Interactive continuously moving table (iCMT) large field-of-view real-time MRI

Area of Science:

• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
• Medical Imaging Technology
• Radiology

Background:

• Continuously Moving Table (CMT) MRI enables 3D, large field-of-view (FOV) imaging.
• Matching table motion to blood flow dynamics is crucial for artifact-free angiography, especially in the legs.
• Current CMT methods often use fixed table speeds, limiting adaptability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate an interactive CMT (iCMT) system for adaptive table motion in MRI.
• To decouple table motion from phase-encoding order for greater flexibility.
• To acquire artifact-free, 3D large-FOV images with patient-specific motion profiles.

Main Methods:

• Implemented an iCMT system with adaptive table motion based on real-time operator feedback from preview images.
• Integrated high temporal-spatial resolution encoding of table position with real-time hybrid-space filling and image reconstruction.
• Decoupled table motion from the phase-encoding order for dynamic control.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated the feasibility of the iCMT system using a peripheral vascular phantom.
• Successfully acquired 3D large-FOV continuous images in five healthy volunteers.
• Achieved patient-specific adaptive table motion profiles for improved imaging.

Conclusions:

• The interactive CMT (iCMT) method is a robust and rapid approach for 3D large-FOV MRI.
• Adaptive table motion enhances image quality by minimizing artifacts in dynamic applications like angiography.
• This technique offers patient-specific imaging capabilities for improved diagnostic accuracy.