IP Library Granted Patent US 9,645,216
Granted Patent B2
US 9,645,216 · App. 13/757,446 · Granted May 9, 2017

Determination of a measuring sequence for a magnetic resonance system

Inventors: Björn Heismann (Erlangen, DE); Mathias Nittka (Baiersdorf, DE); Peter Speier (Erlangen, DE); Aurélien Stalder (Nürnberg, DE)
Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
G01R33/543G01R33/38G01R33/3854G01R33/56518
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,645,216
App. No.
13/757,446
Filed
Feb 1, 2013
Granted
May 9, 2017
Kind
B2
Art Unit
2866
USPC
324/314
Abstract

A method and a measuring-sequence-determining device for determining a measuring sequence for a magnetic resonance system based on at least one intra-repetition-interval time parameter are provided. During the determination of the measuring sequence in a gradient-optimization method, gradient-pulse parameters of the measuring sequence are automatically optimized to reduce at least one gradient-pulse-parameter maximum value. As a boundary condition in the gradient-optimization method, the intra-repetition-interval time parameter is kept constant at least within a specified tolerance value.

Claims (43)

1. A method for determining a measuring sequence for a magnetic resonance system based on at least one intra-repetition-interval time parameter, the method comprising:

automatically optimizing, during the determination of the measuring sequence in a gradient-optimization method, gradient-pulse parameters of the measuring sequence in order to reduce at least one gradient-pulse-parameter maximum value,

wherein, as a boundary condition in the gradient-optimization method, the intra-repetition-interval time parameter is kept constant at least within a specified tolerance value.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the gradient-pulse parameters comprise a slew rate, a gradient amplitude of a gradient pulse of the measuring sequence, or the slew rate and the gradient amplitude.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the measuring sequence comprises an echo sequence, and the intra-repetition-interval time parameter comprises an echo time.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising optimizing, in the gradient-optimization method, the at least one gradient-pulse-parameter maximum value.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4 , further comprising checking, in the gradient-optimization method, the at least one gradient-pulse-parameter maximum value in a sequence-determining process, to see whether, while observing the boundary condition of keeping the intra-repetition-interval time parameter constant within the specified tolerance value, the specified gradient-pulse-parameter maximum value is usable to determine the measuring sequence.

6. The method as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the gradient-optimization method comprises an iteration method, the iteration method comprising:

initially specifying a gradient-pulse-parameter maximum value as a start value;

reducing the gradient-pulse-parameter maximum value in a plurality of iteration steps with a defined increment;

performing, in each iteration step of the plurality of iteration steps with the current gradient-pulse-parameter maximum value, a sequence-determining process for determining the measuring sequence while keeping the intra-repetition-interval time parameter constant within the specified tolerance value; and

performing, on the successful determination of the measuring sequence, a new iteration step up to a specified abort criterion.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6 , further comprising aborting the iteration method when, in an iteration step with the current gradient-pulse-parameter maximum value, no successful determination of the measuring sequence is possible while keeping the intra-repetition-interval time parameter constant within the specified tolerance value.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7 , further comprising outputting, following the abortion of the iteration method, a gradient-pulse-parameter maximum value that is above the last current gradient-pulse-parameter maximum value as the at least one optimum gradient-pulse-parameter maximum value.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the last current gradient-pulse-parameter maximum value is a penultimate current gradient-pulse-parameter maximum value.

10. The method as claimed in claim 4 , further comprising specifying a global gradient-pulse-parameter maximum value as the start value.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising determining an individual gradient-pulse-parameter maximum value separately for an individual pulse segment of a gradient pulse.

12. The method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising determining an individual gradient-pulse-parameter maximum value separately for an individual complete gradient pulse.

13. The method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising determining an individual gradient-pulse-parameter maximum value separately for a functional group of gradient pulses.

14. A method for operating a magnetic resonance system, the method comprising:

determining a measuring sequence for the magnetic resonance system based on at least one intra-repetition-interval time parameter, the determining comprising automatically optimizing, during the determination of the measuring sequence in a gradient-optimization method, gradient-pulse parameters of the measuring sequence in order to reduce at least one gradient-pulse-parameter maximum value, wherein, as a boundary condition in the gradient-optimization method, the intra-repetition-interval time parameter is kept constant at least within a specified tolerance value; and

operating the magnetic resonance system using the determined measuring sequence.

15. A measuring-sequence-determining device for determining a measuring sequence for a magnetic resonance system, the measuring-sequence-determining device comprising:

an input interface operable to acquire at least one intra-repetition-interval time parameter; and

a measuring-sequence-calculating unit configured to determine the measuring sequence on the basis of control parameters,

wherein the measuring-sequence-determining device is configured such that, during the determination of the measuring sequence in a gradient-optimization method, the measuring-sequence-determining device automatically optimizes gradient-pulse parameters of the measuring sequence to reduce at least one gradient-pulse-parameter maximum value, and

wherein, as a boundary condition in the gradient-optimization method, the intra-repetition-interval time parameter is kept constant at least within a specified tolerance value.

16. A magnetic resonance system comprising:

a high-frequency transmission system comprising:

a gradient system; and

a control device configured to control the high-frequency transmission system and the gradient system in order to carry out a desired measurement based on a specified measuring sequence; and

a measuring-sequence-determining device for determining a measuring sequence for the magnetic resonance system, the measuring-sequence-determining device comprising:

an input interface operable to acquire at least one intra-repetition-interval time parameter; and

a measuring-sequence-calculating unit configured to determine the measuring sequence on the basis of control parameters,

wherein the measuring-sequence-determining device is configured such that, during the determination of the measuring sequence in a gradient-optimization method, the measuring-sequence-determining device automatically optimizes gradient-pulse parameters of the measuring sequence to reduce at least one gradient-pulse-parameter maximum value,

wherein, as a boundary condition in the gradient-optimization method, the intra-repetition-interval time parameter is kept constant at least within a specified tolerance value, and

wherein the measuring-sequence-determining device is operable to forward the measuring sequence to the control device.

17. A computer program product loadable directly into a non-transitory computer-readable medium of a measuring-sequence-determining device, the computer program product including instructions executable by the measuring-sequence-determining device to determine a measuring sequence for a magnetic resonance system, the instructions comprising:

automatically optimizing, during the determination of the measuring sequence in a gradient-optimization method, gradient-pulse parameters of the measuring sequence in order to reduce at least one gradient-pulse-parameter maximum value,

wherein, as a boundary condition in the gradient-optimization method, an intra-repetition-interval time parameter is kept constant at least within a specified tolerance value.

18. The computer program product as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the gradient-pulse parameters comprise a slew rate, a gradient amplitude of a gradient pulse of the measuring sequence, or the slew rate and the gradient amplitude.

19. The computer program product as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the measuring sequence comprises an echo sequence, and the intra-repetition-interval time parameter comprises an echo time.

20. The computer program product as claimed in claim 17 , wherein the instructions further comprise optimizing, in the gradient-optimization method, the at least one gradient-pulse-parameter maximum value.

Assignments (4)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ASSIGNEE PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 066088 FRAME: 0256. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Jan 17, 2024
From: SIEMENS HEALTHCARE GMBH
To: SIEMENS HEALTHINEERS AG
Reel/Frame 071178/0246 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 20, 2023
From: SIEMENS HEALTHCARE GMBH
To: SIEMENS HEALTHINEERS AG
Reel/Frame 066088/0256 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 13, 2017
From: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
To: SIEMENS HEALTHCARE GMBH
Reel/Frame 042776/0347 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 15, 2014
From: HEISMANN, BJÖRN; NITTKA, MATHIAS; SPEIER, PETER; STALDER, AURÉLIEN
To: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
Reel/Frame 032224/0632 →
Priority Claims (2)
DE 10 2012 201 630 · Feb 3, 2012 · national
DE 10 2012 203 512 · Mar 6, 2012 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20130200893A1 · Aug 8, 2013