Patent ID: 6492811
Filing Date: 2002-12-10
Classification: G01R

Abstract:
A method of imaging a subject with an MRI scanner, said method comprising:(a) positioning a region of interest of the subject in the MRI scanner; (b) executing an echo planar imaging pulse sequence with the MRI scanner; (c) receiving a signal produced by the echo planar imaging pulse sequence, said signal including first and second distinct sets of echos, wherein each echo in the first set of echos coincides with a positive polarity read gradient of the echo planar imaging pulse sequence and each echo in the second set of echos coincides with a negative polarity read gradient of the echo planar imaging pulse sequence; (d) collecting, into a first k-space matrix, data corresponding to the first set of echos; (e) collecting, into a second k-space matrix, data corresponding to the second set of echos; (f) reconstructing a first image of the region of interest from the data in the first k-space matrix; (g) reconstructing a second image of the region of interest from the data in the second k-space matrix, said second image being temporally offset form the first image; (h) displaying said first and second images one after another; and, (i) repeating steps (b) through (h) iteratively to achieve one of cine and fluoroscopic imaging of the region of interest.