A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus includes sequence control circuitry and processing circuitry. In CEST imaging the sequence control circuitry performs a first sequence and a second sequence under different saturation pulse conditions. The first sequence is for acquiring first magnetic resonance signals corresponding to a first frequency region of a k-space and second magnetic resonance signals corresponding to a second frequency region of the k-space. The second sequence is for acquiring third magnetic resonance signals corresponding to at least the first frequency region. The processing circuitry assigns the third magnetic resonance signals and the second magnetic resonance signals to a single k-space generated for the second sequence. Frequency including the first frequency region is lower than frequency including the second frequency region.

Systems and methods for fast and robust quantification of magnetization transfer (MT) use off-resonance spin-lock MRI with as few as two or three image acquisitions. Each image acquisition can be performed using an off-resonance spin-lock pulse having a different RF amplitude and frequency offset. A parameter representing the difference of the relaxation rate in the rotating frame between the acquisitions can be computed. This parameter can be used to compute other parameters of magnetization transfer.

An MRI apparatus according to an embodiment includes sequence controlling circuitry, in a first transition period, repeating application of a first MT pulse and acquisition of a first MR signal to a first frequency region being a part of a k-space; in the first steady state, repeating application of the first MT pulse and acquisition of a second MR signal to a second frequency region of the k-space, frequency in second frequency region being lower than frequency in the first frequency region; and in a second transition period, repeating application of a second MT pulse and acquisition of a third MR signal to a third frequency region being another part of the k-space, frequency in the third frequency region being higher than the frequency in the second frequency region, and processing circuitry generating one MR image on basis of the first, second, and third MR signal.

A method of providing content related to capture of a medical image of an object is provided. The method includes acquiring at least one of information related to a state of the object and information related to a capture protocol, determining content to be provided to the object on a basis of the acquired information, and outputting the determined content.

In various embodiments, the invention teaches systems and methods for magnetic resonance imaging. In some embodiments, the invention teaches systems and methods for determining the source of pain in intervertebral discs by measuring one or more physiological biomarkers associated with disc pain and/or disc degeneration.

Disclosed is a method and apparatus for frequency drift correction of magnetic resonance CEST imaging, and a medium and an imaging device. The method comprises the following steps: firstly, in the frequency drift correction module, exciting a target slice by using a small flip-angle radio-frequency pulse, and acquiring a single line of free induction decay signals or two lines of non-phase encoding gradient echo signals; secondly, respectively calculating a value of the main magnetic field frequency drift according to phase information and an acquisition time of the single line of free induction decay signals or the two lines of non-phase encoding gradient echo signals; then adjusting the center frequency of the magnetic resonance device in real time according to the calculated value of the main magnetic field frequency drift, and achieving the real-time correction of main magnetic field frequency drift; and finally, performing CEST imaging.

A method of enhancing the nuclear spin polarization of target molecules (10) uses a hyperpolarized source material (12) that is co-confined with the target molecules (10) in a porous molecular matrix (20). The matrix (20) may be a D4R-polysiloxane copolymer such as polyoligosiloxysilicone number two (PSS-2) that has recesses of an appropriate diameter. A source material (12), such as parahydrogen, is transferred to the matrix (20) together with the target molecules (10), and an external pressure is applied to force them into the recesses of the matrix (20). The nano-confinement of the source material (12) and target molecules (10) together enables or enhances a transfer of spin polarization from the source material (12) to the target molecules (10). When the target molecules (10) are removed from the matrix (20), the enhanced spin polarization greatly enhances the signal strength of the target molecules (10) in any subsequent magnetic resonance measurement.

A method of operating a magnetic resonance scanner includes determining a radio frequency (RF) pulse to be transmitted to jointly homogenize a flip angle and a semisolid saturation that would result from magnetization of a sample to be scanned by the MR scanner using the determined RF pulse. The method also includes controlling an RF transmit coil of the MR scanner to transmit the determined pulse. Homogenizing both semisolid saturation and excitation properties of the RF pulse allows for improved magnetic transfer ratio imaging.

Systems and methods are provided for producing hyperpolarized materials for use during a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) process. The system and methods include the use of microfluidic and/or microreactor methods in one or more of the stages of parahydrogen production, enriched substrate production, and spin order transfer from the parahydrogen to a substrate.

The devices, systems, and methods can improve magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), MR spectroscopy (MRS), MR spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) measurement(s), thereby providing more reliable quantification. The method may include a method for correcting MR image(s)/spectrum. The method may include providing an inhomogeneity field/response map of a region of interest; and providing MR image(s)/spectrum of the region of interest. The method may include determining an intravoxel/voxel inhomogeneity correction coefficient for each voxel of at least one subregion of the region of the interest using the inhomogeneity field/response map. The method may include correcting each voxel of the MR image(s)/spectrum of the region of interest using the intravoxel/voxel inhomogeneity correction coefficient. The MR image(s)/spectrum may include chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST)/magnetization transfer (MT) imaging with Z-spectrum, CEST/MT imaging without Z-spectrum, CEST spectroscopy, CEST MRS, MRS, MRSI, or any combination thereof.