Use of 3.0-T MR imaging for evaluation of the abdomen.
The most important advantage of 3.0-T magnetic resonance (MR) imaging systems is their increased signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) compared with 1.5-T systems. The higher SNR can be used to shorten acquisition time, achieve higher spatial resolution, or a combination of the two, thereby improving image quality and clinical diagnosis. In fact, 3.0-T MR imaging systems have already proved superior to 1.5-T systems in neuroradiologic and musculoskeletal applications. In the abdomen, 3.0-T MR imaging is uniquely beneficial for techniques such as enhanced and nonenhanced hepatic imaging, diffusion-weighted imaging, angiography, MR pancreatography, and colonography. Admittedly, 3.0-T abdominal imaging has important technical limitations, such as standing wave artifact, chemical shift artifact, susceptibility artifact, and safety issues such as increased energy deposition within the patient's body. Furthermore, 3.0-T abdominal MR imaging is still in the early stages of development and requires substantial modifications of the pulse sequences and hardware components used for 1.5-T imaging. Nevertheless, the ability to obtain physiologic and functional information within reasonably short acquisition times with 3.0-T abdominal MR imaging bodies well for the future of this imaging technique.
Erturk
Sukru Mehmet
SM
Department of Radiology, Sisli Etfal Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
Alberich-Bayarri
Angel
A
Herrmann
Karin A
KA
Marti-Bonmati
Luis
L
Ros
Pablo R
PR
D000005:Abdomen / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D016247:Information Storage and Retrieval / Q000379:methods*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends*; D014781:Viscera / Q000033:anatomy & histology*