Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation

Medical Imaging
Medical Imaging
Method for Water-Fat Separation and T2* Estimation in an MRI System Employing Multiple Fat Spectral Peaks and Fat Spectrum Self-Calibration
WARF: P08034US

Inventors: Scott Reeder, Huanzhou Yu


The Invention
NMR signal contributions from water and fat are separated using a model of the fat resonant frequency spectrum that has multiple resonant peaks. The relative frequencies of the multiple fat spectrum peaks are known a priori and their relative amplitudes are determined using a self-calibration process. With the determined relative amplitudes of the fat spectrum peaks, acquired NMR signals are modeled. Using this model and NMR signal data acquired at a plurality of echo times (TE), the signal contribution from multiple fat spectrum peaks is separated from the acquired NMR signal data. A combined image is alternatively produced from weighted contributions of the separated water and fat images. Additionally, a more accurate estimation of the apparent relaxation time and rate (T*2 and R*2, respectively) is alternatively performed.
Additional Information
For More Information About the Inventors
For current licensing status, please contact Jeanine Burmania at [javascript protected email address] or 608-960-9846

WARF