A System for Improving SNR in Multi-Slice Magnetic Resonance (MRI) Imaging
- Technology Benefits
- Increases repetition time by several fold with no corresponding sacrifice in scan timeImaging tissues with long relaxation times that are otherwise difficult to visualize with standard fast gradient echo techniques
- Detailed Technology Description
- Temporal rendering scheme to increase signal-to-noise ratio in multi-slice, multi-phase MRI acquisition.#healthcare #mri #imaging #software
- *Abstract
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Northwestern researchers have developed a temporal rendering scheme that increases repetition time (TR) and thus available signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) for a multi-slice, multi-phase (time resolved) MRI acquisition. Conventionally, for cardiac gradient echo imaging the TR is kept as short as possible to ensure a short acquisition time. This can result in signal saturation and low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), particularly for fluids and tissues with long relaxation time (T1) such as cerebrospinal fluid or blood. The new rendering scheme results in a several-fold increase in SNR without any sacrifice in scan time. This technique differs from conventional slice interleaving used in multi-slice turbo spin echo imaging in that it is tied specifically to a mulit-phase segmented acquisition.
- *Inventors
- Michael Markl
- Country/Region
- USA
