Abstract:
A composite image is produced for use in HYPR processing a current image frame. The amount of a priori data used to form the composite is determined by the amount of subject motion. The current composite image may be spatially registered with the current image frame to offset subject motion before being used to form an updated composite image. Subject motion may be analyzed on a frame-by-frame basis, a region-by-region basis or a pixel-by-pixel basis to optimize the SNR of the updated composite image.
Abstract:
A method is disclosed for generating a time resolved series of time and energy subtracted 3D volume reconstructions, e.g., using a switched dual energy C-Arm type X-ray imaging system or a bi-plane type X-ray imaging system.
Abstract:
Acquisition of MR data during a fMRI study employs a hybrid PR pulse sequence to acquire projection views from which multi-slice image frames may be reconstructed that depict the BOLD response to an applied stimulus or performed task. Composite images are reconstructed at each slice using the combined interleaved projection views from all the acquired image frames. The composite images are used to reconstruct the highly undersampled image frames.
Abstract:
A method for generating time-resolved 3D medical images of a subject by imparting temporal information from a time-series of 2D medical images into 3D images of the subject. Generally speaking, this is achieved by acquiring image data using a medical imaging system, generating a time-series of 2D images of a ROI from at least a portion of the acquired image data, reconstructing a 3D image substantially without temporal resolution from the acquired image data, and selectively combining the time series of 2D images with the 3D image. Selective combination typically involves registering frames of the time-series of 2D images with the 3D image, projecting pixel values from the 2D image frames “into” the 3D image, and weighting the 3D image with the projected pixel values for each frame of the time-series of 2D images. This method is particularly useful for generating 4D-DSA images (that is, time-resolved 3D-DSA images) from a time-series of 2D-DSA images acquired via single plane or biplane x-ray acquisitions with 3D images acquired via a rotational DSA acquisition. 4D-DSA images can be generated either by using multiple injections or by using a single injection by combining a time-series of 2D-DSA images generated from individual projections from a rotational x-ray acquisition with a 3D image reconstructed from substantially all of the projection views acquired during the rotational x-ray acquisition. These DSA images may have a spatial resolution on the order of 5123 pixels and a temporal resolution of about 30 frames per second, which represents an increase over traditional 3D-DSA frame rates by a factor of between 150 and 600.
Abstract:
A magnetic resonance angiogram (MRA) is acquired using a contrast enhancement method in which a series of NMR images are rapidly acquired during a time resolved phase of the examination in which the contrast bolus makes a first pass through the arteries and veins. Arterial and venous voxels are automatically identified in the images using either of two disclosed methods. The signals from identified arterial voxels are used to produce an arterial contrast enhancement reference curve that is used to segment arterial voxels by a correlation process. Venous voxels are segmented in the same manner using a calculated venous contrast enhancement reference curve.
Abstract:
Two-dimensional or three-dimensional, time-resolved CT frame images are acquired during a dynamic study of a subject. A composite image is produced and this is used to reconstruct each CT frame image by weighting the backprojection of each projection view acquired for that image frame by the corresponding value in the composite image. This weighted backprojection enables artifact-free image frames to be produced with far fewer projection views of the subject. The composite image may be reconstructed from views acquired separately, or it may be produced by combining views acquired during the course of the dynamic study.
Abstract:
A magnetic resonance angiogram (MRA) is acquired using a pulse sequence that samples k-space at a projection angle. The acquired NMR signal is sensitized to spin motion with a bipolar motion encoding gradient and the pulse sequence is repeated to sample k-space at a set of different projection angles. A phase image is reconstructed from the acquired NMR signals using a filtered backprojection technique. Additional sets of projections with different motion encoding directions are acquired at interleaved projection angles, and the reconstructed phase images are combined to provide a velocity image.
Abstract:
A dynamic MRA study of a subject is performed using a 3D fast gradient-recalled echo pulse sequence. The frame rate of the resulting series of reconstructed images is increased by sampling a central region of k-space at a higher rate than the peripheral regions of k-space. Image frames are reconstructed at each sampling of the central k-space region using the temporally nearest samples from the peripheral k-space regions.
Abstract:
A magnetic resonance angiogram is produced by projecting a 3D array of motion sensitized NMR data. A mask which locates the vessels in the 3D array is produced by thresholding the NMR data, and this mask is combined with the 3D NMR data set to exclude signals produced by surrounding stationary tissues. An integration projection technique is used to produce the angiogram from the masked data set.
Abstract:
An NMR angiogram is produced using a line scan data acquisition. Each line of NMR data is acquired twice, once with a velocity sensitizing gradient having a positive first moment and once with a velocity sensitizing gradient having a negative first moment. The two signals from the acquisition are subtracted to cancel signals from stationary spins while enhancing signals from flowing spins. The magnitude of the velocity sensitizing gradient moment is changed during the cardiac cycle so that aliasing does not occur at high blood velocities and the signal strength does not drop too low at low blood velocities. An angiogram is produced by reconstructing an image from line scan data acquired from a series of slices.