In one embodiment, an MRI apparatus includes: processing circuitry configured to: set a first pulse sequence and a second pulse sequence, wherein, in the first pulse sequence, a first gradient pulse is applied between two adjacent refocusing pulses, and, in the second pulse sequence, a second gradient pulse being different in pulse shape from the first gradient pulse is applied between two adjacent refocusing pulses, wherein: the scanner is configured to acquire first signals and second signals; and the processing circuitry is configured to generate at least one first image and at least one second image; and calculate a T2 value of a body fluid of the object from the at least one first image and the at least one second image in such a manner that influence of movement including diffusion of the body fluid is removed.

A method for marking an entry position for an injection apparatus on a surface of a patient positioned inside a patient receiving region of a magnetic resonance device. The method includes providing a virtual entry position, introducing a marking apparatus into the patient receiving region, acquiring time-resolved MR image data from the marking apparatus by the magnetic resonance device, ascertaining a current position of the marking apparatus based on the time-resolved MR image data, iteratively changing the current position of the marking apparatus using the virtual entry position and the current position, and delivering the liquid from the marking apparatus when the current position matches the virtual entry position.

Disclosed is a method for generating a time-dependent magnetic field gradient in diffusion weighted magnetic resonance imaging G(t)=[G.sub.x(t)G.sub.y(t)G.sub.z(t)].sup.T, which is asymmetric in time with respect to a refocusing pulse, by meeting one or more of the requirements: A=∫.sub.0.sup.TEh(t)G(t)G(t).sup.Tdt is zero, where TE is an echo time and h(t) is a function of time which is positive during an interval prior to the refocusing pulse and negative during a time interval after the refocusing pulse); minimize A or m=(Tr[AA]).sup.1/2 where A=∫.sub.P1G(t)G(t).sup.Tdt−∫.sub.P2G(t)G(t).sup.Tdt where P1 and P2 represent time intervals prior to and subsequent to the refocusing pulse; m is smaller than a threshold value. an attenuation factor ${\mathrm{AF}}_p=\exp \left(-\frac{t}{T2*}\right)$
due to T2* relaxation is one. Signal attenuation due to concomitant field gradients, regardless of the shape or orientation of the diffusion encoding b-tensor and the location of signal is hereby minimized.

Methods and systems are provided for adaptive scan control. In one embodiment, a method includes processing acquired projection data of a monitoring area of a subject to measure a first contrast signal of a contrast agent administered to the subject via a first injection, initializing a contrast scan of the subject according to a fallback scan prescription, determining when each of a plurality of zones of the contrast scan are estimated to occur based on the contrast signal, generating a personalized scan prescription for the contrast scan based on when each of the plurality of zones are estimated to occur, and performing the contrast scan according to the personalized scan prescription after a second injection of the contrast agent.

Described are a system, method, and computer program product for detecting neurodegeneration using differential tractography and treating neurological disorders accordingly. The method includes obtaining a first diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan of the brain of the patient and obtaining a plurality of diffusion MRI scans of a group of other brains. The method also includes generating a control diffusion MRI scan based on the plurality of diffusion MRI scans of the group of other brains. The method further includes determining a first anisotropy of first neural tracks of the first diffusion MRI scan and a second anisotropy of second neural tracks of the control diffusion MRI scan. The method further includes determining a differential by comparing the first anisotropy to the second anisotropy and identifying at least one neurological disorder based on the differential and a location of the first neural tracks in the brain of the patient.

A magnetic resonance (MR) imaging method of correcting nonuniformity in diffusion-weighted (DW) MR images of a subject is provided. The method includes applying a DW pulse sequence along a plurality of diffusion directions with one or more numbers of excitations (NEX), and acquiring a plurality of DW MR images of the subject along the plurality of diffusion directions with the one or more NEX. The method also includes deriving a reference image and a base image based on the plurality of DW MR images, generating a nonuniformity factor image based on the reference image and the base image, and combining the plurality of DW MR images into a combined image. The method also includes correcting nonuniformity of the combined image using the nonuniformity factor image, and outputting the corrected image.

A computer-implemented method of analysing nuclear magnetic resonance, NMR, data of a target object is provided. The method comprises receiving NMR data of the target object, and analysing the received NMR data using a model of the diffusive behaviour of 5 particles within the target object. The model includes a time parameter and a space parameter, the time parameter describing temporal characteristics of the diffusive behaviour of particles in the model and the space parameter describing spatial characteristics of the diffusive behaviour of particles in the model. The model is constrained such that the value of the time parameter and the value of the space parameter 10 are related according to a correlation function. An apparatus for analysing nuclear magnetic resonance, NMR, data of a target object is also provided.

A diagnostic system to analyze imaging data includes a memory configured to store hybrid imaging data of a tissue sample. The system also includes a processor operatively coupled to the memory and configured to generate a four quadrant plot based on the hybrid imaging data. Each point in the four quadrant plot corresponds to an image voxel of the tissue sample. The processor is also configured to determine one or more angle values and one or more distance values for image voxels in the four quadrant plot. The processor is further configured to identify one or more characteristics of the tissue sample based at least in part on the one or more angle values and the one or more distance values. The processor is further configured to perform a matrix analysis of the data, which can be used to identify the one or more characteristics of the tissue sample.

The present invention relates to an apparatus (10) to analyse diffusion magnetic resonance imaging data. The apparatus comprises an input unit (20), a processing unit (30), and an output unit (40). The input unit is configured to provide the processing unit with at least one diffusion magnetic resonance imaging “dMRI” image of a patient's brain. The processing unit is configured to determine an estimate of an orientation of neurons at each voxel in the dMRI image, the determination comprising utilization of the at least one dMRI image. The processing unit is configured to determine a plurality of fiber tracts in the at least one dMRI image, the determination comprising utilization of the estimated orientation of neurons at each voxel in the at least one dMRI image. The processing unit is configured to select a plurality of voxels along at least one fiber tract of the plurality of fiber tracts. The processing unit is configured to determine a neurological disease classification, the determination comprising utilization of at least one diffusivity feature associated with each of the selected plurality of voxels. The output unit is configured to output the neurological disease classification.

Methods and systems are provided for analyzing diffusion weighted images (DWI) using impeded diffusion fraction models for quantitative imaging diagnostic assay of cancer, such as glandular tissue cancers. The Impeded diffusion fraction models are tissue and cancer independent and generate a single score representative of multi-compartment diffusion fractions occurring within each voxel of a DWI image.