Surgery – Diagnostic testing – Detecting nuclear – electromagnetic – or ultrasonic radiation
Reexamination Certificate
2001-01-25
2002-10-22
Walberg, Teresa (Department: 3742)
Surgery
Diagnostic testing
Detecting nuclear, electromagnetic, or ultrasonic radiation
C714S798000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06470203
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an MR imaging method, a phase error measuring method, and an MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) system, and more specifically to an MR imaging method capable of reducing degradation in image quality due to residual magnetization, a phase error measuring method for measuring a phase error developed due to the residual magnetization, and an MRI system which executes these methods.
The following prior arts have been disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-75940.
(1) A phase error measuring method of executing a pre-scan sequence for transmitting an excitation pulse, transmitting an inversion pulse, applying a phase encoding pulse to a phase axis, applying a read pulse to a read axis, applying a rewind pulse to the phase axis, subsequently transmitting an inversion pulse, applying a dephaser pulse to the phase axis, and collecting data from echoes while applying a read pulse to the phase axis, and thereby measuring a phase error of each subsequent echo, which is developed due to the influence of eddy currents and residual magnetization caused by a phase encoding pulse, etc., based on phase data obtained by converting the collected data into one-dimensional Fourier form, and
(2) An MR imaging method of, in a pulse sequence of a high-speed spin echo process for transmitting an inversion pulse after the transmission of an excitation pulse, applying a phase encoding pulse to a phase axis, collecting data from echoes while applying a read pulse to a read axis, repeating the application of a rewind pulse to the phase axis plural times while the phase encoding pulse is being changed, thereby collecting data from a plurality of echoes by one excitation, building a compensating pulse for compensating for the amount of the phase error measured by the phase error measuring method described in the above (1) in its corresponding phase encoding pulse, adding the same to one or both immediately before or after the phase encoding pulse, incorporating the same in its corresponding rewind pulse, or adding the same to one or both immediately before or after the rewind pulse.
Each of the prior arts is based on the precondition that the amount of the phase error measured by the phase error measuring method of the above (1) and the amount of the phase error developed when no compensating pulse is added in the pulse sequence of the high-speed spin echo process described in the above (2), are equal to each other.
However, a problem arises in that since the residual magnetization at the commencement of the measurement of the phase error and the residual magnetization at the commencement of the pulse sequence of the high-speed spin echo process are not always equal to each other, the precondition employed in the prior art is not established, and the phase error occurs due to the residual magnetization, thus causing degradation in image quality.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide an MR imaging method capable of reducing degradation in image quality due to residual magnetization, a phase error measuring method for measuring a phase error developed due to the residual magnetization, and an MRI system for executing these methods.
According to a first aspect, the present invention provides an MR imaging method using a high-speed spin echo process, comprising the steps of transmitting an inversion pulse after the transmission of an excitation pulse, applying a phase encoding pulse to a phase axis, collecting data from echoes while applying a read pulse to a read axis, repeating the application of a rewind pulse to the phase axis plural times while changing the phase encoding pulse, collecting data from a plurality of echoes by one excitation, applying a pre-pulse to an arbitrary gradient axis before an excitation pulse, and applying a correction pulse for correcting a phase error caused by the pre-pulse to the phase axis before or behind the initial inversion pulse or adding the amount of correction for correcting a phase error caused by the pre-pulse to the initial inversion pulse.
In the MR imaging method according to the first aspect, the pre-pulse is applied to the arbitrary gradient axis before the excitation pulse. Owing to the pre-pulse, residual magnetization at the commencement of a pulse sequence of the high-speed spin echo process can be controlled. Further, the correction pulse for correcting the phase error developed due to the residual magnetization is applied to the phase axis before or behind the initial inversion pulse, or the amount of correction for correcting the phase error caused by the pre-pulse is added to the initial inversion pulse. Thus, the influence of the residual magnetization at the commencement of the pulse sequence of the high-speed spin echo process can be restrained and degradation in image quality due to the residual magnetization can be reduced.
According to a second aspect, the present invention provides an MR imaging method wherein in the MR imaging method according to the first aspect, the amount of correction for correcting the amount of a phase error caused by a phase encoding pulse is added to its corresponding rewind pulse or phase encoding pulse lying immediately after the rewind pulse or a correction pulse for correcting the amount of a phase error caused by a phase encoding pulse is added before or behind the corresponding rewind pulse.
In the MR imaging method according to the second aspect, residual magnetization at the commencement of a pulse sequence of the high-speed spin echo process can be restrained and the phase error caused by the phase encoding pulse can be corrected, thus making it possible to reduce degradation in image quality, which is developed due to it.
According to a third aspect, the present invention provides an MR imaging method using a high-speed spin echo process, for transmitting an inversion pulse after the transmission of an excitation pulse, applying a phase encoding pulse to a phase axis, collecting data from echoes while applying a read pulse to a read axis, repeating the application of a rewind pulse to the phase axis plural times while changing the phase encoding pulse, thereby collecting data from a plurality of echoes by one excitation, applying a pre-pulse to an arbitrary gradient axis before an excitation pulse, and adding the amount of correction for correcting a phase error caused by the pre-pulse to the initial phase encoding pulse or the initial rewind pulse.
In the MR imaging method according to the third aspect, the pre-pulse is applied to the arbitrary gradient axis before the excitation pulse. Owing to the pre-pulse, residual magnetization at the commencement of a pulse sequence of the high-speed spin echo process can be controlled. Further, the amount of correction for correcting the phase error developed due to the residual magnetization is added to the initial phase encoding pulse or the initial rewind pulse. Thus, the influence of the residual magnetization at the commencement of the pulse sequence of the high-speed spin echo process can be restrained and degradation in image quality due to the residual magnetization can be reduced.
According to a fourth aspect, the present invention provides an MR imaging method wherein in the MR imaging method according to the third aspect, the amount of correction for correcting the amount of a phase error caused by a phase encoding pulse is added to the corresponding rewind pulse or phase encoding pulse lying immediately after the rewind pulse or a correction pulse for correcting the amount of a phase error caused by a phase encoding pulse is added to the front or back of the corresponding rewind pulse.
In the MR imaging method according to the fourth aspect, the influence of residual magnetization at the commencement of a pulse sequence of the high-speed spin echo process can be restrained, the phase error caused by the phase encoding pulse can be corrected, and degradation in image quality, which is developed due to it, can be reduced.
According to a fifth aspect
GE Medical Systems Global Technology Company LLC
Kojima Moonray
Robinson Daniel
Walberg Teresa
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