Described here are systems and methods for correcting motion-encoding gradient nonlinearities in magnetic resonance elastography (“MRE”). In general, the systems and methods RF described in the present disclosure compute gradient nonlinearity corrected displacement data based on information about the motion-encoding gradients used when acquiring magnetic resonance data.

Described here are systems and methods for evaluating the extent of brain-skull tethering, which may also be referred to as loss of trabecular reserve, in subjects using magnetic resonance elastography (“MRE”). The present disclosure describes a method for assessing progressive damage to arachnoid space (“SAS”) trabeculae. The method generally includes measuring the relative movement between the brain and the skull using MRE. As one example, an MRE-based method named slip interface imaging (“SII”) can be implemented. By measuring trabecular reserve in subjects who have a history of prior head trauma, the susceptibility of a given subject to future injury can be assessed.

An energy depositing therapy system (10), comprising: an energy depositing unit (12) provided for locally depositing energy into a therapy zone (56) of a subject of interest (28) for therapy purposes; a transducer unit (32) that is provided for applying mechanical oscillations to at least a portion of the subject of interest (28); a magnetic resonance imaging system (14) provided for acquiring magnetic resonance imaging data from at least the portion of a subject of interest (28), comprising an image processing unit (24) configured to image the mechanical oscillations; a control unit (40) that is connectable to the energy depositing unit (12), the transducer unit (32) and a magnetic resonance scanner (16) of the magnetic resonance imaging system (14), wherein the control unit (40) is configured to control the depositing of energy in dependence of the processed magnetic resonance imaging data of the portion of the subject of interest (28); a method of controlling an energy depositing therapy system (10) by a magnetic resonance rheology system; and an application software module (50) provided to carry out one of the disclosed methods or combinations thereof.

A method for determining a signature index of an observed tissue comprises the step of providing a generic attenuation model of a motion-probing gradient pulse MRI attenuated signal S(b), and providing a reference model parameter vector (p.sub.R(i)) corresponding to a reference state of the tissue. On the basis of the evolution of the determined partial differential sensitivities dS.sub.i(b) of the model attenuated signal S(b) to each model parameter p(i) at the neutral state attenuated signal S.sub.N(b) versus b values, a discrete and narrow size set of key b is built and a series of MRI images of the observed tissue are acquired by using the key b values. Then, for each voxel a signature index (sADC(V), Sdist(V), SCdist(V), Snl(V), SI(V)) of the voxel V is determined as a scalar function depending on a distance between the voxel signal pattern acquired at the key b values and the signal pattern of the reference state of the tissue at the same key b values. An apparatus is configured for implementing such a method.

A rheology system (202) includes a rheology transducer device (204) for introducing mechanical waves into a subject of interest (120). The rheology transducer device (204) includes multiple transducers (212), a driving device (206) for driving the rheology transducer device (204), a sensor device (208) for sensing mechanical waves at the subject of interest (120), and a control device (210) for receiving input from the sensor device (208) and for controlling the driving device (206) based on the received input from the sensor device (208). An MR rheology system (200) includes the above rheology system (202) and an MR imaging system (110) adapted to control the rheology system (200). A rheology method includes with the rheology system (202), driving the rheology transducer device (204) to introduce mechanical waves into the subject of interest (120), sensing mechanical waves at the subject of interest (120), and performing feedback control.

The present disclosure is directed to a motor for a magnetic resonance (MR) tomography room, to a patient table for the MR room, to a MR elastography device, and to a MR tomography device. A MR tomography device for a MR elastography imaging protocol is arranged within the MR tomography room, and includes a rotational drive for supplying rotational energy to power a MR elastography transducer usable during the MR elastography imaging protocol, and a support structure. The rotational drive comprises a terminal for connecting the MR elastography transducer to the rotational drive, and a bearing means configured such that the position of the terminal relative to the support structure is adaptable along a trajectory predetermined by the bearing means. The rotational drive is mounted to the support structure via the bearing means.

Provided are devices and methods that deform tissue synchronous with an MR imaging cycle, as well as devices and methods for determination of dynamic determination of one or more mechanical properties of the tissue, including properties of muscle tissue. Such determination can be performed with and without imaging of the tissue being evaluated.

Techniques are disclosed for a magnetic resonance elastography apparatus comprising a magnetic resonance unit and an elastography unit. The elastography unit has a vibration applicator, which has a vibration generator unit, and a coupling unit for coupling the elastography unit with the magnetic resonance unit. The elastography unit has a drive unit for generating a drive moment for the vibration generator unit, and the drive unit is embodied to be magnetic resonance-compatible.

A magnetic resonance system that is designed to carry out an examination of an examination object, and has an RF controller, a gradient controller and an image sequence controller, which are designed to acquire MR data of a volume portion of the examination object. An arithmetic unit of the magnetic resonance system is designed to reconstruct MR images from the acquired MR data. A standardized REST-based HTTP radio interface of the magnetic resonance system is designed to establish a standardized wireless connection to at least one external device.

Described here are systems and methods for magnetic resonance elastography (MRE), or other imaging-based elastography techniques, in which a machine learning approach, such as an artificial neural network, is implemented to perform an inversion of displacement data in order to generate estimates of the mechanical properties, such as stiffness and damping ratio, of tissues in a subject.