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Making MR Imaging Child's Play - Pediatric Neuroimaging Protocol, Guidelines and Procedure
Published on: July 30, 2009
MR imaging at 3.0 T in children: technical differences, safety issues, and initial experience.
Govind B Chavhan1, Paul S Babyn, Manoj Singh
1Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Hospital for Sick Children and University of Toronto, 555 University Ave, Toronto, ON, Canada. drgovindchavhan@yahoo.com
Summary
High-field 3.0-Tesla (3T) magnetic resonance (MR) imaging offers high-resolution images quickly, ideal for children. Techniques like parallel imaging help mitigate potential issues such as increased specific absorption rate (SAR) and artifacts.
Area of Science:
- Radiology
- Medical Imaging
- Biophysics
Background:
- 3.0-Tesla (3T) magnetic resonance (MR) imaging provides high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) for high-resolution, thin-section imaging.
- These benefits are countered by increased specific absorption rate (SAR) and artifacts from B(1) inhomogeneity, susceptibility, and chemical shift.
- In pediatric imaging, 3T MR offers advantages like good image quality with small fields of view (FOV) and shorter scan times, crucial for uncooperative children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the advantages and challenges of 3.0-Tesla (3T) magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, particularly in pediatric applications.
- To explore strategies for optimizing 3T MR imaging in children, considering factors like cooperation and safety.
- To assess the impact of techniques like parallel imaging on image quality and artifact reduction in 3T MR.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing high-field 3.0-Tesla (3T) magnetic resonance (MR) imaging systems.
- Employing techniques to acquire high-resolution, thin-section images.
- Implementing parallel imaging to reduce specific absorption rate (SAR) and echo train length.
- Focusing on imaging protocols suitable for pediatric patients with limited cooperation.
Main Results:
- 3T MR imaging enables rapid acquisition of high-resolution images, beneficial for pediatric patients.
- Smaller fields of view (FOV) in 3T imaging can mitigate SAR and dielectric artifact issues.
- Parallel imaging effectively reduces SAR, susceptibility artifacts, and blurring in T2-weighted fast spin-echo (FSE) sequences.
Conclusions:
- 3T MR imaging is advantageous for pediatric imaging due to its speed and image quality, even with small fields of view.
- Shorter acquisition times in 3T MR enhance patient safety and cooperation in children.
- Parallel imaging is a valuable tool for overcoming SAR and artifact challenges in 3T MR, particularly for pediatric applications.
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