Simultaneous non-contrast MR angiography and intraplaque hemorrhage (SNAP) MR imaging

摘要

Magnetic resonance (MR) spins are inverted by applying an inversion recovery (IR) radio frequency pulse (50). MR signals are acquired at an inversion time (TI) after the IR radio frequency pulse. TI is selected such that a first tissue of interest (e.g., blood) exhibits negative magnetism excited by the IR radio frequency pulse and a second tissue (e.g., intraplaque hemorrhage tissue) exhibits positive magnetism excited by the IR radio frequency pulse. The acquired magnetic resonance signals are reconstructed to generate spatial pixels or voxels wherein positive pixel or voxel values indicate spatial locations of positive magnetism and negative pixel or voxel values indicates spatial locations of negative magnetism. A first image (28) representative of the first tissue is generated from spatial pixels or voxels having negative signal intensities, and a second image (26) representative of the second tissue is generated from spatial pixels or voxels having positive signal intensities.

主权项

1. A method comprising:
inverting magnetic resonance spins by applying an inversion recovery (IR) radio frequency pulse to a subject disposed in a static (B0) magnetic field; acquiring magnetic resonance signals from the subject at an inversion time (T1) after the IR radio frequency pulse; performing a blood flow labeling sequence after the inverting and before the acquiring; wherein the inversion time (T1) is selected such that blood flow labeled by the blood flow labeling sequence exhibits negative magnetism excited by the IR radio frequency pulse and intraplaque hemorrhage (IPH) tissue exhibits positive magnetism excited by the IR radio frequency pulse; reconstructing the acquired magnetic resonance signals to generate spatial pixels or voxels wherein a positive value for a spatial pixel or voxel indicates a spatial location of positive magnetism and a negative value for a pixel or voxel indicates a spatial location of negative magnetism; generating a first image representative of the blood flow labeled by the blood flow labeling sequence comprising the generated spatial pixels or voxels having negative signal intensities; and generating a second image representative of the IPH tissue comprising the generated spatial pixels or voxels having positive signal intensities.