Double-echo three-point-Dixon method for fat suppression MRI.
A double-echo two-excitation pulse sequence encoding fat and water signals for a phase-sensitive three-point Dixon-type analysis (DE-3PD) was developed and implemented on a 1.5 T MR imager. Data processing was performed using a previously developed two-dimensional (2D) region-growing algorithm, adapted to use double-echo data. Density-, T1-, and T2-weighted fat suppression images were obtained from six volunteers using the new fat suppression method. The images were compared with corresponding images obtained using frequency-selective excitation fat suppression (FATSAT) and a single-echo three-point-Dixon method (SE-3PD). The results demonstrate that the DE-3PD sequence shortens the imaging time by one-third compared with the SE-3PD method, without loss in image quality. The data also show that a 2D region-growing algorithm effectively unwraps the phase of DE-3PD data sets, and that results of DE-3PD fat signal suppression are consistently better than those obtained using a standard FATSAT method. The authors conclude that the double-echo sequence provides density-, T1-, and T2-weighted images that appear to be promising for routine clinical applications.
Szumowski
J
J
Oregon Health Sciences University, Good Samaritan Hospital, Portland, USA.
Coshow
W
W
Li
F
F
Coombs
B
B
Quinn
S F
SF
D000005:Abdomen / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D000273:Adipose Tissue; D000465:Algorithms; D001834:Body Water; D005121:Extremities / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D005123:Eye / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy / Q000379:methods; D009915:Orbit / Q000033:anatomy & histology