Parallel MRI at microtesla fields

dc.creatorZotev, V. S.
dc.creatorVolegov, P. L.
dc.creatorMatlashov, A. N.
dc.creatorEspy, M. A.
dc.creatorMosher, J. C.
dc.creatorKraus Jr, R. H.
dc.date2007-01-16
dc.date2008-03-28
dc.date.accessioned2026-07-07T11:36:45Z
dc.date.available2026-07-07T11:36:45Z
dc.descriptionParallel imaging techniques have been widely used in high-field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Multiple receiver coils have been shown to improve image quality and allow accelerated image acquisition. Magnetic resonance imaging at ultra-low fields (ULF MRI) is a new imaging approach that uses SQUID (superconducting quantum interference device) sensors to measure the spatially encoded precession of pre-polarized nuclear spin populations at microtesla-range measurement fields. In this work, parallel imaging at microtesla fields is systematically studied for the first time. A seven-channel SQUID system, designed for both ULF MRI and magnetoencephalography (MEG), is used to acquire 3D images of a human hand, as well as 2D images of a large water phantom. The imaging is performed at 46 microtesla measurement field with pre-polarization at 40 mT. It is shown how the use of seven channels increases imaging field of view and improves signal-to-noise ratio for the hand images. A simple procedure for approximate correction of concomitant gradient artifacts is described. Noise propagation is analyzed experimentally, and the main source of correlated noise is identified. Accelerated imaging based on one-dimensional undersampling and 1D SENSE (sensitivity encoding) image reconstruction is studied in the case of the 2D phantom. Actual 3-fold imaging acceleration in comparison to single-average fully encoded Fourier imaging is demonstrated. These results show that parallel imaging methods are efficient in ULF MRI, and that imaging performance of SQUID-based instruments improves substantially as the number of channels is increased.
dc.description12 pages, 7 figures - accepted by JMR
dc.identifierhttps://arxiv.org/abs/physics/0701188
dc.identifierhttp://arxiv.org/abs/physics/0701188
dc.identifierJ.Magn.Resonance192:197,2008
dc.identifierdoi:10.1016/j.jmr.2008.02.015
dc.identifier.urihttp://salesiana.dossiersoluciones.com/handle/123456789/199024
dc.subjectMedical Physics
dc.subjectInstrumentation and Detectors
dc.titleParallel MRI at microtesla fields
dc.typetext

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