3D-imaging of The Liver by Free-Breath SPACE with A 3.0T MRI System
Multi-slice 2D Turbo Spin Echo (TSE) sequences are widely used for T2-weighted MR imaging of the liver. On the other hand, there is a demand for 3D imaging to enable the observation of thinner slices, though 3D TSE has often been associated with a high SAR (Specific Absorption Rate) which is caused by repeated 180-degree refocusing pulses. The high SAR has been a limiting factor for 3D TSE, especially with 3.0 Tesla scanners. We carried out free-breath 3D SPACE T2-weighted MR imaging of the liver to yield TSE contrast. This is a variant of 3D TSE that employs specially-designed refocusing pulses to reduce the SAR. The PACE (Prospective Acquisition Correction) technique was used to eliminate motion artifacts that appear conspicuously at 3 Tesla as compared with 1.5 Tesla. The 3D SPACE parameters were as follows; FOV=384mm and base matrix size=320, effective slice thickness=1.2mm. Five volunteers were examined with this sequence on a 3.0-Tesla whole-body scanner. The acquired isotropic 3D image data set was processed with both Multi-Planar Reconstruction (MPR) and Volume Rendering Technique (VRT) to yield images with high quality and very distinct continuity. Such processing was possible due to the isotropic 1.2-mm resolution made feasible by the 3D SPACE sequence. 3D T2-weighted imaging of the liver was performed successfully and safely by combining 3D SPACE and PACE, and the high-resolution isotropic image data assured the continuity of blood vessels and the cystic duct of the liver.
T. Moroi N. Mizuuchi K. Maruyama C. Imura I. Isobe T. Usagawa N. Iriguchi
Kumamoto University Graduate School of Science and Technology, Kumamoto, Japan;Siemens Asahi Medical Siemens Asahi Medical Technologies LTD., Tokyo, Japan Isobe Clinic, Saitama, Japan Kumamoto University Graduate School of Science and Technology, Kumamoto, Japan
国际会议
北京
英文
726-730
2007-05-23（万方平台首次上网日期，不代表论文的发表时间）