title: Brain magnetic resonance imaging at 3 Tesla using BLADE compared with standard rectilinear data sampling.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We sought to evaluate Periodically Rotated Overlapping ParallEL Lines with Enhanced Reconstruction (PROPELLER; BLADE) data acquisition in comparison with standard k-space sampling techniques for axial and sagittal brain imaging at 3 T regarding imaging artifacts.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty patients who gave consent were included in a prospective comparison of standard and PROPELLER (BLADE) k-space sampling techniques. All examinations were performed at 3 T with comparison of standard T2-weighted fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) to PROPELLER T2-weighted FLAIR in the axial image orientation and standard T1-weighted gradient echo to PROPELLER T1-weighted FLAIR in the sagittal image orientation. Imaging protocols were matched for spatial resolution, with data evaluation performed by 2 experienced neuroradiologists. Image data were compared regarding various image artifacts and overall image quality. Reader agreement was assessed by Cohen's kappa statistics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  PROPELLER T2-weighted axial data acquisition showed significantly less pulsation and Gibb's artifacts than the standard T2-weighted scan. Even without motion correction, the frequency of ghosting (motion) artifacts was substantially lower in the PROPELLER T2-weighted data and readers concordantly (kappa = 1) rated PROPELLER as better than or equal to the standard T2-weighted scan in the majority of cases (95%; P < 0.0001). In the comparison of sagittal T1-weighted data sets, readers showed only fair agreement (kappa = 0.24) and noted consistent wrap artifacts in PROPELLER T1-weighted FLAIR.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PROPELLER (BLADE) brain magnetic resonance imaging is also applicable at 3 T. In addition to minimizing motion artifacts, the PROPELLER acquisition scheme reduces other magnetic resonance artifacts that would otherwise degrade scan quality.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Radiology, University Hospitals-Grosshadern, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany. Bernd.Wintersperger@med.uni-muenchen.de
authors.forename: Bernd J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Wintersperger
authors.forename: Val M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Runge
authors.forename: Jonmenjoy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Biswas
authors.forename: C Brett
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.forename: Alto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stemmer
authors.forename: Alexander B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Simonetta
authors.forename: Maximilian F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Reiser
authors.forename: L G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Naul
authors.forename: Stefan O
authors.initials: SO
authors.lastname: Schoenberg
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016477:Artifacts; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies