Method and apparatus to generate magnetic resonance images

摘要

In a method and apparatus to generate a magnetic resonance (MR) image in a volume of interest of an examination subject, the magnetization is excited in an additional volume in the subject by at least one RF pulse, in order to achieve a desired magnetization in the volume of interest. The additional excitation volume differs at least partially from the volume of interest. For this purpose, at least one MR overview image of the examination subject is analyzed automatically to determine a position of at least one anatomical structure of the examination subject, from which the volume of interest is automatically determined. The additional excitation volume is automatically determined using the position of the at least one anatomical structure. The MR image in the volume of interest is acquired with excitation of the magnetization in the automatically determined additional excitation volume.

主权项

1. A method to generate a magnetic resonance (MR) image that includes a volume of interest in an examination subject, said examination subject comprising an additional excitation volume, which differs at least partially from said volume of interest, comprising:
in a processor, automatically analyzing at least one MR overview image of the examination subject to automatically determine a position of at least one anatomical structure in the examination subject; in said processor, automatically determining the volume of interest using the position of the at least one anatomical structure; in the processor, automatically determining said additional excitation volume using the position of the at least one anatomical structure and not said volume of interest; and generating an examination protocol in said processor configured to acquire the MR image that includes the volume of interest, by radio-frequency excitation of nuclear spins in the automatically determined additional excitation volume in order to achieve a desired magnetization of nuclear spins in the volume of interest, and making said protocol available at an output of the processor in an electronic form that causes a magnetic resonance apparatus to be operated according to said protocol.