An apparatus and method are provided for transmitting control information and data in an SC-FDMA communication system. The method includes placing a reference signal onto one middle symbol among a plurality of symbols in one slot, wherein the one slot is one of two slots in one subframe; placing CQI information onto at least one symbol of other symbols except for the one middle symbol; placing the data onto the other symbols except for the one middle symbol; placing a HARQ-ACK onto two symbols, wherein the two symbols are directly adjacent to the one middle symbol; and transmitting a signal including the reference signal, the data, the CQI information, and the HARQ-ACK. The HARQ-ACK is placed onto a position of at least part of the data. The symbols are SC-FDMA symbols, the one middle symbol is a 4th symbol, the two symbols are a 3rd symbol and a 5th symbol.

The invention relates to a method of MR imaging of an object (10) placed in an examination volume of a MR device (1). It is an object of the invention to enable MR signal acquisition in a single scan providing the necessary information for electric properties imaging (EPT), namely a phase map as well as tissue boundaries. The method of the invention comprises the following steps: —subjecting the object (10) to a multi echo steady state imaging sequence or a fast spectroscopic imaging sequence comprising RF pulses and switched magnetic field gradients, wherein two or more echo signals are generated after each RF excitation; —acquiring the echo signals; —deriving a magnitude image and a phase map from the acquired echo signals, which phase map represents the spatial RF field distribution induced by the RF pulses in the object (10); and —reconstructing an electric conductivity map from the magnitude image and from the phase map, wherein tissue boundaries are derived from at least the magnitude image. Moreover, the invention relates to a MR device for carrying out this method as well as to a computer program to be run on a MR device.

Systems and methods employing spin editing techniques to improve magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) and magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) are discussed. Using these spin editing techniques, magnetic resonance signals of one or more non-target chemicals (chemicals whose signals are to be filtered out or suppressed) chemicals can be suppressed, so that the signal(s) of a set of target chemicals can be obtained without signals from the one or more non-target chemicals. Information about and differences between the molecular topologies of the first set of chemicals and the one or more unwanted chemicals can be used to design a sequence that suppresses the one or more unwanted chemicals while allowing acquisition of signal(s) from the first set of chemicals. These techniques can be employed to recover sharp peaks despite magnetic field inhomogeneities and susceptibility effects.

Systems and methods employing spin editing techniques to improve magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) and magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) are discussed. Using these spin editing techniques, magnetic resonance signals of one or more non-target chemicals (chemicals whose signals are to be filtered out or suppressed) chemicals can be suppressed, so that the signal(s) of a set of target chemicals can be obtained without signals from the one or more non-target chemicals. Information about and differences between the molecular topologies of the first set of chemicals and the one or more unwanted chemicals can be used to design a sequence that suppresses the one or more unwanted chemicals while allowing acquisition of signal(s) from the first set of chemicals. These techniques can be employed to recover sharp peaks despite magnetic field inhomogeneities and susceptibility effects.

An MR Spectroscopy (MRS) system and approach is provided for diagnosing painful and non-painful discs in chronic, severe low back pain patients (DDD-MRS). A DDD-MRS pulse sequence generates and acquires DDD-MRS spectra within intervertebral disc nuclei for later signal processing and diagnostic analysis. An interfacing DDD-MRS signal processor receives output signals of the DDD-MRS spectra acquired and is configured to optimize signal-to-noise ratio by an automated system that selectively conducts optimal channel selection, phase and frequency correction, and frame editing as appropriate for a given acquisition series. A diagnostic processor calculates a diagnostic value for the disc based upon a weighted factor set of criteria that uses MRS data extracted from the acquired and processed MRS spectra for multiple chemicals that have been correlated to painful vs. non-painful discs. A display provides an indication of results for analyzed discs as an overlay onto a MRI image of the lumbar spine.

An MR Spectroscopy (MRS) system and approach is provided for diagnosing painful and non-painful discs in chronic, severe low back pain patients (DDD-MRS). A DDD-MRS pulse sequence generates and acquires DDD-MRS spectra within intervertebral disc nuclei for later signal processing and diagnostic analysis. An interfacing DDD-MRS signal processor receives output signals of the DDD-MRS spectra acquired and is configured to optimize signal-to-noise ratio by an automated system that selectively conducts optimal channel selection, phase and frequency correction, and frame editing as appropriate for a given acquisition series. A diagnostic processor calculates a diagnostic value for the disc based upon a weighted factor set of criteria that uses MRS data extracted from the acquired and processed MRS spectra for multiple chemicals that have been correlated to painful vs. non-painful discs. A display provides an indication of results for analyzed discs as an overlay onto a MRI image of the lumbar spine.

A magnetic resonance CEST imaging sequence and device based on a frequency stabilization module are provided. It includes following steps: first, in the frequency stabilization module, exciting a target slice with a small-flip-angle radio frequency pulse, and collecting three lines of non-phase-encoded k-space data; second, obtaining an estimated value of the frequency drift of the main magnetic field by calculating the phase difference between the three lines of non-phase encoded k-space data; third, adjusting a center frequency of the radio frequency pulse based on the calculation result of the frequency drift of the main magnetic field, to realize a real-time correction of the frequency drift of the main magnetic field; and fourth, performing conventional magnetic resonance CEST imaging.

A magnetic resonance CEST imaging sequence and device based on a frequency stabilization module are provided. It includes following steps: first, in the frequency stabilization module, exciting a target slice with a small-flip-angle radio frequency pulse, and collecting three lines of non-phase-encoded k-space data; second, obtaining an estimated value of the frequency drift of the main magnetic field by calculating the phase difference between the three lines of non-phase encoded k-space data; third, adjusting a center frequency of the radio frequency pulse based on the calculation result of the frequency drift of the main magnetic field, to realize a real-time correction of the frequency drift of the main magnetic field; and fourth, performing conventional magnetic resonance CEST imaging.

A method, magnetic resonance imaging computing device, and a non-transitory computer readable medium for producing a slice-selective adiabatic magnetization T.sub.2 preparation pulse for magnetic resonance imaging. A pulse control signal including an adiabatic half passage pulse control signal, an adiabatic full passage pulse control signal, and a reverse adiabatic half passage pulse control signal is generated. A plurality of slice-selective linear phase subpulse control signals are generated. The pulse control signal is sampled using the plurality of slice-selective linear phase subpulse control signals to generate a slice-selective adiabatic magnetization T.sub.2 preparation control signal. The slice-selective adiabatic magnetization T.sub.2 preparation control signal is output to a waveform generator to produce the slice-selective adiabatic magnetization T.sub.2 preparation pulse.

The disclosure relates to techniques for perming chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) imaging correction. The present disclosure improves the speed of correcting CEST images.