Patent ID: 8278924

Claim:
A method of performing a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) reference scan of an examination volume comprising a plurality of image points, the method being performed using a set of detector elements, the method comprising: phase sensitive acquisition of a first and a second complex echo signal originating from a first and second echo for each image point, wherein the acquisition is performed by each of the detector elements of the set of detector elements, determining for a detector element of the set of detector elements a phase difference between the first and the second echo signal for each image point, calculating from the phase difference a local magnetic field inhomogeneity value for each image point, deriving for each image point a coil sensitivity matrix, wherein the coil sensitivity matrix is derived by calculating complex ratios of the first or the second complex echo signals acquired by the set of elements, and wherein the echoes are gradient echoes generated using an encoding magnetic field gradient.