title: B1AC-MAMBA: B1 array combined with multiple-acquisition micro B0 array parallel magnetic resonance imaging.
abstract: The combination of an in-plane B(1) sensitivity encoding (SENSE) technique with a simultaneous multiple-slice B(0) field step technique (multiple-acquisition micro B(0) array (MAMBA)) has produced high scan time reduction factors (R < or = 8). In this study, two slices were acquired simultaneously in combination with x2 and x4 SENSE in-plane encoding using a MAMBA stepped B(0) field coil inside a four-channel phased-array coil system. Experiments were performed on a 1.5 T Infinion system (Philips Medical Systems, Cleveland, OH). The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) was reduced with higher R factors, as was expected from the reduced number of acquisitions used to create the unaliased images. The combination of SENSE and MAMBA offers great promise for reducing scan times through parallel acquisition while at the same time reducing the number of RF channels required by a factor equal to the number of field steps employed. The B(1) array combined with MAMBA (B(1)AC-MAMBA) technique is applicable when the length of an object is much greater than its diameter, as in scanning limbs or in whole-body screening for disease.
authors.affiliation: Section of Academic Radiology, University of Sheffield, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, UK. m.n.paley@shef.ac.uk
authors.forename: Martyn N J
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Paley
authors.forename: Kuan J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: James M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Wild
authors.forename: Stanislao
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fichele
authors.forename: Elspeth H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Whitby
authors.forename: Iain D
authors.initials: ID
authors.lastname: Wilkinson
authors.forename: Edwin J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Van Beek
authors.forename: Paul D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Griffiths
mesh_terms: D016477:Artifacts; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*