Method for Measuring Movements of an Object to Be Imaged in a Medical Imaging Method

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This patent describes a method for accurately measuring movements (rotation and translation) of an object, such as a patient's body part, during medical imaging procedures, especially magnetic resonance tomography (MRI). The method uses special three-dimensional spherical Lissajous navigation sequences in k-space to rapidly capture motion data, which is then mathematically analyzed to determine how the object has moved. This can be used to correct for motion artifacts in the imaging process, leading to clearer images.

Use CasesContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Real-time correction of patient movement during MRI scans to improve image quality.
• Retrospective correction of movement artifacts in MRI images during post-processing.
• Motion tracking during MRI-based research studies where subject movement is expected.
• Assistance in hybrid imaging techniques such as MR-PET to improve the accuracy of both modalities.
• Enabling MRI scans in populations prone to movement (e.g., children, elderly, patients with movement disorders) without significant loss of image accuracy.

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Significantly reduces motion artifacts in MRI images, leading to clearer and more accurate diagnostic images.
• Allows for faster acquisition of navigation data with reduced time and minimal intervention in the imaging process.
• Improves temporal resolution of movement tracking due to rapid navigator acquisition (as short as <10 ms).
• Works with high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), even when using lower k-space radii, enabling better data quality.
• Minimizes the need for complex and time-consuming post-processing (such as phase-unwrapping or complex pattern matching) due to the efficient mathematical approach.
• May enable more comfortable and tolerable scans for patients as the system is robust against movement, reducing the need for repeat imaging.

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Patent Abstract

The invention relates to a method for determining movements of an object to be imaged in a medical imaging method which at least includes magnetic resonance tomography. The method has the following steps: - determining first coefficients of a mathematical transformation on the basis of first navigator data of the object, said first navigator data being captured by a magnetic resonance tomography machine (100) using a first spherical Lissajous navigator in the k-space, where kr