Multi-volume slicing and interleaved phase-encoding acquisition for 3 D fast spin echo (FSE)

Claim 3

The method as set forth in claim 1 further including: j) between steps d) and e), repeating steps c) and d) for a plurality of additional slabs displaced from the first and second slabs; and k) after step h), repeating steps g) and h) for a plurality of slabs which partially overlap at least the slabs generated in step j).

Claim 4

The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein: the third and fourth slabs overlap M-1/M of the first and second slaps, respectively; and steps e) and f), and g) and h) are repeated M-1 times, each time with the excited slab overlapping the respective one of the first and second slabs by 1/Nth less than a previous repetition.

Claim 5

The method as set forth in claim 3 wherein M equals 4.

Claim 6

The method as set forth in claim 1 further including: performing a phase correction to the set of data lines from each slab prior to step i).

Claim 7

The method as set forth in claim 1 further including: performing an amplitude correction to the set of data lines from each slab prior to step i).

Claim 8

The method as set forth in claim 1 further including: after step i), correcting the combined data in accordance with a pre-programmed look-up table.

Claim 9

A magnetic resonance imaging system having means for generating a magnetic field in an examination region, a radio frequency pulse controller and transmitter for inducing dipoles in the examination region to resonance such that radio frequency resonance signals are generated, gradient magnetic field coils and a gradient magnetic field controller for generating at least phase and read magnetic field gradient pulses in orthogonal directions across the examination region, a receiver for receiving and demodulating the radio frequency magnetic resonance signals, and an image processor for reconstructing image representations, the image processor including: means for applying a first resonance excitation pulse to excite magnetic resonance in a first slab; means for manipulating the excited magnetic resonance to generate a series of echos which are phase encoded in accordance with a first fraction of phase encoding steps in k-space; means for exciting magnetic resonance in a second slab displaced from the first slab; means for manipulating the excited magnetic resonance in the second slab to generate a series of data lines which are phase encoded with a second fraction of phase encode gradient steps of a complete data set; means for exciting magnetic resonance in a third slab which partially overlaps the first slab; means for manipulating the excited magnetic resonance in the third slab to generate a series of data lines which are phase encoded with a third fraction of the data lines of a complete data set, the third fraction being different from the first fraction; means for inducing magnetic resonance in a fourth slab which is only partially overlapping the second slab; means for manipulating the magnetic resonance induced in the fourth slab to generate a plurality of data lines which correspond to a fourth fraction of a complete data set, the fourth fraction being different from the second fraction; and means for combining the data lines and reconstructing the combined data lines into an image representation.

Claim 10

A magnetic resonance imaging system having means for generating a magnetic field in an examination region, a radio frequency pulse controller and transmitter for inducing dipoles in the examination region to resonance such that radio frequency resonance signals are generated, gradient magnetic field coils and a gradient magnetic field controller for generating at least phase and read magnetic field gradient pulses in orthogonal directions across the examination region, a receiver for receiving and demodulating the radio frequency magnetic resonance signals, and an image processor for reconstructing image representations, the image processor including: means for applying a first resonance excitation pulse to excite magnetic resonance in a first slab; means for manipulating the excited magnetic resonance to generate a series of echos which are phase encoded in accordance with a first fraction of phase encoding steps in k-space; means for exciting magnetic resonance in a second slab displaced from the first slab; means for manipulating the excited magnetic resonance in the second slab to generate a series of data lines which are phase encoded with a second fraction of phase encode gradient steps of a complete data set; means for exciting magnetic resonance in a third slab which partially overlaps the first slab; means for manipulating the excited magnetic resonance in the third slab to generate a series of data lines which are phase encoded with a third fraction of the data lines of a complete data set, the third fraction being different from the first fraction; means for inducing magnetic resonance in a fourth slab which is only partially overlapping the second slab; means for manipulating the magnetic resonance induced in the fourth slab to generate a plurality of data lines which correspond to a fourth fraction of a complete data set, the fourth fraction being different from the second fraction; and means for combining the data lines and reconstructing the combined data lines into an image representation.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 8, further including: means for exciting magnetic resonance and manipulating the excited magnetic resonance for a plurality of additional slabs displaced from the first and second slabs; and means for exciting magnetic resonance and manipulating the excited magnetic resonance for a plurality of slabs which partially overlap at least the plurality of additional slabs displaced from the first and second slabs.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the third and fourth slabs overlap M-1/M of the first and second slaps, respectively.

Claim 13

The apparatus of claim 10, wherein M equals 4.

Claim 14

The apparatus of claim 8 further including means for performing a phase correction to the set of data lines from each slab prior to resconstructing an image representation.

Claim 15

The apparatus of claim 8, further including means for correcting the combined data in accordance with a pre-programmed look-up table, the combined data being corrected with the look-up table prior to being reconstructed into the image representation.