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Clinically constrained optimization of flexTPI acquisition parameters for the tissue sodium concentration bioscale
Author(s) -
Atkinson Ian C.,
Lu Aiming,
Thulborn Keith R.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
magnetic resonance in medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.696
H-Index - 225
eISSN - 1522-2594
pISSN - 0740-3194
DOI - 10.1002/mrm.22908
Subject(s) - magnetic resonance imaging , image resolution , signal (programming language) , resolution (logic) , projection (relational algebra) , signal to noise ratio (imaging) , data acquisition , nuclear magnetic resonance , sodium , computer science , biomedical engineering , physics , materials science , optics , algorithm , artificial intelligence , medicine , radiology , programming language , operating system , metallurgy
The rapid transverse relaxation of the sodium magnetic resonance signal during spatial encoding causes a loss of image resolution, an effect known as T 2 ‐blurring. Conventional wisdom suggests that spatial resolution is maximized by keeping the readout duration as short as possible to minimize T 2 ‐blurring. Flexible twisted projection imaging performed with an ultrashort echo time, relative to T 2 , and a long repetition time, relative to T 1 , has been shown to be effective for quantitative sodium magnetic resonance imaging. A minimized readout duration requires a very large number of projections and, consequentially, results in an impractically long total acquisition time to meet these conditions. When the total acquisition time is limited to a clinically practical duration (e.g., 10 min), the optimal parameters for maximal spatial resolution of a flexible twisted projection imaging acquisition do not correspond to the shortest possible readout. Simulation and experimental results for resolution optimized acquisition parameters of quantitative sodium flexible twisted projection imaging of parenchyma and cerebrospinal fluid are presented for the human brain at 9.4 and 3.0T. The effect of signal loss during data collection on sodium quantification bias and image signal‐to‐noise ratio are discussed. Magn Reson Med, 2011. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.