Flow Effects on Tailored RF Gradient Echo (TRFGE) Magnetic Resonance Imaging : In-flow and In-Plane Flow Effect

Tailored RF 경자사계방향 (TRFGE} 자기공명영상(MRI)에서 유체에 의한 영상신호 변화 : 유체유입효과와 영상면내를 흐르는 유체의 효과에 대하여

In this paper, we have reported two interesting flow effects arising in the TRFGE sequence using water flow phantom. First, we have shown that the TRFGE sequence is indeed not affected by "in-flow" effect from the unsaturated spins flowing into the imaging slice. Second, the enhancement of "in-plane flow" signal in the readout gradient direction was observed when the TRFGE sequence was used without flow compensation. These two results have many interesting applications in MR imaging other than fMRI. Results obtained were also compared with the results obtained by the conventional gradient echo(CGE) imaging. Experiments were performed at 4.7T MRI/S animal system (Biospec, BRUKER, Switzerland). A cylindrical phantom was made using acryl and a vinyl tube was inserted at the center(Fig. 1). The whole cylinder was filled with water doped with $MnCl_2$ and the center tube was filled with saline which flows in parallel to the main magnetic field along the tube. Tailored RF pulse was designed to have quadratic ($z^2$) phase distribution in slice direction(z). Imaging parameters were TR/TE = 55~85/10msec, flip angle = $30^{\circ}$, slice thickness = 2mm, matrix size = 256${\times}$256, and FOV= 10cm. In-flow effect : Axial images were obtained with and without flow using the CGE and TRFGE sequences, respectively. The flow direction was perpendicular to the image slice. In-plane flow : Sagittal images were obtained with and without flow using the TRGE sequence. The readout gradient was applied in parallel to the flow direction. We have observed that the "in-flow" effect did not affect the TRFGE image, while "in-plane flow" running along the readout gradient direction enhanced the signal in the TRFGE sequence when flow compensation gradient scheme was not used.

본 연구에서는 유체보상 경사자장 기법(flow-compensation-gradient of gradient-moment nulling method)을 이용하지 않은 Tailored RF를 이용한 TRFGE(tailored rf gradient echo) 영상에는 유체유입효과(in-flow effect)가 나타나지 않지만 절편(slice)내에서 판독경사자장(reading gradient)과 같은 방향으로 흐르는 유체는 신호가 강조가 됨을 이론과 실험으로 보였다. 절편 내에서 판독경사자장과 같은 방향으로 흐르는 유체의 신호가 TRFGE 영상에서 강조되는 이유를 이론적으로 설명하였으며 이 이론을 뒷받침 할 실험을 위해 유체 모형을 제작하였다. 원통 모양의 물 모형 중앙으로 유체 관을 통해 식염수(saline)가 주자장(B$B_0$)와 평행인 z 축 방향으로 흐를 수 있도록 하였다. 유체가 흐를 때와 흐르지 않을 때 CGE(conventional gradient echo) 영상과 TRFGE 영사을 얻어 각각 비교하였다. 유체 유입효과를 관찰하기 위해서는 횡단면(axial)의 영상을 얻었고 절편 내에서 판독경사자장과 같은 방향으로 흐르는 유체의 영상신호를 관찰하기 위해서 시상면(sagittal) 영상을 얻었다.