三维多回波流动补偿定量磁化率成像(QSM)方法研究

定量磁化率成像(QSM)利用一般成像技术舍弃的相位信息得到局部磁场变化特性,通过复杂的场到源反演计算,可直接得到定量的磁化率图,它广泛应用于测量血氧饱和度、脑部微出血、铁沉积、组织钙化等方面．然而,梯度磁场中流动会引起相位错误,并且产生显著的流动伪影,最终得到错误的QSM图像．为了矫正流动的影响,该文在3 T磁共振系统上实现了三维多回波流动补偿梯度回波序列,并用该序列采集流动水模和志愿者颅脑数据．流动水模和颅脑数据均显示,流动补偿能够明显矫正相位错误,消除流动伪影．颅脑横断位QSM结果证明,流动补偿序列可以消除血液流动引起的QSM的错误,提高QSM的准确性．     

增强低场下脑功能磁共振成像显著性的研究

实现了基于低场0.35 T磁共振成像系统的大脑功能磁共振成像（functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging,fMRI）的研究. 基于质子密度加权的快速自旋回波(Turbo Spin Echo,TSE)图像,重点研究增强低场fMRI显著性的方法,目的在于提高低场fMRI的可用性. 结果表明：健康受试者在执行手动任务期间,大脑运动区的信号强度变化可以由基于血管外质子信号增强 (Signal Enhancement by Extravascular water Protons,EEP)的对比机制探测. 优化TSE序列参数能提高图像SNR和扫描速度,并在统计分析中增加外在屏蔽图像,可以有效地提高低场下fMRI研究结果的显著性.     

人脑GABA测量在临床3 T磁共振成像系统上的实现

γ-氨基丁酸(γ-Aminobutyric Acid，GABA)是人脑中枢神经系统中一种重要的抑制性神经递质，对神经活动的调节起着主导作用.由于人脑GABA固有含量低以及与其他代谢物谱峰的重叠，在临床用磁共振成像系统中使用点分辨波谱(PRESS)序列或受激回波采集模式(STEAM)序列难以直接检测到GABA δ 3.01信号. 该文报道了MEGA-PRESS脉冲序列在临床用3 T磁共振成像系统上的实现，采用J差分谱编辑技术实现了对GABA的检测. 水模实验和人脑在体实验显示，MEGA-PRESS序列对GABA δ 3.01信号具有较好的检测效果.     

基于磁共振弛豫时间实现加权像和压脂技术

磁共振成像是根据生物磁性核在磁场中表现的共振特性进行成像的新技术,其中弛豫时间是实现和控制成像的重要物理量.本文使用磁共振成像实验仪,对相关样品的纵向弛豫时间T₁、横向弛豫时间T₂进行测量,并且基于不同弛豫时间采用自旋回波序列实现T₁、T₂加权像,用反转恢复成像序列实现磁共振成像对脂肪的抑制.     

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.     

基于同时多层激发和并行成像的心脏磁共振电影成像

磁共振成像（MRI）无创无害、对比度多、可以任意剖面成像的特点特别适合用于心脏成像,却因扫描时间长限制了其在临床上的应用.为了解决心脏磁共振电影成像屏气扫描时间过长的问题,该文提出了一种基于同时多层激发的多倍加速心脏磁共振电影成像及其影像重建的方法,该方法将相位调制多层激发（CAIPIRINHA）技术与并行加速（PPA）技术相结合,运用到分段采集心脏电影成像序列中,实现了在相位编码方向和选层方向的四倍加速,并使用改进的SENSE/GRAPPA算法对图像进行重建.分别在水模以及人体上进行了实验,将加速序列图像与不加速序列图像进行对比,结果验证了重建算法的有效性,表明该方法可以在保障图像质量以及准确测量心脏功能的前提下成倍节省扫描时间.     

准连续性动脉自旋标记技术在磁共振系统上的序列实现和参数优化

准连续性动脉自旋标记技术(pCASL)是一种新兴的动脉自旋标记脑灌注成像技术(ASL)：一方面,它克服了连续性动脉自旋标记技术(CASL)需要独立发射线圈的硬件限制;另一方面,也避免了脉冲式动脉自旋标记技术(PASL)带来的标记效率低的影响．为了在 1.5 T 磁共振系统上开发一款可稳定应用于临床扫描的 pCASL 序列;并使用该序列准确获得反
应灌注功能的局部脑血流量值(Regional Cerebral Blood Flow, rCBF)．该文利用水模测试pCASL 序列,验证了标记部分的标记性能并通过人体实验,优化了协议中标记位置中心到成像层面中心的距离和标记部分结束点到成像脉冲开始前的等待时间这两项参数．基于优化了参数的 pCASL 协议,扫描 12 组正常志愿者,观测灌注信号分布情况,并对特定灰质区域定量计算,对比不同个体该区域的 rCBF 值．通过人体实验,经验性地确定了延迟时间为 1 200 ms、标记距离为 70 mm 时灌注图像的信噪比达到最优．将两项优化后的参数存入协议中,并使用协议扫描,共获取 12 组结果,其中的 10 组都表明灌注信号稳定均匀,并且灰质区域的 CBF 值同经验结果一致．该工作在1.5 T 的磁共振系统上成功实现了 pCASL序列,经优化参数后的协议扫描,可以获得准确稳定的脑部灌注信号．
     

MRI与MRS在肥胖症研究中的应用进展

肥胖症已经成为严重威胁人类健康的主要慢性疾病之一,磁共振成像(MRI)和磁共振波谱(MRS)技术的结合运用,对于评价脂肪组织分布和蓄积程度具有极大的优势.该文总结了近年来MRI与MRS技术在肥胖症研究中的应用进展,并讨论了MRI与MRS技术在肥胖症临床应用及科学研究中的价值.     

磁共振信号并行高速接收系统设计

针对低场磁共振成像系统,该文设计了一种紧凑灵活的信号接收方案,实现对多通道磁共振信号的高速采样与直接数字解调. 系统采用高速模数转换器(A/D)对磁共振信号直接采样;以单片数字下变频器(DDC)--AD6636, 完成4路采样信号的数字解调;以数字信号处理器（DSP）作为控制器,实现对AD6636的配置以及I/Q数据的读取. 信号采样频率可达100 MSPS,适用于1 T以下的系统. 实验证明该设计具有结构紧凑,采样速率高,配置方便快速,滤波器设计丰富灵活等特点,为磁共振成像谱仪的研制提供了一种高性能的信号接收方案.     

糖尿病脑病的磁共振研究

糖尿病是由胰岛素分泌不足（T1DM）或胰岛素抵抗（T2DM）而引发的慢性代谢疾病,严重影响人们的生活质量. 中枢神经系统是糖尿病并发症的易感部位. 临床研究和流行病学调查结果显示,糖尿病会引发脑白质损伤、脑萎缩和认知功能障碍,并会增加脑卒中的风险. 磁共振成像和活体磁共振波谱可提供大脑解剖结构、功能及代谢等多方面的信息. 近年来,随着人们对糖尿病脑病关注度的不断增加和认识的不断加深,磁共振成像和活体波谱开始并越来越多地被应用于该疾病的研究. 该文综述磁共振成像与活体波谱技术在糖尿病脑病研究中的应用及最新进展.     

Microvascular imaging using synchrotron radiation

In vascular diseases, the involvement of small vessels can be very crucial physiologically. Morphological changes of vasculature and alterations may be promising characteristic criteria for investigating disease progression and for evaluating therapeutic effects. Visualization of microvasculatures is an important step in understanding the mechanism of early vessel disorders and developing effective therapeutic strategies. However, the microvessels involved are beyond the detection limit of conventional angiography, i.e. 200 µm. Thus, faster and higher‐resolution imaging technologies are desired to capture the early anatomical structure changes of vasculatures in study of the disease. A new angiography system, synchrotron radiation microangiography, has been developed in this study. It allows for enhanced sensitivity to contrast agents and superior image quality in spatial resolution. Iodine and barium sulfate were used as blood vessel contrast agents. Physiological features of whole‐body mouse microvasculature were investigated using synchrotron radiation for the first time. The intracranial vascular network and other blood vessels were observed clearly, and the related anatomy and vessel diameters were studied. Dynamic angiography in mouse brain was performed with a high spatial image resolution of around 20–30 µm. Future research will focus on the development of novel specific targeting contrast agents for blood vessel imaging in vivo with a long half‐life and fewer side effects.     

大鼠中风模型的超小氧化铁粒子神经血管成像(英文)

现今诱导血管增生剂在中风后的治疗效应引起了人们的关注.这项工作的一个目的是用短时脑中动脉栓塞大鼠中风模型(MCAO)和磁化率加权成像(SWI)的核磁共振成像(MRI)方法,监测在中风后半月形损伤区新生成的旁侧血管.P904是法国格尔伯实验室生产的超小超顺磁氧化铁粒子弛豫试剂(USPIO).它在低剂量减少T1弛豫时间,适中剂量时减少T2*弛豫时间.实验动物被随机分为3组:中风Sildenafil治疗组(n=6)、中风无治疗对照组(n=5)和无中风无治疗对照组(n=1).在P904注入前后分别进行MRI成像.磁化率加权成像的时间点是:栓塞手术前、栓塞手术后24小时、栓塞手术后两周和四周.结果表明,术后两周,在治疗组中中风严重的动物的缺血区的周边显示了MRI可见的新生血管.结论:在短时脑中动脉栓塞大鼠中风模型中,使用超小超顺磁氧化铁粒子弛豫试剂和7 T高分辨磁化率加权成像能够监测半月形损伤区新生血管的形成.     

Blood vessel enhancement for DSA images based on adaptive multi-scale filtering

Digital subtraction angiography (DSA) plays a significant role in the diagnosis, treatment planning and assessment of diseases. However, because of the geometrical complexity and fine characteristics of blood vessel structures, accurate and robust detection of blood vessels still remains a problem. In this paper, a blood vessel enhancement algorithm is proposed. The main purpose of this work is to improve the visual quality of blood vessels in DSA images. The new blood vessel enhancement algorithm is based on the multi-scale space theory and Hessian matrix. Not only the eigenvalues of Hessian matrix but also the angles between eigenvectors are utilized for the blood vessel enhancement of DSA. The filter parameters and scale factors are decided adaptively. Eigenvalues of the Hessian matrix are also used for the noise elimination. Experimental results show that the proposed algorithm has a good performance in blood vessel enhancement of DSA images. The proposed algorithm filters image background and non-vascular structure effectively. The deformation of blood vessels occurred in the enhancement process is avoided and more small blood vessels are visible in DSA images.     

MR digital subtraction angiography with three-dimensional data acquisition in the diagnosis of brain tumors: preliminary experience

MR digital subtraction angiography (DSA) visualizes intracranial vasculature using a rapid T1-weighted sequence and a bolus injection of gadolinium. Although two-dimensional sequences are most frequently used, we applied a three-dimensional technique in combination with a fast method of k-space filling to improve both the temporal and spatial resolutions. In this preliminary study, we assessed the feasibility of using this technique for the diagnosis of brain tumors in 21 patients by reviewing the obtained images and, in 10 patients, comparing the images with conventional angiograms. MR DSA visualized a tumor stain in 11 patients, a tumor mass effect in 9, and tumor-related vessels in 5. In 9 of the 10 patients for whom conventional angiograms were available, the two kinds of angiograms corresponded well. Three-dimensional MR DSA using our technique is a useful adjunct to conventional MR imaging for the visualization of tumor hemodynamics and, in some cases, tumor-related vessels and mass effects.     

Gradient-echo line scan imaging using 2D-selective RF excitation

A gradient-echo line scan imaging technique was developed which employs two-dimensional spatially selective radiofrequency (2DRF) pulses for consecutively exciting individual columns of transverse magnetization, i.e., image lines. Although a variety of trajectories are possible for 2DRF excitation, the current implementation involved a blipped-planar trajectory in conjunction with additional saturation RF pulses to suppress side excitations above and below the desired image section, i.e., along the blip direction of the 2DRF pulse. Human brain imaging at 2.0 T (Siemens Vision, Erlangen, Germany) resulted in measuring times of 5.2 s for a 5-mm section at 1.0 x 1.0 mm in-plane resolution. Functional neuroimaging of the motor cortex at 1.2 s temporal resolution and 0.78 x 1.56 mm in-plane resolution exploited the capability of imaging inner volumes (here a 25-mm strip) without signal aliasing.     

Vessel diameter measurements in gadolinium contrast-enhanced three-dimensional MRA of peripheral arteries

In this study, the possibilities for quantification of vessel diameters of peripheral arteries in gadolinium contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography (Gd CE MRA) were evaluated. Absolute vessel diameter measurements were assessed objectively and semi-automatically in maximum intensity projections (MIPs) of contrast-enhanced T1-weighted 3D spoiled gradient-echo datasets, studied with digital subtraction techniques. In vivo, the complete peripheral arterial bed of six patients was studied, from the aorto-iliac bifurcation down to the distal run-off. By measuring the signal intensity (SI) over the lumen of a vessel in the MIP, an SI-plot was obtained. Next, the vessel boundaries were determined using a threshold algorithm; from these boundary points individual diameter values could be obtained along the trajectory of the vessel. In an in vitro study, an optimal threshold value of 30% of the range of SI-values between the background and the maximal SI in the vessel was obtained for accurate diameter measurement in Gd CE MRA (i.e., full-width 30%-maximum). Furthermore, the relationship between the accuracy of these measurements and the scan resolution was investigated. Accuracy was found to be acceptable (i.e., less than 10% over/underestimation) for vessel sizes covering at least 3 pixels. In six patients, diameters were measured in MIPs of the total datasets (i.e., D(T)) as well as in selective MIPs of the clipped datasets (i.e., D(S)) (n = 209). D(T) and D(S) were statistically significantly correlated (p < 0.01) with a Pearson correlation coefficient rP = 0.98. Measurements in the total MIPs yielded statistically significant (p < 0.01) smaller diameter values compared with measurements in selective MIPs, with a mean difference of 0.15 mm. Diameter values from the selective MIPs of the aorto-iliac arteries were also compared with diameter values measured at corresponding anatomic positions in X-ray angiograms of these patients (i.e., D(x)) (n = 70). D(X) and D(S) were statistically significantly correlated (p < 0.01) with a Pearson correlation coefficient rP = 0.92. Diameters measured in the selective MIPs were smaller than those measured in the X-ray angiograms (mean difference 0.49 mm) and this difference was statistically significant (p < 0.01). In conclusion, diameter values can be evaluated accurately in MIPs of vessels with at least 3 pixels in diameter, using the full-width 30%-maximum criterion.     

Vessel contrast at three Tesla in time-of-flight magnetic resonance angiography of the intracranial and carotid arteries

The effects of the increased field strength of 3T on blood vessel contrast in three-dimensional time-of-flight (TOF) MR angiography (MRA) of the intracranial and carotid arteries was evaluated. Bloch equation simulations based on measured longitudinal relaxation times suggested superior blood-to-background contrast might be expected at 3T over 1.5T when using typical 3D TOF MRA parameters. A 15-volunteer study found that 3T was preferable over 1.5T for visualising distal intracranial vessels and the carotid arteries, by providing superior background suppression and excellent fat suppression. The combination of improved background suppression and improved signal-to-noise at 3T, enabled high resolution intracranial 3D TOF MRA with voxel volumes as small as 0.14 mm(3) to be acquired.     

Optimization of coronary whole-heart MRA free-breathing technique at 3 Tesla

Four different techniques for 3-T whole-heart coronary magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) using free-breathing three-dimensional segmented parallel imaging and adiabatic T2-preparation were assessed. Coronary MRA at 3 T is improved by shortening the acquisition window more than employing the highest spatial resolution. Double-oblique whole-heart acquisitions result in better overall image quality and allow for better delineation of the left anterior descending coronary artery. It is possible to attain shorter acquisition windows and a smaller voxel size at 3 T than previously reported at 1.5 T.     

Adaptive field-of-view imaging for efficient receive beamforming in medical ultrasound imaging systems

Quadrature demodulation-based phase rotation beamforming (QD-PRBF) is commonly used to support dynamic receive focusing in medical ultrasound systems. However, it is computationally demanding since it requires two demodulation filters for each receive channel. To reduce the computational requirements of QD-PRBF, we have previously developed two-stage demodulation (TSD), which reduces the number of lowpass filters by performing demodulation filtering on summation signals. However, it suffers from image quality degradation due to aliasing at lower beamforming frequencies. To improve the performance of TSD-PRBF with reduced number of beamforming points, we propose a new adaptive field-of-view (AFOV) imaging method. In AFOV imaging, the beamforming frequency is adjusted depending on displayed FOV size and the center frequency of received signals. To study its impact on image quality, simulation was conducted using Field II, phantom data were acquired from a commercial ultrasound machine, and the image quality was quantified using spatial (i.e., axial and lateral) and contrast resolution. The developed beamformer (i.e., TSD-AFOV-PRBF) with 1024 beamforming points provided comparable image resolution to QD-PRBF for typical FOV sizes (e.g., 4.6% and 1.3% degradation in contrast resolution for 160 mm and 112 mm, respectively for a 3.5 MHz transducer). Furthermore, it reduced the number of operations by 86.8% compared to QD-PRBF. These results indicate that the developed TSD-AFOV-PRBF can lower the computational requirement for receive beamforming without significant image quality degradation.     

Increasing resolution of digital images using edge-based approach

This paper presents the results of our research aimed at obtaining new methods for increasing resolution of digital images giving better visual results. Classification of these methods and implementation of some algorithms is also shortly presented here. The main part of the paper presents modification and development of the new methods. Main new feature, which we added to the interpolation algorithms, consists in taking into consideration in the final image (i.e., after interpolation at high resolution) the edges detected in the original image (i.e., before interpolation). Summing an image and its properly processed edges in the interpolation process enables us to get final image characterized by better sharpness with simultaneous precise presentation of the image details interpolated to higher resolution.