Patent ID: 11921181
Assignee: THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AS REPRESENTED BY THE SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC G  A | IPC A  G

Claim 1:
2. A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system comprising:
(a) an MRI device comprising:
(i) a magnet system to apply a polarizing magnetic field about at least a portion of a subject arranged in the MRI system;
(ii) a plurality of gradient coils to apply a gradient field to the polarizing magnetic field; and,
(iii) a radiofrequency (RF) system to apply a RF excitation field to a region of interest in the subject and acquire signal data therefrom; and,

(b) a computer system, having a processor and memory, to:
(i) perform a T2*-weighted sequence by controlling the MRI device, wherein the sequence suppresses CSF signals;
(ii) acquire high resolution signal data generated by the sequence; and,
(iii) produce one or more high resolution images from the signal data for direct visualization,

wherein the T2*-weighted sequence comprises a T2-prepared inversion pulse (T2Prep) followed by an inversion pulse, wherein the T2Prep suppresses CSF signals.