The invention consists of three image-postprocessing phases for the purposes
of generating high-quality quantitative MR images (proton density (PD), T1,
and T2) as well as high-quality virtual MR images with continuously
adjustable computer-synthesized contrast weightings, from source images acquired
directly with an MRI scanner. Each of the image-postprocessing phases uses one
or several new computer algorithms that improve image quality with respect to prior
art, including linear-combination-of source-images (LCSI) algorithms for generating
PD images and model-conforming algorithms for generating Q-MR images of tissue
properties that influence NMR relaxation.
