G01R33/44

Method and system using nuclear magnetic resonance well logging for T.SUB.2 .cutoff value estimation
11573348 · 2023-02-07 · ·

A nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) logging system and method is disclosed. The method may include obtaining an NMR well log, a measured downhole temperature, and at least one rock sample for a formation in a subsurface region. The method may further include determining an NMR distribution for each sample and selecting a set of samples based on the determined NMR distribution. For each selected sample, the method may further include determining a first parameter of the NMR distribution, a regression parameter of a relationship, and a first and second fractal parameters of the NMR distribution. The method may further include determining a second parameter of the NMR distribution based on the first and second fractal parameters, the regression parameter, and the downhole temperature. The method may still further include determining a parameter of the formation based on the second parameter of the NMR distributions of the set of samples.

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING CONCOMITANT GRADIENT PHASE ERRORS IN CHEMICAL-SHIFT ENCODED IMAGING
20230095599 · 2023-03-30 ·

A system and method are provided for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and/or image reconstruction that includes acquiring multi-pass, chemical shift-encoded (CSE)-MRI imaging data of a subject. The method further includes performing a complex, joint estimation of phase terms in the imaging data for each pass of the multi-pass, CSE-MRI imaging data to account for concomitant gradient (CG)-induced phase errors of different passes. The method also includes generating at least one of a proton density fat fraction (PDFF) estimate or an R*2 estimate that is unbiased by CG-induced phase errors using the phase terms and communicating a report that includes at least one of the PDFF estimate or the R*2 estimate.

Systems and Methods for Spiral-In-Out Low Field MRI Scans

Systems and methods for performing ungated magnetic resonance imaging are disclosed herein. A method includes producing magnetic resonance image MRI data by scanning a target in a low magnetic field with a pulse sequence having a spiral trajectory; sampling k-space data from respective scans in the low magnetic field and receiving at least one field map data acquisition and a series of MRI data acquisitions from the respective scans; forming a field map and multiple sensitivity maps in image space from the field map data acquisition; forming target k-space data with the series of MRI data acquisitions; forming initial magnetic resonance images in the image domain by applying a Non-Uniform Fast Fourier Transform to the target k-space data; and forming reconstructed images with a low rank plus sparse (L+S) reconstruction algorithm applied to the initial magnetic resonance images.

SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR SUSCEPTIBILITY CONTRAST IMAGING OF NANOPARTICLES AT LOW MAGNETIC FIELDS
20230029685 · 2023-02-02 ·

Systems and methods are provided for susceptibility contrast imaging of nanoparticles at low magnetic fields. A susceptibility-based MRI technique, such as imaging with a balanced steady-state free precession (bSSFP) pulse sequence, may be used for imaging a contrast agent such as biocompatible superparamagnetic nanoparticles at ultra-low fields. The contrast agent and imaging technique may be used to improving the visibility of anatomical structures and detecting diseases, such as cancer, with low-field MRI.

COMPUTER-IMPLEMENTED MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGE OPTIMISATION METHOD

A computer-implemented magnetic resonance image optimisation method is disclosed. An image of an object is mapped using a static magnetic field and divided into a plurality of voxels. Each voxel is represented in a Euclidean n-dimensional space, where n≥3, and clustered by grouping together voxels having similar characteristics to create homogenous clusters. The centre or centroid of each cluster is determined, and used, or the voxel closest to either the centre or the centroid is used, as a super-voxel in an optimisation procedure. An optimised diagnostic image of the object is then generated.

Systems and Methods for Correcting Intravoxel and/or Voxel Inhomogeneity
20220342021 · 2022-10-27 ·

The devices, systems, and methods can improve magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), MR spectroscopy (MRS), MR spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) measurement(s), thereby providing more reliable quantification. The method may include a method for correcting MR image(s)/spectrum. The method may include providing an inhomogeneity field/response map of a region of interest; and providing MR image(s)/spectrum of the region of interest. The method may include determining an intravoxel/voxel inhomogeneity correction coefficient for each voxel of at least one subregion of the region of the interest using the inhomogeneity field/response map. The method may include correcting each voxel of the MR image(s)/spectrum of the region of interest using the intravoxel/voxel inhomogeneity correction coefficient. The MR image(s)/spectrum may include chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST)/magnetization transfer (MT) imaging with Z-spectrum, CEST/MT imaging without Z-spectrum, CEST spectroscopy, CEST MRS, MRS, MRSI, or any combination thereof.

METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR CHARACTERIZING PROPERTIES OF RESERVOIR ROCK

Methods and systems are provided that combine NMR and IR spectroscopy measurements on a rock sample to determine data representing at least one property of the rock sample. In one embodiment, cuttings can be split into first and second lots. Results of an NMR measurement performed on the first lot of cuttings without cleaning can be analyzed to determine pore volume of the cuttings. Results of an IR spectroscopy measurement performed on the second lot of cuttings after solvent cleaning can be analyzed to determine matrix density of the cuttings. Porosity can be determined from the pore volume and matrix density of the cuttings. In another embodiment, combined NMR and IR spectroscopy measurements can be performed on an unprepared rock sample (without solvent cleaning) to characterize properties of kerogen in the rock sample and porosity. In another aspect, a method is provided that employs multi-nucleic NMR measurements to determine porosity.

ONLINE MONITORING OF PRODUCTION PROCESSES USING ELECTRON PARAMAGNETIC RESONANCE (EPR)
20230127803 · 2023-04-27 ·

Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide methods and apparatus for closed-loop control of a system using one or more electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) sensors located on-site. With such EPR sensors, a change can be applied to the system, the EPR sensors can measure the effect(s) of the change, and then adjustments can be made in real-time. This feedback process may be repeated continuously to control the system.

MRI method for B.SUB.0.-mapping
11474170 · 2022-10-18 · ·

A B.sub.0-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.

Active switching for RF slice-selecting

A magnetic resonance (MR) imaging system includes a transmit radio frequency (RF) coil assembly comprising multiple capacitor banks each coupled to at least one diode that is characterized by a high breakdown voltage such that when the transmit RF coil assembly applies at least one slice-selecting RF pulse to a portion of a subject placed in the magnet to select a particular slice for MR imaging, the capacitor banks are selectively adjusted to improve an RF transmission characteristics of the RF coil assembly in transmitting the at least one slice-selecting RF pulse. The MR imaging system may further include a receive radio frequency (RF) coil assembly configured to, in response to at least the slice-selecting RF pulse, receive at least one response radio frequency (RF) pulse emitted from the selected slice of the portion of the subject; a housing; a main magnet; gradient coils; and a control unit.