Mr Imaging with Reduction of Zipper Artifacts

Simple SummaryContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

This invention presents a method for improving magnetic resonance (MR) imaging by reducing 'zipper artifacts'—unwanted stripe-like image distortions caused by interference signals, often from external electronic devices. The method analyzes MR signal data using spectral analysis to detect and model these interference components, then removes them through signal correction before the final MR image is reconstructed. The invention also encompasses an MR device and a computer program that implement these steps.

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

• Medical MR imaging in hospitals or clinics, providing clearer diagnostic images by suppressing zipper artifacts.
• Industrial or materials MR imaging, such as in quality control or research, where artifact-free imaging is needed for accurate analysis.
• Retrofitting existing MR devices with improved software to enhance image quality without hardware changes.
• MR imaging in environments with unavoidable electromagnetic interference, such as in operating rooms with essential electronic equipment.

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Significant reduction of zipper artifacts in MR images, leading to clearer and more reliable diagnostic outputs.
• Compatible with most MR devices currently in clinical use, requiring only software updates rather than new hardware.
• Improved accuracy of MR imaging, potentially enabling earlier or more precise diagnosis and treatment planning.
• Non-invasive and does not introduce additional scanning steps or patient discomfort.
• Helps maintain high-quality imaging even in challenging environments with electromagnetic interference.

Technical Classifications (CPCs)

Inventors & Applicants

Patent Abstract

The invention relates to a method for MR imaging of an object (10) which is located in a main magnetic field inside an examination volume of an MR device (1). The aim of the invention is to provide a method for MR imaging which reduces zipper artifacts (21, 51). The aim is achieved in that the method proposed by the invention comprises the following steps: - applying an imaging sequence to the object (10), the imaging sequence comprising a series of HF pulses and connected magnetic field gradients, in order to generate frequency- and phase-coded MR signals, - recording the MR signals from the object (10) in a specified k-space region (41), - detecting interference signal components (31) on the basis of a spectral analysis of the MR signals, - synthesising the detected interference signal components, - correcting the recorded MR signals by subtracting the synthesised interference signal components (32) from the recorded MR signals, and - reconstructing an MR image from the corrected MR signals. The invention further relates to an MR device (1) for carrying out the method, and to a computer program to be run on an MR device (1).