Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), which is given the acronym ULTRA (Unlimited Trains of Radio Acquisitions), allows simultaneous MR signal acquisition from the entire object volume in each of a multitude of very small receiver coils arranged in a 3D array around the imaging volume, except for gradient reversals and/or RF pulses for refocusing spins into echoes. This permits a rate of MR signal acquisition that is greatly increased (e.g., 256 times) compared with known existing techniques, with a full 3D image constructed in as little as 1 millisecond. Furthermore, noise—both audible and electrical—is substantially reduced. Clinical imaging can be completed in seconds or less, with good signal-to-noise ratio; signal-to-noise ratio further increases by reducing or eliminating RF noise due to gradient switching; real-time functional MRI can be on millisecond timescales; high quality imaging of thorax and abdomen can be in a single breath hold; ands; and audible noise and vibration are greatly reduced.

A system and method is provided for improved magnetic resonance fingerprinting (MRF) data dictionary matching using an MRF dictionary having entries with an inner product storing tissue properties.

A system and method for providing an imaging system utilizing black bone MRI scanning data of a particular patient. Post processing software is provided for executing on a computer system to process the Black Bone MRI dataset into a 360VR model. This model highlights bone structures of the particular patient. The post processing software first inverts the dataset and then utilizes an auto detection algorithm that detects the pixels of intensity range similar to that of bone. Additional tools such as an erase tool that removes pixels out of intensity range within the designated bounds of the area, were developed to help further clean up the model, thereby providing a model useful for planning or performing medical procedures on the patient.

A method for generating magnetic resonance images of a subject includes performing, using a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, an interrupted three-dimensional (3D) single shot unbalanced steady-state free precession (uSSFP) pulse sequence to acquire MR data for each of a plurality of partitions associated with a region of interest of a subject. The interrupted 3D single shot uSSFP pulse sequence may be configured to suppress blood signal in the region of interest. The MR data for each partition is acquired as a single shot along an in-plane phase-encoding direction and the acquisition of MR data for each partition is synchronized to a phase of a cardiac cycle. The method further includes generating, using a processor, an image with blood suppression based on the acquired MR data.

A method for generating magnetic resonance images of a subject includes performing, using a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, a magnetization preparation module to control tissue contrast for a region of interest in the subject. The method further includes after a predetermined period of time, performing, using the MRI system, a three dimensional (3D) unbalanced steady-state free precession (uSSFP) pulse sequence to acquire MR data from the region of interest in the subject. The 3D uSSFP pulse sequence is configured to suppress blood signal in the region of interest. The method further includes generating an image with blood signal suppression based on the acquired MR data.

A method for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may include cause, based on a pulse sequence, a magnetic resonance (MR) scanner to perform a scan on an object. The pulse sequence may include a steady-state sequence and an acquisition sequence that is different from the steady-state sequence. The steady-state sequence may correspond to a steady-state phase of the scan in which no MR data is acquired. The acquisition sequence may correspond to an acquisition phase of the scan in which MR data of the object is acquired. The method may also include generating one or more images of the object based on the MR data.

A method for recording a magnetic resonance image dataset includes providing a magnetic resonance sequence with a series of sequence blocks, and providing at least one correction term to compensate for a magnetic field change. The magnetic field change is produced as a change of an actual magnetic field compared to a setpoint magnetic field by gradient pulses. The magnetic field change is established via a transfer characteristic of the gradient system of the magnetic resonance installation. The at least one correction term is used to compensate for the magnetic field change, and at least one magnetic resonance image dataset is recorded with the magnetic resonance sequence using the correction term.

A method for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) comprises applying a consecutive series of MRI sequences to a target volume (V) according to experimental settings (TR, α, β). A discrete sequence of transient response signals (Sn, Sn+1,Sn+2) is measured and fitted to a fit function (F) that is continuously dependent on a sequence number (n) of the respective MRI sequence (Pn) and corresponding response signal (Sn). A shape of the fit function is determined according to an analytically modelled evolution by the experimental parameters (TR, α, β) as well as variable intrinsic parameters (r,λ3, φ, δ) to be fitted. For example, the model is based on an equivalent harmonic oscillator. The intrinsic parameters of the fit function can be related to the intrinsic properties (PD,T1,T2) of the spin systems and used for imaging the target volume (V). Various optimizations of contrast can be achieved by tuning the experimental settings according to the model.

MR imaging comprising the steps of: subjecting an object (10) to an imaging sequence of RF pulses and switched magnetic field gradients (GS, GP, GM), which imaging sequence is a steady state sequence comprising a plurality of repeatedly applied acquisition blocks (21), wherein each acquisition block (21) comprises two units (22, 23) in immediate succession, namely: i) a first unit (22) starting with an excitation RF pulse radiated toward the object (10), with the duration of the first unit being an integer multiple of a given time interval T, and ii) a second unit (23) starting with a refocusing RF pulse radiated toward the object (10) and comprising a readout magnetic field gradient (GM) and a phase encoding magnetic field gradient (GP), with the duration of the second unit (23) being an integer multiple of the time interval T, acquiring one or more phase-encoded spin echo signals (31, 32) in a sequence of acquisition blocks (21), and reconstructing one or more MR images from the acquired spin echo signals (31, 32). Moreover, the invention relates to a MR device (1) and to a computer program for a MR device (1).

A method for using a multi-echo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) simultaneously quantify T1 and fat fraction in an anatomical region of interest includes performing a radial single shot multi-echo acquisition of the anatomical region of interest. The radial single shot multi-echo acquisition comprises applying a preparation pulse to invert longitudinal magnetization of the anatomical region of interest, and acquiring a plurality of radial readouts at different echo times (TE). A magnetization recovery curve is continuously sampled using the plurality of radial readouts to yield a plurality of radial spokes. The radial spokes for each TE are ground together to generate under-sampled k-space data for each TE. The under-sampled k-space data is reconstructed into a plurality of multi-echo images corresponding to the different echo times. One or more fitting algorithms are applied to the multi-echo images to generate a water-only T1 map and a proton density fat fraction (PDFF) measurement.