US 12,146,932 B2
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system and method integrating multi-nuclide synchronous imaging and spectral imaging
Xilin Sun, Harbin (CN); Chunsheng Yang, Harbin (CN); Kai Wang, Harbin (CN); Yongyi Wu, Harbin (CN); Lijiao Wang, Harbin (CN); Lili Yang, Harbin (CN); and Lina Wu, Harbin (CN)
Assigned to HARBIN MEDICAL UNIVERSITY, Harbin (CN)
Filed by Harbin Medical University, Harbin (CN)
Filed on Feb. 21, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/582,675.
Claims priority of application No. 202310168015.8 (CN), filed on Feb. 24, 2023.
Prior Publication US 2024/0288524 A1, Aug. 29, 2024
Int. Cl. G01R 33/56 (2006.01); G01R 33/44 (2006.01); G01R 33/46 (2006.01); G01R 33/48 (2006.01); G01R 33/483 (2006.01); G01R 33/485 (2006.01)
CPC G01R 33/5608 (2013.01) [G01R 33/446 (2013.01); G01R 33/4616 (2013.01); G01R 33/4828 (2013.01); G01R 33/4833 (2013.01); G01R 33/485 (2013.01)] 13 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system integrating multi-nuclide synchronous imaging and spectral imaging, comprising a spectral imaging module, a multi-nuclide synchronous imaging module, and a spectral reconstruction and image fusion module, wherein
the spectral imaging module is configured to acquire a spectrum of a nuclide Nuc;
the multi-nuclide synchronous imaging module is configured to perform synchronous imaging of nuclides Nuc1 . . . Nucn, wherein n is an integer, and n>1; Nuc1 is 1H; Nucn is a non-1H nuclide; and Nuc and Nuc1 . . . Nucn are different nuclides;
the spectral reconstruction and image fusion module is configured to receive the spectrum of the nuclide Nuc and images of the nuclides Nuc1 . . . Nucn, and acquire spatial distribution information of compounds of the nuclide Nuc and spatial distribution information of the non-1H nuclide through fusion; and the spectral reconstruction and image fusion module is configured to reconstruct the spectrum and target compound images of the nuclide Nuc, reconstruct the images of the nuclides Nuc1 . . . Nucn, interpolate each of the target compound images of the nuclide Nuc in an image domain to a same size as a 1H image, integrate the target compound images of the nuclide Nuc and a non-1H nuclide image into the 1H image to implement the fusion, and acquire spatial distribution information of target compounds of the nuclide Nuc and spatial distribution information of the non-1H nuclide through the fusion; and
the spectral imaging performed by the spectral imaging module and the multi-nuclide synchronous imaging performed by the multi-nuclide synchronous imaging module are completed within a same repetition time such that the multi-nuclide synchronous imaging performed by the multi-nuclide synchronous imaging module is performed by applying different radio frequency (RF) pulses to the nuclides Nuc1 . . . Nucn and synchronously acquiring, during longitudinal magnetization relaxation of the nuclide Nuc, echo signals ECHO1 . . . ECHOn from the nuclides Nuc1 . . . Nucn in response to the RF pulses; and in terms of timing, the multi-nuclide synchronous imaging is performed after the spectral imaging.