Patent · US Expired

Magnetic resonance imaging method and apparatus employing a static magnetic field having a predetermined inhomogeneity in one spatial direction

US5739688A · kind A · utility

10Cited by
3References
9Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateMar 19, 1996
Grant dateApr 14, 1998
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 19, 2016

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01R33/3808
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

In a magnetic resonance tomography pulse sequence, a slice perpendicular to the spatial direction of an inhomogeneity in the static field is first excited. The nuclear spins are re-phased and spin echo signals are readout under a gradient in a second direction. A phase-encoding gradient is activated between the excitation and the readout of the nuclear spins. A predetermined inhomogeneity in the static magnetic field is permanently present and acts during the overall pulse sequence as a permanent magnetic field gradient. With this pulse sequence, an inhomogeneity in two spatial directions can be allowed, which simplifies the construction of a magnet considerably and improves the access to the subject under examination.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.