Patent Document ID: 20050110490
Application ID: 10957822
Patent Status: 0

Claim One:
1. A method for producing simulated fMRI data, comprising: locating an RF coil in a static magnetic field B o , wherein the RF coil is associated with an RF magnetic field such that the RF magnetic field has a component that is perpendicular to the static magnetic field B o in a region of interest; locating a sample material in a region of interest in the static magnetic field B o such that the RF coil is proximate to the sample material; exciting the sample material with an excitation RF magnetic field B 1 , which has a component perpendicular to the static magnetic field B o , such that the magnetization M of the sample material rotates; detecting a net RF magnetic field B net in the region of interest after exciting the sample material with the excitation RF magnetic field B 1 , wherein the rotation of the magnetization M of the sample material induces a voltage V in the RF coil, wherein the voltage induced in the RF coil produces a current I, where I = V Z , where Z is the impedance of the RF coil, wherein the current I produces an induced RF magnetic field B 2 , wherein the induced RF magnetic field B 2 alters the net RF magnetic field B net proximate to the RF coil, wherein the net RF magnetic field B net after exciting the sample material with the excitation RF magnetic field B 1 is the vector sum of the magnetic field B M of the rotating magnetization M, where B M =μ o M and μ o is the magnetic permeability of free space, and the induced RF magnetic field B 2 , wherein a first portion of an MRI signal is produced for the region of interest; exciting the sample material with the excitation RF magnetic field B 1 , which has a component perpendicular to the static magnetic field B o , such that the magnetization M of the sample material rotates; detecting the net RF magnetic field B net in the region of interest after exciting the sample material with the excitation RF magnetic field B 1 and while the RF coil is decoupled, wherein the net RF magnetic field B net after exciting the sample material with the excitation RF magnetic field B 1 and while the RF coil is decoupled is the magnetic field B M of the rotating magnetization M, wherein a second portion of an MRI signal is produced for the region of interest; and producing simulated fMRI data for the region of interest from the first portion of the MRI signal and the second portion of the MRI signal.