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Routine clinical brain MRI sequences for use at 3.0 Tesla
Author(s) -
Lu Hanzhang,
NagaePoetscher Lidia M.,
Golay Xavier,
Lin Doris,
Pomper Martin,
van Zijl Peter C.M.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
journal of magnetic resonance imaging
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.563
H-Index - 160
eISSN - 1522-2586
pISSN - 1053-1807
DOI - 10.1002/jmri.20356
Subject(s) - fluid attenuated inversion recovery , spin echo , nuclear medicine , nuclear magnetic resonance , medicine , fast spin echo , image contrast , pulse (music) , magnetic resonance imaging , contrast to noise ratio , spin–lattice relaxation , physics , radiology , computer science , image quality , artificial intelligence , image (mathematics) , optics , nuclear quadrupole resonance , detector
Purpose To establish image parameters for some routine clinical brain MRI pulse sequences at 3.0 T with the goal of maintaining, as much as possible, the well‐characterized 1.5‐T image contrast characteristics for daily clinical diagnosis, while benefiting from the increased signal to noise at higher field. Materials and Methods A total of 10 healthy subjects were scanned on 1.5‐T and 3.0‐T systems for T 1 and T 2 relaxation time measurements of major gray and white matter structures. The relaxation times were subsequently used to determine 3.0‐T acquisition parameters for spin‐echo (SE), T 1 ‐weighted, fast spin echo (FSE) or turbo spin echo (TSE), T 2 ‐weighted, and fluid‐attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) pulse sequences that give image characteristics comparable to 1.5 T, to facilitate routine clinical diagnostics. Application of the routine clinical sequences was performed in 10 subjects, five normal subjects and five patients with various pathologies. Results T 1 and T 2 relaxation times were, respectively, 14% to 30% longer and 12% to 19% shorter at 3.0 T when compared to the values at 1.5 T, depending on the region evaluated. When using appropriate parameters, routine clinical images acquired at 3.0 T showed similar image characteristics to those obtained at 1.5 T, but with higher signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR) and contrast‐to‐noise ratio (CNR), which can be used to reduce the number of averages and scan times. Recommended imaging parameters for these sequences are provided. Conclusion When parameters are adjusted for changes in relaxation rates, routine clinical scans at 3.0 T can provide similar image appearance as 1.5 T, but with superior image quality and/or increased speed. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2005;22:13–22. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.