A method of operating a magnetic resonance imaging system (10) includes adjusting a radio frequency excitation field B1 to be applied to a subject of interest (20) to be imaged. At least one position parameter (d) that is indicative of a position of at least the portion of the subject of interest (20) relative to at least one radio frequency transmit antenna (36) of the magnetic resonance imaging system (10) is determined. At least one radio frequency power-related parameter of radio frequency power to be fed to the at least one radio frequency transmit antenna (36) is adjusted in dependence of the at least one of the determined at least one position parameter (d) and a determined geometric dimension (w) of the subject of interest (20).

A system and method for determining a magnetic field map when using a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system to acquire images from a region of interest (ROI) of a subject. The method includes selecting a pulse sequence to elicit a plurality of echoes from the subject as medical imaging data from the subject. The method also includes optimizing an echo time for a dynamic range of interest during the pulse sequence (SB.sub.max), a minimum signal-to-noise ratio (SNR.sub.0) in the medical imaging data, and minimum T2* value in the ROI. The method further includes generating a magnetic field map estimation using the optimized echo times.

A system and method for determining a magnetic field map when using a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system to acquire images from a region of interest (ROI) of a subject. The method includes selecting a pulse sequence to elicit a plurality of echoes from the subject as medical imaging data from the subject. The method also includes optimizing an echo time for a dynamic range of interest during the pulse sequence (SB.sub.max), a minimum signal-to-noise ratio (SNR.sub.0) in the medical imaging data, and minimum T2* value in the ROI. The method further includes generating a magnetic field map estimation using the optimized echo times.

A detecting apparatus configured to detect a position of a predetermined part of a subject, based on image data of a region including the predetermined part is provided. The detecting apparatus includes a first detecting unit configured to detect a reference position used when the position of the predetermined part is detected, the reference position detected from within the image data, a determining unit configured to rotate a window for detecting the position of the predetermined part about the reference position, and configured to determine a rotational angle of the window when the predetermined part is included in the window, and a second detecting unit configured to set an actual rotational angle of the window to the determined rotational angle and configured to detect the position of the predetermined part from within the window.

A detecting apparatus configured to detect a position of a predetermined part of a subject, based on image data of a region including the predetermined part is provided. The detecting apparatus includes a first detecting unit configured to detect a reference position used when the position of the predetermined part is detected, the reference position detected from within the image data, a determining unit configured to rotate a window for detecting the position of the predetermined part about the reference position, and configured to determine a rotational angle of the window when the predetermined part is included in the window, and a second detecting unit configured to set an actual rotational angle of the window to the determined rotational angle and configured to detect the position of the predetermined part from within the window.

In an MRI scanner, the transmission and reception of RF excitation and detected signal waves is accomplished using far field excitation instead of conventional near field excitation. By superimposing two counter-propagating waves from the same source in the MRI sample interference fringes are recorded in the sample in such a way that the relative phase between the two propagation wave vectors determines the periodicity of the maxima and minima in the interference fringe pattern. The complete fringe pattern, known as a spatial hologram, contains both the phase and amplitude information of the information-bearing wave. When exposed to a replica of the original reference wave, the fringe pattern acts as a diffraction grating, reproducing the information-bearing field propagating at the same relative phase.

In an MRI scanner, the transmission and reception of RF excitation and detected signal waves is accomplished using far field excitation instead of conventional near field excitation. By superimposing two counter-propagating waves from the same source in the MRI sample interference fringes are recorded in the sample in such a way that the relative phase between the two propagation wave vectors determines the periodicity of the maxima and minima in the interference fringe pattern. The complete fringe pattern, known as a spatial hologram, contains both the phase and amplitude information of the information-bearing wave. When exposed to a replica of the original reference wave, the fringe pattern acts as a diffraction grating, reproducing the information-bearing field propagating at the same relative phase.

A method and system for controlling neural activity in the brain, including performing a source localization procedure and a neurostimulation procedure, and using the former as a monitor to provide for feedback control of the latter.

A process of determining the type of a diamond of unknown type, said process including the steps of (i) applying a laser input signal to a diamond of unknown type such the NV.sup.− centres or other C centres such that fluorescence is generated from said diamond; (ii) applying a magnetic field to said diamond and applying a variable microwave frequency to said diamond; (iii) acquiring the light intensity of fluorescence as a function of microwave frequency; and (iv) determining the type of the unknown diamond by comparing the light intensity of fluorescence as a function of microwave frequency of (iii) with light intensity versus microwave frequency characteristics diamond of known of a plurality of diamonds known types.

A system for analyzing a microwave-frequency signal by imaging is provided, comprising: a solid material at least one optical property of which is modifiable in at least one zone of the material, when the zone is simultaneously in the presence of an optical excitation or electrical excitation and a microwave-frequency signal having at least one frequency coinciding with a resonant frequency of the material,
the material furthermore being such that a value of the resonant frequency varies as a function of the amplitude of a magnetic field, a magnetic field generator configured to generate a magnetic field having, in the interior of a portion of the zone, a spatial amplitude variation in a direction X, the material then having a resonant frequency that is dependent on a position in the direction X, and a detector configured to receive an image of the zone in said direction X.