Patent ID: 7054675
Filing Date: 2006-05-30
Classification: G01R

Abstract:
1. A method for producing a customized spatial saturation pulse sequence for calibrating a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system to suppress NMR signals emanating from a region located substantially outside a designed spherical volume (DSV) in the MRI system, the steps comprising: a) locating a phantom in the region; b) iteratively acquiring and reconstructing a set of images with the MRI system; c) interleaving a spatial saturation pulse sequence with imaging pulse sequences used in step b) and changing a flip-angle and a slice thickness scan parameter of the spatial saturation pulse sequence as the set of images are acquired; d) selecting optimal scan parameters to form a spatial saturation pulse sequence that is customized to suppress signals emanating from the region by analyzing the set of images; and e) storing the optimal scan parameters in the MRI system to calibrate the system.