Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 13, 2026

Quantitative Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Skeletal Muscle Disease
Published on: December 18, 2016
Correlation between k-space sampling pattern and MTF in compressed sensing MRSI
A A Heikal1, K Wachowicz2, B G Fallone1
1Department of Medical Physics, Cross Cancer Institute, 11560 University Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1Z2, Canada and Departments of Oncology and Physics, University of Alberta, 11560 University Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1Z2, Canada.
Purpose:
To investigate the relationship between the k-space sampling patterns used for compressed sensing MR spectroscopic imaging (CS-MRSI) and the modulation transfer function (MTF) of the metabolite maps. This relationship may allow the desired frequency content of the metabolite maps to be quantitatively tailored when designing an undersampling pattern.
Methods:
Simulations of a phantom were used to calculate the MTF of Nyquist sampled (NS) 32 × 32 MRSI, and four-times undersampled CS-MRSI reconstructions. The dependence of the CS-MTF on the k-space sampling pattern was evaluated for three sets of k-space sampling patterns generated using different probability distribution functions (PDFs). CS-MTFs were also evaluated for three more sets of patterns generated using a modified algorithm where the sampling ratios are constrained to adhere to PDFs.
Results:
Strong visual correlation as well as high R2 was found between the MTF of CS-MRSI and the product of the frequency-dependant sampling ratio and the NS 32 × 32 MTF. Also, PDF-constrained sampling patterns led to higher reproducibility of the CS-MTF, and stronger correlations to the above-mentioned product.
Conclusions:
The relationship established in this work provides the user with a theoretical solution for the MTF of CS MRSI that is both predictable and customizable to the user's needs.
Related Concept Videos
NMR Spectrometers: Resolution and Error Correction
NMR Spectrometers: Radiofrequency Pulses and Pulse Sequences
2D NMR: Heteronuclear Single-Quantum Correlation Spectroscopy (HSQC)
¹H NMR: Interpreting Distorted and Overlapping Signals
As Δν decreases and the signals move closer, the doublets appear increasingly distorted. The intensities of the inner lines increase at the cost of those of the outer lines as the signals are...
2D NMR: Homonuclear Correlation Spectroscopy (COSY)
Magnetic Resonance Imaging

