• Proceedings of the KSMRM Conference
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• 2002.11a
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• pp.102-102
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• 2002

목적：$\Delta{R}_1$과 $\Delta{R}_2\;^{*}$은 $T_1$, $T_2\;^{*}$로부터 직접 구해야 하지만, 시간 해상도 때문에 각각 $T_1$, $T_2\;^{*}$ 강조영상으로부터 구하는 것이 일반적이다. $T_1$, $T_2\;^{*}$ 강조영상으로부터 얻은 $\Delta{R}_1$과 $\Delta{R}_2\;^{*}$ 과 이중 경사 자장에코 펄스열로부터 얻은 $\Delta{R}_1$과 $\Delta{R}_2\;^{*}$ 를 컴퓨터 가상 실험을 통해서 비교한다. 강조 영상의 신호 세기만으로는 정확한 관류 정보를 얻을 수 없음을 보이고자 한다. 대상 및 방법： 알려진 $\Delta{R}_1$과 $\Delta{R}_2\;^{*}$ 값을 이용하여 강조영상으로부터 구할 수 있는 $\DeltaR_1$과 $\Delta{R}_2\;^{*}$ 을 농도에 따라서 가상실험으로 구하고, 이 값과 이중 경사 자장 에코 펄스열로부터 구할 수 있는 $\Delta{R}_1$과 $\Delta{R}_2\;^{*}$를 가상실험으로 구해서 비교한다.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.70-80
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• 2006

Spin echo gradient moment nulling pulse sequences were designed and implemented on a clinical magnetic resonance imaging system. A new technique was introduced for flow compensation that minimized echo time and effectively suppresses unwanted echoes on the slice selection gradient axis in spin echo sequences. A unified gradient shape was used in all orders of flow compensation up to the third order. A dual-purpose gradient was applied for flow compensation and to reduce unwanted artifacts. The sequences were used to generate images of phantoms and/or human brains. This technique was especially good at reducing eddy currents and artifacts related to imperfection of the refocusing pulse. The developed sequences were found to have shorter echo times and better flow compensation in through-plane flow than those of the previous models that were used by other investigators.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.6-15
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• 2012

Purpose : The objective of this study was to develop background gradient correction method using excitation pulse profile compensation for accurate fat and $T_2{^*}$ quantification in the liver. Materials and Methods: In liver imaging using gradient echo, signal decay induced by linear background gradient is weighted by an excitation pulse profile and therefore hinders accurate quantification of $T_2{^*}$and fat. To correct this, a linear background gradient in the slice-selection direction was estimated from a $B_0$ field map and signal decays were corrected using the excitation pulse profile. Improved estimation of fat fraction and $T_2{^*}$ from the corrected data were demonstrated by phantom and in vivo experiments at 3 Tesla magnetic field. Results: After correction, in the phantom experiments, the estimated $T_2{^*}$ and fat fractions were changed close to that of a well-shimmed condition while, for in vivo experiments, the background gradients were estimated to be up to approximately 120 ${\mu}T/m$ with increased homogeneity in $T_2{^*}$ and fat fractions obtained. Conclusion: The background gradient correction method using excitation pulse profile can reduce the effect of macroscopic field inhomogeneity in signal decay and can be applied for simultaneous fat and iron quantification in 2D gradient echo liver imaging.

• Journal of The Korean Radiological Technologist Association
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.277-277
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• 2003

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.65-72
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• 2007

An echo planar imaging (EPI)-based spin-echo sequence Is often used to obtain diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) data on most of the clinical MRI systems, However, this sequence is confounded with the susceptibility artifacts, especially on the temporal lobe in the human brain. Therefore, the objective of this study was to design a pulse sequence that relatively immunizes the susceptibility artifacts, but can map diffusion tensor components in a single-shot mode. A multi-slice multi-echo pulsed-gradient spin-echo (MePGSE) sequence with eight echoes wasdeveloped with selective refocusing pulses for all slices to map the full tensor. The first seven echoes in the train were diffusion-weighted allowing for the observation of diffusion in several different directions in a single experiment and the last echo was for crusher of the residual magnetization. All components of diffusion tensor were measured by a single shot experiment. The sequence was applied in diffusive phantoms. The preliminary experimental verification of the sequence was illustrated by measuring the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) for tap water and by measuring diffusion tensor components for watermelon. The ADC values in the series of the water phantom were reliable. The MePGSE sequence, therefore, may be useful in human brain studies.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.31-38
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• 2008

Line scan diffusion weighted imaging (LSDI) pulse sequence for 0.32 T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system was developed. In the LSDI pulse sequence, the imaging volume is formed by the intersection of the two perpendicular planes selected by the two slice-selective $\pi$/2-pulse and $\pi$-pulse and two diffusion sensitizing gradients placed on the both side of the refocusing $\pi$-pulse and the standard frequency encoding readout was followed. Since the maximum gradient amplitude for the MR system was 15 mT/m the maximum b value was $301.50s/mm^2$. Using the developed LSDI pulse sequence, the diffusion weighted images for the aqueous NaCl solution phantom and triacylglycerol solution phantom calculated from the line scan diffusion weighted images gives the same results within the standard error range (mean diffusivities = $963.90{\pm}79.83({\times}10^{-6}mm^2/s)$ at 0.32 T, $956.77{\pm}4.12({\times}10^{-6}mm^2/s)$ at 1.5 T) and the LSDI images were insensitive to the magnetic susceptibility difference and chemical shift.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.66-74
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• 1997

fMRI, functional MRI introduced receently appears based on the gradient echo technique which is sensitive to the field inhomogeneity developed due to the local susceptibility changes of blood oxygenation and deoxygenation. There has been many variants of the basic gradient echo sequence which is sensitive to the local inhomogeniety, among others such as GRASS or SSFP to EPISTAR are the most commonly used gradient echo techniques. Common to all these gradient echo techniques is that the signal due to the susceptibility effects is generally decreased with increasing inhomogeneity due to the $T2^{*}$ effect or conventionally konwn as blood oxygenation level dependent(BOLD) effect. It is, also found that the BOLD sensitivity is also dependent on the imaging modes, namely whether the imaging is in axial, or coronal or sagittal mode as well as the directions of the vessels against the main magnetic field. We have, therefore, launched a systematic study of imaging mode dependent signal change or BOLD sensitivity as well as the signal changes due tothe tilting angle of the imaging planes. Study has been made for both TRFGE sequence and CGE sequence to compare the distinctions of the each mode since each technique has different sensitivity againsst susceptibility effect. Method of computation and both the computer simulations and their corresponding experimental results are presented.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.108-116
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• 2006

Purpose : High-resolution spiral-scan imaging is performed at 3 Tesla MRI system. Since the gradient waveforms for the spiral-scan imaging have lower slopes than those for the Echo Planar Imaging (EPI), they can be implemented with the gradient systems having lower slew rates. The spiral-scan imaging also involves less eddy currents due to the smooth gradient waveforms. The spiral-scan imaging method does not suffer from high specific absorption rate (SAR), which is one of the main obstacles in high field imaging for rf echo-based fast imaging methods such as fast spin echo techniques. Thus, the spiral-scan imaging has a great potential for the high-speed imaging in high magnetic fields. In this paper, we presented various high-resolution images obtained by the spiral-scan methods at 3T MRI system for various applications. Materials and Methods : High-resolution spiral-scan imaging technique is implemented at 3T whole body MRI system. An efficient and fast higher-order shimming technique is developed to reduce the inhomogeneity, and the single-shot and interleaved spiral-scan imaging methods are developed. Spin-echo and gradient-echo based spiral-scan imaging methods are implemented, and image contrast and signal-tonoise ratio are controlled by the echo time, repetition time, and the rf flip angles. Results : Spiral-scan images having various resolutions are obtained at 3T MRI system. Since the absolute magnitude of the inhomogeneity is increasing in higher magnetic fields, higher order shimming to reduce the inhomogeneity becomes more important. A fast shimming technique in which axial, sagittal, and coronal sectional inhomogeneity maps are obtained in one scan is developed, and the shimming method based on the analysis of spherical harmonics of the inhomogeneity map is applied. For phantom and invivo head imaging, image matrix size of about $100{\times}100$ is obtained by a single-shot spiral-scan imaging, and a matrix size of $256{\times}256$ is obtained by the interleaved spiral-scan imaging with the number of interleaves of from 6 to 12. Conclusion : High field imaging becomes increasingly important due to the improved signal-to-noise ratio, larger spectral separation, and the higher BOLD-based contrast. The increasing SAR is, however, a limiting factor in high field imaging. Since the spiral-scan imaging has a very low SAR, and lower hardware requirements for the implementation of the technique compared to EPI, it is suitable for a rapid imaging in high fields. In this paper, the spiral-scan imaging with various resolutions from $100{\times}100$ to $256{\times}256$ by controlling the number of interleaves are developed for the high-speed imaging in high magnetic fields.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.95-102
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• 2007

Purpose: To acquire high-resolution spiral-scan images at higher magnetic field, high homogeneous magnetic field is needed. Field inhomogeneity mapping and in-vivo shimming are important for rapid imaging such as spiral-scan imaging. The rapid scanning sequences are very susceptible to inhomogeneity. In this paper, we proposed a higher-order shimming method to obtain homogeneous magnetic field. Materials and Methods: To reduce measurement time for field inhomogeneity mapping, simultaneous axial/ sagittal, and coronal acquisitions are done using multi-slice based Fast Spin echo sequence. Acquired field inhomogeneity map is analyzed using the spherical harmonic functions, and shim currents are obtained by the multiplication of the pseudo-inverse of the field pattern with the inhomogeneity map. Results: Since the field inhomogeneity is increasing in proportion to the magnetic field, higher order shimming to reduce the inhomogeneity becomes more important in high field imaging. The shimming technique in which axial, sagittal, and coronal section inhomogeneity maps are obtained in one scan is developed, and the shimming method based on the analysis of spherical harmonics of the imhomogenity map is applied. The proposed technique is applicable to a localized shimming as well. High resolution spiral-scan imaging was successfully obtained with the proposed higher order shimming. Conclusion: Proposed pulse sequence for rapid measurement of inhomogeneity map and higher order shimming based on the inhomogeneity map work very well at 3 Tesla MRI system. With the proposed higher order shimming and localized higher order shimming techniques, high resolution spiral-scan images are successfully obtained at 3 T MRI system.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.109-113
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• 2018

Despite the continuous development of software, it is continuously pursued to enlarge the examination area of FOV in order to reduce the factors of inconsistency in images that appear in continuous examination during wide area examination using contrast agent such as whole body angiography. In this study, we investigated the optimal FOV by comparing the SNR values according to the changes of FOV. The change of the FOV was gradually changed to $270{\times}200$, $300{\times}223$, $330{\times}244$, $360{\times}266$ and $380{\times}281$. SE images at TR 450 msec and TE 10 msec, FSE images at TR 2,000 msec, TE 80 msec, and GE images were scanned at TR 117 msec, and TE 16 msec. SNR values were calculated from the mean values of signal intensities of five phantom images and the signal intensity values of four background standard deviations. As a result of the study, the signal intensity and the SNR value according to the change of the FOV value gradually increased as the FOV was increased, but it was found that the SNR value decreased at a constant size. In conclusion, the results are different from previous studies that the SNR increases as the FOV increases. The cause of these results could not be confirmed. However methods that can be imaged and included within the effective FOV should be considered.