MR imaging using apt contrast enhancement and sampling at multiple echo times

US9766313B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• KONINIKLIJKE PHILIPS N.V. · NL

Inventors

• Holger Eggers · Eindhoven, NL
• Jochen Keupp · Hamburg, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 21, 2013
• Grant date: Sep 19, 2017
• Expiry date: Nov 28, 2033

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01R33/5617
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

The invention relates to a method of CEST or APT MR imaging of at least a portion of a body (10) placed in a main magnetic field B0 within the examination volume of a MR device. The method of the invention comprises the following steps: •a) subjecting the portion of the body (10) to a saturation RF pulse at a saturation frequency offset; •b) subjecting the portion of the body (10) to an imaging sequence comprising at least one excitation/refocusing RF pulse and switched magnetic field gradients, whereby MR signals are acquired from the portion of the body (10) as spin echo signals; •c) repeating steps a) and b) two or more times, wherein the saturation frequency offset and/or a echo time shift in the imaging sequence are varied, such that a different combination of saturation frequency offset and echo time shift is applied in two or more of the repetitions; •d) reconstructing a MR image and/or B0 field homogeneity corrected APT/CEST images from the acquired MR signals. Moreover, the invention relates to a MR device (1) for carrying out the method of the invention and to a computer program to be run on a MR device.