A method of peripheral MR angiography is provided for imaging an artery or other vessel, wherein the vessel is of such length that MR data must be acquired at each of a plurality of scan stations spaced along the vessel. In accordance with the method, a contrast agent is intravenously injected, in order to provide a bolus which successively flows to each of the scan stations. After acquiring an initial subset of the MR data associated with a given scan station, the bolus is tracked to determine whether it has arrived at the next-following scan station. If so, at least some of the MR data associated with the next scan station are then acquired. However, if it is found that the bolus has not yet arrived at the next scan station, acquisition of further data at the given scan station is continued.

Claims

16 · 2 independent · depth 4

16 granted claims

›1.independentA method of peripheral MR angiography for imaging structure pertaining to a vessel, wherein MR data are to be acquired at each of a succession of scan…+5

›2.↳ 1The method of claim 1 wherein: said initial portion of said first set of MR data comprises central k-space data.d2+4

›3.↳ 2The method of claim 2 wherein said monitoring step comprises: placing an MR detector responsive to said contrast agent proximate to each of said scan …d3

›4.↳ 2The method of claim 2 wherein said monitoring step comprises: rapidly acquiring MR data from a region proximate to said vessel and to said second scan…d3

›5.↳ 2The method of claim 2 wherein said monitoring step comprises: placing an MR detector responsive to said contrast agent in closely spaced relationship …d3

›6.↳ 2The method of claim 2, wherein said vessel comprises an artery residing in an imaging subject, an MR scanning device and a table supporting said imagi…d3

›7.independentA method for acquiring an MR image of a vessel within a subject, wherein the vessel is of such length that MR data must be acquired at each of a succe…+9

›8.↳ 7The method of claim 7 wherein: said initial portions of said first and second data sets respectively comprise central k-space data.d2+2

›11.↳ 7The method of claim 7 wherein said subject is supported upon a moveable table, and wherein: said table is operated to selectively position said subjec…d2

›12.↳ 7The method of claim 7 wherein said monitoring step comprises: placing an MR monitoring means responsive to said contrast agent in closely spaced relat…d2

›13.↳ 7The method of claim 7 wherein said monitoring step comprises: rapidly acquiring MR data from a region proximate to said vessel and to said next follow…d2+3

Classifications

2 codes

USPC · US Patent Classification

600/420324/309

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2.3 y

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Marvin M. Lateef

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