Patent ID: 9192322
Filing Date: 2015-11-24
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) method for estimating a location of at least one source vessel in a tagging plane of a subject, the method comprising: using a first set of coils to apply a plurality of encoding steps in the tagging plane, each encoding step comprising application of gradient and radio frequency (RF) pulses to generate an MRI signal with modulation across the tagging plane, the MRI signal characterized by an orientation based on an orientation randomization scheme, a wavelength based on a wavelength randomization scheme and a phase based on a phase randomization scheme, wherein the phase randomization scheme includes selecting phases in encoding step pairs such that a first phase of a first RF pulse of a first encoding step from a given encoding step pair in the encoding step pairs is randomly selected, and a second phase of a second RF pulse of a second encoding step from the given encoding step pair is selected to be 180 degrees away from the first phase, and wherein a difference signal between the encoding step pair facilitates removing a static tissue signal; using a second set of coils to acquire a plurality of scan images based on the applied plurality of encoding steps; processing, using a processor, the acquired plurality of scan images to produce a processed data output; and estimating, using the processor, based on the processed data output, the location of the at least one source vessel.