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Samardzija A, Selvaganesan K, Zhang HZ, Sun H, Sun C, Ha Y, Galiana G, Constable RT. Low-Field, Low-Cost, Point-of-Care Magnetic Resonance Imaging. Annu Rev Biomed Eng 2024; 26:67-91. [PMID: 38211326 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-bioeng-110122-022903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
Low-field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has recently experienced a renaissance that is largely attributable to the numerous technological advancements made in MRI, including optimized pulse sequences, parallel receive and compressed sensing, improved calibrations and reconstruction algorithms, and the adoption of machine learning for image postprocessing. This new attention on low-field MRI originates from a lack of accessibility to traditional MRI and the need for affordable imaging. Low-field MRI provides a viable option due to its lack of reliance on radio-frequency shielding rooms, expensive liquid helium, and cryogen quench pipes. Moreover, its relatively small size and weight allow for easy and affordable installation in most settings. Rather than replacing conventional MRI, low-field MRI will provide new opportunities for imaging both in developing and developed countries. This article discusses the history of low-field MRI, low-field MRI hardware and software, current devices on the market, advantages and disadvantages, and low-field MRI's global potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anja Samardzija
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA;
| | - Kartiga Selvaganesan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA;
| | - Horace Z Zhang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA;
| | - Heng Sun
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA;
| | - Chenhao Sun
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Yonghyun Ha
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Gigi Galiana
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA;
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - R Todd Constable
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA;
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
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Jin J, Zhou Y, Chen L, Chen Z. Ultrafast T 2 and T 2* mapping using single-shot spatiotemporally encoded MRI with reduced field of view and spiral out-in-out-in trajectory. Med Phys 2024. [PMID: 38896823 DOI: 10.1002/mp.17268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2024] [Revised: 05/15/2024] [Accepted: 06/11/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND T2 and T2* mapping are crucial components of quantitative magnetic resonance imaging, offering valuable insights into tissue characteristics and pathology. Single-shot methods can achieve ultrafast T2 or T2* mapping by acquiring multiple readout echo trains. However, the extended echo trains pose challenges, such as compromised image quality and diminished quantification accuracy. PURPOSE In this study, we develop a single-shot method for ultrafast T2 and T2* mapping with reduced echo train length. METHODS The proposed method is based on ultrafast single-shot spatiotemporally encoded (SPEN) MRI combined with reduced field of view (FOV) and spiral out-in-out-in (OIOI) trajectory. Specifically, a biaxial SPEN excitation scheme was employed to excite the spin signal into the spatiotemporal encoding domain. The OIOI trajectory with high acquisition efficiency was employed to acquire signals within targeted reduced FOV. Through non-Cartesian super-resolved (SR) reconstruction, 12 aliasing-free images with different echo times were obtained within 150 ms. These images were subsequently fitted to generate T2 or T2* mapping simultaneously using a derived model. RESULTS Accurate and co-registered T2 and T2* maps were generated, closely resembling the reference maps. Numerical simulations demonstrated substantial consistency (R2 > 0.99) with the ground truth values. A mean difference of 0.6% and 1.7% was observed in T2 and T2*, respectively, in in vivo rat brain experiments compared to the reference. Moreover, the proposed method successfully obtained T2 and T2* mappings of rat kidney in free-breathing mode, demonstrating its superiority over multishot methods lacking respiratory navigation. CONCLUSIONS The results suggest that the proposed method can achieve ultrafast and accurate T2 and T2* mapping, potentially facilitating the application of T2 and T2* mapping in scenarios requiring high temporal resolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junxian Jin
- Department of Electronic Science, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Plasma and Magnetic Resonance, School of Electronic Science and Engineering, National Model Microelectronics College, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Yang Zhou
- Key Laboratory for Magnetic Resonance and Multimodality Imaging of Guangdong Province, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Lin Chen
- Department of Electronic Science, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Plasma and Magnetic Resonance, School of Electronic Science and Engineering, National Model Microelectronics College, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
| | - Zhong Chen
- Department of Electronic Science, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Plasma and Magnetic Resonance, School of Electronic Science and Engineering, National Model Microelectronics College, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China
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Daudé P, Troalen T, Mackowiak ALC, Royer E, Piccini D, Yerly J, Pfeuffer J, Kober F, Gouny SC, Bernard M, Stuber M, Bastiaansen JAM, Rapacchi S. Trajectory correction enables free-running chemical shift encoded imaging for accurate cardiac proton-density fat fraction quantification at 3T. J Cardiovasc Magn Reson 2024; 26:101048. [PMID: 38878970 PMCID: PMC11269917 DOI: 10.1016/j.jocmr.2024.101048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2023] [Revised: 05/04/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 07/07/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Metabolic diseases can negatively alter epicardial fat accumulation and composition, which can be probed using quantitative cardiac chemical shift encoded (CSE) cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) by mapping proton-density fat fraction (PDFF). To obtain motion-resolved high-resolution PDFF maps, we proposed a free-running cardiac CSE-CMR framework at 3T. To employ faster bipolar readout gradients, a correction for gradient imperfections was added using the gradient impulse response function (GIRF) and evaluated on intermediate images and PDFF quantification. METHODS Ten minutes free-running cardiac 3D radial CSE-CMR acquisitions were compared in vitro and in vivo at 3T. Monopolar and bipolar readout gradient schemes provided 8 echoes (TE1/ΔTE = 1.16/1.96 ms) and 13 echoes (TE1/ΔTE = 1.12/1.07 ms), respectively. Bipolar-gradient free-running cardiac fat and water images and PDFF maps were reconstructed with or without GIRF correction. PDFF values were evaluated in silico, in vitro on a fat/water phantom, and in vivo in 10 healthy volunteers and 3 diabetic patients. RESULTS In monopolar mode, fat-water swaps were demonstrated in silico and confirmed in vitro. Using bipolar readout gradients, PDFF quantification was reliable and accurate with GIRF correction with a mean bias of 0.03% in silico and 0.36% in vitro while it suffered from artifacts without correction, leading to a PDFF bias of 4.9% in vitro and swaps in vivo. Using bipolar readout gradients, in vivo PDFF of epicardial adipose tissue was significantly lower compared to subcutaneous fat (80.4 ± 7.1% vs 92.5 ± 4.3%, P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS Aiming for an accurate PDFF quantification, high-resolution free-running cardiac CSE-MRI imaging proved to benefit from bipolar echoes with k-space trajectory correction at 3T. This free-breathing acquisition framework enables to investigate epicardial adipose tissue PDFF in metabolic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierre Daudé
- Aix-Marseille Univ, CNRS, CRMBM, Marseille, France; APHM, Hôpital Universitaire Timone, CEMEREM, Marseille, France.
| | | | - Adèle L C Mackowiak
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland; Department of Diagnostic, Interventional and Pediatric Radiology (DIPR), Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland; Translation Imaging Center (TIC), Swiss Institute for Translational and Entrepreneurial Medicine, Bern, Switzerland.
| | - Emilien Royer
- Aix-Marseille Univ, CNRS, CRMBM, Marseille, France; APHM, Hôpital Universitaire Timone, CEMEREM, Marseille, France.
| | - Davide Piccini
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland; Advanced Clinical Imaging Technology, Siemens Healthineers International AG, Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Jérôme Yerly
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland; Center for Biomedical Imaging, Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Josef Pfeuffer
- Siemens Healthcare, MR Application Development, Erlangen, Germany.
| | - Frank Kober
- Aix-Marseille Univ, CNRS, CRMBM, Marseille, France; APHM, Hôpital Universitaire Timone, CEMEREM, Marseille, France.
| | - Sylviane Confort Gouny
- Aix-Marseille Univ, CNRS, CRMBM, Marseille, France; APHM, Hôpital Universitaire Timone, CEMEREM, Marseille, France.
| | - Monique Bernard
- Aix-Marseille Univ, CNRS, CRMBM, Marseille, France; APHM, Hôpital Universitaire Timone, CEMEREM, Marseille, France.
| | - Matthias Stuber
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland; Center for Biomedical Imaging, Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Jessica A M Bastiaansen
- Department of Diagnostic, Interventional and Pediatric Radiology (DIPR), Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland; Translation Imaging Center (TIC), Swiss Institute for Translational and Entrepreneurial Medicine, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Stanislas Rapacchi
- Aix-Marseille Univ, CNRS, CRMBM, Marseille, France; APHM, Hôpital Universitaire Timone, CEMEREM, Marseille, France.
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Özdemir S, Ilicak E, Zapp J, Schad LR, Zöllner FG. Feasibility of undersampled spiral trajectories in MREPT for fast conductivity imaging. Magn Reson Med 2024; 91:1567-1575. [PMID: 38044757 DOI: 10.1002/mrm.29952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2023] [Revised: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE To investigate spiral-based imaging including trajectories with undersampling as a fast and robust alternative for phase-based magnetic resonance electrical properties tomography (MREPT) techniques. METHODS Spiral trajectories with various undersampling ratios were prescribed to acquire images from an experimental phantom and a healthy volunteer at 3T. The non-Cartesian acquisitions were reconstructed using SPIRiT, and conductivity maps were derived using phase-based cr-MREPT. The resulting maps were compared between different sampling trajectories. Additionally, a conductivity map was obtained using a Cartesian balanced SSFP acquisition from the volunteer to comparatively demonstrate the robustness of the proposed method. RESULTS The phantom and volunteer results illustrate the benefits of the spiral acquisitions. Specifically, undersampled spiral acquisitions display improved robustness against field inhomogeneity artifacts and lowered SD values with shortened readout times. Furthermore, average of conductivity values measured for the cerebrospinal fluid with the spiral acquisitions were 1.703 S/m, indicating a close agreement with the theoretical values of 1.794 S/m. CONCLUSION A spiral-based acquisition framework for conductivity imaging with and without undersampling is presented. Overall, spiral-based acquisitions improved robustness against field inhomogeneity artifacts, while achieving whole head coverage with multiple averages in less than a minute.
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Affiliation(s)
- Safa Özdemir
- Computer Assisted Clinical Medicine, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
- Mannheim Institute for Intelligent Systems in Medicine, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Efe Ilicak
- Computer Assisted Clinical Medicine, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
- Mannheim Institute for Intelligent Systems in Medicine, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Jascha Zapp
- Computer Assisted Clinical Medicine, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
- Mannheim Institute for Intelligent Systems in Medicine, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Lothar R Schad
- Computer Assisted Clinical Medicine, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
- Mannheim Institute for Intelligent Systems in Medicine, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Frank G Zöllner
- Computer Assisted Clinical Medicine, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
- Mannheim Institute for Intelligent Systems in Medicine, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany
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Dillinger H, Peereboom SM, Kozerke S. Beat phenomena of oscillating readouts. Magn Reson Med 2024; 91:1498-1511. [PMID: 38173292 DOI: 10.1002/mrm.29957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Revised: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE To demonstrate slowly varying, erroneous magnetic field gradients for oscillating readouts due to the mechanically resonant behavior of gradient systems. METHODS Projections of a static phantom were acquired using a one-dimensional (1D) EPI sequence with varying EPI frequencies ranging from 1121 to 1580 Hz on clinical 3T systems (30 mT/m, 200 T/m/s). Phase due to static B0 inhomogeneities was eliminated by a complex division of two separate scans with different polarities of the EPI readout. The temporal evolution of phase was evaluated and related to the mechanical resonances of the gradient systems derived from the gradient modulation transfer function. Additionally, the impact of temporally varying mechanical resonance effects on EPI was evaluated using an echo-planar spectroscopic imaging sequence. RESULTS A beat phenomenon resulting in a slowly varying phase was observed. Its temporal frequency was given by the difference between the EPI frequency and the mechanical resonance frequency of the activated gradient axis. The maximum erroneous, oscillating phase during phase encoding was ±0.5 rad for an EPI frequency of 1281 Hz. Echo-planar spectroscopic imaging images showed the resulting time-dependent stretching/compression of the FOV. CONCLUSION Oscillating readouts such as those used in EPI can result in low-frequency, erroneous phase contributions, which are explained by the beat phenomenon. Therefore, EPI phase-correction approaches may need to include beat effects for accurate image reconstruction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannes Dillinger
- Institute for Biomedical Engineering, University and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Sophie M Peereboom
- Institute for Biomedical Engineering, University and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Sebastian Kozerke
- Institute for Biomedical Engineering, University and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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Tian Y, Nayak KS. Real-time water/fat imaging at 0.55T with spiral out-in-out-in sampling. Magn Reson Med 2024; 91:649-659. [PMID: 37815020 PMCID: PMC10841523 DOI: 10.1002/mrm.29885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Revised: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/11/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE To develop an efficient and flexible water/fat separated real-time MRI (RT-MRI) method using spiral out-in-out-in (OIOI) sampling and balanced SSFP (bSSFP) at 0.55T. METHODS A bSSFP sequence with golden-angle spiral OIOI readout was developed, capturing three echoes to allow water/fat separation. A low-latency reconstruction that combines all echoes was available for online visualization. An offline reconstruction provided water and fat RT-MRI in two steps: (1) image reconstruction with spatiotemporally constrained reconstruction (STCR) and (2) water/fat separation with hierarchical iterative decomposition of water and fat with echo asymmetry and least-squares estimation (HIDEAL). In healthy volunteers, spiral OIOI was acquired in the wrist during a radial-to-ulnar deviation maneuver, in the heart without breath-hold and cardiac gating, and in the lower abdomen during free-breathing for visualizing small bowel motility. RESULTS We demonstrate successful water/fat separated RT-MRI for all tested applications. In the wrist, resulting images provided clear depiction of ligament gaps and their interactions during the radial-to-ulnar deviation maneuver. In the heart, water/fat RT-MRI depicted epicardial fat, provided improved delineation of epicardial coronary arteries, and provided high blood-myocardial contrast for ventricular function assessment. In the abdomen, water-only RT-MRI captured small bowel mobility clearly with improved water-fat contrast. CONCLUSIONS We have demonstrated a novel and flexible bSSFP spiral OIOI sequence at 0.55T that can provide water/fat separated RT-MRI with a variety of application-specific temporal resolution and spatial resolution requirements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ye Tian
- Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Krishna S. Nayak
- Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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Campbell-Washburn AE, Varghese J, Nayak KS, Ramasawmy R, Simonetti OP. Cardiac MRI at Low Field Strengths. J Magn Reson Imaging 2024; 59:412-430. [PMID: 37530545 PMCID: PMC10834858 DOI: 10.1002/jmri.28890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Revised: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Cardiac MR imaging is well established for assessment of cardiovascular structure and function, myocardial scar, quantitative flow, parametric mapping, and myocardial perfusion. Despite the clear evidence supporting the use of cardiac MRI for a wide range of indications, it is underutilized clinically. Recent developments in low-field MRI technology, including modern data acquisition and image reconstruction methods, are enabling high-quality low-field imaging that may improve the cost-benefit ratio for cardiac MRI. Studies to-date confirm that low-field MRI offers high measurement concordance and consistent interpretation with clinical imaging for several routine sequences. Moreover, low-field MRI may enable specific new clinical opportunities for cardiac imaging such as imaging near metal implants, MRI-guided interventions, combined cardiopulmonary assessment, and imaging of patients with severe obesity. In this review, we discuss the recent progress in low-field cardiac MRI with a focus on technical developments and early clinical validation studies. EVIDENCE LEVEL: 5 TECHNICAL EFFICACY: Stage 1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrienne E Campbell-Washburn
- Cardiovascular Branch, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda MD USA
| | - Juliet Varghese
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Krishna S Nayak
- Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Alfred Mann Department of Biomedical Engineering, Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Rajiv Ramasawmy
- Cardiovascular Branch, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda MD USA
| | - Orlando P Simonetti
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
- Department of Radiology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
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Tian Y, Nayak KS. New clinical opportunities of low-field MRI: heart, lung, body, and musculoskeletal. MAGMA (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2024; 37:1-14. [PMID: 37902898 PMCID: PMC10876830 DOI: 10.1007/s10334-023-01123-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Revised: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 11/01/2023]
Abstract
Contemporary whole-body low-field MRI scanners (< 1 T) present new and exciting opportunities for improved body imaging. The fundamental reason is that the reduced off-resonance and reduced SAR provide substantially increased flexibility in the design of MRI pulse sequences. Promising body applications include lung parenchyma imaging, imaging adjacent to metallic implants, cardiac imaging, and dynamic imaging in general. The lower cost of such systems may make MRI favorable for screening high-risk populations and population health research, and the more open configurations allowed may prove favorable for obese subjects and for pregnant women. This article summarizes promising body applications for contemporary whole-body low-field MRI systems, with a focus on new platforms developed within the past 5 years. This is an active area of research, and one can expect many improvements as MRI physicists fully explore the landscape of pulse sequences that are feasible, and as clinicians apply these to patient populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ye Tian
- Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, 3740 McClintock Ave, EEB 406, Los Angeles, CA, 90089-2564, USA.
| | - Krishna S Nayak
- Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, 3740 McClintock Ave, EEB 406, Los Angeles, CA, 90089-2564, USA
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Campbell-Washburn AE, Keenan KE, Hu P, Mugler JP, Nayak KS, Webb AG, Obungoloch J, Sheth KN, Hennig J, Rosen MS, Salameh N, Sodickson DK, Stein JM, Marques JP, Simonetti OP. Low-field MRI: A report on the 2022 ISMRM workshop. Magn Reson Med 2023; 90:1682-1694. [PMID: 37345725 PMCID: PMC10683532 DOI: 10.1002/mrm.29743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023]
Abstract
In March 2022, the first ISMRM Workshop on Low-Field MRI was held virtually. The goals of this workshop were to discuss recent low field MRI technology including hardware and software developments, novel methodology, new contrast mechanisms, as well as the clinical translation and dissemination of these systems. The virtual Workshop was attended by 368 registrants from 24 countries, and included 34 invited talks, 100 abstract presentations, 2 panel discussions, and 2 live scanner demonstrations. Here, we report on the scientific content of the Workshop and identify the key themes that emerged. The subject matter of the Workshop reflected the ongoing developments of low-field MRI as an accessible imaging modality that may expand the usage of MRI through cost reduction, portability, and ease of installation. Many talks in this Workshop addressed the use of computational power, efficient acquisitions, and contemporary hardware to overcome the SNR limitations associated with low field strength. Participants discussed the selection of appropriate clinical applications that leverage the unique capabilities of low-field MRI within traditional radiology practices, other point-of-care settings, and the broader community. The notion of "image quality" versus "information content" was also discussed, as images from low-field portable systems that are purpose-built for clinical decision-making may not replicate the current standard of clinical imaging. Speakers also described technical challenges and infrastructure challenges related to portability and widespread dissemination, and speculated about future directions for the field to improve the technology and establish clinical value.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrienne E Campbell-Washburn
- Cardiovascular Branch, Division of Intramural Research, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Kathryn E Keenan
- Physical Measurement Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Boulder, Colorado, USA
| | - Peng Hu
- School of Biomedical Engineering, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - John P Mugler
- Department of Radiology & Medical Imaging, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Krishna S Nayak
- Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Andrew G Webb
- Department of Radiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | | | - Kevin N Sheth
- Division of Neurocritical Care and Emergency Neurology, Departments of Neurology and Neurosurgery, and the Yale Center for Brain and Mind Health, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Jürgen Hennig
- Dept.of Radiology, Medical Physics, University Medical Center Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Center for Basics in NeuroModulation (NeuroModulBasics), Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Matthew S Rosen
- Massachusetts General Hospital, A. A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Najat Salameh
- Center for Adaptable MRI Technology (AMT Center), Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Basel, Allschwil, Switzerland
| | - Daniel K Sodickson
- Department of Radiology, NYU Langone Health, New York, New York, USA
- Center for Advanced Imaging Innovation and Research, NYU Langone Health, New York, New York, USA
| | - Joel M Stein
- Department of Radiology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - José P Marques
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Orlando P Simonetti
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
- Department of Radiology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
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Zhang Y, He W, Yang L, Xuan L, Wu J, He Y, Guo Y, Xu Z. Efficient imaging using spiral acquisitions on a portable 50-mT MR head scanner. NMR IN BIOMEDICINE 2023; 36:e4988. [PMID: 37381057 DOI: 10.1002/nbm.4988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2023] [Revised: 05/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023]
Abstract
Ultralow-field (ULF) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can suffer from inferior image quality because of low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). As an efficient way to cover the k-space, the spiral acquisition technique has shown great potential in improving imaging SNR efficiency at ULF. The current study aimed to address the problems of noise and blurring cancelation in the ULF case with spiral trajectory, and we proposed a spiral-out sequence for brain imaging using a portable 50-mT MRI system. The proposed sequence consisted of three modules: noise calibration, field map acquisition, and imaging. In the calibration step, transfer coefficients were obtained between signals from primary and noise-pick-up coils to perform electromagnetic interference (EMI) cancelation. Embedded field map acquisition was performed to correct accumulated phase error due to main field inhomogeneity. Considering imaging SNR, a lower bandwidth for data sampling was adopted in the sequence design because the 50-mT scanner is in a low SNR regime. Image reconstruction proceeded with sampled data by leveraging system imperfections, such as gradient delays and concomitant fields. The proposed method can provide images with higher SNR efficiency compared with its Cartesian counterparts. An improvement in temporal SNR of approximately 23%-44% was measured via phantom and in vivo experiments. Distortion-free images with a noise suppression rate of nearly 80% were obtained by the proposed technique. A comparison was also made with a state-of-the-art EMI cancelation algorithm used in the ULF-MRI system. SNR efficiency-enhanced spiral acquisitions were investigated for ULF-MR scanners and future studies could focus on various image contrasts based on our proposed approach to widen ULF applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxiang Zhang
- School of Electrical Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
| | - Wei He
- School of Electrical Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
| | - Lei Yang
- School of Electrical Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
| | - Liang Xuan
- School of Electrical Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
| | - Jiamin Wu
- Shenzhen Academy of Aerospace Technology, Shenzhen, China
- Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China
| | - Yucheng He
- Shenzhen Academy of Aerospace Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yi Guo
- Chongqing University Central Hospital, Chongqing, China
| | - Zheng Xu
- School of Electrical Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing, China
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Hennig J. An evolution of low-field strength MRI. MAGMA (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2023; 36:335-346. [PMID: 37289275 PMCID: PMC10386941 DOI: 10.1007/s10334-023-01104-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2022] [Revised: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 05/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The paper describes the evolution of low-field MRI from the very early pioneering days in the late 70 s until today. It is not meant to give a comprehensive historical account of the development of MRI, but rather to highlight the different research environments then and now. In the early 90 s, when low-field systems below 1.5 T essentially vanished, there were just no reasonable means available to make up for the factor of roughly three in signal-to-noise-ratio (SNR) between 0.5 and 1.5 T. This has drastically changed. Improvements in hardware-closed Helium-free magnets, RF receiver systems and especially much faster gradients, much more flexible sampling schemes including parallel imaging and compressed sensing and especially the use of AI at all stages of the imaging process have made low-field MRI a clinically viable supplement to conventional MRI. Ultralow-field MRI with magnets around 0.05 T are also back and constitute a bold and courageous endeavor to bring MRI to communities, which have neither the means nor the infrastructure to sustain a current standard of care MRI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juergen Hennig
- Department of Radiology, Medical Physics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Killianstr.5a, 79106, Freiburg, Germany.
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12
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Ramasawmy R, Mugler JP, Javed A, Wang Z, Herzka DA, Meyer CH, Campbell-Washburn AE. Concomitant field compensation of spiral turbo spin-echo at 0.55 T. MAGMA (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2023; 36:465-475. [PMID: 37306784 PMCID: PMC10771127 DOI: 10.1007/s10334-023-01103-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Revised: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Diagnostic-quality neuroimaging methods are vital for widespread clinical adoption of low field MRI. Spiral imaging is an efficient acquisition method that can mitigate the reduced signal-to-noise ratio at lower field strengths. As concomitant field artifacts are worse at lower field, we propose a generalizable quadratic gradient-field nulling as an echo-to-echo compensation and apply it to spiral TSE at 0.55 T. MATERIALS AND METHODS A spiral in-out TSE acquisition was developed with a compensation for concomitant field variation between spiral interleaves, by adding bipolar gradients around each readout to minimize phase differences at each refocusing pulse. Simulations were performed to characterize concomitant field compensation approaches. We demonstrate our proposed compensation method in phantoms and (n = 8) healthy volunteers at 0.55 T. RESULTS Spiral read-outs with integrated spoiling demonstrated strong concomitant field artifacts but were mitigated using the echo-to-echo compensation. Simulations predicted a decrease of concomitant field phase RMSE between echoes of 42% using the proposed compensation. Spiral TSE improved SNR by 17.2 ± 2.3% compared to reference Cartesian acquisition. DISCUSSION We demonstrated a generalizable approach to mitigate concomitant field artifacts for spiral TSE acquisitions via the addition of quadratic-nulling gradients, which can potentially improve neuroimaging at low-field through increased acquisition efficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajiv Ramasawmy
- Cardiovascular Branch, Division of Intramural Research, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
| | - John P Mugler
- Department of Radiology & Medical Imaging, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Ahsan Javed
- Cardiovascular Branch, Division of Intramural Research, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Zhixing Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Daniel A Herzka
- Cardiovascular Branch, Division of Intramural Research, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Craig H Meyer
- Department of Radiology & Medical Imaging, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Adrienne E Campbell-Washburn
- Cardiovascular Branch, Division of Intramural Research, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
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13
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Ponrartana S, Nguyen HN, Cui SX, Tian Y, Kumar P, Wood JC, Nayak KS. Low-field 0.55 T MRI evaluation of the fetus. Pediatr Radiol 2023; 53:1469-1475. [PMID: 36882594 PMCID: PMC10276075 DOI: 10.1007/s00247-023-05604-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2022] [Revised: 12/28/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023]
Abstract
Fetal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an important adjunct modality for the evaluation of fetal abnormalities. Recently, low-field MRI systems at 0.55 Tesla have become available which can produce images on par with 1.5 Tesla systems but with lower power deposition, acoustic noise, and artifact. In this article, we describe a technical innovation using low-field MRI to perform diagnostic quality fetal MRI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Skorn Ponrartana
- Department of Radiology, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
| | - HaiThuy N Nguyen
- Department of Radiology, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Sophia X Cui
- Siemens Medical Solutions, USA, Inc, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Ye Tian
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Prakash Kumar
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - John C Wood
- Department of Radiology, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Krishna S Nayak
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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14
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Nayak KS, Cui SX, Tasdelen B, Yagiz E, Weston S, Zhong X, Ahlgren A. Body composition profiling at 0.55T: Feasibility and precision. Magn Reson Med 2023. [PMID: 37125645 DOI: 10.1002/mrm.29682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Revised: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Body composition MRI captures the distribution of fat and lean tissues throughout the body, and provides valuable biomarkers of obesity, metabolic disease, and muscle disorders, as well as risk assessment. Highly reproducible protocols have been developed for 1.5T and 3T MRI. The purpose of this work was to demonstrate the feasibility and test-retest repeatability of MRI body composition profiling on a 0.55T whole-body system. METHODS Healthy adult volunteers were scanned on a whole-body 0.55T MRI system using the integrated body RF coil. Experiments were performed to refine parameter settings such as TEs, resolution, flip angle, bandwidth, acceleration, and oversampling factors. The final protocol was evaluated using a test-retest study with subject removal and replacement in 10 adult volunteers (5 M/5F, age 25-60, body mass index 20-30). RESULTS Compared to 1.5T and 3T, the optimal flip angle at 0.55T was higher (15°), due to the shorter T1 times, and the optimal echo spacing was larger, due to smaller chemical shift between water and fat. Overall image quality was comparable to conventional field strengths, with no significant issues with fat/water swapping or inadequate SNR. Repeatability coefficient of visceral fat, subcutaneous fat, total thigh muscle volume, muscle fat infiltration, and liver fat were 11.8 cL (2.2%), 46.9 cL (1.9%), 14.6 cL (0.5%), 0.1 pp (2%), and 0.2 pp (5%), respectively (coefficient of variation in parenthesis). CONCLUSIONS We demonstrate that 0.55T body composition MRI is feasible and present optimized scan parameters. The resulting images provide satisfactory quality for automated post-processing and produce repeatable results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krishna S Nayak
- Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Sophia X Cui
- Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Bilal Tasdelen
- Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Ecrin Yagiz
- Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | | | - Xiaodong Zhong
- Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Los Angeles, California, USA
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15
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Tian Y, Cui SX, Lim Y, Lee NG, Zhao Z, Nayak KS. Contrast-optimal simultaneous multi-slice bSSFP cine cardiac imaging at 0.55 T. Magn Reson Med 2023; 89:746-755. [PMID: 36198043 PMCID: PMC9712243 DOI: 10.1002/mrm.29472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Revised: 09/06/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE To determine if contemporary 0.55 T MRI supports the use of contrast-optimal flip angles (FA) for simultaneous multi-slice (SMS) balanced SSFP (bSSFP) cardiac function assessment, which is impractical at conventional field strengths because of excessive SAR and/or banding artifacts. METHODS Blipped-CAIPI bSSFP was combined with spiral sampling for ventricular function assessment at 0.55 T. Cine movies with single band and SMS factors of 2 and 3 (SMS 2 and 3), and FA ranging from 60° to 160°, were acquired in seven healthy volunteers. Left ventricular blood and myocardial signal intensity (SI) normalized by background noise and blood-myocardium contrast were measured and compared across acquisition settings. RESULTS Myocardial SI was slightly higher in single band than in SMS and decreased with an increasing FA. Blood SI increased as the FA increased for single band, and increment was small for FA ≥120°. Blood SI for SMS 2 and 3 increased with an increasing FA up to ∼100°. Blood-myocardium contrast increased with an increasing FA for single band, peaked at FA = 160° (systole: 28.43, diastole: 29.15), attributed mainly to reduced myocardial SI when FA ≥120°. For SMS 2, contrast peaked at 120° (systole: 21.43, diastole: 19.85). For SMS 3, contrast peaked at 120° in systole (16.62) and 100° in diastole (19.04). CONCLUSIONS Contemporary 0.55 T MR scanners equipped with high-performance gradient systems allow the use of contrast-optimal FA for SMS accelerated bSSFP cine examinations without compromising image quality. The contrast-optimal FA was found to be 140° to 160° for single band and 100° to 120° for SMS 2 and 3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ye Tian
- Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Sophia X. Cui
- Siemens Medical Solutions USA Inc., Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Yongwan Lim
- Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Nam G. Lee
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Ziwei Zhao
- Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Krishna S. Nayak
- Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA,Department of Biomedical Engineering, Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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16
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Abad N, Lee SK, Ajala A, In MH, Frigo LM, Bhushan C, Morris HD, Hua Y, Ho VB, Bernstein MA, Foo TKF. Calibration of concomitant field offsets using phase contrast MRI for asymmetric gradient coils. Magn Reson Med 2023; 89:262-275. [PMID: 36129000 PMCID: PMC9617788 DOI: 10.1002/mrm.29452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2022] [Revised: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Asymmetric gradient coils introduce zeroth- and first-order concomitant field terms, in addition to higher-order terms common to both asymmetric and symmetric gradients. Salient to compensation strategies is the accurate calibration of the concomitant field spatial offset parameters for asymmetric coils. A method that allows for one-time calibration of the offset parameters is described. THEORY AND METHODS A modified phase contrast pulse sequence with single-sided bipolar flow encoding is proposed to calibrate the offsets for asymmetric, transverse gradient coils. By fitting the measured phase offsets to different gradient amplitudes, the spatial offsets were calculated by fitting the phase variation. This was used for calibrating real-time pre-emphasis compensation of the zeroth- and first-order concomitant fields. RESULTS Image quality improvement with the proposed corrections was demonstrated in phantom and healthy volunteers with non-Cartesian and Cartesian trajectory acquisitions. Concomitant field compensation using the calibrated offsets resulted in a residual phase error <3% at the highest gradient amplitude and demonstrated substantial reduction of image blur and slice position/selection artifacts. CONCLUSIONS The proposed implementation provides an accurate method for calibrating spatial offsets that can be used for real-time concomitant field compensation of zeroth and first-order terms, substantially reducing artifacts without retrospective correction or sequence specific waveform modifications.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - H. Douglas Morris
- Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, MD 20889, USA
| | - Yihe Hua
- GE Research, Niskayuna, NY 12309, USA
| | - Vincent B. Ho
- Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, MD 20889, USA
- Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
| | | | - Thomas K. F. Foo
- GE Research, Niskayuna, NY 12309, USA
- Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
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