Single-shot half-fourier RARE sequence with ultra-short inter-echo spacing for lung imaging

✍ Scribed by Yoshiharu Ohno; Koichi Oshio; Hidemasa Uematsu; Masashi Nakatsu; Warren B. Gefter; Hiroto Hatabu

• Book ID: 102374062
• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2004
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 200 KB
• Volume: 20
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1053-1807
• DOI: 10.1002/jmri.20107

✦ Synopsis

Purpose:

To improve the image quality of pulmonary magnetic resonance (mr) imaging using an ultra-short inter-echo spacing half-fourier single shot rapid acquisition with relaxation enhancement (usha-rare) sequence.

Materials and methods:

Pulmonary mr images were acquired by usha-rare sequence with various inter-echo spacings. the sequence parameters were as follows: repetition time (tr)/effective te: infinite/39-41 msec; section thickness: 10 mm; acquisition matrix: 128 x 128; field of view: 450 x 450 mm. inter-echo spacing varied (2.5 msec, 3.0 msec, 3.5 msec, 4.0 msec, 4.5 msec, 5.0 msec), and the respective phase-encoding steps were 80, 77, 75, 74, 73, and 72. signal-to-noise ratios (snrs), the signal ratios between lung and fat (lung-to-fat ratio: lfrs), and the signal ratios between the lung and the serratus anterior muscle (lung-to-muscle ratio: lmrs) of each inter-echo spacing were calculated, and statistically evaluated.

Results:

The snrs at inter-echo spacings of < or = 3.0 msec were significantly higher than those > or = 4.0 msec (p < 0.05). the lfrs and lmrs at inter-echo spacing < or = 3.0 msec were significantly higher than those > or = 4.0 msec (p < 0.05).

Conclusion:

Usha-rare sequence does improve signal intensity from the lung.