Image processor, image processing method, program for image processing, and magnetic resonance imaging apparatus

1. An image processor comprising:

a tissue segmentation processing unit that performs tissue segmentation processing on at least one of a plurality of complex images generated based on a magnetic resonance signal generated from a subject to calculate a tissue image related to a predetermined specific tissue;

a magnetic susceptibility image calculation unit that calculates a magnetic susceptibility image showing magnetic susceptibility of a predetermined tissue included in the complex image from the complex image;

an spatially normalization processing unit that calculates a spatially-normalized magnetic susceptibility image and a spatially-normalized tissue image by performing spatially normalization processing on the magnetic susceptibility image and the tissue image and calculates a volume modulated spatially-normalized tissue image obtained by performing volume modulation on the spatially-normalized tissue image;

a magnetic susceptibility calculation unit that calculates magnetic susceptibility of the specific tissue based on the spatially-normalized magnetic susceptibility image and the spatially-normalized tissue image; and

a diagnostic index calculation unit that calculates a diagnostic index for diagnosing a predetermined disease based on the magnetic susceptibility of the specific tissue and the volume modulated spatially-normalized tissue image.

2. The image processor according to claim 1 ,

wherein the specific tissue is gray matter.

3. The image processor according to claim 1 ,

wherein the diagnostic index calculation unit calculates a z score as the diagnostic index.

4. The image processor according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a vein removal processing unit that calculates a vein removed magnetic susceptibility image from which a region related to a vein on the magnetic susceptibility image is removed,

wherein the spatially normalization processing unit performs spatially normalization processing on the vein removed magnetic susceptibility image.

5. The image processor according to claim 4 ,

wherein the vein removal processing unit calculates an individual atlas image, and performs vein removal processing on the magnetic susceptibility image using the individual atlas image.

6. The image processor according to claim 4 ,

wherein the vein removal processing unit calculates the individual atlas image, and performs calcification region removal processing on the magnetic susceptibility image using the individual atlas image.

7. The image processor according to claim 1 ,

wherein the tissue image and the magnetic susceptibility image are calculated based on the same complex image.

8. The image processor according to claim 1 ,

wherein the tissue image and the magnetic susceptibility image are calculated based on different complex images generated from magnetic resonance signals of different echo times.

9. An image processing method comprising:

a tissue segmentation processing step of performing tissue segmentation processing on at least one of a plurality of complex images generated based on a magnetic resonance signal generated from a subject to calculate a tissue image related to a predetermined specific tissue;

a magnetic susceptibility image calculation step of calculating a magnetic susceptibility image showing magnetic susceptibility of a predetermined tissue included in the complex image from the complex image;

an spatially normalization processing step of calculating a spatially-normalized magnetic susceptibility image and a spatially-normalized tissue image by performing spatially normalization processing on the magnetic susceptibility image and the tissue image and calculating a volume modulated spatially-normalized tissue image obtained by performing volume modulation on the spatially-normalized tissue image;

a magnetic susceptibility calculation step of calculating magnetic susceptibility of the specific tissue based on the spatially-normalized magnetic susceptibility image and the spatially-normalized tissue image; and

a diagnostic index calculation step of calculating a diagnostic index for diagnosing a predetermined disease based on the magnetic susceptibility of the specific tissue and the volume modulated spatially-normalized tissue image.

10. A program for image processing which causes a computer to execute

an image processing method comprising:

a tissue segmentation processing step of performing tissue segmentation processing on at least one of a plurality of complex images generated based on a magnetic resonance signal generated from a subject to calculate a tissue image related to a predetermined specific tissue;

a magnetic susceptibility image calculation step of calculating a magnetic susceptibility image showing magnetic susceptibility of a predetermined tissue included in the complex image from the complex image;

an spatially normalization processing step of calculating a spatially-normalized magnetic susceptibility image and a spatially-normalized tissue image by performing spatially normalization processing on the magnetic susceptibility image and the tissue image and calculating a volume modulated spatially-normalized tissue image obtained by performing volume modulation on the spatially-normalized tissue image;

a magnetic susceptibility calculation step of calculating magnetic susceptibility of the specific tissue based on the spatially-normalized magnetic susceptibility image and the spatially-normalized tissue image; and

a diagnostic index calculation step of calculating a diagnostic index for diagnosing a predetermined disease based on the magnetic susceptibility of the specific tissue and the volume modulated spatially-normalized tissue image.

11. A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus comprising:

a measuring unit that measures a magnetic resonance signal generated from a subject by applying a high frequency magnetic field pulse and a gradient magnetic field to the subject placed in a static magnetic field;

an image reconstruction unit that reconstructs an image based on the magnetic resonance signal; and

an image processing unit that calculates a diagnostic index for diagnosing a predetermined disease from the image,

wherein the image processing unit includes

a tissue segmentation processing unit that performs tissue segmentation processing on at least one of a plurality of complex images generated based on the magnetic resonance signal generated from the subject to calculate a tissue image related to a predetermined specific tissue,

a magnetic susceptibility image calculation unit that calculates a magnetic susceptibility image showing magnetic susceptibility of a predetermined tissue included in the complex image from the complex image,

an spatially normalization processing unit that calculates a spatially-normalized magnetic susceptibility image and a spatially-normalized tissue image by performing spatially normalization processing on the magnetic susceptibility image and the tissue image and calculates a volume modulated spatially-normalized tissue image obtained by performing volume modulation on the spatially-normalized tissue image,

a magnetic susceptibility calculation unit that calculates magnetic susceptibility of the specific tissue based on the spatially-normalized magnetic susceptibility image and the spatially-normalized tissue image, and

a diagnostic index calculation unit that calculates the diagnostic index for diagnosing the predetermined disease based on the magnetic susceptibility of the specific tissue and the volume modulated spatially-normalized tissue image.

12. The magnetic resonance imaging apparatus according to claim 11 ,

wherein the measuring unit measures at least two magnetic resonance signals having different echo times based on a gradient echo type pulse sequence, and the tissue image and the magnetic susceptibility image are calculated based on different complex images generated from the magnetic resonance signals having the different echo times.