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Author Spotlight: Enhancing Diagnostic Strategies and Biomarker Development for Comprehensive Lung Function Analysis
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Phase-cycled balanced SSFP imaging for non-contrast-enhanced functional lung imaging
Efe Ilicak1, Safa Ozdemir1, Lothar R Schad1
1Computer Assisted Clinical Medicine, Mannheim Institute for Intelligent Systems in Medicine, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Mannheim, Germany.
Magnetic Resonance in Medicine
|May 24, 2022
Summary
Phase-cycled balanced SSFP (bSSFP) MRI improves lung function assessment by enhancing robustness against field inhomogeneities. This technique significantly improves ventilation map homogeneity at both 1.5 T and 3 T field strengths.
Area of Science:
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging
- Medical Imaging Physics
- Pulmonary Function Testing
Background:
- Fourier decomposition MRI is crucial for lung function assessment.
- Field inhomogeneities can cause signal loss and artifacts in MRI.
- Balanced steady-state free precession (bSSFP) is a common MRI sequence.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce phase-cycled bSSFP as an alternative MRI technique.
- To improve robustness against magnetic field inhomogeneities.
- To enhance lung function assessment using MRI.
Main Methods:
- Acquired 2D dynamic lung images in 5 volunteers at 1.5 T and 3 T.
- Utilized bSSFP sequence with multiple RF phase increments.
- Compared phase-cycled acquisitions with conventional single-phase acquisitions.
- Evaluated functional map homogeneity, SNR, and contrast-to-noise ratio.
Main Results:
- Phase-cycled acquisitions showed improved robustness against signal loss at both field strengths.
- Ventilation maps demonstrated significantly better homogeneity with phase-cycled bSSFP.
- Coefficient of variation in ventilation maps was lower for phase-cycled acquisitions (29.7±2.6 at 1.5 T, 37.5±3.1 at 3 T) compared to single-phase (39.9±5.2 at 1.5 T, 49.5±3.7 at 3 T).
Conclusions:
- Phase-cycled bSSFP enhances robustness against field inhomogeneity artifacts.
- This method significantly improves ventilation map homogeneity in lung imaging.
- Phase-cycled bSSFP offers a robust alternative for lung function assessment.
