Real time monitoring and prediction of motion in MRI
Inventors
Dosenbach, Nico • Koller, Jonathan • Van, Andrew • Snyder, Abraham • Mirro, Amy • Fair, Damien • Earl, Eric • Klein, Rachel • Miranda Dominguez, Oscar • Perrone, Anders
Assignees
Oregon Health & Science University • Washington University in St. Louis
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Publication Number
US-12663493-B2
Publication Date
2026-06-23
Expiration Date
Abstract
Methods, computer-readable storage devices, and systems are described for reducing movement of a patient undergoing a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan. One method includes receiving a data frame from the MRI system performing the MRI scan of the patient, comparing the data frame to a reference image to assess motion of a body part of the patient during the MRI scan, generating stimulus to be communicated to the patient during the MRI scan based on a task of the MRI scan and the motion of the body part of the patient during the MRI scan, adjusting the stimulus during the MRI scan to adjust the task and as the motion of the body part of the patient changes, and communicating the stimulus to the patient during the MRI scan, wherein the sensory feedback includes at least one of a game, a movie, a cartoon, a shape, or an auditory signal.
Core Innovation
The invention is a computer-implemented method for monitoring movement of a patient undergoing a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan by aligning MRI data. A receiving step obtains a data frame from the MRI system acquired during the MRI scan, and an aligning step aligns the received data frame to a reference image. Motion of at least a portion of the patient is calculated between the received data frame and the reference image, and the process is repeated during the MRI scan to make interactive stimulus responsive to patient motion while performing a task.
The invention further provides interactive motion-informed stimulus to the patient during the MRI scan. Stimulus includes a task to be performed by the patient during the MRI scan together with sensor feedback indicating the motion of the at least a portion of the patient. The stimulus is made interactive by repeating the receiving, aligning, calculating, and providing stimulus during the MRI scan, while controlling the motion of the patient during task performance.
In system terms, the invention includes a computing device and a feedback device to provide patient stimulus during the MRI scan. The computing device receives data frames, compares the data frame to a reference image to assess motion of a body part, generates sensory feedback based on the motion, and adjusts the sensory feedback during the MRI scan as motion changes. The stimulus communicated to the patient includes at least one of a game, a movie, a cartoon, a shape, or an auditory signal and is adjusted as motion changes.
The documented description also emphasizes real-time monitoring and prediction of patient motion during MRI by aligning incoming MRI frames to a reference image, computing rigid-body motion and framewise displacement, and using motion-derived data quality metrics to drive interactive sensory feedback. Motion criteria and censoring are used to retain usable frames, and linear-model prediction is used to estimate time-to-criterion and usable frame counts so the scan can terminate early. Respiration-induced artifacts in motion estimates are addressed with notch filtering and adaptive filtering, including real-time-capable variants, to remove respiratory artifacts and improve motion estimation accuracy and downstream BOLD data quality metrics.
Claims Coverage
The provided independent claims are clm-00001, clm-00015, and clm-00019. Across these independent claims, the inventive coverage centers on real-time frame-to-reference motion assessment and motion-dependent, adjustable sensory feedback that includes patient-understood stimulus such as games or other media during the MRI scan.
Interactive motion monitoring by aligning MRI data to a reference image
A computer-implemented method receives a data frame from an MRI system during an MRI scan, aligns the received data frame to a reference image, calculates motion of at least a portion of the patient between the received data frame and the reference image, and repeats receiving, aligning, calculating, and providing stimulus during the MRI scan.
Motion-informed sensory feedback combined with a task to control patient motion
The method provides stimulus to the patient that includes a task to be performed during the MRI scan and sensor feedback indicating the motion of at least a portion of the patient, while repeating the process during the MRI scan to make the stimulus interactive for performing the task while controlling the motion of the patient.
System generating and adjusting sensory feedback based on motion assessed by reference comparison
A system includes a computing device that receives a data frame from an MRI system performing an MRI scan, compares the data frame to a reference image to assess motion of a body part, generates sensory feedback communicable to the patient based on the motion, and adjusts the sensory feedback during the MRI scan as the motion changes.
Stimulus delivered to the patient during the MRI scan as game, movie, cartoon, shape, or auditory signal
The stimulus communicated to the patient during the MRI scan includes a task as part of at least one of a game, a movie, a cartoon, a shape, or an auditory signal.
Motion-based stimulus generation and adjustment tied to a task during the MRI scan
A computer-implemented method receives a data frame from the MRI system, compares the data frame to a reference image to assess motion of a body part, generates stimulus communicated to the patient based on a task of the MRI scan and the motion of the body part, adjusts the stimulus during the MRI scan to adjust the task and as the motion changes, and communicates the stimulus to the patient during the MRI scan.
Sensory feedback included as at least one of game, movie, cartoon, shape, or auditory signal
The method communicates stimulus during the MRI scan in which the sensory feedback includes at least one of a game, a movie, a cartoon, a shape, or an auditory signal.
The independent claims collectively cover aligning MRI data frames to a reference image to assess motion, generating sensory feedback based on that motion, and adjusting stimulus during the scan to remain interactive with a task for controlling patient motion. The claims also specify that the sensory feedback can be delivered as a game, movie, cartoon, shape, or auditory signal, with system-level implementation by a computing device and a feedback device.
Stated Advantages
Enables interactive sensory feedback during the MRI scan that is responsive to calculated motion while the patient performs the task.
Improves scan efficiency by predicting scanning duration sufficient to obtain a predetermined number of usable MRI frames based on motion falling below a threshold.
Reduces overscanning by enabling early scan termination based on predicted usable frame counts and time-to-criterion.
Improves motion estimation accuracy and downstream BOLD data quality metrics by removing respiration artifacts using notch filtering and adaptive filtering.
Documented Applications
Real-time monitoring and prediction of patient motion during MRI by aligning incoming MRI frames to a reference image and providing interactive sensory feedback during a scan task.
Interactive patient-facing feedback implementations that include game, movie, cartoon, shape, or auditory signal stimuli to indicate motion and/or lack of motion during MRI.
Motion-informed scan control that uses motion-derived criteria for frame retention and prediction of time-to-criterion and usable frame counts to enable early scan termination.
Addressing respiration-induced artifacts in motion estimates during MRI motion monitoring by applying notch filtering and adaptive filtering to improve downstream BOLD data quality metrics.
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