IP Library Granted Patent US 12,656,437
Granted Patent B2
US 12,656,437 · App. 18/430,594 · Granted Jun 16, 2026

Systems and methods for magnetic resonance imaging

Inventor: Yongquan Ye (Houston, TX)
Assignee: UNITED IMAGING HEALTHCARE NORTH AMERICA, INC.
G01R33/5608G01R33/3607G01R33/4828
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,656,437
App. No.
18/430,594
Granted
Jun 16, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present disclosure provides methods and systems for MRI. The method may include obtaining MRI data of a target subject. The MRI data may be collected by applying an MRI pulse sequence on the target subject. The MRI pulse sequence may include a monomial RF pulse for exciting first substance in the target subject and suppressing second substance in the target subject. The method may further include reconstructing a magnetic resonance (MR) image of the target subject based on the MRI data.

Claims (73)

1 . A method for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), implemented on a computing device having at least one processor and at least one storage device, the method comprising:

obtaining MRI data of a target subject, the MRI data being collected by applying an MRI pulse sequence on the target subject, the MRI pulse sequence including a monomial radio frequency (RF) pulse for exciting first substance in the target subject and suppressing second substance in the target subject; and

reconstructing a magnetic resonance (MR) image of the target subject based on the MRI data, wherein a waveform of the monomial RF pulse is determined by:

generating a trapezoidal waveform;

generating a preliminary waveform by performing exponential transformation on each point in the trapezoidal waveform; and

determining the waveform of the monomial RF pulse by filtering the preliminary waveform.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the phase of the monomial RF pulse is a constant value during application.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the trapezoidal waveform includes a top side having a first length and a bottom side having a second length, the first length is greater than zero and smaller than the second length.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a center frequency of the monomial RF pulse is determined by:

determining a duration of the monomial RF pulse and an RF field intensity of the monomial RF pulse;

determining, based on the duration and the RF field intensity, an estimated first frequency response profile of the first substance with respect to the monomial RF pulse and an estimated second frequency response profile of the second substance with respect to the monomial RF pulse; and

determining the center frequency of the monomial RF pulse based on the estimated first frequency response profile and the estimated second frequency response profile.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the estimated first frequency response profile and the estimated second frequency response profile are determined by:

determining peak width information based on the duration;

determining peak frequency information based on the RF field intensity; and

determining the estimated first frequency response profile and the estimated second frequency response profile based on the peak width information and the peak frequency information.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the determining peak frequency information based on the RF field intensity comprises:

determining a threshold intensity relating to the RF field intensity, the threshold intensity corresponding to a preset equivalent flip angle; and

determining the peak frequency information based on the RF field intensity and the threshold intensity.

7 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the determining the center frequency of the monomial RF pulse based on the estimated first frequency response profile and the estimated second frequency response profile comprises:

determining one or more estimated passbands in which the first substance is excited based on the estimated first frequency response profile;

determining one or more estimated stopbands in which the second substance is suppressed based on the estimated second frequency response profile;

determining an estimated overlap frequency range between the one or more estimated passbands and the one or more estimated stopbands; and

determining the center frequency that is within the estimated overlap frequency range.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein

a first frequency response profile of the first substance with respect to the monomial RF pulse includes one or more passbands in which the first substance is excited, each of the one or more passbands spanning over a locally continuous frequency range,

a second frequency response profile of the second substance with respect to the monomial RF pulse includes one or more stopbands in which the second substance is suppressed, at least one stopband of the one or more stopbands being a semi-infinite frequency range,

at least one passband of the one or more passbands has an overlap frequency range with the at least one stopband, and

a center frequency of the monomial RF pulse is within the overlap frequency range.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first substance and the second substance are two different substances among the water, the fat, and the silica gel.

10 . A method for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), implemented on a computing device having at least one processor and at least one storage device, the method comprising:

obtaining MRI data of a target subject, the MRI data being collected by applying an MRI pulse sequence on the target subject, the MRI pulse sequence including a monomial RF pulse for exciting first substance in the target subject and suppressing second substance in the target subject; and

reconstructing a magnetic resonance (MR) image of the target subject based on the MRI data, wherein

a first frequency response profile of the first substance with respect to the monomial RF pulse includes one or more passbands in which the first substance is excited, each of the one or more passbands spanning over a locally continuous frequency range,

a second frequency response profile of the second substance with respect to the monomial RF pulse includes one or more stopbands in which the second substance is suppressed, at least one stopband of the one or more stopbands being a semi-infinite frequency range,

at least one passband of the one or more passbands has an overlap frequency range with the at least one stopband, and

a center frequency of the monomial RF pulse is within the overlap frequency range.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the phase of the monomial RF pulse is a constant value during application.

12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein a waveform of the monomial RF pulse is determined by:

generating a trapezoidal waveform;

generating a preliminary waveform by performing exponential transformation on each point in the trapezoidal waveform; and

determining the waveform of the monomial RF pulse by filtering the preliminary waveform.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein the trapezoidal waveform includes a top side having a first length and a bottom side having a second length, the first length is greater than zero and smaller than the second length.

14 . The method of claim 10 , wherein a center frequency of the monomial RF pulse is determined by:

determining a duration of the monomial RF pulse and an RF field intensity of the monomial RF pulse;

determining, based on the duration and the RF field intensity, an estimated first frequency response profile of the first substance with respect to the monomial RF pulse and an estimated second frequency response profile of the second substance with respect to the monomial RF pulse; and

determining the center frequency of the monomial RF pulse based on the estimated first frequency response profile and the estimated second frequency response profile.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the estimated first frequency response profile and the estimated second frequency response profile are determined by:

determining peak width information based on the duration;

determining peak frequency information based on the RF field intensity; and

determining the estimated first frequency response profile and the estimated second frequency response profile based on the peak width information and the peak frequency information.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the determining peak frequency information based on the RF field intensity comprises:

determining a threshold intensity relating to the RF field intensity, the threshold intensity corresponding to a preset equivalent flip angle; and

determining the peak frequency information based on the RF field intensity and the threshold intensity.

17 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the determining the center frequency of the monomial RF pulse based on the estimated first frequency response profile and the estimated second frequency response profile comprises:

determining one or more estimated passbands in which the first substance is excited based on the estimated first frequency response profile;

determining one or more estimated stopbands in which the second substance is suppressed based on the estimated second frequency response profile;

determining an estimated overlap frequency range between the one or more estimated passbands and the one or more estimated stopbands; and

determining the center frequency that is within the estimated overlap frequency range.

18 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the first substance and the second substance are two different substances among the water, the fat, and the silica gel.

19 . A system for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), comprising:

at least one storage device including a set of instructions; and

at least one processor configured to communicate with the at least one storage device, wherein when executing the set of instructions, the at least one processor is configured to direct the system to perform operations including:

obtaining MRI data of a target subject, the MRI data being collected by applying an MRI pulse sequence on the target subject, the MRI pulse sequence including a monomial radio frequency (RF) pulse for exciting first substance in the target subject and suppressing second substance in the target subject; and

reconstructing a magnetic resonance (MR) image of the target subject based on the MRI data, wherein a waveform of the monomial RF pulse is determined by:

generating a trapezoidal waveform;

generating a preliminary waveform by performing exponential transformation on each point in the trapezoidal waveform; and

determining the waveform of the monomial RF pulse by filtering the preliminary waveform.

20 . The system of claim 19 , wherein

a first frequency response profile of the first substance with respect to the monomial RF pulse includes one or more passbands in which the first substance is excited, each of the one or more passbands spanning over a locally continuous frequency range,

a second frequency response profile of the second substance with respect to the monomial RF pulse includes one or more stopbands in which the second substance is suppressed, at least one stopband of the one or more stopbands being a semi-infinite frequency range,

at least one passband of the one or more passbands has an overlap frequency range with the at least one stopband, and

a center frequency of the monomial RF pulse is within the overlap frequency range.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jan 17, 2025
From: UIH AMERICA, INC.
To: UNITED IMAGING HEALTHCARE NORTH AMERICA, INC.
Reel/Frame 069935/0981 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 25, 2024
From: YE, YONGQUAN
To: UIH AMERICA, INC.
Reel/Frame 067216/0853 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20250251477A1 · Aug 7, 2025
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