微调MRI脉冲序列时间可大幅降低噪音,提升成像质量。
Timing is everything: How subtle timing changes in MRI echo planar imaging can significantly alter mechanical vibrations and sound level
- 通过建模梯度电流时间差对声学频谱的影响
- 噪音强度最高可降低47倍,部分区域降幅达5倍
- 适合关注MRI降噪与成像质量的临床工程师
现代MRI依赖快速采集的回波平面成像(EPI)技术,其高速源于梯度线圈快速切换电流,但在强静磁场中引发洛伦兹力,导致机械振动与显著噪音。该噪音在临床扫描中需佩戴听力保护,且可能影响图像质量甚至损伤设备;在超高场系统中更严重。本文提出新模型,揭示声学频谱由多组周期性电流交替干扰形成,相对时序是关键因素。实验显示,微小时间调整即可显著改变声强:在接近机械共振区,声能变化可达47倍;其他区域亦有5倍变化。有趣的是,在特定条件下,单位时间扫描次数翻倍反而使最小声能降低两倍。同时发现伪影与声学特性强相关,内部导航脉冲的微小延迟可有效改善校正效果。
原文摘要 · Abstract (English)
Modern MRI relies on the well-established Echo-Planar-Imaging (EPI) method for fast acquisition. EPI is the workhorse of diffusion and functional MRI in neuroscience as well as of many dynamic applications for clinical body imaging. Its speed stems from rapidly switching currents through the gradient coils responsible for spatial encoding. These quick changes, within a strong static magnetic field induce Lorentz forces that generate mechanical vibrations, leading to the loud, characteristic MRI noise. This acoustic noise is already a significant concern in standard clinical scanners, requiring hearing protection and risking image degradation or even hardware strain. In ultra-high-field systems, the issue is exacerbated due to stronger Lorentz forces. In this study, we introduce a novel model that characterizes the acoustic spectrum for a given EPI scan. The spectrum results from interference between multiple identical periods of alternating currents, making the relative timing between them a key factor. We show that even subtle timing changes significantly alter the sound level. Scans of either high spatial resolution or high temporal resolution, on clinical 7T and investigational 10.5T human scanners, corroborated the model and its predicted acoustics spectra. Acoustic energy changes of up to 47-fold were reached in close to mechanical resonances and up to 5-fold in other regions. Intriguingly, under certain conditions, doubling the acquisitions per unit time actually reduced the minimal acoustic energy two-fold. Not less important, ghosting-artifacts exhibit strong dependence on the scan's acoustic characteristics and the benefit of subtle time delays of internal correction-acquisitions (navigators) is also demonstrated.
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