• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
• /
• v.10 no.5
• /
• pp.367-373
• /
• 2016

This study conducted an analysis to compare the differences in the properties of the magnetic field and the generation of artifacts because of the difference in the magnetic field between 1.5 T equipment and 3.0 T equipment, centering around four types of pulse sequences, mainly applied to the abdominal Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). With data on 500 persons transmitted to the PACS, this study analyzed the SNR value, quantitatively and carried out a qualitative evaluation, dividing MSA, CSA, and DA into three steps. As a result of the quantitative evaluation, the SNR value was significantly higher in the 1.5 T equipment; however, there was a factor deteriorating the image quality, too, as artifacts were generated in the images. The 1.5 T equipment generated fewer artifacts than the 3.0 T equipment did, so it could compensate the image quality for 3.0 T. In conclusion, based on these findings, this study could understand the differences in the properties of the magnetic field and the generation of artifacts occurring because of the difference in the magnetic field and could provide a measure for them. This study would be guidelines for MRI users who directly examine the patients in abdominal MRI using the two types of equipment in the clinical setting in the future.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
• /
• v.12 no.2
• /
• pp.142-147
• /
• 2008

Purpose : By using the micro-imaging unit modified from NMR spectrometer, the high resolution MRI protocols of finer than 100 micron in 5 minutes, is sought for mouse, which plays a central role in animal studies Materials and Methods : C57BL/6 mouse, lighter than 50 gram, is used for the experiments. The superconducting magnet is vertical type with 89 mm inner diameter at 4.9 Tesla. The diameter of rf-coil is 30 mm. Mostly used techniques are the fast spin echo and the gradient echo pulse sequence. Results : For 2D images, proton density and T2 weighted images are obtained and their optimum experimental variables were sought. Minute structure of mouse brain can be recognized and 3D brain image is also obtained additionally. 3D image will be useful particularly for the dynamic contrast study using various contrast agents. Conclusion : Like the case of human and other small animals, the high resolution of mouse brain is enough to recognize the minute structure of it. Recently, similar studies are reported domestically, but it seems only a beginning stage. Due to easiness of breeding/control, mouse MRI study will soon play a vital part in brain study.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
• /
• v.4 no.2
• /
• pp.94-99
• /
• 2000

Purpose : With the use of localized, water-suppressed in vivo $^1H$ magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), we evaluated the proton metabolic alterations in patients with chronic alcoholism and healthy normal controls. Material and Methods : Patients with chronic alcoholism (N = 10) and normal control subjects (N = 10) underwent MRS examinations using a stimulated echo acquisition mode (STEAM) pulse sequence with $2{\times}2{\times}2{\;}\textrm{cm}^3$ volume of interest (VOI) in the left cerebellum and basal ganglia. Proton metabolite ratios relative to creative (Cr) were obtained using a Marquart algorithm. Results : The specific feature in patients with chronic alcoholism was a significant decrease of N-acetylaspartate (NAA)/Cr ratio in the left cerebellum, compared with normal controls. No clear correlation of other metabolite ratios such as choline (Cho)/Cr and inositols (Ins)/Cr was established. Conclusion : Our preliminary study suggests that the reduction of NAA/Cr ratio may indicate neuronal loss in patients with chronic alcoholism. Thus, in vivo 1H MRS may be a useful modality in the clinical evaluation of patients with chronic alcoholism based on the proton metabolite ratios.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
• /
• v.14 no.1
• /
• pp.223-228
• /
• 2013

We evaluated the usefulness of $DTI_{6D}$ which was acquiring six direction diffusion data through compared to $DWI_{3D}$. Mean SNR and CNR were on $DWI_{3D}$ and $DTI_{6D}$ $44.01{\pm}13.36$, $37.15{\pm}11.44$ (p=0.029) and $18.47{\pm}9.66$, $19.88{\pm}9.20$(p=0.017). The number of lesions were $311{\pm}26.87$, $224.5{\pm}26.16$(p=0.041) on $DTI_{6D}$ and $DWI_{3D}$. Twenty patients were the more detected brain infarction lesion on $DTI_{6D}$. But there is no one the more detected on $DWI_{3D}$. And the more three direction diffusion data could get more information. However, we need to consider about the time consumption compared to DWI.

• Progress in Medical Physics
• /
• v.19 no.4
• /
• pp.269-275
• /
• 2008

Although MR imaging is generally applicable to depict knee joint deterioration it, is sometimes occurred to mis-read and mis-diagnose the common knee joint diseases. In this study, we employed magnetization transfer ratio (MTR) method to improve the diagnosis of the various knee joint diseases. Spin-echo (SE) T2-weighted images (TR/TE 3,400-3,500/90-100 ms) were obtained in seven cases of knee joint deterioration, FSE T2-weighted images (TR/TE 4,500-5,000/100-108 ms) were obtained in seven cases of knee joint deterioration, gradient-echo (GRE) T2-weighted images (TR/TE 9/4.56/$50^{\circ}$ flip angle, NEX 1) were obtained in 3 cases of knee joint deterioration, In six cases of knee joint deterioration, fat suppression was performed using a T2-weighted short T1/tau inverse recovery (STIR) sequence (TR/TE =2,894-3,215 ms/70 ms, NEX 3, ETL 9). Calculation of MTR for individual pixels was performed on registration of unsaturated and saturated images. After processing to make MTR images, the images were displayed in gray color. For improving diagnosis, three-dimensional isotropic volume images, the MR tristimulus color mapping and the MTR map was employed. MTR images showed diagnostic images quality to assess the patients' pathologies. The intensity difference between MTR images and conventional MRI was seen on the color bar. The profile graph on MTR imaging effect showed a quantitative measure of the relative decrease in signal intensity due to the MT pulse. To diagnose the pathologies of the knee joint, the profile graph data was shown on the image as a small cross. The present study indicated that MTR images in the knee joint were feasible. Investigation of physical change on MTR imaging enables to provide us more insight in the physical and technical basis of MTR imaging. MTR images could be useful for rapid assessment of diseases that we examine unambiguous contrast in MT images of knee disorder patients.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
• /
• v.10 no.2
• /
• pp.98-107
• /
• 2006

Magnetization Transfer (MT) imaging generates contrast dependent on the phenomenon of magnetization exchange between free water proton and restricted proton in macromolecules. In biological materials in knee, MT or cross-relaxation is commonly modeled using two spin pools identified by their different T2 relaxation times. Two models for cross-relaxation emphasize the role of proton chemical exchange between protons of water and exchangeable protons on macromolecules, as well as through dipole-dipole interaction between the water and macromolecule protons. The most essential tool in medical image manipulation is the ability to adjust the contrast and intensity. Thus, it is desirable to adjust the contrast and intensity of an image interactively in the real time. The proton density (PD) and T2-weighted SE MR images allow the depiction of knee structures and can demonstrate defects and gross morphologic changes. The PD- and T2-weighted images also show the cartilage internal pathology due to the more intermediate signal of the knee joint in these sequences. Suppression of fat extends the dynamic range of tissue contrast, removes chemical shift artifacts, and decreases motion-related ghost artifacts. Like fat saturation, phase sensitive methods are also based on the difference in precession frequencies of water and fat. In this study, phase sensitive methods look at the phase difference that is accumulated in time as a result of Larmor frequency differences rather than using this difference directly. Although how MT work was given with clinical evidence that leads to quantitative model for MT in tissues, the mathematical formalism used to describe the MT effect applies to explaining to evaluate knee disorder, such as anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear and meniscal tear. Calculation of the effect of the effect of the MT saturation is given in the magnetization transfer ratio (MTR) which is a quantitative measure of the relative decrease in signal intensity due to the MT pulse.

• Progress in Medical Physics
• /
• v.25 no.2
• /
• pp.72-78
• /
• 2014

The aim of the study is to test a hypothesis that quasi-breath-hold (QBH) biofeedback improves the residual respiratory motion management in gated 3D thoracic MR imaging, reducing respiratory motion artifacts with insignificant acquisition time alteration. To test the hypothesis five healthy human subjects underwent two gated MR imaging studies based on a T2 weighted SPACE MR pulse sequence using a respiratory navigator of a 3T Siemens MRI: one under free breathing and the other under QBH biofeedback breathing. The QBH biofeedback system utilized the external marker position on the abdomen obtained with an RPM system (Real-time Position Management, Varian) to audio-visually guide a human subject for 2s breath-hold at 90% exhalation position in each respiratory cycle. The improvement in the upper liver breath-hold motion reproducibility within the gating window using the QBH biofeedback system has been assessed for a group of volunteers. We assessed the residual respiratory motion management within the gating window and respiratory motion artifacts in 3D thoracic MRI both with/without QBH biofeedback. In addition, the RMSE (root mean square error) of abdominal displacement has been investigated. The QBH biofeedback reduced the residual upper liver motion within the gating window during MR acquisitions (~6 minutes) compared to that for free breathing, resulting in the reduction of respiratory motion artifacts in lung and liver of gated 3D thoracic MR images. The abdominal motion reduction in the gated window was consistent with the residual motion reduction of the diaphragm with QBH biofeedback. Consequently, average RMSE (root mean square error) of abdominal displacement obtained from the RPM has been also reduced from 2.0 mm of free breathing to 0.7 mm of QBH biofeedback breathing over the entire cycle (67% reduction, p-value=0.02) and from 1.7 mm of free breathing to 0.7 mm of QBH biofeedback breathing in the gated window (58% reduction, p-value=0.14). The average baseline drift obtained using a linear fit was reduced from 5.5 mm/min with free breathing to 0.6 mm/min (89% reduction, p-value=0.017) with QBH biofeedback. The study demonstrated that the QBH biofeedback improved the upper liver breath-hold motion reproducibility during the gated 3D thoracic MR imaging. This system can provide clinically applicable motion management of the internal anatomy for gated medical imaging as well as gated radiotherapy.

• Progress in Medical Physics
• /
• v.20 no.4
• /
• pp.235-243
• /
• 2009

The purpose of this experiment is to know the relation of the detection and characterization of liver's diseases as comparison of finding at MR imaging using a Ferucarbotran (SPIO) and Gd-EOB-DTPA (Primovist) agents in diffuse liver disease. A total of 50 patients (25 men and 25 women, mean age: 50 years) with liver diseases were investigated at 3.0T machine (GE, General Electric Medical System, Excite HD) "with 8 Ch body coil for comparison of diseases and contrast's uptake relation, which used the LAVA, MGRE." All images were performed on the same location with before and after Ferucarbotran and Gd-EOB-DTPA administrations (p<0.05). Contrast to noise ratio of Ferucarbotran and Gd-EOB-DTPA in the HCC were $3.08{\pm}0.12$ and $7.00{\pm}0.27$ with MGRE and LAVA pulse sequence, $3.62{\pm}0.13$ and $2.60{\pm}0.23$ in the hyper-plastic nodule, $1.70{\pm}0.09$ and $2.60{\pm}0.23$ in the meta, $2.12{\pm}0.28$ and $5.86{\pm}0.28$ in the FNH, $4.45{\pm}0.28$ and $1.73{\pm}0.02$ in the abscess and ANOVA test was used to evaluate the diagnostic performance of each disease (p<0.05). In conclusions, two techniques were well demonstrated with the relation of the detection and characterization of liver's diseases.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
• /
• v.5 no.1
• /
• pp.57-65
• /
• 2001

Purpose : $T_2$-weighted half courier Echo Planar Imaging (T2HEPI) method is proposed to reduce measurement time of existing EPI by a factor of 2. In addition, high $T_2$ contrast is obtained for clinical applications. High resolution single-shot EPI images with $T_2$ contrast are obtained with $128{\times}128$ matrix size by the proposed method. Materials and methods : In order to reduce measurement time in EPI, half courier space is measured, and rest of half courier data is obtained by conjugate symmetric filling. Thus high resolution single shot EPI image with $128{\times}128$ matrix size is obtained with 64 echoes. By the arrangement of phase encoding gradients, high $T_2$ weighted images are obtained. The acquired data in k-space are shifted if there exists residual gradient field due to eddy current along phase encoding gradient, which results in a serious problem in the reconstructed image. The residual field is estimated by the correlation coefficient between the echo signal for dc and the corresponding reference data acquired during the pre-scan. Once the residual gradient field is properly estimated, it can be removed by the adjustment of initial phase encoding gradient field between $70^{\circ}$ and $180^{\circ}$ rf pulses. Results : The suggested T2EPl is implemented in a 1.0 Tela whole body MRI system. Experiments are done with the effective echo times of 72ms and 96ms with single shot acquisitions. High resolution($128{\times}128$) volunteer head images with high $T_2$ contrast are obtained in a single scan by the proposed method. Conclusion : Using the half courier technique, higher resolution EPI images are obtained with matrix size of $128{\times}128$ in a single scan. Furthermore $T_2$ contrast is controlled by the effective echo time. Since the suggested method can be implemented by software alone (pulse sequence and corresponding tuning and reconstruction algorithms) without addition of special hardware, it can be widely used in existing MRI systems.

• Progress in Medical Physics
• /
• v.19 no.2
• /
• pp.95-101
• /
• 2008

In this study, we observed the alteration of choline signal intensity in hippocampus region of the depressive rat model induced by forced swimming test (FST). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the antidepressant efficacy in the depressive animal model using MR spectroscopy. Fourteen experimentally naive male Sprague-Dawley rats weighting $160{\sim}180\;g$ were used as subjects. Drug injection group was exposed to the FST except for control group. The drugs were administered subcutaneously (SC) in a volume equivalent to 2ml/kg. And three injections were administered 23, 5, and 1h before beginning the given test. 1H MR spectra were obtained with use of a point resolved spectroscopy (PRESS) localization sequence performed according to the following parameters: repetition time, 2500 ms; echo time, 144 ms; 512 average; 2048 complex data points; voxel dimensions, $1.5{\times}2.5{\times}2.5\;mm^3$ ; acquisition time, 25min. There were no differences in NAA/Cr and Cho/Cr ratio between the right and the left hippocampus both normal control rats and antidepressant-injected rats. Also, no differences were observed in NAA/Cr and Cho/Cr ratio between the normal control rats and the antidepressant-injected rats both the right and the left hippocampus. In this study, we found the recovery of choline signals in the depressive animal model similar to normal control groups as injecting desipramine-HCl which was antidepressant causing anti-immobility effects. Thus, we demonstrated that MR spectroscopy was able to aid in evaluating the antidepressant effect of desipramine-HCl.