Analysis of hybrid imaging techniques

Hybrid imaging techniques have been proposed as a means of decreasing imaging time without the cost and technical constraints of echo planar imaging. With this technique phase encoding measurements acquired at different echo times in more than one multiecho experiment are used to form a single image. This study analyzes the trade-offs which occur in the selection of this technique over more conventional imaging in terms of signal/noise, contrast, resolution, imaging time, and efficiency. Hybrid imaging is shown to be advantageous when raw speed is essential such as in abdominal or pediatric imaging. When coverage rather than time becomes the important factor, hybrid imaging does not offer a significant advantage over conventional methods. T2 decay will also serve as a roll-off filter which will reduce the spatial resolution, but not the noise, for short TE hybrid imaging.