OPTIMIZED K-SPACE PROFILE ORDERING FOR 3D RADIAL MR IMAGING

Abstract

The invention relates to a method of MR imaging of an object (10). It is an object of the invention to enable MR imaging using radial acquisition with a reduced level of phase distortions and corresponding image artefacts. The method of the invention comprises the steps of: a) generating MR signals by subjecting the object to an imaging sequence comprising RF pulses and switched magnetic field gradients; b) acquiring the MR signals as radial k-space profiles, wherein pairs of spatially adjacent k-space profiles are acquired in opposite directions and wherein k-space profiles acquired in temporal proximity are close to each other in k-space; c) reconstructing an MR image from the acquired MR signals. Moreover, the invention relates to a MR device (1) and to a computer program for a MR device (1).

Claims

1. A method of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of an object positioned in the examination volume of a MR device, the method comprising: a) generating MR signals by subjecting the object to a 3D radial imaging sequence comprising RF pulses and switched magnetic field gradients defining an field-of-view and including a number of shots of a multi-echo imaging sequence, each shot comprising an RF excitation pulse followed by a number of refocusing magnetic field gradients or refocusing RF pulses to generate a train of MR echo signals in rapid succession, each MR echo signal corresponding to one k-space profile and wherein k-space profiles from one k-space segment are acquired during one shot of the imaging sequence, with a different k-space segment being associated with each shot b) for an individual k-space segment acquiring the MR signals as radial k-space profiles for a first group of k-space profiles at a first rotation angle and for a second group of k-space profiles at a second rotation angle, the second rotation angle incremented relative to the first rotation angels by a minimal angle Φ, to fulfill the Nyquist criterion according to the field-of-view and the k-space profiles of the first and second groups, are acquired in opposite directions and c) reconstructing an MR image from the acquired MR signals.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein pairs of spatially adjacent k-space profiles are acquired in opposite directions and wherein k-space profiles acquired in temporal proximity are close to each other in k-space.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein spatially adjacent k-space profiles of one k-space segment are acquired in opposite directions.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the orientation of the k-space profiles is incremented from shot to shot according to a golden angle scheme to uniformly cover k-space.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the MR signals are acquired according to a Koosh ball scheme, a spiral phyllotaxis scheme, a Floret spiral scheme, a stack-of-stars scheme or a stack-of-spirals scheme.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the imaging sequence encompasses a fat suppression preparation sequence.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the acquisition order of the k-space profiles is reversed after each instance of the fat suppression preparation sequence.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the spatially adjacent k-space profiles of a pair that are acquired in opposite directions differ minimally in terms of the orientation.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the acquired MR signal data are re-gridded onto a Cartesian k-space grid in the step of reconstructing the MR image.

10. The method claim 1, wherein the step of reconstructing the MR image involves a phase correction of the MR signal data.

11. The method claim 1, wherein motion of the object occurring during the acquisition is derived from at least one k-space profile and the detected motion is corrected for in the step of reconstructing the MR image.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the MR image is reconstructed using non-cartesian SENSE or compressed sensing or a deep learning method.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the imaging sequence is a turbo field echo (TFE) or a balanced (turbo) field echo sequence or an echo planar imaging (EPI) sequence or a turbo spin echo (TSE) sequence or a GRASE sequence.

14. A magnetic resonance (MR) device including at least one main magnet coil for generating a uniform, steady magnetic field B.sub.0 within an examination volume, a number of gradient coils for generating switched magnetic field gradients in different spatial directions within the examination volume, at least one RF coil for generating RF pulses within the examination volume and/or for receiving MR signals from an object positioned in the examination volume, a control unit for controlling the temporal succession of RF pulses and switched magnetic field gradients, and a reconstruction unit for reconstructing MR images from the received MR signals, wherein the MR device is arranged to a) generate MR signals by subjecting the object to a 3D radial imaging sequence comprising RF pulses and switched magnetic field gradients defining an field-of-view and including a number of shots of a multi-echo imaging sequence, each shot comprising an RF excitation pulse followed by a number of refocusing magnetic field gradients or refocusing RF pulses to generate a train of MR echo signals in rapid succession, each MR echo signal corresponding to one k-space profile and wherein k-space profiles from one k-space segment are acquired during one shot of the imaging sequence, with a different k-space segment being associated with each shot and for an individual k-space segment the MR signals as radial k-space profiles for a first group of k-space profiles at a first equal rotation angle and for a second group of k-space profiles at a second equal rotation angle, the second rotation angle incremented relative to the first rotation angels by a minimal angle Φ, fulfill the Nyquist criterion according to the field-of-view and the k-space profiles of the first and second groups, are acquired in opposite directions; and c) an MR image from the acquired MR signals.

15. A computer program to be run on a magnetic resonance (MR) device, which computer program comprises instructions stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium such that when executed: a) generate MR signals by subjecting the object to a 3D radial imaging sequence comprising RF pulses and switched magnetic field gradients defining an field-of-view and including a number of shots of a multi-echo imaging sequence, each shot comprising an RF excitation pulse followed by a number of refocusing magnetic field gradients or refocusing RF pulses to generate a train of MR echo signals in rapid succession, each MR echo signal corresponding to one k-space profile and wherein k-space profiles from one k-space segment are acquired during one shot of the imaging sequence, with a different k-space segment being associated with each shot and for an individual k-space segment b) acquire the MR signals as radial k-space profiles for a first group of k-space profiles at a first equal rotation angle and for a second group of k-space profiles at a second equal rotation angle, the second rotation angle incremented relative to the first rotation angels by a minimal angle Φ, fulfill the Nyquist criterion according to the field-of-view and the k-space profiles of the first and second groups, are acquired in opposite directions, c) reconstruct an MR image from the acquired MR signals.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0037] The enclosed drawings disclose preferred embodiments of the present invention. It should be understood, however, that the drawings are designed for the purpose of illustration only and not as a definition of the limits of the invention. In the drawings:

[0038] FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of an MR device for carrying out the method of the invention;

[0039] FIG. 2 schematically illustrates the acquisition scheme according to one embodiment of the invention;

[0040] FIG. 3 shows a 3D stack-of-stars acquisition according to another embodiment of the invention;

[0041] FIG. 4 illustrates a 3D Koosh ball acquisition using the k-space profile ordering of the invention;

[0042] FIG. 5 shows abdominal MR images acquired conventionally and according to the method of the invention for a 3D Koosh ball acquisition.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0043] With reference to FIG. 1, a MR device 1 is shown as a block diagram. The device comprises superconducting or resistive main magnet coils 2 such that a substantially uniform, temporally constant main magnetic field B.sub.0 is created along a z-axis through an examination volume. The device further comprises a set of (1.sup.st, 2.sup.nd, and—where applicable—3.sup.rd order) shimming coils 2′, wherein the current flow through the individual shimming coils of the set 2′ is controllable for the purpose of minimizing Bo deviations within the examination volume.

[0044] A magnetic resonance generation and manipulation system applies a series of RF pulses and switched magnetic field gradients to invert or excite nuclear magnetic spins, induce magnetic resonance, refocus magnetic resonance, manipulate magnetic resonance, spatially and otherwise encode the magnetic resonance, saturate spins, and the like to perform MR imaging.

[0045] More specifically, a gradient amplifier 3 applies current pulses or waveforms to selected ones of whole-body gradient coils 4, 5 and 6 along x, y and z-axes of the examination volume. A digital RF frequency transmitter 7 transmits RF pulses or pulse packets, via a send/receive switch 8, to a body RF coil 9 to transmit RF pulses into the examination volume. A typical MR imaging sequence is composed of a packet of RF pulse segments of short duration which, together with any applied magnetic field gradients, achieve a selected manipulation of nuclear magnetic resonance signals. The RF pulses are used to saturate, excite resonance, invert magnetization, refocus resonance, or manipulate resonance and select a portion of a body 10 positioned in the examination volume. The MR signals are also picked up by the body RF coil 9.

[0046] For generation of MR images of limited regions of the body 10 or for scan acceleration by means of parallel imaging, a set of local array RF coils 11, 12, 13 are placed contiguous to the region selected for imaging. The array coils 11, 12, 13 can be used to receive MR signals induced by body-coil RF transmissions.

[0047] The resultant MR signals are picked up by the body RF coil 9 and/or by the array RF coils 11, 12, 13 and demodulated by a receiver 14 preferably including a preamplifier (not shown). The receiver 14 is connected to the RF coils 9, 11, 12 and 13 via send/receive switch 8.

[0048] A host computer 15 controls the shimming coils 2′ as well as the gradient pulse amplifier 3 and the transmitter 7 to generate any of a plurality of MR imaging sequences, such as echo planar imaging (EPI), echo volume imaging, gradient and spin echo imaging, fast spin echo imaging, and the like. For the selected sequence, the receiver 14 receives a single or a plurality of MR data lines in rapid succession following each RF excitation pulse. A data acquisition system 16 performs analog-to-digital conversion of the received signals and converts each MR data line to a digital format suitable for further processing. In modern MR devices the data acquisition system 16 is a separate computer which is specialized in acquisition of raw image data.

[0049] Ultimately, the digital raw image data are reconstructed into an image representation by a reconstruction processor 17 which applies a Fourier transform or other appropriate reconstruction algorithms, such as SENSE or GRAPPA. The MR image may represent a planar slice through the patient, an array of parallel planar slices, a three-dimensional volume, or the like. The image is then stored in an image memory where it may be accessed for converting slices, projections, or other portions of the image representation into appropriate format for visualization, for example via a video monitor 18 which provides a man-readable display of the resultant MR image.

[0050] The host computer 15 is programmed to execute the method of the invention described herein above and in the following.

[0051] With continuing reference to FIG. 1 and with further reference to FIGS. 2-5, embodiments of the imaging approach of the invention are explained.

[0052] The ordering of radial k-space profiles according to the invention is illustrated as an example in FIG. 2. In this example, the total number of k-space profiles (N) to be acquired is subdivided into a number of shots of which the first three (Shot-1, Shot-2, Shot-3) are shown. A number (1, 2, 3 . . . P) of radial k-space profiles is acquired in each shot illustrated in the figure by arrows below each block representing one shot. The number of k-space profiles per shot P is selected such that N=M×P. Each shot optionally comprises a preparation (sub-)sequence for fat suppression, e.g. a SPIR sequence. Within each shot, the numbers (1, 2, 3 . . . P) associated with the k-space profiles indicate the temporal acquisition order (e.g. the echo number). K-space profiles 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, . . . , P-4, P-3, P-2, P-1, P are acquired in such a way that the k-space profiles acquired in temporal proximity are close to each other in k-space. Each of the first and second halves of the k-space profiles of one shot have the same rotation angles respectively. The rotation angle is incremented after the first half of k-space profiles (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, . . . ) of each shot by a minimal angle φ, e.g. selected to fulfill the Nyquist criterion according to the field of view. Thereafter, the second half of k-space profiles . . . , P-4, P-3, P-2, P-1, P is acquired, from the same set of planes as the first half, but in the opposite direction and sequence. In this way, it is achieved that k-space profiles that are acquired close in time have identical or similar orientations in k-space to minimize readout gradient switching and, thus, eddy currents. Simultaneously, the k-space profiles are acquired such that the k-space profiles that are close in k-space (pairs [1, P], [2, P-1], [3, P-2], [4, P-3], [5, P-4] . . . ) are acquired in almost opposite directions to intrinsically cancel out the majority of phase errors and also to allow (optional) removal of residual phase errors in the reconstruction using a phase correction algorithm. The k-space profiles are rotated from shot to shot by the golden angle w to minimize motion related artefacts and to allow temporal filtering techniques like KWIC. The ordering scheme illustrated in FIG. 2 can be applied to various non-Cartesian k-space sampling schemes, like Koosh ball, FLORET, stack-of-stars and stack-of-spirals.

[0053] FIG. 3a shows an isometric perspective of k-space to further illustrate the afore-described ordering of k-space profiles of the invention for a 3D stack-of-stars acquisition. FIG. 3b shows a corresponding projection on the k.sub.x/k.sub.y-plane. In the depicted embodiment, the k-space profiles acquired in the first three consecutive shots of the imaging sequence are shown. Each shot is comprised of ten k-space profiles. The three sets of k-space profiles are acquired from distinct k-space segments associated with the respective shots. The temporal order of the k-space profiles is denoted as numbers at the starting point of each arrow representing a k-space profile and its respective acquisition direction. All phase-encoding steps along the coordinate axis k.sub.z are acquired sequentially before k-space profiles at different rotation angles are acquired. This ensures that periods of Cartesian sampling are kept short, which leads to high data consistency within the stack of planes and preserves the general motion-robustness of the radial sampling for the stack-of-stars approach. K-space profiles 1-5 are acquired with Cartesian phase encoding steps downwards in the k.sub.z-direction before the rotation angle is minimally incremented and profiles 6-10 are acquired with Cartesian phase encoding steps upwards in the k.sub.z-direction, i.e. from the same planes as profiles 1-5 but with (nearly) opposite acquisition direction. The rotation angle is incremented by the golden angle Ψ between consecutive shots as shown in FIG. 3b.

[0054] FIG. 4 is an illustration of a Koosh ball acquisition based on the profile ordering scheme proposed by the invention. FIG. 4a shows an isometric perspective of k-space, FIGS. 3b and 3d show top and bottom views onto the surface of a spherical volume in k-space in which the k-space profiles are distributed. FIG. 3c shows a projection on the k.sub.x/k.sub.y-plane. All radial k-space profiles start on the surface of the sphere, go through the k-space origin and end on the surface of the sphere on its opposite side. Three groups of k-space profiles associated with three consecutive shots of the imaging sequence are shown. Again, the k-space profiles of each shot are acquired from a closed k-space segment associated with the respective shot. In the depicted embodiment, each shot is comprised of ten k-space profiles. The temporal order of the acquisition is denoted as numbers at the starting point of each arrow representing a k-space profile and its respective acquisition direction. Within each shot, the rotation angle is only minimally incremented in accordance with the Nyquist criterion. The trajectory of the starting or end points of the k-space profiles in each segment is chosen according to the spiral phyllotaxis scheme (see above). Like in the embodiment of FIG. 3, the acquisition direction is inverted after the first half of the k-space profiles of one shot, wherein the k-space profiles of the first and second halves are acquired at interleaved orientations such that gradient switching during acquisition can be minimized (to reduce eddy currents) and directly adjacent k-space profiles are acquired in (nearly) opposite directions. Between the consecutive shots, the orientation of the k-space profiles is rotated by the golden angle as shown in FIG. 4c.

[0055] FIG. 5 shows examples of MR images of the abdomen acquired using a 3D Koosh ball technique based on a conventional acquisition scheme (FIG. 5a) and using the profile ordering of the invention without (FIG. 5b) and with (Fig. 5c) additional phase correction. Blurring and phase errors from, for example B.sub.0 inhomogeneity, eddy currents or gradient delays can clearly be seen in FIG. 5a (indicated by arrow). These artefacts are intrinsically separated and averaged out by the imaging technique of the invention. FIG. 5b clearly shows an improved fat suppression, increased contrast to noise and less blurring in the abdomen compared to FIG. 5a. However, some artefacts remain in FIG. 5b (indicated by arrow). Additional intrinsic phase correction (e.g. by a simple adjustment of the complex image values in different parts of the MR image to have a consistent phase) can completely remove phase effects with a further improvement in contrast to noise that is beneficial for a diagnosis and a better depiction of also smaller structures, particularly in difficult Bo inhomogeneous pathology as typically found in abdominal imaging (FIG. 5c).