Patent ID: 7340290

Claim:
A method for generating an image from magnetic resonance signals comprising: generating a first image matrix in k-space from first magnetic resonance signals, said first image matrix containing a plurality of picture elements each having a complex number magnitude value associated therewith, said first image matrix having an image quality; generating a second image matrix in k-space from second magnetic resonance signals, different from said first magnetic resonance signals, said second image matrix containing a plurality of picture elements each having a complex number magnitude value associated therewith, said picture elements in said first image matrix respectively corresponding in matrix position to said picture elements in said second image matrix; for each picture element in said first image matrix, forming a first real, non-weighted magnitude that is dependent on the complex number magnitude value for that picture element; for each picture element in said second image matrix, forming a real, self-weighted second magnitude that is dependent on the complex number magnitude value of that picture element by multiplying said magnitude value for that picture element with a weighting factor, and setting said weighting factor, dependent on said magnitude value for that picture element of said second image matrix, to be higher if said magnitude value for that picture element is high than if said magnitude value for that picture element is low; improving the image quality of the first image matrix by forming, for each of the respectively corresponding picture elements in said first image matrix and said second image matrix, an overall magnitude by mathematically combining said first magnitude and said second magnitude in a mathematical operation selected from the group consisting of addition and subtraction, thereby obtaining a plurality of overall magnitudes; and generating a final image from said overall magnitudes.