Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Korean Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine (대한자기공명의과학회)
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High Resolution MR Images from 3T Active-Shield Whole-Body MRI System

3T 능동차페형 전신 자기공명영상 장비로부터 얻어진 고해상도 자기공명영상

  • Bo-Young Choe (Departments of Biomedical Engineering, Kangnam St. mary′s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea) ;
  • Sei-Kwon Kang (Departments of Biomedical Engineering, Kangnam St. mary′s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea) ;
  • Myoung-Ja Chu (Departments of Biomedical Engineering, Kangnam St. mary′s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea) ;
  • Hyun-Man Baik (Departments of Biomedical Engineering, Kangnam St. mary′s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea) ;
  • Euy-Neyng Kim (Departments of Radiology, Kangnam St. mary′s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of)
  • Published : 2001.12.01
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Abstract

Purpose : Within a clinically acceptable time frame, we obtained the high resolution MR images of the human brain, knee, foot and wrist from 3T whole-body MRI system which was equipped with the world first 37 active shield magnet. Materials and Methods : Spin echo (SE) and Fast Spin Echo (FSE) images were obtained from the human brain, knee, foot and wrist of normal subjects using a homemade birdcage and transverse electromagnetic (TEM) resonators operating in quadrature and tuned to 128 MHz. For acquisition of MR images of knee, foot and wrist, we employed a homemade saddle shaped RF coil. Topical common acquisition parameters were as follows: matrix=$512{\times}512$, field of view (FOV) =20 cm, slice thickness = 3 mm, number of excitations (NEX)=1. For T1-weighted MR images, we used TR = 500 ms, TE = 10 or 17.4 ms. For T2-weighted MR images, we used TR=4000 ms, TE = 108 ms. Results : Signal to noise ratio (SNR) of 3T system was measured 2.7 times greater than that of prevalent 1.5T system. MR images obtained from 3T system revealed numerous small venous structures throughout the image plane and provided reasonable delineation between gray and white matter. Conclusion The present results demonstrate that the MR images from 3T system could provide better diagnostic quali\ulcorner of resolution and sensitivity than those of 1.5T system. The elevated SNR observed in the 3T high field magnetic resonance imaging can be utilized to acquire images with a level of resolution approaching the microscopic structural level under in vivo conditions. These images represent a significant advance in our ability to examine small anatomical features with noninvasive imaging methods.

목적 : 임상적용 가능시간 내에 세계 최초의 3T 능동차폐형 자석을 장착한 전신용 자기공명영상장비를 이용하여 고해상도의 자기공영영상을 획득하였다. 대상 및 방법: 128 MHz의 공명주파수를 갖는 RF코일을 사용하여 정상인으로부터 스핀에코와 고속 스핀에코 펄스 시퀀스를 적용한 두뇌, 무릎, 발 및 손목영상 등을 획득하였다. 전형적인 펄스시퀀스의 매개변수는 $512{\times}512$ matrix, 20 cm FOV, 3 mm 절편두께, 1 NEX를 사용하였다. 특히 T1 강조영상을 위하여 TR=500 ms, TE=10 혹은 17.4 ms을 사용하였으며, T2 강도영상을 위하여 TR=4000 ms, TE=108 ms을 사용하였다. 결과: 3T의 신호대잡음비는 기존 병원에 설치된 1.57에 비하여 2.7배 정도 향상되었다. 3T자기공명영상은 매우 미세한 혈관 구조물을 표출하는데 도움을 주며, 또한 백질과 회질의 상당한 대조도를 제공하여 주었다. 결론: 본 연구결과에서 37로부터 얻은 자기공명영상은 기존 1.57 영상에서 얻은 영상에 비하여 더 높은 해상도와 민감도를 제공하여 주었다 3T 고자장 자기공명영상에 나타난 증가된 신호대잡음비는 생체 조직단위의 영상을 획득하는데 유용하였다. 이러한 고해상도의 자기공명영상은 비침습적인 방법으로서 미세조직의 이상유무를 진단하는데 있어서 향후 더욱 임상에 도움을 주리라 예상한다.

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