US6002254A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method and apparatus for nuclear magnetic resonance imaging of physiological function information
Assignee: Toshiba Corp
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Filing: 1998-01-30
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Granted: 1999-12-14
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Expires: 2018-01-30
Abstract
Abstract A nuclear magnetic resonance imaging scheme suitable for an imaging of a physiological function information on a living body. The scheme uses a pulse sequence for realizing a first imaging scheme for obtaining the blood vessel image and a second imaging scheme for obtaining the physiological function image such as a brain function image by a single execution of the pulse sequence, where the first imaging scheme is executed before the second imaging scheme by controlling resolutions and imaging regions for the respective imaging schemes appropriately. The pulse sequence can also realize a third imaging scheme for obtaining the physical shape image, which is to be executed between the first imaging scheme and the second imaging scheme. The physiological function image can be obtained by selecting valid data from the image data acquired with/without stimulation or load by using the t-test, and determining active portions from the selected valid data by using the paired t-test. The physiological function image can then be displayed in superposition with the blood vessel image and/or the physical shape image.
Inventors
- 👤 Yoshimori Kassai
- 👤 Shoichi Kanayama
- 👤 Shigehide Kuhara
- 👤 Arturo Calderon
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 11:21
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01R; G01R33/00; G01R33/20; G01R33/44; G01R33/48; G01R33/4806; G01R33/54; G01R33/56; G01R33/561; G01R33/5615; G01R33/5616; G01R33/563
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
204 words
A method of nuclear magnetic resonance imaging, comprising the steps of: imaging a desired region of a body to be examined placed in a homogeneous static magnetic field by applying radio frequency magnetic field and gradient magnetic fields according to a pulse sequence realizing an imaging scheme for obtaining image data reflecting a physiological function information on the desired region of the body to be examined, and acquiring the image data by detecting nuclear magnetic resonance signals emitted from the body to be examined in response to the radio frequency magnetic field and the gradient magnetic fields, under a first condition in which a physiological function at the desired region of the body to be examined is inactive and under a second condition in which a physiological function at the desired region of the body to be examined is active; selecting valid data from the image data acquired at the imaging step, for each of the first and second conditions; determining active portions which have changed between the image data acquired under the first condition and the image data acquired under the second condition, by using the valid data selected at the selecting step; and displaying the active portions determined at the determining step.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
204 words
A method of nuclear magnetic resonance imaging, comprising the steps of: imaging a desired region of a body to be examined placed in a homogeneous static magnetic field by applying radio frequency magnetic field and gradient magnetic fields according to a pulse sequence realizing an imaging scheme for obtaining image data reflecting a physiological function information on the desired region of the body to be examined, and acquiring the image data by detecting nuclear magnetic resonance signals emitted from the body to be examined in response to the radio frequency magnetic field and the gradient magnetic fields, under a first condition in which a physiological function at the desired region of the body to be examined is inactive and under a second condition in which a physiological function at the desired region of the body to be examined is active; selecting valid data from the image data acquired at the imaging step, for each of the first and second conditions; determining active portions which have changed between the image data acquired under the first condition and the image data acquired under the second condition, by using the valid data selected at the selecting step; and displaying the active portions determined at the determining step.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the determining step also determines an amount of change in a physiological state at the active portions, and the displaying step also displays the amount of change determined at the determining step.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
53 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the imaging step acquires the image data under the first condition by giving no stimulation/load to the desired region of the body to be examined, and the image data under the second condition by giving a stimulation/load to the desired region of the body to be examined.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
52 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the imaging step executes the pulse sequence realizing one of an imaging scheme sensitive to a change of a magnetic field inhomogeneity and an imaging scheme sensitive to a change of an amount of blood flow in the desired region of the body to be examined.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the imaging step executes the pulse sequence repeatedly under the first and second conditions, and the selecting step and the determining step utilize statistical data processing on the image data acquired by repeated executions of the pulse sequence.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting step selects the valid data by applying a t-test to the image data acquired at the imaging step.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 6, wherein the selecting step also applies a thresholding processing to the image data acquired at the imaging step in selecting the valid data.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the determining step determines the active portions by applying a paired t-test to the valid data selected at the selecting step.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 8, wherein the determining step also applies a thresholding processing to the valid data selected at the selecting step in determining the active portions.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the displaying step displays the active portions in superposition to at least one of a blood vessel image and a physical shape image of the desired region of the body to be examined.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
209 words
An apparatus for nuclear magnetic resonance imaging, comprising: means for imaging a desired region of a body to be examined placed in a homogeneous static magnetic field by applying radio frequency magnetic field and gradient magnetic fields according to a pulse sequence realizing an imaging scheme for obtaining image data reflecting a physiological function information on the desired region of the body to be examined, and acquiring the image data by detecting nuclear magnetic resonance signals emitted from the body to be examined in response to the radio frequency magnetic field and the gradient magnetic fields, under a first condition in which a physiological function at the desired region of the body to be examined is inactive and under a second condition in which a physiological function at the desired region of the body to be examined is active; means for selecting valid data from the image data acquired by the imaging means, for each of the first and second conditions; means for determining active portions which have changed between the image data acquired under the first condition and the image data acquired under the second condition, by using the valid data selected by the selecting means; and means for displaying the active portions determined by the determining means.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
209 words
An apparatus for nuclear magnetic resonance imaging, comprising: means for imaging a desired region of a body to be examined placed in a homogeneous static magnetic field by applying radio frequency magnetic field and gradient magnetic fields according to a pulse sequence realizing an imaging scheme for obtaining image data reflecting a physiological function information on the desired region of the body to be examined, and acquiring the image data by detecting nuclear magnetic resonance signals emitted from the body to be examined in response to the radio frequency magnetic field and the gradient magnetic fields, under a first condition in which a physiological function at the desired region of the body to be examined is inactive and under a second condition in which a physiological function at the desired region of the body to be examined is active; means for selecting valid data from the image data acquired by the imaging means, for each of the first and second conditions; means for determining active portions which have changed between the image data acquired under the first condition and the image data acquired under the second condition, by using the valid data selected by the selecting means; and means for displaying the active portions determined by the determining means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
38 words
The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the determining means also determines an amount of change in a physiological state at the active portions, and the displaying means also displays the amount of change determined by the determining means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
53 words
The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the imaging means acquires the image data under the first condition by giving no stimulation/load to the desired region of the body to be examined, and the image data under the second condition by giving a stimulation/load to the desired region of the body to be examined.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
52 words
The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the imaging means executes the pulse sequence realizing one of an imaging scheme sensitive to a change of a magnetic field inhomogeneity and an imaging scheme sensitive to a change of an amount of blood flow in the desired region of the body to be examined.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
44 words
The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the imaging means executes the pulse sequence repeatedly under the first and second conditions, and the selecting means and the determining means utilize statistical data processing on the image data acquired by repeated executions of the pulse sequence.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the selecting means selects the valid data by applying a t-test to the image data acquired by the imaging means.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the selecting means also applies a thresholding processing to the image data acquired by the imaging means in selecting the valid data.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the determining means determines the active portions by applying a paired t-test to the valid data selected by the selecting means.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the determining means also applies a thresholding processing to the valid data selected by the selecting means in determining the active portions.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
39 words
The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the displaying means displays the active portions in superposition to at least one of a blood vessel image and a physical shape image of the desired region of the body to be examined.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-12-13 | 2003-06-14 | 2003-12-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-12-13 | 2007-06-14 | 2007-12-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-12-13 | 2011-06-14 | 2011-12-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |