Improved Functional MRI Using Balanced SSFP and Parallel Transmission

使用平衡 SSFP 和并行传输改进功能 MRI

• 批准号: 8029849
• 负责人: Jon-Fredrik Nielsen
• 金额: $ 18.16万
• 依托单位: UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 财政年份: 2010
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2010-12-15 至 2012-11-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/8029849
• 关键词: Address; Algorithms; Architecture; Area; Back; Brain; Brain Mapping; Brain imaging; Cell Nucleus; Development; Diffusion; Equilibrium; Functional Imaging; Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Future; Goals; Human Volunteers; Image; Imaging technology; Lead; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Maps; Measures; Methods; Metric; Morphologic artifacts; Motor Cortex; Noise; Pattern; Performance; Phase; Physiologic pulse; Physiological; Property; Protocols documentation; Receiver Operator Characteristics; Relative (related person); Resolution; Signal Pathway; Signal Transduction; Source; Staging; Structure; Technology; Testing; Time; Visual Cortex; Weight; Work; base; comparative; cost; design; feeding; flexibility; gray matter; human study; imaging modality; improved; innovation; insight; neuroimaging; novel; process optimization; research study; simulation; transmission process; volunteer; water diffusion

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The goal of this project is to apply a novel MRI-based imaging method to functional brain mapping, with the aim of achieving superior image quality, improved spatial resolution, and potentially improved activation signal. Conventional functional MRI (fMRI) imaging methods employ T2-weighted gradient-recalled echo (GRE) sequences, and suffer from image blur, distortion, and low activation contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR). Balanced steady-state free precession (bSSFP) fMRI has the potential to address these shortcomings, but introduces other sources of artifact and signal loss and has remained at the developmental stage. Using novel bSSFP pulse sequence design and parallel RF transmission, we have shown that robust, artifact-free bSSFP imaging is possible, provided that the B0 inhomogeneity across the imaging field-of-view (FOV) is sufficiently smooth. To assess the applicability of our method to functional imaging in the brain, we will measure whole-brain B0 patterns in volunteers, and use the observed values to optimize the pulse sequence design. The proposed method will be applied to passband bSSFP fMRI studies, and will be compared with conventional GRE BOLD fMRI. If successful, this project will produce an image acquisition sequence that is as flexible and robust as conventional GRE fMRI, but with reduced distortion and blur, potentially more accurate and reliable activation maps, and potentially superior contrast properties. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: In this project, we will develop new and improved imaging technology for functional brain mapping experiments. Com- pared with current functional MRI methods, the new method will produce images of the brain with much finer detail.

描述（由申请人提供）：该项目的目标是将一种新颖的基于 MRI 的成像方法应用于功能性大脑绘图，目的是实现卓越的图像质量、提高的空间分辨率以及潜在的改善激活信号。传统的功能磁共振成像 (fMRI) 成像方法采用 T2 加权梯度回忆回波 (GRE) 序列，存在图像模糊、失真和低激活对比度噪声比 (CNR) 的问题。平衡稳态自由进动 (bSSFP) fMRI 有可能解决这些缺点，但会引入其他伪影和信号丢失来源，并且仍处于发展阶段。使用新颖的 bSSFP 脉冲序列设计和并行射频传输，我们已经证明，只要成像视场 (FOV) 上的 B0 不均匀性足够平滑，就可以实现鲁棒、无伪影的 bSSFP 成像。为了评估我们的方法在大脑功能成像中的适用性，我们将测量志愿者的全脑 B0 模式，并使用观察到的值来优化脉冲序列设计。所提出的方法将应用于通带 bSSFP fMRI 研究，并将与传统的 GRE BOLD fMRI 进行比较。如果成功，该项目将产生与传统 GRE fMRI 一样灵活和稳健的图像采集序列，但失真和模糊减少，激活图可能更准确和可靠，并且可能具有卓越的对比度特性。 公共健康相关性：在这个项目中，我们将开发新的和改进的成像技术，用于功能性脑图谱实验。与目前的功能性核磁共振方法相比，新方法将产生细节更精细的大脑图像。