METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PERFORMING DUAL-MODALITY IMAGING
A method for performing an examination of a patient using a dual-modality imaging system includes accessing a list that includes a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examination protocol to be used to perform a predetermined MRI examination, the examination protocol including a plurality of MRI protocol actions, receiving an input selecting at least one of the MRI protocol actions, scanning the patient using the MRI examination protocol, scanning the patient using a positron emission tomography (PET) imaging system to acquire PET data, and marking the PET data, using a first visual indication, to indicate the selected MRI protocol action. An imaging system and a non-transitory computer readable medium are also described herein.
1 . A method for performing an examination of a patient using a dual-modality imaging system, the method comprising:
accessing a list that includes a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examination protocol to be used to perform a predetermined MRI examination, the MRI examination protocol including a plurality of MRI protocol actions;
receiving a user input selecting at least one of the MRI protocol actions;
scanning the patient using the MRI examination protocol;
scanning the patient using a positron emission tomography (PET) imaging system to acquire PET data; and
marking the PET data, using a first visual indication, to indicate the selected MRI protocol action.
2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising performing the MRI imaging system scan concurrently with the PET imaging system scan.
3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
selecting an MRI system examination to be performed on a patient to acquire MRI data of the patient; and
selecting at least one MRI protocol action based on the selected MRI examination.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the MRI protocol actions include at least one of activating an x-gradient coil, activating a y-gradient coil, activating a z-gradient coil or activating an RF coil.
5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
generating a graphical illustration of the PET data; and
displaying a visual indication on the graphical illustration to indicate the selected MRI protocol action.
6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
sorting the PET data based on the marking; and
reconstructing a PET image using the sorted PET data.
7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
marking the PET data to indicate the selected MRI protocol action using a second different visual indication;
sorting the PET data based on the first and second visual indications; and
reconstructing a PET image using the sorted PET data.
8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
removing the marked portion of the PET data to generate second set of PET data;
weighting the second set of PET data; and
reconstructing an image of a patient using the weighted PET data.
9 . A multi-modality imaging system comprising:
a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system;
a positron emission tomography (PET) imaging system; and
a computer coupled to the MRI system and the PET system, the computer configured to:
access a list that includes a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examination protocol to be used to perform a predetermined MRI examination, the examination protocol including a plurality of MRI protocol actions;
receive a user input selecting at least one of the MRI protocol actions;
scan the patient using the MRI examination protocol;
scan the patient using a positron emission tomography (PET) imaging system to acquire PET data; and
mark the PET data to indicate the selected MRI protocol action.
10 . The multi-modality imaging system of claim 9 , wherein the computer is further configured to perform the MRI imaging system scan concurrently with the PET imaging system scan.
11 . The multi-modality imaging system of claim 9 , wherein the computer is further configured to:
receive an input selecting an MRI system examination to be performed on a patient to acquire MRI data of the patient; and
receive an input selecting at least one MRI protocol action based on the selected MRI examination.
12 . The multi-modality imaging system of claim 9 , wherein the MRI protocol actions include at least one of activating an x-gradient coil, activating a y-gradient coil, activating a z-gradient coil or activating an RF coil.
13 . The multi-modality imaging system of claim 9 , wherein the computer is further configured to:
generate a graphical illustration of the PET data; and
display a visual indication on the graphical illustration to indicate the selected MRI protocol action.
14 . The multi-modality imaging system of claim 9 , wherein the computer is further configured to:
sort the PET data based on the marking; and
reconstruct a PET image using the sorted PET data.
15 . The multi-modality imaging system of claim 9 , wherein the computer is further configured to:
mark the PET data to indicate the selected MRI protocol action using a second different visual indication;
sort the PET data based on the first and second visual indications; and
reconstruct a PET image using the sorted PET data.
16 . The multi-modality imaging system of claim 9 , wherein the computer is further configured to:
remove the marked portion of the PET data to generate second set of PET data;
weight the second set of PET data; and
reconstruct an image of a patient using the weighted PET data.
17 . A non-transitory computer readable medium encoded with a program programmed to instruct a computer to:
access a list that includes a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examination protocol to be used to perform a predetermined MRI examination, the examination protocol including a plurality of MRI protocol actions;
receive a user input selecting at least one of the MRI protocol actions;
scan the patient using the MRI examination protocol;
scan the patient using a positron emission tomography (PET) imaging system to acquire PET data; and
mark the PET data to indicate the selected MRI protocol action.
18 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17 , further programmed to instruct the computer to perform the MRI imaging system scan concurrently with the PET imaging system scan.
19 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17 , further programmed to instruct the computer to:
receive an input selecting an MRI system examination to be performed on a patient to acquire MRI data of the patient; and
receive an input selecting at least one MRI protocol action based on the selected MRI examination.
20 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17 , further programmed to instruct the computer to:
generate a graphical illustration of the PET data; and
display a visual indication on the graphical illustration to indicate the selected MRI protocol action.