Magnetic resonance imaging apparatus and magnetic resonance imaging method

摘要

A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus collects raw data about a subject in a synchronized manner with an electrocardiographic signal of the subject. An Electrocardiogram (ECG) gating unit detects an irregular synchronization interval with respect to the electrocardiographic signal. When the ECG gating unit detects an irregular synchronization interval, a real-time sequencer controls a gradient magnetic-field power source, a transmitting unit, and the like so as to reacquire raw data that is acquired during the irregular synchronization interval.

主权项

1. A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) apparatus comprising:
an electrocardiographic (ECG) signal detector configured to be coupled to a subject patient and to provide ECG signals used to determine patient heart beat intervals; an MRI gantry including a static magnet, gradient magnets, at least one radio-frequency (RF) coil coupled to RF transmitter and receiver circuits, a data collection memory, and control circuits connected to control use of such MRI gantry components, said control circuits including a data buffer connected to intermediate between the acquisition of raw MRI data and storage of the acquired data in the data collection memory including a region configured to buffer new data equivalent to that collected for a preset number of at least three heart beat intervals and at least one control computer configured to effect: acquisition of raw MRI data from a subject patient for a medical image into said data buffer by execution of a series of MRI data acquisition sequences synchronized with an electrocardiographic signal of the subject patient; detection of an irregular synchronization interval with respect to the electrocardiographic signal during execution of said series of sequences; transfer of acquired raw MRI data from the data buffer to the data collection memory where correction processing of therein accumulated raw MRI data is performed while further raw MRI data is still being acquired, unless an irregular synchronization interval is detected as possibly affecting the quality of the acquired data not yet transferred to said data collection memory, after buffering raw data from said preset number of heart beat intervals; and reacquisition of raw MRI data into said data buffer which corresponds to raw data not yet transferred to the data collection memory due to detection of an irregular synchronization interval, said reacquisition of raw MRI data being automatic and occurring before execution of said series of sequences for a complete medical image finishes, which reacquired raw data corresponds to raw data acquired during a period starting before and including the irregular synchronization interval.