Method and assembly for correcting a relaxation map for medical imaging applications
A method for correcting a relaxation map of an object scanned with a magnetic resonance imaging modality the object having a plurality of structure and/or tissue types. The method includes deriving a first relaxation map of a scanned object from at least two three-dimensional scans of the object acquired using a sequence of ultrashort echo time pulses adapted for distinguishing between the various types of a plurality of structure and/or tissue types of the object. Information is obtained on the type of structure and/or tissue type present in voxels in the first relaxation map and binarizing the obtained information. A corrected relaxation map is generated by combining the binarized information with the first relaxation map.
1. A method for correcting a relaxation map of an object scanned with a magnetic resonance imaging modality, said object comprising a plurality of structure or tissue types, said method comprising the steps of:
deriving a first relaxation map of a scanned object from at least two three-dimensional scans of said object acquired by means of a sequence of ultrashort echo time pulses adapted for distinguishing between the various types of a plurality of structure or tissue types of said object;
obtaining information on the type of structure or tissue type present in voxels in said first relaxation map and binarizing the obtained information;
obtaining a corrected relaxation map by combining said binarized information with said first relaxation map; and
deriving a density image of said scanned object from said corrected relaxation map.
2. A method for correcting as in claim 1 , wherein said information on the type of structure or tissue type present in said voxels is obtained from said at least two three-dimensional scans.
3. A method for correcting as in claim 1 , wherein said information on the type of structure or tissue type in said voxels is obtained from a further three-dimensional scan.
4. A method for correcting as in claim 1 , wherein at least one of said acquired scans is filtered for reducing noise.
5. A method for correcting as in claim 1 , wherein the density image is derived by performing a segmentation of said corrected relaxation map.
6. A method for correcting as in claim 1 , wherein the density image is derived by applying a transformation to convert said corrected relaxation map into said density image.
7. A method as in claim 1 , further comprising the initial step of acquiring said at least two three-dimensional scans with said magnetic resonance imaging modality.
8. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program, executable on a programmable device containing instructions which, when executed, perform the method as in claim 1 .
9. Programmable device arranged for executing a program containing instructions which, when executed, perform the method as in claim 1 .
10. Assembly of a programmable device as in claim 9 and a magnetic resonance imaging device arranged for acquiring at least two three-dimensional scans of an object by applying a sequence of ultrashort echo time pulses adapted for distinguishing between the various types of a plurality of structure or tissue types of said object.