A method for performing 3D body imaging includes performing a 3D MRI acquisition of a patient to acquire k-space data and dividing the k-space data into k-space data bins. Each bin includes a portion of the k-space data corresponding to a distinct breathing phase. 3D image sets are reconstructed from the bins, with each 3D image set corresponding to a distinct k-space data bin. For each bin other than a selected reference bin, forward and inverse transforms are calculated between the 3D image set corresponding to the bin and the 3D image set corresponding to the reference bin. Then, a motion corrected and averaged image is generated for each bin by (a) aligning the 3D image set from each other bin to the 3D image set corresponding to the bin using the transforms, and (b) averaging the aligned 3D image sets to yield the motion corrected and averaged image.

Techniques are disclosed for acquiring magnetic resonance data of an object with a magnetic resonance imaging apparatus. A slice group is imaged whose slices define a contiguous imaging volume and which contains a first number of slices. In a number of concatenations, the magnetic resonance data for subgroups of the slices, each containing a respective second number of slices depending on the first number of concatenations, are acquired, and shimming is performed to increase field homogeneity in the imaging volume. To define the subgroups, the imaging volume is subdivided into at least two disjoint contiguous sub-volumes, and at least two subgroups are defined for each sub-volume, each subgroup only containing non-adjacent slices in the sub-volume. During acquisition of the magnetic resonance data of each subgroup, shimming is at least restricted to the respective sub-volume.

According to one embodiment, an image processing apparatus includes a storage unit configured to store data of a series of slice images associated with a region including a target region of an object, a first rest period specifying unit configured to specify a first rest period based on a change between images of the series of slice images, and a second rest period specifying unit configured to specify a second rest period shorter than the first rest period by tracking the target region on a plurality of slice images corresponding to the specified first rest period or a rest period enlarged from the first rest period.

Techniques are disclosed related to the compensation of phase variations introduced into k-space lines, which cause imaging artifacts. The techniques utilize the detection of motion via an encoding plus motion model, which does not require the use of additional prospective or retrospective motion detection techniques. The techniques described herein use the encoding plus motion model to reconstruct an initial image from a set of motion states, and then calculate phase information from images that are projected form the initial reconstructed image using a projection onto convex sets (POCS). The phase information is incorporated into the encoding plus motion model over several iterations to minimize data consistency error, thereby generating a refined image that compensates for patient motion over the set of motion states.

Some aspects of the present disclosure relate to systems and methods for free-breathing cine DENSE MRI using self-navigation. In one embodiment, a method includes acquiring magnetic resonance data for an area of interest of a subject, wherein the acquiring comprises performing sampling with phase-cycled, cine displacement encoding with stimulated echoes (DENSE) during free-breathing of the subject; identifying, from the acquired magnetic resonance data, a plurality of phase-cycling data pairs corresponding to matched respiratory phases of the free-breathing of the subject; reconstructing, from the plurality of phase-cycling data pairs, a plurality of intermediate self-navigation images; performing motion correction by estimating, from the plurality of intermediate self-navigation images, the respiratory position associated with the plurality of phase-cycling data pairs; and reconstructing a plurality of motion-corrected cine DENSE images of the area of interest of the subject.

The disclosure relates to magnetic resonance imaging triggered by a prospective acquisition correction sequence. The technique comprises determining repetition time and an acquisition window time of a single-shot fast spin echo sequence; determining the maximum imaging layer number N in each physiological movement cycle on the basis of the acquisition window time and the repetition time, where N is a positive integer greater than or equal to 2; and enabling the single-shot fast spin echo sequence to obtain M layers of imaging data within at least one acquisition window time when the prospective acquisition correction sequence generates a trigger signal, where M is a positive integer greater than or equal to 2 and less than or equal to N. According to the present disclosure, a plurality of layers of imaging data are obtained within a single acquisition window time, thereby increasing a scanning speed and shortening imaging time.

An embodiment in accordance with the present invention provides concurrent measurement of motion during T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging. The present invention combines T2 preparation, a module used to impart T2 contrast, and motion measurement, tracking, and/or correction. The present invention provides for the expedition of more efficient motion compensation during T2-weighted imaging. The proposed invention can be used to provide a variety of measurements of motion, with no overhead in imaging time. The proposed invention also enables T2 contrast imaging to be executed while a subject is breathing freely, without the additional time cost associated with the standard motion tracking methodologies.

A computer-implemented method of visualizing blood flow through a patient using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) includes receiving an image of the portal venous system of the patient's liver at a full field of view. A reduced field of view is defined which encompasses the portal venous system of the patient's liver and excludes extraneous anatomy in the full field of view. A navigator area is defined in the full field of view and outside of the reduced field of view. Transmit channels are used to selectively excite the reduced field of view and the navigator area throughout a cardiac cycle of the patient. Measurement data is acquired in response to the selective excitation. The acquired data is used to generate time-resolved 3D datasets. Additionally, a 3D visualization of blood flow though the portal venous system is generated based on the time-resolved 3D datasets.

A method and system for imaging a body using a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) apparatus, including motion tracking of a target object of the body using MRI by generating an MRI image of a region of interest of the body by performing a weighted combination of a signal received by each coil of an MRI apparatus during an MRI scan.

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.