Magnetic resonance imaging apparatus and method with adherence to SAR limits

US6841999B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Siemens Aktiengesellschaft · DE

Inventors

• Friedrich Arneth · Forchheim, DE
• Gerhard Brinker · Erlangen, DE
• Richard Koellner · Weisendorf, DE
• Klaus Ludwig · Erlangen, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 11, 2002
• Grant date: Jan 11, 2005
• Expiry date: Oct 11, 2022

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01R33/583
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

In a method and apparatus for magnetic resonance imaging with adherence to SAR limit values, a patient is subjected to a radio-frequency pulse sequence via at least one transmission antenna and the magnetic resonance signals that are produced are acquired in a spatially resolved manner via at least one reception antenna and are further-processed for producing magnetic resonance images or spectra, with current SAR values, determined before the implementation of the measurement on the basis of patient data and the position of the patient relative to the transmission antenna for planned parameters of the measurement, being modified as warranted until the current SAR values lie within the SAR limit values. The determination of the current SAR values ensues by comparing the current measurement situation to pre-defined measurement situations stored in a data bank for which pre-calculated SAR values are stored. The stored SAR value of the measurement situation of the data bank coming closest to the current measurement situation is utilized as the current SAR value. A reduction of the calculating outlay for determining the SAR values during the examination is achieved, and the data bank va…