Whole-body MRI using a sliding table and repositioning surface coil approach.
OBJECTIVE
To introduce and assess a new way of performing whole-body magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) using a non-integrated surface coil approach as available on most clinical MRI systems worldwide.


METHODS
Ten consecutive asymptomatic subjects prospectively underwent whole-body MRI for health screening. Whole-body MRI included T1-, T2- and diffusion-weighted sequences, and was performed using a non-integrated surface coil to image four different stations without patient repositioning. The four separately acquired stations were merged, creating seamless coronal whole-body T1-, T2- and diffusion-weighted images. Anatomical alignment, image quality at the boundaries of adjacent stations, and overall image quality of all stations were qualitatively assessed.


RESULTS
The average time (+/-SD) taken to change the surface coil from one station to the next station was 53.8 (+/-7.1) s. The average total extra examination time +/- SD was 2 min 41.4 s (+/-15.3 s). Anatomical alignment, image quality at the boundaries of adjacent stations, and overall image quality of all stations of T1-, T2- and diffusion-weighted whole-body MRI were overall graded as "good" to "excellent".


CONCLUSIONS
This study shows that a time-efficient and high-quality whole-body MRI examination can easily be performed by using a non-integrated sliding surface coil approach.
Takahara
Taro
T
Department of Radiology, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Heidelberglaan 100, PO Box 85500, 3508 GA Utrecht, The Netherlands. tarorin@rr.iij4u.or.jp
Kwee
Thomas
T
Kibune
Satoshi
S
Ochiai
Reiji
R
Sakamoto
Tetsuro
T
Niwa
Tetsu
T
Van Cauteren
Marc
M
Luijten
Peter
P
D001513:Beds; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000295:instrumentation*; D007103:Immobilization / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008280:Magnetics / Q000295:instrumentation*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014159:Transducers; D051598:Whole Body Imaging / Q000295:instrumentation*