Combining phase images from array coils using a short echo time reference scan (COMPOSER).

Area of Science:

• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
• Medical Physics
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Phase images in MRI are crucial for various applications but combining data from multichannel coils presents challenges.
• Existing methods often require a reference coil or complex post-processing steps like phase unwrapping or iterative fitting.
• Developing a simpler, more robust method for multichannel phase image combination is essential for improved image quality and broader applicability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a simple, reference-coil-free method for combining phase images acquired with multichannel MRI coils.
• To avoid complex procedures such as phase unwrapping, fitting, or iterative reconstruction.
• To enable efficient and accurate phase data combination for enhanced MRI.

Main Methods:

• The proposed method, COMPOSER (COMbining Phase data using a Short Echo-time Reference scan), utilizes a short echo-time reference scan.
• Phase offsets are measured from the reference scan and subtracted from the phase of the main scan to align coil phases.
• This approach allows for direct combination of phase data from different coil elements.

Main Results:

• Phase matching between coil elements achieved nearly 100% quality across diverse coil designs and signal levels.
• The COMPOSER method demonstrated comparable effectiveness to the established Roemer method (which requires a reference coil).
• COMPOSER outperformed other tested reference-coil-free phase combination techniques.

Conclusions:

• COMPOSER is a simple and effective technique for reconstructing phase images from multichannel MRI coils.
• The method requires minimal additional scan time and is compatible with parallel imaging techniques.
• COMPOSER is broadly applicable to all coil configurations, offering a versatile solution for phase image combination.