title: High-resolution ultrashort echo time (UTE) imaging on human knee with AWSOS sequence at 3.0 T.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To demonstrate the technical feasibility of high-resolution (0.28-0.14 mm) ultrashort echo time (UTE) imaging on human knee at 3T with the acquisition-weighted stack of spirals (AWSOS) sequence.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nine human subjects were scanned on a 3T MRI scanner with an 8-channel knee coil using the AWSOS sequence and isocenter positioning plus manual shimming.
  
  
  RESULTS
  High-resolution UTE images were obtained on the subject knees at TE = 0.6 msec with total acquisition time of 5.12 minutes for 60 slices at an in-plane resolution of 0.28 mm and 10.24 minutes for 40 slices at an in-plane resolution of 0.14 mm. Isocenter positioning, manual shimming, and the 8-channel array coil helped minimize image distortion and achieve high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is technically feasible on a clinical 3T MRI scanner to perform UTE imaging on human knee at very high spatial resolutions (0.28-0.14 mm) within reasonable scan time (5-10 min) using the AWSOS sequence.
authors: MR Research Center, Department of Radiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, USA. qiany@upmc.edu
authors: Yongxian
authors: Y
authors: Qian
authors: Ashley A
authors: AA
authors: Williams
authors: Constance R
authors: CR
authors: Chu
authors: Fernando E
authors: FE
authors: Boada
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000070598:Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries; D017352:Echo-Planar Imaging / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D007717:Knee / Q000473:pathology*; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000473:pathology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D059629:Signal-To-Noise Ratio; D013710:Tendons / Q000473:pathology