摘要:
In a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, a method is provided for reducing oblique Nyquist ghost artifact in an image produced by an oblique EPI scan. Prior to commencing the EPI scan, referencing pre-scans are conducted to generate pre-scan echo trains respectively corresponding to the physical gradient axes. Distortion compensating parameters are derived from the pre-scan echo trains for reducing Nyquist ghost by alternatively modifying the data acquisitions stage of the oblique EPI scan, or the post-data acquisition image processing stage thereof. In one mode of operation, the pre-scan echo trains are generated while a subject is in the MRI system. In another mode of operation, pre-scan echo trains are generated while no subject is present in the MR system, so that the distortion compensating parameters represent characteristics of the MR system only, and thus may be used for EPI scans of different protocols. For such mode of operation the distortion compensating parameters may be computed as a function of readout gradient pulse spacing.
摘要:
A technique is disclosed for determining errors in MRI sequences resulting from eddy currents generated by pulsed gradient fields. During a calibration sequence, with no phase-encoding, gradient pulses and readout sequences are applied along physical axes of a scanner and data sets are acquired for each combination. A reference data set is acquired with no gradient pulses applied. The resulting data sets are processed by one dimensional Fourier transformation, and the transformed data is analyzed to determine spatially invariant and linear gradient errors. The phase errors may be averaged for each physical axis. The technique is particularly useful in determining errors in diffusion weighted echo planar imaging sequences.
摘要:
A method for correcting Maxwell field induced distortion, ghosting, and blurring artifacts in non-axially oriented EPI images is disclosed. In one embodiment phase corrections are calculated and used to offset Maxwell term errors during the image reconstruction process, and in another embodiment corrections are made after the image is reconstructed.
摘要:
A method and apparatus for correcting ghosting artifacts that are related to Maxwell fields and/or other perturbation magnetic fields is disclosed. The method and apparatus includes acquiring MR image n-space data and an MR reference scan, each having perturbation field effects therein. After determining phase correction values from the MR reference scan and reconstructing an MR image using the phase correction values, a projection phase error is calculated from the reconstructed MR image and then subtracted from the reference scan, the result of which is used to determine a new set of phase correction values. The new set of phase correction values is applied to the acquired MR image data to reconstruct a new image. The reconstructed new image can then be reused to calculate a new projection phase error, which again is subtracted from the reference scan data and the process is repeated until an image of desired ghost artifact reduction is achieved.
摘要:
A method and apparatus for correcting ghost artifacts that are related to orthogonal perturbation magnetic fields is disclosed. The technique includes acquiring MR data and an MR reference scan, each in the presence of orthogonal perturbation magnetic fields. However, the region of interest for the MR reference scan is limited to a relatively narrow band within the imaging subject. Preferably, the narrow band is selected in the vicinity of the magnet iso-center and parallel to the readout direction. Alternatively, the narrow band can also be selected in the limited region where the orthogonal perturbation fields are either minimal or constant along the phase encoding direction, and parallel to the readout direction. The selection of the relatively narrow band is accomplished by either spatially saturating surrounding regions, or using a two-dimensional spatially selective RF pulse. Phase correction values can then be calculated from a more accurately defined slope and intercept of the phase of the MR reference scan and used to correct the MR data. A reconstructed MR image using this technique has reduced ghost artifacts otherwise caused by the adverse effects of the orthogonal perturbation fields in the phase correction process.
摘要:
An eddy current correction method is provided for use in an MR system disposed to generate difflusion-weighted echo planar images by employing a bipolar diffusion-weighting gradient as well as the nominal components in an echo planar imaging pulse sequence. The correction method comprises the steps of deriving eddy current parameters (i.e., amplitude and time constant) associated with each eddy-current-induced magnetic field component caused by the diffusion-weighting gradient, and generating a set of correction terms, each of the correction terms being a function of the parameters. The method includes the further steps of modifyg a set of ideal echo planar imaging gradients and the receiver phase and frequency to respectively offset the eddy current induced magnetic field gradient and the spatially independent B.sub.0 -magnetic field. The modification occurs in two stages. Prior to data acquisition, errors are exactly corrected by altering the pre-phasing and the slice-refocusing gradient areas as well as the initial receiver phase. During data acquisition, the eddy current induced errors are approximately compensated for by adding offset gradients and dynamically changing the receiver phase and frequency using either a piece-wise-constant approximation or a constant approximation. Using either method, artifacts in diffusion-weighted echo planar images can be significantly reduced.
摘要:
A technique is provided for generating images on an MRI system in which errors due to gradient pulses are compensated. The errors are identified in advance, such as in a calibration sequence performed on the MRI system. Receiver phase adjustment and logical gradient error values are derived from the identified error values. The calibration sequence may be a modified version of the MRI imaging sequence used to produce the images. The correction values may be based upon corrections at the center of k-space. The technique is particularly useful in compensating for effects of eddy currents in pulse sequences employing high slew rate gradient pulses, such as diffusion weighted echo planar imaging sequences.
摘要:
Two methods are disclosed to remove the image artifacts produced by Maxwell terms arising from the imaging gradients in an echo planar imaging pulse sequence. In the first method, the frequency and phase errors caused by the Maxwell terms are calculated on an individual slice basis and subsequently compensated during data acquisition by dynamically adjusting the receiver frequency and phase. In the second method, two linear phase errors, one in the readout direction and the other in the phase-encoding direction, both of which arise from the Maxwell terms, are calculated on an individual-slice basis. These errors are compensated for in the k-space data after data acquisition.
摘要:
A method is disclosed to remove the image artifacts produced by Maxwell terms arising from the imaging gradients in an echo planar imaging pulse sequence. The frequency and phase errors caused by the Maxwell terms are calculated on an individual slice basis. During the subsequent data acquisition these errors are compensated by dynamically adjusting the receiver frequency and phase.
摘要:
Signal fall-off in axial EPI images as well as its variations is corrected by compensating the EPI pulse sequence with gradient pulses that serve to balance the phase dispersion caused by Maxwell terms. Four embodiments are described which employ the slice-selection gradient to compensate the EPI pulse sequence and a fifth embodiment employs the readout gradient.