Patent ID: 6611144
Filing Date: 2003-08-26
Classification: G01R

Abstract:
A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus comprising static magnet field generating means for generating a static magnet field in a space where an object to be examined is placed, gradient magnetic field generating means generating gradient magnetic fields in the space in a slice direction, phase encode direction and readout direction, transmitting means for applying RF magnetic field to cause nuclear magnetic resonance in atomic nuclei of a living tissue of the object, receiving means for detecting echo signals emitted by the nuclear magnetic resonance, control means for controlling the gradient magnetic field generating means, transmitting means and receiving means, signal processing means for performing image reconstruction using the echo signals detected by the receiving means, and display means for displaying the produced images,wherein the control means performs a three-dimensional sequence including a slice encoding step and a phase encoding step and, upon performing the sequence, divides sampling points of k-space defined by a slice encode number and phase encode number into two groups and controls the gradient magnetic field generating means of the slice direction and the phase encode direction such that a distance from the k-space origin to a sampling point progressively decreases in the measurement of the first group and a distance from the k-space origin to a sampling point progressively increases in the measurement of the second group.