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Updated: Jul 3, 2026
High-resolution Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Methods for Human Midbrain
Published on: May 10, 2012
Reduction of artifacts in susceptibility-weighted MR venography of the brain
Zhaoyang Jin1, Ling Xia, Yiping P Du
1Department of Biomedical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
Purpose:
To reduce the off-resonance artifact in susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI)-based MR venography (MRV) in the brain regions with severe field inhomogeneity and to reduce the signal loss in the minimum-intensity projection (mIP) display of the 3D MRV.
Materials And Methods:
A novel postprocessing approach was presented to map the local field gradients (LFGs) using the 3D SWI data without phase-unwrapping. LFG measurements were used to assess the severity of field inhomogeneity and suppress the residual phase in the phase mask induced by the off-resonance effect. Volume segmentation of brain tissue was used to reduce the signal loss in the peripheral regions of the brain in the through-plane mIP images and enable in-plane mIP display of MRV.
Results:
Off-resonance artifact in the brain regions with severe field inhomogeneity was effectively reduced by the LFG-based phase suppression approach. Signal loss was reduced in the through-plane mIP of MRV using volume segmentation of brain tissue prior to projection. In-plane mIP of MRV also became feasible with volume segmentation.
Conclusion:
Off-resonance artifacts and signal loss in mIP display of MRV can be effectively reduced through postprocessing.
Insights
A new postprocessing method effectively reduces off-resonance artifacts in susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI)-based MR venography (MRV). This technique also minimizes signal loss in minimum-intensity projection (mIP) displays, improving brain imaging quality.
Area of Science:
- Medical Imaging
- Neuroimaging
- Radiology
Background:
- Susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI) is crucial for brain imaging.
- MR venography (MRV) can suffer from artifacts like off-resonance effects.
- Severe field inhomogeneity in brain regions exacerbates these artifacts.
Purpose of the Study:
- To reduce off-resonance artifacts in SWI-based MRV.
- To minimize signal loss in 3D MRV's minimum-intensity projection (mIP) display.
- To improve MRV quality in brain regions with field inhomogeneity.
Main Methods:
- Developed a novel postprocessing approach using local field gradients (LFGs) from 3D SWI data.
- LFGs were used to assess field inhomogeneity and suppress off-resonance phase artifacts.
- Employed brain tissue volume segmentation to reduce signal loss in mIP images and enable in-plane mIP display.
Main Results:
- Effectively reduced off-resonance artifacts in brain regions with severe field inhomogeneity using LFG-based phase suppression.
- Minimized signal loss in through-plane mIP of MRV via volume segmentation.
- Achieved feasible in-plane mIP display of MRV with volume segmentation.
Conclusions:
- Postprocessing effectively reduces off-resonance artifacts in MRV.
- Volume segmentation significantly decreases signal loss in MRV's mIP display.
- The presented methods enhance the diagnostic quality of MR venography.
