An investigation into the use of sensitivity-encoded techniques to increase temporal resolution in dynamic contrast-enhanced breast imaging
✍ Scribed by David J. Larkman; Nandita M. deSouza; Mark Bydder; Joseph V. Hajnal
- Publisher
- John Wiley and Sons
- Year
- 2001
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 193 KB
- Volume
- 14
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 1053-1807
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✦ Synopsis
Gadolinium-enhanced dynamic magnetic resonance (MR) imaging is playing an increasingly important diagnostic role in patients with breast cancer. Because of the multi-focal nature of the disease, it is mandatory to cover all of both breasts, not only in the initial scan, but also at subsequent follow-up. This requires volume acquisitions with a temporal resolution limited to 60-80 seconds, which is insufficient to clearly discriminate malignant from benign rates of contrast uptake. In this work, we performed sensitivity-encoded imaging using a commercially available four-channel breast coil (MRI Devices Corporation) on a commercial 0.5-T scanner with moderate gradient performance to give increased temporal resolution in these dynamic contrast-enhanced scans. A two-fold increase in temporal resolution was readily achievable with this coil. Image reconstruction was robust and image quality was assessed qualitatively to be good. We also investigated higher speed-up factors using two directions of sensitivity-encoded reduction and discussed some of the potential artifacts associated with such imaging.