Method for determining an attenuation map for use with positron emission tomography and magnetic resonance magnetic field homogeneity from a single three dimensional gradient echo sequence

US8547094B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Siemens Aktiengesellschaft · DE

Inventors

• Vladimir Jellus · Erlangen, DE
• Michael Szimtenings · Bonn, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Aug 27, 2009
• Grant date: Oct 1, 2013
• Expiry date: Feb 11, 2032

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01R33/543
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A method is disclosed for determining an attenuation map for use in positron emission tomography and for the use of homogeneity information relating to the magnetic resonance magnetic field, in particular for the purpose of determining shim settings, within the scope of a single magnetic resonance image recording. In at least one embodiment of the method, a first and a second image data record are firstly recorded with a three-dimensional gradient echo sequence during a first and a second echo time, respectively, with the phase difference between the water and the fat signal amounting to zero during the first echo time and amounting to 180 degrees during the second echo time. The attenuation map is determined from fat/water ratios obtained from the image data records by way of a Dixon technology, in particular a 2-point Dixon technology. In at least one embodiment, all voxels with a signal intensity below a first threshold value are excluded at least for the second image data record by using a mask and only the non excluded voxels of the first and second image data record are taken into consideration in order to determine the homogeneity information from the phase differences of ad…