Cardiac MRI curvilinear tagging

1. A method for generating a pattern of curvilinear tags of altered magnetization in a target volume of an object being affected by NMR, the NMR generated from an NMR scanner having a magnetic field gradient generating coil and an RF coil, the method comprising:

generating an alternating gradient signal to operate the magnetic field gradient generating coil; and

generating a continuous radio frequency (RF) signal to operate the RF coil simultaneously with at least part of the alternating gradient signal;

wherein the alternating gradient signal is shaped to generate a rotating on-resonance excitation plane;

wherein the on-resonance excitation plane is configured such that each point in the target volume is on-resonance for at least two time points during a period corresponding to at least one full rotation of the on-resonance excitation plane;

wherein the rotating on-resonance excitation plane is configured to generate a plurality of curvilinear tags of altered magnetization within the target volume; and

generating an output image of the target volume comprising the curvilinear tags.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 :

wherein the alternating gradient signal and radio frequency (RF) signal are generated as part of an NMR imaging preparation sequence; and

wherein the curvilinear tags comprise curvilinear taglines within an imaging plane of an NMR image.

3. A method as recited in claim 2 , further comprising:

controlling the gradient coil to deliver a gradient field corresponding to the alternating gradient signal into the object within the imaging plane; and

simultaneously controlling the RF coil to deliver an RF field corresponding to the continuous RF signal;

wherein the delivered gradient field and RF field alter the alignment of particles within the object.

4. A method as recited in claim 2 , wherein the curvilinear taglines comprise curvilinear lines of altered magnetization that are substantially equally spaced, substantially parallel, and substantially concentric.

5. A method as recited in claim 2 , wherein the rotating on-resonance excitation plane rotates on an axis substantially orthogonal to the imaging plane to simultaneously generate a plurality of circular taglines.

6. A method as recited in claim 4 , wherein the magnitude of the alternating gradient signal is constant to simultaneously generate a plurality of circular taglines.

7. A method as recited in claim 2 , wherein the rotating on-resonance excitation plane rotates on an axis oblique to the imaging plane to generate a plurality of elliptical taglines.

8. A method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the alternating gradient signal comprises a two-dimensional sinusoidal gradient signal.

9. A method as recited in claim 2 , wherein the rotation axis is substantially fixed with respect to the imaging plane during rotation of the on-resonance excitation plane.

10. A method as recited in claim 8 , wherein the rotation axis is substantially parallel to and lies substantially within the on-resonance excitation plane.

11. A method as recited in claim 2 , wherein the RF signal comprises a substantially constant signal.

12. A method as recited in claim 3 , further comprising:

receiving data from the magnetized image plane corresponding to the altered alignment of particles within the object; and

generating the NMR image from said data.

13. A preparation sequencing apparatus for generating curvilinear tags of altered magnetization in a target volume of an object being affected by NMR, comprising:

a processor; and

programming executable on said processor for:

generating an alternating gradient signal;

generating a continuous radio frequency (RF) signal simultaneously with the alternating gradient signal;

wherein the alternating gradient signal is shaped to generate a rotating on-resonance excitation plane;

wherein the on-resonance excitation plane is configured such that each point in the target volume is on-resonance for at least two time points during a period corresponding to at least one full rotation of the on-resonance excitation plane; and

wherein the rotating on-resonance excitation plane is configured to simultaneously generate a plurality of curvilinear tags of altered magnetization in the target volume; and

generating an output image of the target volume comprising the curvilinear tags.

14. An apparatus as recited in claim 13 , wherein the preparation sequencing apparatus is configured for generating curvilinear taglines within an imaging plane of an NMR image.

15. An apparatus as recited in claim 14 , wherein the curvilinear taglines comprise curvilinear regions of altered magnetization that are substantially equally spaced, substantially parallel, and substantially concentric.

16. An apparatus as recited in claim 14 , wherein the rotating on-resonance excitation plane rotates on an axis substantially orthogonal to the imaging plane to simultaneously generate a plurality of circular taglines.

17. An apparatus as recited in claim 16 , wherein the magnitude of the alternating gradient signal is constant to simultaneously generate a plurality of circular taglines.

18. An apparatus as recited in claim 14 , wherein the rotating on-resonance excitation plane rotates on an axis oblique to the imaging plane to generate a plurality of elliptical taglines.

19. An apparatus as recited in claim 13 , wherein the alternating gradient signal comprises a two-dimensional sinusoidal gradient signal.

20. An apparatus as recited in claim 14 , wherein the rotation axis is substantially fixed with respect to the imaging plane during rotation of the on-resonance excitation plane.

21. An apparatus as recited in claim 20 , wherein the rotation axis is substantially parallel to and lies substantially within the on-resonance excitation plane.

22. An apparatus as recited in claim 14 , wherein the RF signal comprises a substantially constant signal.

23. An NMR imaging system for generating an NMR image comprising curvilinear taglines of altered magnetization within an imaging plane corresponding to the NMR image, comprising:

a magnetic field gradient generating coil;

an RF coil; and

a preparation sequencing module for generating a preparation sequence to control the gradient generating coil and RF coil;

the preparation sequence configured to generate a alternating gradient signal to operate the gradient generating coil, and a continuous a radio frequency (RF) signal to operate the RF coil simultaneously with the alternating gradient signal;

wherein the alternating gradient signal is shaped to generate a rotating on-resonance excitation plane such that each point in the target volume is on-resonance for at least two time points during a period corresponding to at least one full rotation of the on-resonance excitation plane; and

wherein the rotating on-resonance excitation plane is configured to generate a plurality of curvilinear taglines of altered magnetization in the imaging plane.

24. A system as recited in claim 23 , wherein the curvilinear taglines comprise curvilinear regions of altered magnetization that are substantially equally spaced, substantially parallel, and substantially concentric.

25. A system as recited in claim 23 , wherein the rotating on-resonance excitation plane rotates on an axis substantially orthogonal to the imaging plane to simultaneously generate a plurality of circular taglines.

26. A system as recited in claim 25 , wherein the magnitude of the alternating gradient signal is constant to simultaneously generate a plurality of circular taglines.

27. A system as recited in claim 23 , wherein the rotating on-resonance excitation plane rotates on an axis oblique to the imaging plane to generate a plurality of elliptical taglines.

28. A system as recited in claim 23 , wherein the alternating gradient signal comprises a two-dimensional sinusoidal gradient signal.

29. A system as recited in claim 23 , wherein the rotation axis is substantially fixed with respect to the imaging plane during rotation of the on-resonance excitation plane.

30. A system as recited in claim 23 , wherein the preparation sequencing module comprises:

a processor; and

programming executable on said processor for generating the preparation sequence.

31. A system as recited in claim 23 , further comprising:

an imaging module;

the imaging module configured for receiving data from the magnetized image plane and generating an image from said data.

32. A non-transitory computer readable media containing instructions executable on a computer for carrying out a method for generating curvilinear tags of altered magnetization in a target volume of an object being affected by NMR, the method comprising:

generating an alternating gradient signal; and

generating a continuous radio frequency (RF) signal simultaneously with the alternating gradient signal;

wherein the alternating gradient signal is shaped to generate a rotating on-resonance excitation plane;

wherein the on-resonance excitation plane is configured such that each point in the target volume is on-resonance for at least two time points during a period corresponding to at least one full rotation of the on-resonance excitation plane;

wherein the rotating on-resonance excitation plane is configured to simultaneously generate a plurality of curvilinear tags of altered magnetization in the target volume; and

generating an output image of the target volume comprising the curvilinear tags.