MRI Acquisition Time Improvements

A flexible non-Cartesian parallel imaging calibration method for acquisition targeted data-interpolation. The data-driven calibration method obtains multiple, different calibration data critical for high-resolution anatomical imaging, from a single data set. The technology benefits 3D Kooshball acquisitions, motion sensitive acquisitions such as cardiac imaging, and reconstruction data with field maps incorporated. Acquisition time of calibration data can be reduced tenfold enabling the use of complex and efficient acquisition strategies and reducing overall examination time. For dynamic acquisitions the calibration data can be omitted and with this technique the dynamic data itself can be used to obtain high fidelity images.

Image Reconstruction with 3D Radial Acquisitions

GRAPPA (GeneRalized Autocalibrating Partial Parallel Acquisition) is commonly used in parallel multi-coil receive imaging techniques, and more recently, Through-Time GRAPPA (TT‑GRAPPA) has been used to obtain superior quality cardiac data. However, extending to a larger volume has been challenging due to the large number of calibration acquisitions required. The majority of acquisition time is spent with calibration, which may approach 60 minutes for some larger 3D volumes. Other current data acquisition techniques use either a k-space independent GRAPPA kernel from a single calibration set or k-space specific GRAPPA interpolation weights from multiple calibration data, and self-calibrated data offers only an approximation of the reconstruction, which generally is not that good. This composite through-time radial GRAPPA method (CTT-GRAPPA) technology surpasses these other methods by allowing k-space specific GRAPPA interpolation weights to be obtained using either a single acquired calibration data set or the acquired imaging data itself. It permits a GRAPPA type reconstruction with 3D radial acquisitions and is self-calibrated, thereby further reducing acquisition time for conventional acquisitions.

BENEFITS AND FEATURES:

• Multiple calibration data from a single acquired calibration data set
• 10x reduction in acquisition time
• Self-calibrated
• Software implemented on an MR scanner for image reconstruction

APPLICATIONS:

• Radial acquisition techniques
• Fast imaging
• 3D radial imaging with multi-channel arrays
• Cardiac imaging
• MRI applications

Phase of Development - Concept