Using adiabatic inversion pulses for long-T2 suppression in ultrashort echo time (UTE) imaging
Corresponding Author
Peder E. Z. Larson
Magnetic Resonance Systems Research Laboratory, Department of Electrical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California
Packard Electrical Engineering, Room 208, 350 Serra Mall, Stanford, CA 94305-9510===Search for more papers by this authorSteven M. Conolly
Magnetic Resonance Systems Research Laboratory, Department of Electrical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California
Department of Bioengineering, University of California - Berkeley, Berkeley, California
Search for more papers by this authorJohn M. Pauly
Magnetic Resonance Systems Research Laboratory, Department of Electrical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California
Search for more papers by this authorDwight G. Nishimura
Magnetic Resonance Systems Research Laboratory, Department of Electrical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Peder E. Z. Larson
Magnetic Resonance Systems Research Laboratory, Department of Electrical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California
Packard Electrical Engineering, Room 208, 350 Serra Mall, Stanford, CA 94305-9510===Search for more papers by this authorSteven M. Conolly
Magnetic Resonance Systems Research Laboratory, Department of Electrical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California
Department of Bioengineering, University of California - Berkeley, Berkeley, California
Search for more papers by this authorJohn M. Pauly
Magnetic Resonance Systems Research Laboratory, Department of Electrical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California
Search for more papers by this authorDwight G. Nishimura
Magnetic Resonance Systems Research Laboratory, Department of Electrical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California
Search for more papers by this authorAbstract
Ultrashort echo time (UTE) imaging is a technique that can visualize tissues with sub-millisecond T2 values that have little or no signal in conventional MRI techniques. The short-T2 tissues, which include tendons, menisci, calcifications, and cortical bone, are often obscured by long-T2 tissues. This paper introduces a new method of long-T2 component suppression based on adiabatic inversion pulses that significantly improves the contrast of short-T2 tissues. Narrow bandwidth inversion pulses are used to selectively invert only long-T2 components. These components are then suppressed by combining images prepared with and without inversion pulses. Fat suppression can be incorporated by combining images with the pulses applied on the fat and water resonances. Scaling factors must be used in the combination to compensate for relaxation during the preparation pulses. The suppression is insensitive to RF inhomogeneities because it uses adiabatic inversion pulses. Simulations and phantom experiments demonstrate the adiabatic pulse contrast and how the scaling factors are chosen. In vivo 2D UTE images in the ankle and lower leg show excellent, robust long-T2 suppression for visualization of cortical bone and tendons. Magn Reson Med 58:952–961, 2007. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
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