PROSPECTIVE RESPIRATORY TRIGGERING WITH RETROSPECTIVE VALIDATION FOR 4D-MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING

Abstract

A method of operating a magnetic resonance imaging system (10) being connectable to a respiration monitoring means (46) which is configured to provide an output signal (48) whose level represents a respiration state of the subject of interest (20), the method comprising: —a step (54) of providing a prospective acquisition scheme for acquiring magnetic resonance images at each respiration state of a set of selected respiration states of the subject of interest (20), the triggering on the selected respiration states being based on predetermined threshold output signal levels of the respiration monitoring means (46), and, during executing magnetic resonance image acquisition pursuant to the prospective acquisition scheme, a step (58) of comparing actual respiration states at which magnetic resonance images were actually acquired, with the selected respiration states according to the prospective acquisition scheme and predetermined ranges of tolerance (52) of the selected respiration states, —a step (60) of modifying the prospective acquisition scheme, if one of the actual respiration states lies outside the predetermined range of tolerance (52) of the selected respiration state, and a step (62) of proceeding execution of magnetic resonance imaging acquisition pursuant to the modified prospective acquisition scheme; and a magnetic resonance imaging system (10) comprising a control unit (26) that is configured to carry out steps of an embodiment of such a method.

Claims

1-8. (canceled)

9. A method of operating a magnetic resonance imaging system, the magnetic resonance imaging system being configured for acquiring magnetic resonance images of a set of slices from at least a portion of a subject of interest over at least one breathing cycle of the subject of interest, and the magnetic resonance imaging system being connectable to a respiration monitoring means which is configured to provide an output signal whose level represents a respiration state of the subject of interest, the method comprising: a step of providing a prospective acquisition scheme for acquiring within the at least one breathing cycle at least one magnetic resonance image of each slice of the set of slices at each respiration state of a set of selected respiration states of the subject of interest, the triggering on the selected respiration states being based on predetermined threshold output signal levels of the respiration monitoring means, a step of commencing magnetic resonance image acquisition pursuant to the provided prospective acquisition scheme, during executing magnetic resonance image acquisition pursuant to the prospective acquisition scheme, a step of comparing actual respiration states at which magnetic resonance images were actually acquired, with the selected respiration states according to the prospective acquisition scheme and predetermined ranges of tolerance of the selected respiration states, a step of modifying the prospective acquisition scheme, if one of the actual respiration states lies outside the predetermined range of tolerance of the selected respiration state, and a step of proceeding execution of magnetic resonance imaging acquisition pursuant to the modified prospective acquisition scheme a step of comparing a time course of an output signal representing a breathing cycle for which all the magnetic resonance images scheduled in the prospective acquisition scheme have been acquired, with a predetermined standard output signal time course representing a standard breathing cycle and having predetermined standard output signal ranges of tolerance, and a step of modifying the prospective acquisition scheme if the time course of the output signal representing the breathing cycle for which all the magnetic resonance images scheduled in the prospective acquisition scheme have been acquired at least partially lies outside the predetermined ranges of tolerance of the predetermined standard output signal time course.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the predetermined ranges of tolerance of the selected respiration states or the predetermined standard output signal ranges of tolerance are a fixed percentage of the predetermined threshold output signal levels or the predetermined standard output signal time course, respectively.

11. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the step of modifying the prospective acquisition scheme comprises: discarding acquired data representing a magnetic resonance image corresponding to an actual respiration state that lies outside the predetermined range of tolerance of the selected respiration state, and adding the selected respiration state that corresponds to the actual respiration state lying outside the predetermined range of tolerance of the selected respiration state to the prospective acquisition scheme as a selected respiration state at which another magnetic resonance image is still to be acquired.

12. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the step of modifying the prospective acquisition scheme comprises: discarding acquired data representing magnetic resonance images corresponding to all selected respiration states of a breathing cycle that at least partially lies outside the predetermined ranges of tolerance of the predetermined standard output signal time course, and adding the selected respiration states that correspond to the breathing cycle that at least partially lies outside the predetermined ranges of tolerance of the predetermined standard output signal time course to the prospective acquisition scheme as selected respiration states at which magnetic resonance images are still to be acquired.

13. A magnetic resonance imaging system configured for acquiring magnetic resonance images of a set of slices from at least a portion of a subject of interest over at least one breathing cycle of the subject of interest, comprising: an examination space provided to position the subject of interest within; a main magnet configured for generating a static magnetic field B.sub.0 in the examination space; a magnetic gradient coil system configured for generating gradient magnetic fields superimposed to the static magnetic field B.sub.0; at least one radio frequency antenna device that is configured for applying a radio frequency excitation field B.sub.1 to nuclei of or within the portion of the subject of interest for magnetic resonance excitation; at least one radio frequency antenna device that is provided for receiving magnetic resonance signals from the nuclei of or within the portion of the subject of interest that have been excited by applying the radio frequency excitation field B.sub.1; a control unit for controlling at least one function of the magnetic resonance imaging system; a signal processing unit configured for processing magnetic resonance signals to determine images of slices of at least the portion of the subject of interest from the received magnetic resonance signals; wherein the control unit is configured for receiving an output signal from a respiration monitoring means for triggering guidance, wherein a level of the output signal represents a respiration state of the subject of interest, and wherein the control unit is configured to carry out steps of the method as claimed in claim 9.

14. The magnetic resonance imaging system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the at least one radio frequency antenna device that is configured for applying a radio frequency excitation field B.sub.1 is provided with radio frequency pulse sequences that are suitable for obtaining T2-weighted magnetic resonance images.

15. A software module for carrying out the method as claimed in claim 9 of operating a magnetic resonance imaging system, wherein the method steps to be conducted are converted into a program code of the software module, wherein the program code is implementable in a memory unit of the magnetic resonance imaging system and is executable by a processor unit of the magnetic resonance imaging system.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0044] These and other aspects of the invention will be apparent from and elucidated with reference to the embodiments described hereinafter. Such embodiment does not necessarily represent the full scope of the invention, however, and reference is made therefore to the claims and herein for interpreting the scope of the invention.

[0045] In the drawings:

[0046] FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of a part of an embodiment of a magnetic resonance imaging system in accordance with the invention,

[0047] FIG. 2 is a graph of an output signal of a respiration monitoring means,

[0048] FIG. 3 is a detailed partial view of the graph pursuant to FIG. 2, and

[0049] FIG. 4 shows a flow chart of an embodiment of the method in accordance with the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0050] FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of a part of an embodiment of a magnetic resonance imaging system 10 configured for acquiring magnetic resonance images of a set of slices from at least a portion of a subject of interest 20, usually a patient, over a plurality of breathing cycles 50 of the subject of interest 20. The magnetic resonance imaging system 10 comprises a scanner unit 12 having a main magnet 14. The main magnet 14 has a central bore that provides an examination space 16 around a center axis 18 for the subject of interest 20 to be positioned within, and is further configured for generating a static magnetic field B.sub.0 of 1.5 T at least in the examination space 16. For clarity reasons, a customary table top for supporting the subject of interest 20 is omitted in FIG. 1. The static magnetic field B.sub.0 defines an axial direction of the examination space 16, aligned in parallel to the center axis 18. It is appreciated that the invention is also applicable to any other type of magnetic resonance imaging system providing an examination region within a static magnetic field.

[0051] Further, the magnetic resonance imaging system 10 comprises a magnetic gradient coil system 22 configured for generating gradient magnetic fields superimposed to the static magnetic field B.sub.0. The magnetic gradient coil system 22 is concentrically arranged within the bore of the main magnet 14, as is known in the art.

[0052] The magnetic resonance imaging system 10 comprises a control unit 26 provided to control functions of the scanner unit 12, the magnetic gradient coil system 22, and other functions of the magnetic resonance imaging system 10. The control unit 26 includes a human interface device 28 designed as a monitor unit having a touch-sensitive screen.

[0053] Furthermore, the magnetic resonance imaging system 10 includes a radio frequency antenna device 34 designed as a whole-body coil that is configured for applying a radio frequency excitation field B.sub.1 to nuclei of or within the subject of interest 20 for magnetic resonance excitation during radio frequency transmit time periods to excite the nuclei of or within the subject of interest 20 for the purpose of magnetic resonance imaging. To this end, radio frequency power is fed, controlled by the control unit 26, from a radio frequency transmitter unit 24 to the whole-body coil. The whole-body coil has a center axis and, in the operational state, is arranged concentrically within the bore of the main magnet 14 such that the center axis of the whole-body coil and the center axis 18 of the examination space 16 coincide. As is common in the art, a cylindrical metal radio frequency shield 40 is arranged concentrically between the magnetic gradient coil system 22 and the whole-body coil.

[0054] The whole-body coil is also configured as a radio frequency antenna device 36 for receiving magnetic resonance signals during radio frequency receive phases from the nuclei of or within the portion of the subject of interest 20 that have been excited by applying the radio frequency excitation field B.sub.1. In an operational state of the magnetic resonance imaging system 10, radio frequency transmit phases and radio frequency receive phases are taking place in a consecutive manner.

[0055] The radio frequency transmitter unit 24 is provided to feed radio frequency power of a magnetic resonance radio frequency and in the form of turbo spin echo (TSE) radio frequency pulse sequences to the whole-body coil via a radio frequency switching unit 38 during the radio frequency transmit phases, enabling to obtain T2-weighted magnetic resonance images. During the radio frequency receive phases, the radio frequency switching unit 38, controlled by the control unit 26, directs the magnetic resonance signals from the whole-body coil to a signal processing unit 42 residing in the control unit 26. The signal processing unit 42 is configured for processing magnetic resonance signals to determine images of slices of at least the portion of the subject of interest 20 from the acquired magnetic resonance signals. Many different variations of this technique are well known to the person skilled in the art, and thus need not be described in further detail herein.

[0056] The magnetic resonance imaging system 10 further comprises a respiration monitoring means 46 that is designed as a belt-type respiration monitoring device. The respiration monitoring device includes a respiration sensor that, in an operational state, is attached to the thorax of the subject of interest 20 and is held by a belt, wound around the thorax. The respiration monitoring device is configured to provide the control unit 26 with an output signal 48 (FIG. 2) whose level represents a respiration state of the subject of interest 20. To this end, an output line (not shown) of the respiration monitoring device is connected to the control unit 26. Alternatively, a wireless data link may be installed between the respiration monitoring device and the control unit 26 by employing suitable wireless data transfer means. The control unit 26 of the magnetic resonance imaging system 10 is configured for receiving the output signal 48 from the respiration monitoring device for triggering guidance, as will be described in more detail later on.

[0057] In the following, an embodiment of a method of operating the magnetic resonance imaging system 10 with regard to triggering of magnetic resonance image acquisitions is described. A principal flow chart of the method is given in FIG. 4. In preparation of operating the magnetic resonance imaging system 10, it shall be understood that all involved units and devices are in an operational state and configured as illustrated in FIG. 1.

[0058] In order to be able to carry out the method as a specific operation of the magnetic resonance imaging system 10, the control unit 26 comprises a software module 44 (FIG. 1). The method steps to be conducted are converted into a program code of the software module 44, wherein the program code is implementable in a memory unit 30 of the control unit 26 and is executable by a processor unit 32 of the control unit 26.

[0059] In a first step 54 of the method, a prospective acquisition scheme for acquiring within the plurality of breathing cycles 50 one magnetic resonance image of each slice of the set of selected slices at each respiration state of the set of selected respiration states of the subject of interest 20 is provided. The set of selected respiration states consists of the eight respiration states of 0% inspiration, 25% inspiration, 50% inspiration, 75% inspiration, 100% inspiration, 75% expiration, 50% expiration and 25% expiration, and the set of selected slices comprises 32 slices. The prospective acquisition scheme of this embodiment is interleaved but may in general also be non-interleaved. The provided interleaved prospective acquisition scheme may be similar to the prior art acquisition scheme described in the paper by Y. Hu et al. mentioned in chapter “Background of the Invention” of this application. The triggering for acquiring a magnetic resonance image at one of the selected respiration states is based on predetermined threshold output signal levels of the respiration monitoring device. The predetermined threshold output signal levels are stored in the memory unit 30 of the control unit 26.

[0060] In a next step 56 of the method, the magnetic resonance image acquisition pursuant to the provided prospective acquisition scheme commences. In the detailed view of the output signal of the respiration monitoring device of FIG. 3 triggering at the predetermined threshold output signal levels is indicated by triangles, with triangles pointing up denoting inspiration and triangles pointing down meaning expiration. During executing the magnetic resonance image acquisition pursuant to the prospective acquisition scheme, actual respiration states at which magnetic resonance images were actually acquired, are compared with the selected respiration states according to the prospective acquisition scheme and predetermined ranges of tolerance 52 of the selected respiration states in a next step 58. The predetermined ranges of tolerance 52 of the selected respiration states are a fixed percentage of, for instance, ±5% of the predetermined threshold output signal levels.

[0061] If it is determined that one of the actual respiration states lies outside the predetermined range of tolerance 52 of the selected respiration state, the prospective acquisition scheme is modified in another step 60. As an example, in the time period at about 212 s, highlighted in FIG. 2 and shown in detail in FIG. 3, the magnetic resonance image to be acquired at the selected respiration state of 100% inspiration was actually acquired at an output signal level of 83% because the respiratory output signal amplitude in this breathing cycle 50 was high above average.

[0062] The step 60 of modifying the prospective acquisition scheme comprises discarding the acquired data representing the magnetic resonance image corresponding to the actual respiration state of 83% that lies outside the predetermined range of tolerance 52 of the selected respiration state, and adding the selected respiration state that corresponds to the actual respiration state of 83% lying outside the predetermined range of tolerance 52 of the selected respiration state to the prospective acquisition scheme as a selected respiration state at which another magnetic resonance image is still to be acquired.

[0063] After the step 60 of modifying the prospective acquisition scheme, the execution of magnetic resonance imaging acquisition pursuant to the modified prospective acquisition scheme is proceeded with as a next step 62.

[0064] If for a specific breathing cycle 50 all the magnetic resonance images scheduled in the prospective acquisition scheme have been acquired, a step 64 of comparing the output signal time course representing the breathing cycle 50 is carried out. The comparison is performed with a predetermined standard output signal time course 68 representing a standard breathing cycle and having predetermined standard output signal ranges of tolerance 52. The predetermined standard output signal time course 68 has been obtained by averaging output signal time courses over a plurality of breathing cycles of the subject of interest 20 in a preparatory phase prior to commencing the acquisition of magnetic resonance images. The predetermined standard output signal ranges of tolerance 52 are a fixed percentage of, in this embodiment, ±5% of the predetermined standard output signal time course 68 (FIG. 2; the predetermined standard output signal ranges of tolerance 52 are overstated for clarity purposes).

[0065] If in the course of the step 64 of comparing it is determined that the output signal time course representing the breathing cycle 50 for which all the magnetic resonance images scheduled in the prospective acquisition scheme have been acquired, at least partially lies outside the predetermined ranges of tolerance 52 of the predetermined standard output signal time course 68, another step 66 of modifying the prospective acquisition scheme is carried out.

[0066] As an example, in the time period at about 160 s which is highlighted in FIG. 2, the respiration sensor failed for about 15 s. Nonetheless, magnetic resonance images have been acquired at various selected respiration states. Obviously, in this time period the output signal representing a breathing cycle partially lies outside the predetermined ranges of tolerance 52 of the predetermined standard output signal time course 68.

[0067] The step 66 of modifying the prospective acquisition scheme comprises discarding acquired the data representing magnetic resonance images corresponding to all selected respiration states of the breathing cycle 50 that at least partially lies outside the predetermined ranges of tolerance 52 of the predetermined standard output signal time course 68. Also, in the step 66 of modifying, the selected respiration states that correspond to the breathing cycle 50 that at least partially lies outside the predetermined ranges of tolerance 52 of the predetermined standard output signal time course 68 are added to the prospective acquisition scheme as selected respiration states at which magnetic resonance images are still to be acquired.

[0068] If the modified prospective acquisition scheme is finalized, the magnetic resonance images are acquired at the intended and selected respiration states, which provides an improved image quality of the acquired 4D magnetic resonance image data set due to a smaller systematic error regarding an assignment of the acquired magnetic resonance image to the respiration state of the subject of interest 20.

[0069] While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, such illustration and description are to be considered illustrative or exemplary and not restrictive; the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. Other variations to the disclosed embodiments can be understood and effected by those skilled in the art in practicing the claimed invention, from a study of the drawings, the disclosure, and the appended claims. In the claims, the word “comprising” does not exclude other elements or steps, and the indefinite article “a” or “an” does not exclude a plurality. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage. Any reference signs in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope.

TABLE-US-00001 REFERENCE SYMBOL LIST 10 magnetic resonance imaging system 12 scanner unit 14 main magnet 16 examination space 18 center axis 20 subject of interest 22 magnetic gradient coil system 24 radio frequency transmitter unit 26 control unit 28 human interface device 30 memory unit 32 processor unit 34 radio frequency antenna device (transmit) 36 radio frequency antenna device (receive) 38 radio frequency switching unit 40 radio frequency shield 42 signal processing unit 44 software module 46 respiration monitoring means 48 output signal 50 breathing cycle 52 range of tolerance 54 step of providing prospective acquisition scheme 56 step of commencing magnetic resonance image acquisition 58 step of comparing actual to selected respiration states 60 step of modifying the prospective acquisition scheme 62 step of proceeding with modified prospective acquisition scheme 64 step of comparing 66 step of modifying the prospective acquisition scheme 68 standard output signal time course B.sub.0 static magnetic field B.sub.1 radio frequency excitation field