Patent ID: 7508205

Claim:
A magnetic resonance imaging system comprising: a data acquisition system including: a main magnet which generates a magnetic field in an imaging volume, a gradient system which generates a gradient in said magnetic field; an RF excitation system which generates a radio-frequency wave in the imaging volume, said radio-frequency wave being configured to interact with a contrast agent encapsulated in a thermo-sensitive shield introduced into matter, positioned in the imaging volume; a signal acquisition system which detects a signal representative of a response of the matter and contrast agent to said radio-frequency wave; a control system which controls the data acquisition system to generate a dataset including signal phase data and signal magnitude data; an image processor which reconstructs based on the dataset, an image representative of: (1) local thermometry data and (2) local longitudinal relaxation data using said phase data and said magnitude data and which generates a further signal upon an event of a detection of the contrast agent outside the shield.