Parallel image reconstruction using B-spline approximation (PROBER).
A new reconstruction method for parallel MRI called PROBER is proposed. The method PROBER works in an image domain similar to methods based on Sensitivity Encoding (SENSE). However, unlike SENSE, which first estimates the spatial sensitivity maps, PROBER approximates the reconstruction coefficients directly by B-splines. Also, B-spline coefficients are estimated at once in order to minimize the reconstruction error instead of estimating the reconstruction in each pixel independently (as in SENSE). This makes the method robust to noise in reference images. No presmoothing of reference images is necessary. The number of estimated parameters is reduced, which speeds up the estimation process. PROBER was tested on simulated, phantom, and in vivo data. The results are compared with commercial implementations of the algorithms SENSE and GRAPPA (Generalized Autocalibrating Partially Parallel Acquisitions) in terms of elapsed time and reconstruction quality. The experiments showed that PROBER is faster than GRAPPA and SENSE for images wider than 150x150 pixels for comparable reconstruction quality. With more basis functions, PROBER outperforms both SENSE and GRAPPA in reconstruction quality at the cost of slightly increased computational time.
Petr
Jan
J
Czech Technical University in Prague, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Department of Cybernetics, Center for Machine Perception, Praha, Czech Republic. petrj5@cmp.felk.cvut.cz
Kybic
Jan
J
Bock
Michael
M
Müller
Sven
S
Hlavác
Václav
V
D000328:Adult; D000465:Algorithms; D016477:Artifacts; D002138:Calibration; D003198:Computer Simulation; D003287:Contrast Media; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D006257:Head / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D013909:Thorax / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D013997:Time Factors
D003287:Contrast Media; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA