A method for free-breathing abdominal magnetic resonance fingerprinting (MRF) includes applying a pilot tone (PT) RF signal in an MRI system environment using a PT RF signal source, acquiring MRF data from a region of interest in subject using free-breathing MRF pulse sequence and acquiring PT navigator signals based on the applied PT RF signal. The PT navigator signals are associated with a plurality of respiratory states and are encoded with acquired MRF data. The method further includes generating images for each of the plurality of respiratory states based on MRF data and the PT navigator signals. For each respiratory state, the generated images for the respiratory state are compared to a respiratory state MRF dictionary associated with the respiratory state to determine tissue property of the MRF data associated with the respiratory state. A quantitative parameter map may be generated for the determined tissue properties for each respiratory state.

An adaptive real-time radial k-space sampling trajectory (ARKS) can respond to a physiologic feedback signal to reduce motion effects and ensure sampling uniformity. In this adaptive k-space sampling strategy, the most recent signals from an ECG waveform can be continuously matched to the previous signal history, new radial k-space locations c were determined, and these MR signals combined using multi-shot or single-shot radial acquisition schemes. The disclosed methods allow for improved

In trigger-adapted MR data acquisition, a trigger from the object undergoing investigation is detected, by which a periodically repeated procedure of the object is detected. An imaging sequence is performed multiple times dependent on the trigger in order to acquire MR data. The imaging sequence includes at least one preparation pulse and a subsequent readout module, the readout module ending a first time period before an end of the procedure. The respective imaging sequence is performed only if RR≧RR(0)−(dRR−dRR(B1)), wherein dRR(B1) is a second time period, RR corresponds is a first time interval between a trigger that is currently being detected and a trigger that was detected immediately before the currently detected trigger, and RR(0) is a second time interval that corresponds to a predefined time interval between two directly succeeding triggers.

Patient headphones (50) for use in a medical scanning modality, comprising a frame member (52), two ear cups (54) that, in an operational state of the patient headphones (50), are arranged to be in contact with one of the patient's ears, and a sensor system (60), the sensor system (60) including optical emitters (64) that are configured for directing electromagnetic radiation to a portion of the patient's skin, and optical sensors (68) that are configured for receiving the electromagnetic radiation being returned from the portion of the patient's skin, and for providing an output signal that corresponds to the received electromagnetic radiation, wherein the output signal is indicative of at least one physiological parameter of the patient and serves as a basis for determining the at least one physiological parameter of the patient; —a patient headphones system (48) for use in a medical scanning modality (10), comprising an embodiment of such patient headphones (50) and a data acquisition and analysis unit (76) that is configured to ac quire output signals of the optical sensors (68) and to analyze the acquired output signals by applying pre-determined criteria related to the output signals, and to provide a trigger output signal (80) if one of the pre-determined criteria is fulfilled; —a medical scanning modality (10) that is configured for contact-free acquisition of scanning data of at least a portion of a subject of interest (20), in particular a patient, comprising an embodiment of such patient headphones system (48), wherein the medical imaging modality (10) is in particular formed as a magnetic resonance imaging system.

The invention relates to a method of MR imaging of a body (10) of a patient. It is an object of the invention to provide a method that enables efficient compensation of flow artifacts, especially for MR angiography in combination with Dixon water/fat separation. The method of the invention comprises the steps of: a) generating MR echo signals at two or more echo times by subjecting the portion of the body (10) to a MR imaging sequence of RF pulses and switched magnetic field gradients, wherein the MR imaging sequence is a Dixon sequence; b) acquiring the MR echo signals; c) reconstructing one or more single-echo MR images from the MR echo signals; d) segmenting the blood vessels from the MR images; e) detecting and compensating for blood flow-induced variations of the amplitude or phase in the single-echo MR images within the blood vessel lumen, and f) separating signal contributions from water and fat spins to the compensated single-echo MR images. Moreover, the invention relates to a MR device (1) and to a computer program for a MR device (1).

A system and method synchronizes a digitizer clock of a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) device with a system clock of an imaging device. In a first method, an original reference signal is split into first and second reference signals in which the second reference signal is phase shifted to generate an orthogonal reference signal. A reliability of image data may be determined based upon a product between the first reference signal and the orthogonal reference signal. In a second method, a reference signal is transmitted from the imaging device to the MRI device and a return signal is received from the MRI device to the imaging device. A discrepancy between the digitizer clock and the system clock may be determined based upon the return signal which includes a variable time delay.

In a method and apparatus for magnetic resonance imaging, in order to create a T1 map, an pulse sequence is used that includes at least one exposure cycle, wherein the exposure cycle includes an inversion pulse, a saturation pulse quantity of one or more saturation pulses and a readout step quantity of one or more readout steps. Within the exposure cycle, at least one saturation pulse of the saturation pulse quantity follows the inversion pulse and at least one readout step of the readout step quantity follows the at least one saturation pulse.

A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus according to an embodiment includes an execution unit and a generation unit. The execution unit executes first data collection after a predetermined inversion time elapses from a time when a labeling pulse is applied to a fluid flowing into an imaging region of a subject and a second data collection without application of the labeling pulse. The generation unit generates a differential image by using the first data and the second data. Here, the generation unit generates the differential image by a different differential method according to a relationship between the inversion time and a longitudinal relaxation time of the fluid.

3D cine MR angiography systems and methods are disclosed for use during the steady state intravascular distribution phase of ferumoxytol. The 3D cine MRA technique enables improved delineation of cardiac anatomy in pediatric patients undergoing cardiovascular MRI.

In a method and magnetic resonance (MR) apparatus for heart diffusion imaging, when an ECG trigger signal by a computer that operates an MR scanner, the MR scanner is operated to acquire a navigator echo before a stimulated echo sequence, in order to detect diaphragm position information. When the first diaphragm position information is not located in an acquisition window, the stimulated echo sequence is not executed, and the computer waits to receive the next ECG trigger signal. The detection time of the navigator echo after the stimulated echo sequence as well as the acquisition time of the stimulated echo sequence, are thus eliminated when the first diaphragm position information does not meet requirements, so can significantly reduce scanning time, and increase the image SNR.