Sou Kumagai, Wataru Matsuzawa, Nobuyuki Yasumaru, Kazuya Nagase, Hiroshi Torigai, Naoki Fukushima
  • Patent number: 11457871
    Abstract: A medical scan artifact detection system is operable to receive a medical scan of a patient. Artifact detection data is generated by executing an artifact detection function on the medical scan, where the artifact detection data indicates at least one artifact detected in the medical scan that includes a motion artifact or a nipple shadow. A notification is generated for display via a display device, where the notification indicates the at least one artifact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: Enlitic, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin Lyman, Ben Covington, Anthony Upton, David Di Domenico
  • Patent number: 11454689
    Abstract: A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus according to an embodiment includes sequence controlling circuitry and processing circuitry. The sequence controlling circuitry is configured to execute a first pulse sequence including application of a Magnetization Transfer (MT) pulse and to subsequently execute a second pulse sequence including application of an MT pulse after an action that causes a change in a physiological state of a patient. The processing circuitry is configured to generate a first Z-spectrum based on data obtained by executing the first pulse sequence, to generate a second Z-spectrum based on data obtained by executing the second pulse sequence, and to generate data by performing an analysis based on the first Z-spectrum and the second Z-spectrum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: CANON MEDICAL SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Mitsue Miyazaki
  • Patent number: 11455728
    Abstract: A diagnosis support device acquires medical image data representing a medical image obtained by imaging an animal as a subject with a medical image capturing device and type information representing a type which is classified by at least one of a body length or weight of the animal and to which the subject belongs, and determines presence or absence of an abnormality in the medical image of the subject based on the acquired medical image data and type information and a learned model learned in advance using a set of a plurality of pieces of the medical image data for learning and the type information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Takeshi Fukuda, Haruyasu Nakatsugawa
  • Patent number: 11454690
    Abstract: A synergized pulsing-imaging network is described. A method of optimizing a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system includes optimizing, by a synergized pulsing-imaging network (SPIN) circuitry a pulse sequence based, at least in part, on a loss function associated with a reconstruction network. The method further includes optimizing, by the SPIN circuitry, the reconstruction network based, at least in part, on intermediate raw MRI data and based, at least in part, on a ground truth MRI image data. The intermediate raw MRI data is determined based, at least in part on the pulse sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
    Inventors: Ge Wang, Qing Lyu, Tao Xu
  • Patent number: 11452462
    Abstract: A Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) system, including: two separate static magnetic field generators, which are each cylindrical, are axially aligned, and are separated by a rotary load-bearing structure arranged to freely rotate about an axis of a static magnetic field generated by the static magnetic field generators, wherein the rotary load-bearing structure is mounted on thrust bearings which take an axial load between the static magnetic field generators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: Siemens Healthcare Limited
    Inventor: Michael Mallett