Patent ID: 6714011
Filing Date: 2004-03-30
Classification: G01R

Abstract:
An MR method for suppressing MR signals from peripheral regions situated outside a specified FOV region proximate an isocenter of a main field magnet, said method comprising:a) generating a location-dependent magnetic field (Bsat) pulse with use of a saturation coil system, the saturation coil system being separate and distinct from the main field magnet, the location-dependent magnetic field (Bsat) pulse having a field strength in the peripheral regions situated outside the FOV region proximate the isocenter of the main field magnet either larger or smaller than the location-dependent magnet field pulse's field strength at the isocenter of the main field magnet, wherein the saturation coil system includes three coaxial coil sections which are offset in space and that, in an operating condition, the direction of the current in a central coil section of the saturation coil system opposes that of the currents in two outer coil sections of the saturation coil system; b) generating at least one RF pulse (RF1) with the use of an RF coil during an application of the magnetic field pulse generated by the saturation coil system, wherein the RF pulse excites a nuclear magnetization in the peripheral regions situated outside the FOV region proximate the isocenter of the main field magnet but not in the FOV region around the isocenter; and c) dephasing the excited nuclear magnetization utilizing one of magnetic field gradients Gx, Gy, and Gz of a gradient coil system, wherein the gradient coil system is separate and distinct from the main field magnet and the saturation coil system.