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MO‐E‐211‐02: Breast MRI: Image Quality, Artifacts & Quality Control
Author(s) -
Reeve D
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
medical physics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.473
H-Index - 180
eISSN - 2473-4209
pISSN - 0094-2405
DOI - 10.1118/1.3612994
Subject(s) - breast mri , image quality , breast imaging , protocol (science) , artifact (error) , breast cancer , medical physics , medicine , computer science , electromagnetic coil , mammography , artificial intelligence , image (mathematics) , cancer , pathology , engineering , alternative medicine , electrical engineering
The quality of clinical breast MR images is influenced by the design and performance of the MR system, the breast coil, the breast MRI protocol, proper patient positioning, as well as patient‐specific factors. MR system and coil quality control, protocol optimization, and technologist training are important to ensure high quality breast MR images. Common image quality issues encountered in clinical breast MR image include signal non‐uniformity and inadequate breast tissue coverage, both of which can be influenced by the coil design. Inadequate fat or silicone saturation, wrap‐around artifacts, and parallel imaging artifacts can often be minimized through technologist training. Breast MR protocol modification may be necessary to achieve improvements in signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR), high contrast spatial resolution, or artifact reduction. Low SNR or non‐ uniform breast MR images may be coil performance related. Therefore it is important that breast coils be tested annually and whenever coil performance issues are suspected, as part of a comprehensive MR system quality control program. Educational objectives: 1. Describe common artifacts and image quality issues encountered in clinical breast MR images. 2. Discuss methods for addressing breast MR image quality problems. 3. Describe quality control procedures and accreditation programs specific to breast MRI.