IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,578,409
Granted Patent B2
US 12,578,409 · App. 18/633,720 · Granted Mar 17, 2026

Methods, apparatuses, systems and computer-readable mediums for adjusting frequency in medical imaging

Inventors: Sinyeob Ahn (Pacheco, CA); Marcus Couch (Montreal, CA); Lumeng Cui (Burnaby, CA)
Assignee: Siemens Healthineers AG
G01R33/5676
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,578,409
App. No.
18/633,720
Granted
Mar 17, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system for performing a real-time frequency adjustment during medical imaging includes at least one memory and at least one processor. The at least one memory is configured to store instructions and the at least one processor is configured to execute the instructions to cause the system to apply a navigator before a repetition time (“TR”) variant spatial-encoding event of a first TR of a plurality of TRs, determine phase change information from a navigator signal acquired after the navigator is applied, and adjust a radio frequency (“RF”) pulse frequency of the medical imaging based on the phase change information.

Claims (44)

1 . A method for performing a real-time frequency adjustment during medical imaging, the method comprising:

applying a navigator before a repetition time (TR) variant spatial-encoding event of a first TR of a plurality of TRs;

determining phase change information from a navigator signal, the navigator signal being acquired after the navigator is applied; and

adjusting a radio frequency (RF) pulse frequency of the medical imaging based on the phase change information.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein each TR of the plurality of TRs includes at least one TR invariant event and a TR variant event.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the at least one TR invariant event includes at least one TR invariant RF pulse.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the at least one TR invariant event further includes at least one TR invariant gradient pulse.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the TR variant spatial-encoding event includes at least one TR variant gradient pulse.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the adjusting the RF pulse frequency of the medical imaging is a real time frequency adjustment that is localized to an imaging region of interest.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the applying, the determining, and the adjusting are repeated during each TR of the plurality of TRs.

8 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

compensating for signal to noise ratio during the medical imaging by using a moving average of the navigator signal calculated from each TR of the plurality of TRs of the medical imaging.

9 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

acquiring a reference frequency from an initial number of TR of the plurality of TRs.

10 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

determining a scan frequency based on the phase change information and a dwell time; and

determining a change in frequency based on the reference frequency and the scan frequency.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the RF pulse frequency is not adjusted when the change in frequency exceeds a threshold value.

12 . A system for performing a real-time frequency adjustment during medical imaging, the system comprising:

at least one memory configured to store instructions; and

at least one processor configured to execute the instructions to cause the system to

apply a navigator before a repetition time (TR) variant spatial-encoding event of a first TR of a plurality of TRs;

determine phase change information from a navigator signal, the navigator signal being acquired after the navigator is applied; and

adjust a radio frequency (RF) pulse frequency of the medical imaging based on the phase change information.

13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein each TR of the plurality of TRs includes at least one TR invariant event and a TR variant event.

14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the at least one TR invariant event includes at least one TR invariant RF pulse.

15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the at least one TR invariant event further includes at least one TR invariant gradient pulse.

16 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the TR variant spatial-encoding event includes at least one TR variant gradient pulse.

17 . The system of claim 12 , wherein adjusting the RF pulse frequency of the medical imaging is a real time frequency adjustment that is localized to an imaging region of interest.

18 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the applying, the determining, and the adjusting are repeated during each TR of the plurality of TRs.

19 . The system of claim 18 , wherein the processor is further configured to cause the system to:

compensate for signal to noise ratio during the medical imaging by using a moving average of the navigator signal calculated from each TR of the plurality of TRs of the medical imaging.

20 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the processor is further configured to cause the system to:

acquire a reference frequency from an initial number of TR of the plurality of TRs.

21 . The system of claim 20 , wherein the processor is further configured to cause the system to:

determine a scan frequency based on the phase change information and a dwell time; and

determine a change in frequency based on the reference frequency and the scan frequency.

22 . The system of claim 21 , wherein the RF pulse frequency is not adjusted when the change in frequency exceeds a threshold value.

23 . A method for performing a real-time frequency adjustment during medical imaging, the method comprising:

applying a navigator after at least one repetition time (TR) invariant event of a first TR of a plurality of TRs;

determining phase change information from a navigator signal, the navigator signal being acquired after the navigator is applied; and

adjusting a radio frequency (RF) pulse frequency of the medical imaging based on the phase change information.

24 . The method of claim 23 , wherein the at least one TR invariant event is a selective RF pulse.

25 . The method of claim 23 , wherein the navigator is applied before a TR variant event.

Assignments (4)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 28, 2024
From: SIEMENS HEALTHCARE LIMITED
To: SIEMENS HEALTHINEERS AG
Reel/Frame 067866/0845 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 28, 2024
From: SIEMENS MEDICAL SOLUTIONS USA, INC.
To: SIEMENS HEALTHINEERS AG
Reel/Frame 067866/0941 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 6, 2024
From: COUCH, MARCUS; CUI, LUMENG
To: SIEMENS HEALTHCARE LIMITED
Reel/Frame 067642/0211 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 2, 2024
From: AHN, SINYEOB
To: SIEMENS MEDICAL SOLUTIONS USA, INC.
Reel/Frame 067293/0766 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20250321308A1 · Oct 16, 2025
References Cited (15)
US 8604787B2 · Posse · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 10045741B2 · Tisdall et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20050248343A1 · Kruger et al. · 2005 [cited by applicant]
US 20210364588A1 · Kuratani · 2021 [cited by examiner]
GB 2528123A · 2016 [cited by applicant]
WO 2023034044A1 · 2023 [cited by applicant]
Wallace, T. E., Kober, T., Stockmann, J. P., Polimeni, J. R., Warfield, S. K., & Afacan, O. (2022), “Real-time shimming with FID navigators”. Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, 88(6), 2548-2563. [cited by applicant]
Wallace, T. E., Afacan, O., Waszak, M., Kober, T., & Warfield, S. K. (2018). “Head motion measurement and correction using FID navigators”, Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, 81(1), 258-274. [cited by applicant]
Thiel, T. et al. (2002), “Phase coherent averaging in magnetic resonance spectroscopy using interleaved navigator scans: Compensation of motion artifacts and magnetic field instabilities”, Magnetic Resonance in Medicine… [cited by applicant]
Tal, A., & Gonen, O. (2012), “Localization errors in MR spectroscopic imaging due to the drift of the main magnetic field and their correction”, Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, 70(4), 895-904. [cited by applicant]
Near, J. et al. (2014), “Frequency and phase drift correction of magnetic resonance spectroscopy data by spectral registration in the time domain”, Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, 73(1), 44-50. [cited by applicant]
Lee, C., Choi, I., & Lee, P. (2018), “Prospective frequency correction using outer volume suppression-localized navigator for MR spectroscopy and spectroscopic imaging”, Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, 80(6), 2366-2373. [cited by applicant]
Hui, S. C. et al. (2021), “Frequency drift in MR spectroscopy at 3T”, Neurolmage, 241, 118430. [cited by applicant]
T. Hess, A. et al. (2011), “Real-Time Motion and BO Corrected Single Voxel Spectroscopy Using Volumetric Navigators”, Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, 66, 314-323. [cited by applicant]
Edden, R. A. et al. (2016), “Prospective frequency correction for macromolecule-suppressed GABA editing at 3T”, Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging, 44(6), 1474-1482. [cited by applicant]