Patent ID: 6044290
Filing Date: 2000-03-28
Classification: G01R

Abstract:
A method for acquiring contrast enhanced NMR data from a subject to produce a series of frame images by repeatedly acquiring samples from a selected k-space during a dynamic study of the subject, the steps comprising:administering a contrast agent to the subject which enhances NMR signals;performing a series of NMR data acquisitions using an echo-planar pulse sequence to sample a central region of the selected k-space at a temporal rate; and to sample peripheral regions of the selected k-space at a lower temporal rate, each echo-planar pulse sequence acquiring a plurality of NMR signals which each sample a portion of k-space and the number of NMR signals acquired during each echo-planar pulse sequence being limited such that the contrast between contrast enhanced tissues and other tissues is not substantially diminished;forming a data set for each set of central region k-space samples, which includes said central region k-space samples and samples derived from the most temporally adjacent samplings of the peripheral k-space regions; andreconstructing a frame image from each data set.