Method for providing accurate reference markers in magnetic resonance images
US5218964A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 1, 1991 |
| Grant date | Jun 15, 1993 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 1, 2011 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01R33/287
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A method for providing reference markers in magnetic resonance (MR) images which are highly discernible and accurately defined in the MR image. The method may be carried out with short imaging times. The reference markers have a volume containing NMR active nuclei and an electron spin resonance relaxant During the MRI examination procedure of an object, electron spin resonance energy is supplied to the reference markers to amplify the NMR signal from the markers by dynamic nuclear polarization. The amplification improves the visibility of the reference marker in the MR image of the object while permitting the size of the marker to be reduced to improve the accuracy by which other features appearing in the image may be located by reference to the markers. The reference markers may be used to locate anatomical features in a portion of a human body undergoing MRI examination.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.