Determination of T1 relaxation times used in automated nuclear magnetic resonance image synthesis
US4641095A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | May 15, 1985 |
| Grant date | Feb 3, 1987 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 15, 2005 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01R33/50
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A method for providing improved estimates of the spin-lattice relaxation time T1 of an image in a Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) technique on a human body is disclosed which utilizes the application of a multiple spin-echo pulse sequence technique at two different pulse repetition times TR1 and TR2. The signals for each of the different repetition times are measured by first setting the longitudinal magnetization to an initial value and then waiting the appropriate repetition time in order to provide the measured signal. The magnetization is "flipped" into the x-y plane and the relationship between the measured values for each of the repetition times is utilized to form an algorithm whereby the calculated ratio of the measured signals allows for an initial estimate of T1. The process also utilizes the plurality of spin-echos in the multiple spin-echo pulse sequence to appropriately measure, at each of the echo-times TE(i), the decaying value of the measured first and second magnetization signals which, in turn, provides further estimates of T1 which are then weight averaged.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.