Real-time interactive MRI on a conventional scanner.
A real-time interactive MRI system capable of localizing coronary arteries and imaging arrhythmic hearts in real-time is described. Non-2DFT acquisition strategies such as spiral-interleaf, spiral-ring, and circular echo-planar imaging provide short scan times on a conventional scanner. Real-time gridding reconstruction at 8-20 images/s is achieved by distributing the reconstruction on general-purpose UNIX workstations. An X-windows application provides interactive control. A six-interleaf spiral sequence is used for cardiac imaging and can acquire six images/s. A sliding window reconstruction achieves display rates of 16-20 images/s. This allows cardiac images to be acquired in real-time, with minimal motion and flow artifacts, and without breath holding or cardiac gating. Abdominal images are acquired at over 2.5 images/s with spiral-ring or circular echo-planar sequences. Reconstruction rates are 8-10 images/s. Rapid localization in the abdomen is demonstrated with the spiral-ring acquisition, whereas peristaltic motion in the small bowel is well visualized using the circular echo-planar sequence.
Kerr
A B
AB
Department of Electrical Engineering, Stanford University, California, USA.
Pauly
J M
JM
Hu
B S
BS
Li
K C
KC
Hardy
C J
CJ
Meyer
C H
CH
Macovski
A
A
Nishimura
D G
DG
D000005:Abdomen / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D006321:Heart / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008280:Magnetics; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity