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Real‐time correction of respiration‐induced distortions in the human spinal cord using a 24‐channel shim array
Author(s) -
Topfer Ryan,
Foias Alexandru,
Stikov Nikola,
CohenAdad Julien
Publication year - 2018
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.27089
Subject(s) - shim (computing) , spinal cord , magnetic resonance imaging , respiration , echo time , computer science , biomedical engineering , nuclear magnetic resonance , medicine , physics , anatomy , radiology , surgery , erectile dysfunction , psychiatry
Purpose To reduce respiration‐induced magnetic field distortions and the attendant image artifacts in echo‐planar imaging (EPI) of the human spinal cord. Methods Using a custom‐designed 24‐channel shim array, shim updates were issued in real time based on a concurrently monitored respiratory trace and a pair of gradient echo (GRE) field maps acquired during an initial training phase. Proof‐of‐concept application in GRE–EPI was conducted in 6 subjects. Results Over the thoracic spinal cord, real‐time shimming reduced respiration‐induced distortions in the EPI by 48.2% ± 12.2% and increased the mean temporal signal‐to‐noise ratio by 15.7% ± 7.9%. Conclusion Real‐time shim adjustment substantially reduces spatiotemporal B 0 field variation, opening the door to more robust imaging and spectroscopy investigations of the spinal cord. Magn Reson Med 80:935–946, 2018. © 2018 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.