A pilot tone signal generator, a magnetic resonance tomograph, a method for transmission of a synchronization signal, and a computer program product are disclosed. The pilot tone signal generator includes a receive unit for receipt of a synchronization signal of a system control unit of a magnetic resonance tomograph. The synchronization signal may include a clock signal, and the pilot tone signal generator is configured to emit a pilot tone signal as a function of the synchronization signal.

An object of the invention is to perform MRI imaging which is less likely to be affected by a body motion without prolonging an imaging time. The control unit takes in images captured by the camera at a predetermined frame rate. The imaging pulse sequence is divided into small sequences at a time width corresponding to the frame rate of the camera. The control unit, before causing the imaging unit to execute one small sequence, detects a displacement of the subject with respect to a predetermined reference position or a motion speed of the subject based on an image of the latest frame, and causes the imaging unit to execute the small sequence when a detection result is within a predetermined allowable range and waits until an image of a next frame is taken in according to the frame rate without causing the imaging unit to execute the small sequence when the detection result exceeds the allowable range.

A T1-weighted turbo-spin-echo magnetic resonance imaging system configured to capture data associated with a subject's heart during a time period and produce MR images has a dark-blood preparation module, a data capture module, and an image reconstruction module. The dark-blood preparation module performs dark-blood preparation through double inversion during some, but not all of the heartbeats within the time period. The data capture module configured performs data readouts to capture imaging data of an imaging slice during every heartbeat in which dark-blood preparation is performed. The data capture module also performs a steady state maintenance step during every heartbeat in which dark-blood preparation is not performed in order to maintain maximum T1-weighting. The image reconstruction module configured to reconstruct a T1-weighted image based on the imaging data.

A method for adapting, per cardiac cycle, the parameters governing interpolation of varying and non-interpolation of fixed fractions of each individual cardiac cycle is provided. A time series of data values associated with a cardiac cycle is received, and the time series is scaled to a reference cardiac cycle, wherein the scaling includes applying a model to the time series to generate a scaled time series of data values associated with the first cardiac cycle. The model is trained using the scaled time series.

Disclosed herein is a magnetic resonance imaging system (100) controlled by a processor (130). The execution of the machine executable instructions causes the processor to sort (200) multiple preparatory scan commands (142) into fixed duration preparatory scan commands (144) and indeterminate duration preparatory scan commands (146). The execution of the machine executable instructions further causes the processor to first control (202) the magnetic resonance imaging system with the indeterminate duration preparatory scan commands and then (204) with the fixed duration preparatory scan commands. The execution of the machine executable instructions further causes the processor to calculate (206) a gradient pulse starting time (160). The execution of the machine executable instructions further causes the processor to provide (208) the warning signal at a predetermined time (162) before the gradient pulse starting time. The execution of the machine executable instructions further causes the processor to control (210) the magnetic resonance imaging system with pulse sequence commands to acquire the k-space data such that the execution of the gradient coil pulse commands begins at the pulse starting time.

A system and method comprises execution of a segmented magnetic resonance imaging pulse sequence, the pulse sequence including a plurality of shots, each of the plurality of shots including an inversion recovery preparation pulse and acquiring a respective segment of k-space lines, wherein each shot comprises a different inversion time between a peak of the inversion recovery pulse and a midpoint of the acquisition of the respective segment of k-space lines, and reconstruction of an image based on the acquired respective segments of k-space lines. In some aspects, the k-space lines acquired by each shot are consecutive in a phase encoding direction of k-space and each shot acquires the segments of k-space lines acquired by prior shots in the sequence, and a time delay between the inversion recovery preparation pulse and acquisition of a first segment for each shot is equal. In other aspects, each shot acquires its respective segment using interleaved reordering and the time delay between the inversion recovery preparation pulse and acquisition of the respective segment for each shot is different.

A medical image diagnosis apparatus according to an embodiment includes processing circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to derive a subject-specific regression model that indicates a relationship among a cardiac cycle, systole, and diastole of the subject. The processing circuitry is configured to derive timing of a data acquisition in a synchronization imaging performed in synchronization with heartbeats of the heart of the subject, by using the derived regression model and electrocardiographic information of the subject obtained during an image taking process. The processing circuitry is configured to control the synchronization imaging so that the data acquisition is performed with the derived timing.

A computerized information processing method for evaluating blood vessels is provided. The method includes acquiring a series of sequences of measurements, each at different time points in at least one cardiac cycle and at a different point along a blood vessel segment of a subject, generating corresponding profiles, calculating a transfer function for a subsegment between two selected points along a blood flow direction, and based thereon determining the physiological property of the subsegment. The measurements can contain information of blood velocity or blood pressure. A processing device and system implementing the information processing method are also provided. This approach can be used to evaluate arteries or veins and can be applied in screening, diagnosis, or prognosis of a variety of vascular diseases. For example, when combined with MRI scan, this approach can be used for non-invasively diagnosing pulmonary hypertension (PH) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), etc.

In one embodiment, a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus includes: a scanner that includes a static magnetic field magnet configured to generate a static magnetic field, a gradient coil configured to generate a gradient magnetic field, and a WB (Whole Body) coil configured to apply an RF pulse to an object; and processing circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to: set (i) a pulse sequence in which a sequence element is repeated, the sequence element including at least an inversion pulse and (ii) a data acquisition sequence executed after a delay time from the inversion pulse; and cause the scanner to execute the pulse sequence by using virtual gating.

The disclosure relates to a radio-based physiological acquisition system for an RF-shielded room comprising a peripheral acquisition unit with a peripheral transmitter, a peripheral control unit, and a door sensor unit. The door sensor unit is configured to determine an opening status of a door in an RF shield around the RF-shielded room. The peripheral acquisition unit is configured to switch off the peripheral transmitter depending on the opening status of the door, e.g. when the door is open.