Patent ID: 6510335
Filing Date: 2003-01-21
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
An MRI system for imaging flows of blood and a fluid other than blood in a subject to be examined, the system comprising:ECG-gating means for detecting an ECG signal of the subject; scanning means for scanning, at a constant cardiac phase determined based on the ECG signal, the subject with a pulse sequence formed to generate a plurality of echoes with different phase-encodes in response to a single shot of magnetic excitation, using an effective echo time selected to depict the flow of fluid higher in echo signal intensity than the flow of blood, using a short echo train spacing thus also allowing the flow of blood to be depicted, and to repeat such scanning so as to acquire three-dimensional echo data; data processing means for processing the MR signals generated in response to the performance of the pulse sequence into three-dimensional echo data; and producing means for producing from the three-dimensional echo data an image wherein the flow of blood and fluid other than blood are depicted.