Projection Profile Matching for Intraoperative MRI Registration Embedded in MR Imaging Sequence

Fast image registration for magnetic resonance image (MRI)-guided surgery using projection profile matching embedded in MR pulse sequence is proposed. The method can perform two-dimensional image registration by matching projection profiles acquired with zero-degree phase encoding. The matching process continuously measures displacement by optimizing cross correlation value from profiles acquired 64 times by a special pulse excitation and echo acquisition in one imaging cycle. A phantom experiment concluded that the method can perform the registration in 25ms with the accuracy of 0.50mm out of 100mm field of view. The paper also includes in-vivo experiment to registration MRI arm in motion. Unlike previously reported image registration by post-processing, the method is suitable in intraoperative setting where fast registration is in great need.