Simultaneous multinuclear magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy

Claim 3

The method of claim 1, wherein applying said pulse sequence comprises the steps of: (a) applying a magnetic gradient slice selection pulse simultaneously with a selective rf pulse at a first frequency; (b) applying a magnetic gradient phase encoding pulse; (c) applying a magnetic gradient read out pulse; (d) providing a time period without magnetic or rf pulses; (e) applying simultaneous phase encoding and read out magnetic gradient pulses; (f) applying simultaneously a magnetic gradient slice selection pulse, a selective rf pulse of said first frequency and a selective rf pulse at a second frequency; (g) applying simultaneous phase encoding and read out magnetic gradient pulses; (h) waiting for a time period sufficient to receive the free induction decay information signal and the spinspin echo information signal; and (i) repeating steps (a) through (h) n times, where n is equal to the number of samples desired in the phase encode direction and for each repetition stepping at equal values of ΔG PE the magnetic gradient phase encoding pulses.

Claim 4

The method of claim 1, wherein said first and second NMR signals are acquired using a dual resonance volume coil.

Claim 5

The method of claim 3, wherein said dual resonance volume coil is tuned to a first type of nucleus at a frequency equal to the product of the gyromagnetic ratio of said first nucleus and the static magnetic field, and tuned to a second type of nucleus at a frequency equal to the product of the gyromagnetic ratio of said second type of nucleus and the static magnetic field.

Claim 6

The method of claim 1, wherein two spectrometers are used for simultaneously exciting and sampling of each nuclei.

Claim 7

The method of claim 5, wherein said two spectrometers are synchronized by signaling over a communications link.

Claim 8

A method according to claim 1, wherein said first and second NMR signals correspond to magnetic resonance images.

Claim 9

A method according to claim 1, wherein said first and second NMR signals correspond to chemical shift images.

Claim 10

A method according to claim 1, wherein said first NMR signals correspond to magnetic resonance images and said second NMR signals correspond to chemical shift images.

Claim 13

A system according to claim 10, wherein said first and second NMR signals correspond to magnetic resonance images.

Claim 14

A system according to claim 10, wherein said first and second NMR signals correspond to chemical shift images.

Claim 15

A system according to claim 10, wherein said first NMR signals correspond to magnetic resonance images and said second NMR signals correspond to chemical shift images.

Claim 16

A system according to claim 10, wherein said means for acquiring said first and second NMR signals comprises a dual resonance volume coil.

Claim 17

The method of claim 1, wherein the following relations between rf excitation pulses and magnetic-field gradient pulses are maintained: ##EQU3## where: FOV=Field of View RO=Read out ROE=Read Out Encode t=Time PE=phase encode G=gradient P=phosphorous 31 H=hydrogen 1 γ=gyromagnetic ratio SW=specitral width DW= ##EQU4## ΔG=incremental gradient amplitude.