磁共振现代射频脉冲理论在非均匀场成像中的应用

在磁共振非均匀场成像中，传统的射频脉冲导致回波信号的衰减.为了减小和消除这种磁共振信号的衰减，在讨论了经典理论的基础上根据非线性动力学中的逆散射理论和Shinnar-Le Roux方法导出了用于非均匀场成像的射频脉冲设计方法.模拟结果表明，采用逆散射理论和Shinnar-Le Roux方法优化的脉冲序列可以明显提高信号的信噪比. 关键词： 磁共振成像 射频脉冲 非线性系统     

超短回波时间成像k空间轨迹失真的校正

超短回波时间(ultra-short echo-time,UTE)成像在科研和临床诊断上有着良好的应用前景,但是其k空间轨迹极易受到梯度涡流和梯度延时等因素的影响而产生失真,会严重影响磁共振图像重建的质量.该文分析了轨迹失真对UTE图像的影响,并提出了一种改进的轨迹失真校正方法.实验表明,该方法能够明显减轻UTE图像中轨迹失真的影响、改善图像质量,还可以降低UTE技术对磁共振成像(MRI)硬件系统性能的要求,有助于UTE方法的推广.     

基于多层声速模型的合成孔径超声皮质骨成像

由于皮质骨和软组织间较大的声速差异,采用固定声速的传统超声波束形成方法无法重建皮质骨图像,同时皮质骨中较大的衰减也限制了信号信噪比.为了实现皮质骨超声成像,本文提出一种采用合成孔径超声提高成像分辨率及信噪比,利用压缩感知计算延时参数并构建多层声速模型的成像方法.本文结合时域有限差分仿真方法分析了理想情况下皮质骨成像结果,并结合软组织覆盖下的离体皮质骨板样本实验,验证相关方法的可行性.仿真和实验结果均表明,本文方法可用于构建多层声速模型并正确重建皮质骨图像.本研究实现了具有三层声速模型的皮质骨超声成像,对皮质骨超声成像发展有一定的借鉴意义,未来将进一步探索在体实验,以推进骨超声成像的临床应用.     

天基合成孔径激光雷达成像理论初步

合成孔径激光雷达(SAL)具有成像距离远、分辨率高、速度快等特点,在天基空间目标成像领域有重要的应用前景。针对天基SAL成像中回波信号弱、噪声大、成像质量差等问题,提出在交会点附近连续长时间观测的思路。基于简单假设,建立采用光学外差探测的天基SAL成像理论数学模型,获得回波数据方程,给出成像处理流程、成像分辨率和图像信噪比,数学仿真了不同信噪比下的天基SAL空间目标成像。理论分析和仿真成像结果表明:当回波数据信噪比高时,任何子段数据均可形成空间目标的高分辨率图像;当回波信号微弱、数据信噪比低时,采用连续长时间观测数据形成目标子图像,将所有子图像进行叠加,提升了目标图像信噪比,改善了成像质量。     

磁共振成像信号的数字化接收系统设计

磁共振成像信号的采集是磁共振成像系统当中最重要的环节之一,设计性能良好的信号接收系统直接关系到成像质量的好坏. 本文根据磁共振信号强度弱、频率高、带宽窄的特性对接收系统进行了统一设计. 详细地对可控增益放大、高速A/D、数字解调以及抽样滤波器等几个部分进行了讨论,给出一整套设计方案,尤其对多级抽样滤波器,根据磁共振成像的性能需求和滤波器的不同特性给出了抽样系数分配和滤波器设计的一般方法. 根据该方案设计出的磁共振信号接收系统有较高的信噪比,已经应用在临床医疗诊断当中.      

利用动态接收增益提高磁共振成像信噪比的方法

提出了一种提高磁共振成像(MRI)信噪比的有效方法.该方法在每次采集回波信号前,能够快速、灵活地控制MRI接收机的增益,实现磁共振信号动态范围的压缩;在图像重建之前采用双精度浮点运算扩展动态范围压缩的磁共振信号,最终得到信噪比提高的重建图像.在1.5 T超导MRI系统上进行了自旋回波序列的水模成像,实验结果表明,相比传统的基于固定接收增益的扫描图像,利用该方法得到的T1加权图像信噪比可以提高10%.和其他提高磁共振信号动态范围的方法相比,该方法无需增加额外硬件电路,避免多次采集图像,因而具有实现成本低的优点,是一种提高MRI信噪比的有效方法.     

硼中子俘获治疗中的含硼-10药物分布及浓度在体测量方法研究进展

硼中子俘获治疗(boron neutron capture therapy,BNCT)是一种结合含硼-10靶向药物和重离子肿瘤治疗的二元精确放射治疗方法,但经过近70年的发展,BNCT仍然未能真正进入临床应用.含硼-10药物在体内的浓度分布测量方法不能满足临床需求,影响治疗的效果和安全性,是目前BNCT亟待解决的核心问题之一.本文对目前含硼-10药物浓度分布测量方法进行综述,包括已经用于临床的有创估算方法及在研的单光子发射断层成像方法、正电子发射断层扫描方法及核磁共振方法等,分析各种方案的优势与局限性.并根据硼-10元素旋磁比低及磁共振横向弛豫时间极短的特点,从理论上简要分析了基于超短回波时间磁共振成像的硼-10体内分布定量测量方法的可行性.     

多点协同动态散斑的统计特性

激光散斑被广泛应用于生物医学,成像探测以及无损检测等应用中,为了提升目标在环系统中基于散斑统计特性反馈远场激光聚焦光斑质量的评价效率和精度.提出了多通道协同探测的方法获得回波散斑信号的时间空间融合评价因子,并对散斑场统计理论、多点协同探测系统模型和散斑时间与空间频谱融合统计特性展开深入研究.首先,利用单点探测器探测动态...     

相干场成像全相位目标直接重构法

回波信号处理和目标重构算法是相干场成像中的核心数据处理技术, 直接影响系统的成像质量. 基于全相位谱分析理论, 提出一种新的系统融合处理算法, 对接收端回波信号直接提取全相位谱相位及幅值信息实现目标图像重构, 能够有效抑制各种因素带来的频率误差. 经室外实验系统验证, 成像能力大大优于传统重构算法, 重构目标分辨率接近理论极限值.     

逆合成孔径成像激光雷达数据采样技术

逆合成孔径成像激光雷达能够实现对运动目标的高分辨实时成像,但激光信号的极大带宽和目标回波信号的微弱性给雷达回波数据的接收和处理带来了较大困难.针对这一问题,提出了基于光外差探测手段和压缩感知理论相结合的信号采样方法,首先通过光外差探测降低回波信号的有效带宽,再结合压缩感知理论实现对信号的稀疏化采样和重构.仿真结果证明了运用本文所提出的采样方法,在使用远低于奈奎斯特定理所规定的采样率时,仍然能够实现对目标的高质量成像.     

Short T2 contrast with three-dimensional ultrashort echo time imaging

There is increasing interest in imaging short T2 species which show little or no signal with conventional magnetic resonance (MR) pulse sequences. In this paper, we describe the use of three-dimensional ultrashort echo time (3D UTE) sequences with TEs down to 8 μs for imaging of these species. Image contrast was generated with acquisitions using dual echo 3D UTE with echo subtraction, dual echo 3D UTE with rescaled subtraction, long T2 saturation 3D UTE, long T2 saturation dual echo 3D UTE with echo subtraction, single adiabatic inversion recovery 3D UTE, single adiabatic inversion recovery dual echo 3D UTE with echo subtraction and dual adiabatic inversion recovery 3D UTE. The feasibility of using these approaches was demonstrated in in vitro and in vivo imaging of calcified cartilage, aponeuroses, menisci, tendons, ligaments and cortical bone with a 3-T clinical MR scanner. Signal-to-noise ratios and contrast-to-noise ratios were used to compare the techniques.     

Magnetic resonance imaging of cortical bone with ultrashort TE pulse sequences

PurposeNormal adult cortical bone has a very short T₂ and characteristically produces no signal with pulse sequence echo times (TEs) routinely used in clinical practice. We wished to determine whether it was possible to use ultrashort TE (UTE) pulse sequences to detect signal from cortical bone in human subjects and use this signal to characterise this tissue.Subjects and MethodsSeven volunteers and 10 patients were examined using ultrashort TE pulse sequences (TE=0.07 or 0.08 ms). Short and long inversion as well as fat suppression pulses were used as preparation pulses. Later echo images were also obtained as well as difference images produced by subtracting a later echo image from a first echo image. Saturation pulses were used for T₁ measurement and sequences with progressively increasing TEs for T₂* measurement. Intravenous gadodiamide was administered to four subjects.ResultsSignal in cortical bone was detected with UTE sequences in children, normal adults and patients. This signal was usually made more obvious by subtracting a later echo image from the first provided that the signal-to-noise ratio was sufficiently high.Normal mean adult T₁s ranged from 140 to 260 ms, and mean T₂*s ranged from 0.42 to 0.50 ms. T₁ increased significantly with age (P<.01).Increased signal was observed after contrast enhancement in the normal volunteer and the three patients to whom it was administered.Reduction in signal from short T₂ components was seen in acute fractures, and increase in signal in these components was seen with new bone formation after fracture malunion. In a case of osteoporosis, bone cross-sectional area and signal level appeared reduced.ConclusionSignal can be detected from normal and abnormal cortical bone with UTE pulse sequences, and this can be used to measure its T₁ and T₂* as well as observe contrast enhancement. Difference images are of value in increasing the conspicuity of cortical bone and observing abnormalities in disease.     

Water proton density in human cortical bone obtained from ultrashort echo time (UTE) MRI predicts bone microstructural properties

PurposeTo investigate the correlations between cortical bone microstructural properties and total water proton density (TWPD) obtained from three-dimensional ultrashort echo time Cones (3D-UTE-Cones) magnetic resonance imaging techniques.Materials and methods135 cortical bone samples were harvested from human tibial and femoral midshafts of 37 donors (61 ± 24 years old). Samples were scanned using 3D-UTE-Cones sequences on a clinical 3T MRI and on a high-resolution micro-computed tomography (μCT) scanner. TWPD was measured using 3D-UTE-Cones MR images. Average bone porosity, pore size, and bone mineral density (BMD) were measured from μCT images at 9 μm voxel size. Pearson's correlation coefficients between TWPD and μCT-based measures were calculated.ResultsTWPD showed significant moderate correlation with both average bone porosity (R = 0.66, p < 0.01) and pore size (R = 0.57, p < 0.01). TWPD also showed significant strong correction with BMD (R = 0.71, p < 0.01).ConclusionsThe presented 3D-UTE-Cones imaging technique allows assessment of TWPD in human cortical bone. This quick UTE-MRI-based technique was capable of predicting bone microstructure differences with significant correlations. Such correlations highlight the potential of UTE-MRI-based measurement of bone water proton density to assess bone microstructure.     

Qualitative and quantitative ultrashort echo time (UTE) imaging of cortical bone

We describe the use of two-dimensional ultrashort echo time (2D UTE) sequences with minimum TEs of 8 μs to image and quantify cortical bone on a clinical 3T scanner. An adiabatic inversion pulse was used for long T(2) water and fat signal suppression. Adiabatic inversion prepared UTE acquisitions with varying TEs were used for T(2) measurement. Saturation recovery UTE acquisitions were used for T(1) measurement. Bone water concentration was measured with the aid of an external reference phantom. UTE techniques were evaluated on cadaveric specimens and healthy volunteers. A signal-to-noise ratio of around 30, contrast-to-noise ratio of around 27/20 between bone and muscle/fat were achieved in tibia in vivo with a nominal voxel size of 0.23 × 0.23 × 6.0 mm(3) in a scan time of 5 min. A mean T(1) of 223 ± 11 ms and mean T(2) of 390 ± 19 μs were found. Mean bone water concentrations of 23.3 ± 1.6% with UTE and 21.7 ± 1.3% with adiabatic inversion prepared UTE sequences were found in tibia in five normal volunteers. The results show that in vivo qualitative and quantitative evaluation of cortical bone is feasible with 2D UTE sequences.     

Two-dimensional ultrashort echo time imaging using a spiral trajectory

Tissues with very short transverse relaxation time (T2) cannot be detected using conventional magnetic resonance (MR) sequences due to the rapid decay of excited MR signals. In this work, a multiecho sequence employing half-pulse excitation and spiral sampling was developed for ultrashort echo time (UTE) imaging of tissues with short T2. Spiral readout gradients were measured and precompensated to reduce gradient distortions due to eddy currents and gradient anisotropy. The effects of spatial blurring due to fast signal decay were investigated experimentally through spiral UTE (SUTE) imaging of rubber bands with different spiral sampling duration. The unwanted long T2 signals were suppressed through the use of an inversion pulse and nulling, and/or subtraction of a later echo image from the initial one. This technique has been applied to imaging of the short T2 components in brain white matter, knee cartilage, bone and carotid vessel wall of normal volunteers at 1.5 T. Preliminary results show high spatial resolution and excellent image contrast for a variety of short T2 tissues in the human body under a relatively short scan time. A quantitative comparison was also made between radial UTE and SUTE in terms of signal-to-noise ratio efficiency.     

Maximizing MR signal for 2D UTE slice selection in the presence of rapid transverse relaxation

Ultrashort TE (UTE) sequences allow direct visualization of tissues with very short T2 relaxation times, such as tendons, ligaments, menisci, and cortical bone. In this work, theoretical calculations, simulations, and phantom studies, as well as in vivo imaging were performed to maximize signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) for slice selective RF excitation for 2D UTE sequences. The theoretical calculations and simulations were based on the Bloch equations, which lead to analytic expressions for the optimal RF pulse duration and amplitude to maximize magnetic resonance signal in the presence of rapid transverse relaxation. In steady state, it was found that the maximum signal amplitude was not obtained at the classical Ernst angle, but at an either lower or higher flip angle, depending on whether the RF pulse duration or amplitude was varied, respectively.     

Orientational analysis of the Achilles tendon and enthesis using an ultrashort echo time spectroscopic imaging sequence

Tendons and entheses are magnetic resonance (MR) “invisible” when imaged with conventional clinical pulse sequences. When the highly ordered, collagen-rich fibers in tendons and entheses are placed at the magic angle, dipolar interactions are decreased and their T2s are often considerably increased. The bulk magnetic susceptibility of tendons and entheses also varies with orientation to B₀, leading to a direction-dependent resonance frequency shift. Ultrashort echo time (UTE) sequences with a minimum TE of 8 μs provide high signal from both tendons and entheses. The combination of a UTE sequence with an interleaved undersampled variable TE acquisition scheme provides a new approach for fast spectroscopic imaging of short T2 tissues. This UTE spectroscopic imaging (UTESI) technique provides quantitative information including T2?, chemical shift and resonance frequency shift due to bulk susceptibility effect. In this article, the orientational effects on tendons and entheses were investigated using a UTESI sequence on a clinical 3-T scanner. T2? was found to increase fivefold for tendons and twofold for entheses due to the magic angle effect. A resonance frequency shift up to 1.2 ppm was observed for both tendons and entheses due to the bulk susceptibility effect when their orientation was changed from 0° to 90° relative to B₀.     

Magnetic resonance imaging of the knee with ultrashort TE pulse sequences

BACKGROUND: We wished to assess the feasibility of imaging the knee with ultrashort TE (UTE) pulse sequences. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Five volunteers and 16 patients were studied with UTE (TE=0.08 ms) sequences including later echoes. Conventional fat-suppressed images and difference images were also produced by subtracting a later echo from the first. Gadodiamide enhancement was used. RESULTS: High signal was obtained in tendons, ligaments, menisci and periosteum. Normal contrast enhancement was seen in these structures. Deep and superficial layers were seen in the articular cartilage. Cartilage defects were identified. The red zone could be differentiated from the white zone of the meniscus. Meniscal tears and degeneration were observed with low signal on subtraction images. Enhancement was seen within the anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments and associated scar tissue. CONCLUSION: Ultrashort TE imaging provides new options to visualize anatomy, manipulate conspicuity, observe contrast enhancement and demonstrate disease of the knee.     

X-ray imaging characterization of femoral bones in aging mice with osteopetrotic disorder

Aging mice with a rare osteopetrotic disorder in which the entire space of femoral bones are filled with trabecular bones are used as our research platform. A complete study is conducted with a micro computed tomography (CT) system to characterize the bone abnormality. Technical assessment of femoral bones includes geometric structure, biomechanical strength, bone mineral density (BMD), and bone mineral content (BMC). Normal aging mice of similar ages are included for comparisons. In our imaging work, we model the trabecular bone as a cylindrical rod and new quantitative which are not previously discussed are developed for advanced analysis, including trabecular segment length, trabecular segment radius, connecting node number, and distribution of trabecular segment radius. We then identified a geometric characteristic in which there are local maximums (0.0049, 0.0119, and 0.0147 mm) in the structure of trabecular segment radius. Our calculations show 343% higher in percent trabecular bone volume at distal-metaphysis; 38% higher in cortical thickness at mid-diaphysis; 11% higher in cortical cross-sectional moment of inertia at mid-diaphysis; 42% higher in cortical thickness at femur neck; 26% higher in cortical cross-sectional moment of inertia at femur neck; 31% and 395% higher in trabecular BMD and BMC at distal-metaphysis; 17% and 27% higher in cortical BMD and BMC at distal-metaphysis; 9% and 53% higher in cortical BMD and BMC at mid-diaphysis; 25% and 64% higher in cortical BMD and BMC at femur neck. Our new quantitative parameters and findings may be extended to evaluate the treatment response for other similar bone disorders.