Patient support table control system for use in MR imaging

1. A system for Non-Contrast Agent enhanced MR imaging, comprising:

an MR image acquisition device for acquiring imaging datasets of a patient comprising one or more image slabs individually comprising a plurality of image slices;

an image data processor for processing data representing an acquired image slice to detect an anatomical feature of said patient by detecting an edge of said anatomical feature in response to detection of pixel luminance transitions; and

a patient support table controller for automatically moving a patient table at a velocity adaptively and dynamically determined by,

selecting a table velocity modification parameter from a plurality of table velocity modification parameters using predetermined information associating a plurality of anatomical characteristics of said anatomical feature with said plurality of table velocity modification parameters in response to detection of said anatomical feature in said acquired image slice of said patient, each of said plurality of anatomical characteristics being associated with one of said plurality of table velocity modification parameters, and

adaptively determining a table velocity using the selected table velocity modification parameter.

2. A system according to claim 1 , wherein

said image slice of said patient is acquired from at least one of, (a) a previous scan of said patient and (b) a current image acquisition scan of said patient.

3. A system according to claim 2 , wherein

said plurality of anatomical characteristics of said anatomical feature comprise at least two of (a) degree of stenosis, (b) vessel diameter and (c) angular vessel orientation.

4. A system according to claim 1 , including

a repository of predetermined information, associating a plurality of values or value ranges of said anatomical characteristics of said anatomical feature with said plurality of table velocity modification parameters and including

a comparator for comparing measured characteristic values derived by said image data processor with said values or ranges to provide the plurality of said table velocity modification parameters.

5. A system according to claim 4 , wherein

said predetermined information associates ranges of characteristic values with particular patient demographic characteristics and said system uses patient demographic data including at least one of, age weight, gender and height in determining said plurality of table velocity modification parameters.

6. A system according to claim 1 , wherein

said image data processor detects said detected anatomical feature by

comparing said detected anatomical feature in an image with a plurality of predetermined template image objects,

selecting a best match object to identify said detected anatomical feature.

7. A system according to claim 6 , wherein

said image data processor detects said detected anatomical feature by aligning said detected anatomical feature in an image with a template image object.

8. A system according to claim 7 , wherein

said image data processor detects said detected anatomical feature by scaling at least one of, said detected anatomical feature and said template image object.

9. A system according to claim 1 , wherein

said detected anatomical feature comprises at least one of, (a) a vessel characteristic, (b) an organ or tissue characteristic associated with a medical condition, (c) a blood flow characteristic and (d) an invasive medical device.

10. A method employed by a system for Non-Contrast Agent enhanced MR imaging, comprising the activities of:

acquiring imaging datasets of a patient comprising one or more image slabs individually comprising a plurality of image slices;

processing data representing an acquired image slice to detect an anatomical feature of said patient by detecting an edge of said anatomical feature in response to detection of pixel luminance transitions; and

automatically moving a patient table at a velocity adaptively and dynamically determined by,

selecting a table velocity modification parameter from a plurality of table velocity modification parameters using predetermined information associating a plurality of anatomical characteristics of said anatomical feature with said plurality of table velocity modification parameters in response to detection of said anatomical feature in said acquired image slice of said patient, each of said plurality of anatomical characteristics being associated with one of said plurality of table velocity modification parameters, and

adaptively determining a table velocity using the selected table velocity modification parameters.

11. A method according to claim 10 , wherein said image slice of said patient is acquired from at least one of, (a) a previous scan of said patient and (b) a current image acquisition scan of said patient.

12. A method according to claim 11 , wherein said plurality of anatomical characteristics of said anatomical feature comprise at least two of, (a) degree of stenosis, (b) vessel diameter and (c) angular vessel orientation and including the activity of adaptively determining a table velocity using the selected table velocity modification parameter in accordance with a function substantially of the form

V ( z ) + =P·V ( z ) −

Where V(z) + is an adjusted table velocity, V(z) − is a previous table velocity and P is said selected modification parameter.

13. A method according to claim 10 , wherein

including the activity of adaptively determining a table velocity using the table velocity modification data in accordance with a function substantially of the form

V ( z ) + =C·FR·V ( z ) −

where V(z) + is an adjusted table velocity, V(z) − is a previous table velocity, C is a constant, FR is a vessel blood flow reduction factor and P is said selected modification parameter.

14. A method according to claim 10 , wherein said activity of selecting said table velocity modification parameter comprises using predetermined information associating said anatomical feature indicating an impairment and severity of said impairment with table velocity modification.

15. A method according to claim 10 , wherein

said activity of selecting said table velocity modification parameter comprises using predetermined information associating said anatomical feature indicating an impairment with table velocity modification.

16. A method according to claim 10 , including the activities of

storing said predetermined information in a repository associating a plurality of values or value ranges of said plurality of anatomical characteristics of said anatomical feature with said plurality of table velocity modification parameters and including the activity of

comparing measured characteristic values derived by said image data processor with said plurality of values or ranges to provide the selected table velocity modification parameter.

17. A method according to claim 16 , wherein said predetermined information associates ranges of characteristic values with particular patient demographic characteristics and said method uses patient demographic data including at least one of, age weight, gender and height in selecting said table velocity modification parameter.

18. A method according to claim 10 , including the activity of detecting said anatomical feature by comparing said detected anatomical feature in said acquired image with a plurality of predetermined template image objects, aligning said detected anatomical feature in said image with a template image object of said plurality of predetermined template image objects and selecting a best match object to identify said detected-anatomical feature.

19. A method according to claim 18 , including the activity of

detecting said anatomical feature by scaling at least one of, said detected anatomical feature and said template image object and

said detected anatomical feature comprises at least one of (a) a vessel characteristic, (b) an organ or tissue characteristic associated with a medical condition, (c) a blood flow characteristic and (d) an invasive medical device.

20. A system for Non-Contrast Agent enhanced MR imaging, comprising:

an MR image acquisition device for acquiring imaging datasets of a patient comprising one or more image slabs individually comprising a plurality of image slices;

an image data processor for processing data representing an acquired image slice to detect an anatomical feature of said patient by detecting an edge of said anatomical feature in response to detection of pixel luminance transitions; and

a patient support table controller for automatically moving a patient table at a velocity adaptively and dynamically determined by,

selecting, in response to detection of said anatomical feature in said acquired image slice of said patient, a table velocity modification parameter from a plurality of table velocity modification parameters using predetermined information associating each one of a plurality of anatomical features with one of said table velocity modification parameters, and

adaptively determining a table velocity using the selected table velocity modification parameter.