Patent · US Active

Method for water-fat separation and T2* estimation in an MRI system employing multiple fat spectral peaks and fat spectrum self-calibration

US7924003B2 · kind B2 · utility

11Cited by
8References
27Claims
0Family size

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Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 17, 2008
Grant dateApr 12, 2011
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 31, 2029

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01R33/56527
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

NMR signal contributions from water and fat are separated using a model of the fat resonant frequency spectrum that has multiple resonant peaks. The relative frequencies of the multiple fat spectrum peaks are known a priori and their relative amplitudes are determined using a self-calibration process. With the determined relative amplitudes of the fat spectrum peaks, acquired NMR signals are modeled. Using this model and NMR signal data acquired at a plurality of echo times (TE), the signal contribution from multiple fat spectrum peaks is separated from the acquired NMR signal data. A combined image is alternatively produced from weighted contributions of the separated water and fat images. Additionally, a more accurate estimation of the apparent relaxation time and rate (T*2 and R*2, respectively) is alternatively performed.

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