Bloch-based MRI system simulator considering realistic electromagnetic fields for calculation of signal, noise, and specific absorption rate
Zhipeng Cao
Department of Bioengineering, The Pennsylvania State University, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA
Department of Radiology, The Pennsylvania State University, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA
Search for more papers by this authorSukhoon Oh
Department of Radiology, New York University Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
Search for more papers by this authorChristopher T. Sica
Department of Radiology, The Pennsylvania State University, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA
Search for more papers by this authorJohn M. McGarrity
Department of Radiology, The Pennsylvania State University, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA
Search for more papers by this authorTimothy Horan
Department of Radiology, The Pennsylvania State University, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA
Search for more papers by this authorWei Luo
Department of Radiology, The Pennsylvania State University, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA
Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Christopher M. Collins
Department of Radiology, New York University Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
Correspondence to: Christopher M. Collins, Ph.D., 660 First Ave., Fourth Floor, Room 403, New York, NY 10016. E-mail: [email protected]Search for more papers by this authorZhipeng Cao
Department of Bioengineering, The Pennsylvania State University, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA
Department of Radiology, The Pennsylvania State University, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA
Search for more papers by this authorSukhoon Oh
Department of Radiology, New York University Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
Search for more papers by this authorChristopher T. Sica
Department of Radiology, The Pennsylvania State University, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA
Search for more papers by this authorJohn M. McGarrity
Department of Radiology, The Pennsylvania State University, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA
Search for more papers by this authorTimothy Horan
Department of Radiology, The Pennsylvania State University, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA
Search for more papers by this authorWei Luo
Department of Radiology, The Pennsylvania State University, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA
Department of Engineering Science and Mechanics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Christopher M. Collins
Department of Radiology, New York University Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
Correspondence to: Christopher M. Collins, Ph.D., 660 First Ave., Fourth Floor, Room 403, New York, NY 10016. E-mail: [email protected]Search for more papers by this authorAbstract
Purpose
To describe and introduce new software capable of accurately simulating MR signal, noise, and specific absorption rate (SAR) given arbitrary sample, sequence, static magnetic field distribution, and radiofrequency magnetic and electric field distributions for each transmit and receive coil.
Theory and Methods
Using fundamental equations for nuclear precession and relaxation, signal reception, noise reception, and calculation of SAR, a versatile MR simulator was developed. The resulting simulator was tested with simulation of a variety of sequences demonstrating several common imaging contrast types and artifacts. The simulation of intravoxel dephasing and rephasing with both tracking of the first order derivatives of each magnetization vector and multiple magnetization vectors was examined to ensure adequate representation of the MR signal. A quantitative comparison of simulated and experimentally measured SNR was also performed.
Results
The simulator showed good agreement with our expectations, theory, and experiment.
Conclusion
With careful design, an MR simulator producing realistic signal, noise, and SAR for arbitrary sample, sequence, and fields has been created. It is hoped that this tool will be valuable in a wide variety of applications. Magn Reson Med 72:237–247, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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