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Magnetic Resonance Materials in Physics, Biology and Medicine

Published in:

01-10-2018 | Research Article

Optimization of diffusion-weighted single-refocused spin-echo EPI by reducing eddy-current artifacts and shortening the echo time

Authors: Manoj Shrestha, Pavel Hok, Ulrike Nöth, Bianca Lienerth, Ralf Deichmann

Published in: Magnetic Resonance Materials in Physics, Biology and Medicine | Issue 5/2018

Abstract

Objective

The purpose of this work was to optimize the acquisition of diffusion-weighted (DW) single-refocused spin-echo (srSE) data without intrinsic eddy-current compensation (ECC) for an improved performance of ECC postprocessing. The rationale is that srSE sequences without ECC may yield shorter echo times (TE) and thus higher signal-to-noise ratios (SNR) than srSE or twice-refocused spin-echo (trSE) schemes with intrinsic ECC.

Materials and methods

The proposed method employs dummy scans with DW gradients to drive eddy currents into a steady state before data acquisition. Parameters of the ECC postprocessing algorithm were also optimized. Simulations were performed to obtain minimum TE values for the proposed sequence and sequences with intrinsic ECC. Experimentally, the proposed method was compared with standard DW-trSE imaging, both in vitro and in vivo.

Results

Simulations showed substantially shorter TE for the proposed method than for methods with intrinsic ECC when using shortened echo readouts. Data of the proposed method showed a marked increase in SNR. A dummy scan duration of at least 1.5 s improved performance of the ECC postprocessing algorithm.

Conclusion

Changes proposed for the DW-srSE sequence and for the parameter setting of the postprocessing ECC algorithm considerably reduced eddy-current artifacts and provided a higher SNR.

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Title: Optimization of diffusion-weighted single-refocused spin-echo EPI by reducing eddy-current artifacts and shortening the echo time
Authors: Manoj Shrestha
Pavel Hok
Ulrike Nöth
Bianca Lienerth
Ralf Deichmann
Publication date: 01-10-2018
Publisher: Springer International Publishing
Published in: Magnetic Resonance Materials in Physics, Biology and Medicine / Issue 5/2018
Print ISSN: 0968-5243
Electronic ISSN: 1352-8661
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10334-018-0684-x

At a glance: The ONWARDS insulin icodec trials

Springer Medicine

Optimization of diffusion-weighted single-refocused spin-echo EPI by reducing eddy-current artifacts and shortening the echo time

Abstract

Objective

Materials and methods

Results

Conclusion

At a glance: The ONWARDS insulin icodec trials

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Objective

Materials and methods

Results

Conclusion

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