1. A method for optimizing Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) estimation using a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Scanner, the method comprising:
detecting movement of a table holding a patient into a bore of the MRI Scanner;
while the table is moving into the bore, performing an MRI scan of the patient to acquire a multi-slice multi-dimensional MRI dataset of an anatomical region of interest of the patient;
processing the multi-slice multi-dimensional MRI dataset to obtain a three-dimensional model corresponding to body geometry of the patient; and
calculating a patient-optimized SAR estimation using the three-dimensional model of the body geometry of the patient.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
performing an MRI study using the patient-optimized SAR estimation.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the MRI scan is performed using a noise reduction process designed to minimize acoustic noise generated by the MRI Scanner during the MRI scan.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein the noise reduction process optimizes gradient switching of the MRI Scanner during the MRI scan.
5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
calculating an initial SAR estimation using a default human body model prior to performing the MRI scan; and
updating the default human body model using the three-dimensional model of the body geometry of the patient.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein acquisition of the multi-slice multi-dimensional MRI dataset utilizes one or more measurement devices placed on the patient.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein the one or more measurement devices comprise one or more of acquisition coils and electrocardiogram electrodes.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the MRI scan utilizes an ultra low-SAR pulse sequence designed to produce SAR levels below a peak recommended value in the anatomical region of interest.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein the peak recommended value is 1.5 Watts per Kilogram.
10. The method of claim 8, wherein the peak recommended value is 0.5 Watts per Kilogram.
11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
identifying one or more tissue properties of the anatomical region of interest based on the three-dimensional model of the body geometry of the patient,
wherein calculation of the patient-optimized SAR estimation is based on the one or more tissue properties, and
wherein the patient-optimized SAR estimation comprises a local and whole body SAR estimation.
12. An article of manufacture for optimizing Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) estimation using a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Scanner, the article of manufacture comprising a non-transitory, tangible computer-readable medium holding computer-executable instructions for performing a method comprising:
detecting movement of a table holding a patient into a bore of the MRI Scanner;
while the table is moving into the bore, performing an MRI scan of the patient to acquire a multi-slice multi-dimensional MRI dataset of an anatomical region of interest of the patient;
processing the multi-slice multi-dimensional MRI dataset to obtain a three-dimensional model corresponding to body geometry of the patient; and
calculating a patient-optimized SAR estimation using the three-dimensional model of the body geometry of the patient.
13. The article of manufacture of claim 12, wherein the MRI scan is performed using a noise reduction process designed to minimize acoustic noise generated by the MRI Scanner during the MRI scan.
14. The article of manufacture of claim 13, wherein the noise reduction process optimizes gradient switching of the MRI Scanner during the MRI scan.
15. The article of manufacture of claim 12, wherein the method further comprises:
calculating an initial SAR estimation using a default human body model prior to performing the MRI scan; and
updating the default human body model using the three-dimensional model of the body geometry of the patient.
16. The article of manufacture of claim 12, wherein the MRI scan utilizes a low-SAR pulse sequence designed to produce SAR levels below a peak recommended value in the anatomical region of interest.
17. The article of manufacture of claim 12, wherein the method further comprises:
identifying one or more tissue properties of the anatomical region of interest based on the three-dimensional model of the body geometry of the patient,
wherein calculation of the patient-optimized SAR estimation is based on the one or more tissue properties.
18. A system for optimizing Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) estimation, the system comprising:
an MRI Scanner comprising:
a table configured to hold a patient, and
a bore configured to receive the table; and
an image processing computer configured to:
detect movement of the table into the bore,
use the MRI Scanner to perform an MRI scan of the patient while the table is moving into the bore thereby acquiring a multi-slice multi-dimensional MRI dataset of an anatomical region of interest of the patient,
process the multi-slice multi-dimensional MRI dataset to obtain a three-dimensional model corresponding to body geometry of the patient, and
calculate a patient-optimized SAR estimation using the three-dimensional model of the body geometry of the patient.
19. The system of claim 18, wherein the image processing computer uses a noise reduction process designed to minimize acoustic noise generated by the MRI Scanner during the MRI scan.
20. The system of claim 18, wherein the image processing computer is configured to use the MRI Scanner to perform the MRI scan with an ultra low-SAR pulse sequence.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A signal processing apparatus, comprising:
a storage unit;
a signal conditioner connected to the storage unit and configured to receive a data signal from a transmitter; and
a controller connected to the switch and configured to write a set of signal transmission parameters into the storage unit, the set of signal transmission parameters being in compliance with a communication protocol;
wherein the signal conditioner is configured to retrieve the set of signal transmission parameters from the storage unit, to condition the data signal according to the retrieved set of signal transmission parameters, and to transmit the conditioned data signal to a receiver.
2. The signal processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is a baseboard management controller (BMC).
3. The signal processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the signal conditioner is configured to re-time andor repeat the data signal.
4. The signal processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the storage unit is an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM).
5. The signal processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the signal conditioner is connected to the storage unit via an inter-integrated circuit (I2C) bus.
6. The signal processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller is connected to the storage unit via an I2C bus.
7. A signal processing method, comprising:
providing a storage unit, a signal conditioner connected to the storage unit, and a controller connected to the storage unit, each of the storage units storing a set of signal transmission parameters in compliance with a communication protocol;
writing a set of signal transmission parameters into the storage unit by the controller, the set of signal transmission parameters being in compliance with a communication protocol;
retrieving the set of signal transmission parameters from the storage unit by the signal conditioner;
receiving a data signal from a transmitter by the signal conditioner;
conditioning the data signal according to the retrieved set of signal transmission parameters by the signal conditioner; and
transmitting the conditioned data signal to a receiver by the signal conditioner.
8. The signal processing method of claim 7, wherein the controller is a baseboard management controller (BMC).
9. The signal processing method of claim 7, wherein the step of conditioning the data signal comprises re-timing andor repeating the data signal by the signal conditioner.
10. The signal processing method of claim 7, wherein the storage unit is an electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM).
11. The signal processing method of claim 7, wherein the signal conditioner is connected to the storage unit via an inter-integrated circuit (I2C) bus.
12. The signal processing method of claim 7, wherein the controller is connected to the storage unit via an I2C bus.