RARE Imaging A Fast Imaging Method for Clinical MR英文文献.pdfVIP

MAGNETIC RESONANCE IN MEDICINE 3, 823-833 (1986) RARE Imaging: A Fast Imaging Method for Clinical MR J. HENNIG,*A.NAUERTH,?AND H. FRIEDBURG* *Department ofDiagnostic Radiology, University Hospital, University of Freiburg, Hugstetter Strasse 55, West Germany, and TBrukerMedizintechnik GmbH, POB 67, 7512Rheinstetten-4/West Germany Received May 6, 1985; revised April 14, 1986 Based on the principles of echo imaging, we present a method to acquire sufficient data for a 256 X 256 image in from 2 to 40 s. The image contrast is dominated by the transverse relaxation time T2.Sampling allprojections for 2D FT image reconstruction in one (or a few) echo trains leadsto image artifacts due to the different T2weighting ofthe echo. These artifacts cannot be describedby a simple smearing out of the image in the phase direction. Proper distribution of the phase-encoding steps on the echoes can be used to minimize artifacts and even lead to resolution enhancement. In spite of the short data acquisition times, the signal amplitudes of structures with long T2are nearly the same as those in a conventional 2D FT experiment. Our method, therefore, is an ideal screening technique for lesions with long T2. 0 1986 Academic h~,Inc. Conventionalimagingtechniquesused in MRI take several minutes for a multislice and/or multiecho 256 X 256 image. The use of these time-consuming methods causes severalproblems in routine clinical work. These well known problems include patient discomfort and positioning-especially when one is looking for small lesions and image artifacts due to patient movement. It would therefore be of great importance to have an imaging method that allows a more rapid data acquisition. Although one is willing to pay some price in imag