MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING APPARATUS AND IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD

• Main Authors: OCHI, Hisaaki, SATOH, Ryota, BITO, Yoshitaka, TANIGUCHI, Yo, SHIRAI, Toru, MURASE, Takenori
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 02.05.2019
• Subjects: MEASURING; MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES; PHYSICS; TESTING

In calculating a local magnetic field distribution caused by a magnetic susceptibility difference between living tissues, using MRI, a local frequency distribution with a high SNR is calculated in a short computation time. Multi-echo complex images obtained by measurement of at least two different echo times using the MRI are converted into low-resolution images. A global frequency distribution caused by global magnetic field changes and an offset phase distribution including a reception phase and a transmission phase are separated from a phase distribution of the low-resolution multi-echo complex images. Thus calculated global frequency distribution and the offset phase distribution are enhanced in resolution. A local frequency distribution of each echo is calculated from the measured multi-echo complex images, the high-resolution global frequency distribution, and the high-resolution offset phase distribution. The local frequency distributions of respective echoes are subjected to weighted averaging, whereby a final local frequency distribution is calculated.