Reduction of magnetic field inhomogeneity artifacts in echo planar imaging with SENSE and GESEPI at high field.
Geometric distortion, signal-loss, and image-blurring artifacts in echo planar imaging (EPI) are caused by frequency shifts and T(2)(*) relaxation distortion of the MR signal along the k-space trajectory due to magnetic field inhomogeneities. The EPI geometric-distortion artifact associated with frequency shift can be reduced with parallel imaging techniques such as SENSE, while the signal-loss and blurring artifacts remain. The gradient-echo slice excitation profile imaging (GESEPI) method has been shown to be successful in restoring tissue T(2)(*) relaxation characteristics and is therefore effective in reducing signal-loss and image-blurring artifacts at a cost of increased acquisition time. The SENSE and GESEPI methods are complementary in artifact reduction. Combining these two techniques produces a method capable of reducing all three types of EPI artifacts while maintaining rapid acquisition time.
Yang
Qing X
QX
Department of Radiology, Center for NMR Research, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey 17033, USA. qyang@psu.edu
Wang
Jianli
J
Smith
Michael B
MB
Meadowcroft
Mark
M
Sun
Xiaoyu
X
Eslinger
Paul J
PJ
Golay
Xavier
X
D016477:Artifacts; D001931:Brain Mapping; D017352:Echo-Planar Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging