Software Updates
AutoAlign
AutoAlign makes possible reproducible positioning of the patient, specifically the selection of the appropriate imaging plane and slices, automatically without operator intervention.
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| AutoAlign |
RESOLVE, Multishot Echoplanar Diffusion Weighted Imaging
The RESOLVE sequence permits acquisition of multishot diffusion weighted echoplanar scans.
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| RESOLVE, Multishot Echoplanar Diffusion Weighted Imaging |
T1 SPACE for Improved Detection of Brain MetastasesAuthor Ulrike I. Attenberger MD
T1 SPACE provides in a reasonable scan time a high resolution 3D acquisition of the brain, with improved detection of brain metastases when compared to MP-RAGE, and is advocated as the scan of choice at 3 T
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| T1 SPACE for Improved Detection of Brain Metastases |
HIRE (High Intensity REduction), a New Dark Fluid T2-weighted Sequence
HIRE is a pulse sequence that allows reconstruction of images with various contrast from a single scan acquisition. In the application illustrated, a single HIRE scan has been acquired, with the displayed result being a T2-weighted scan and a scan with FLAIR-like contrast.
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| HIRE (High Intensity REduction), a New Dark Fluid T2-weighted Sequence |
New Non-Contrast MR Techniques (for MR angiography and tissue perfusion)
NATIVE enables excellent non-contrast MR angiographic imaging, with reproducible results. This new software/scan approach is particularly important given that the use of intravenous contrast media has come under recent increased scrutiny. Of relevance, the gadolinium chelates (and specifically the less stable agents in this class), which are used as MR contrast agents, have been linked to a condition called Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis (NSF) that can occur in patients with renal insufficiency.
Arterial Spin Labeling (ASL) is an MR technique using the water in arterial blood as an endogenous contrast agent to evaluate perfusion non-invasively (as opposed to the use of a gadolinium chelate for dynamic susceptibility perfusion imaging). ASL provides unique insight into human brain perfusion and function physiology by evaluating cerebral blood flow (CBF). ASL is capable of high spatial resolution perfusion imaging, making the technique appealing in the evaluation of stroke, tumors, degenerative diseases and epilepsy.
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| New Non-Contrast MR Techniques (for MR angiography and tissue perfusion) |
syngo Native – Non Contrast
MR Angiography Techniques
With the need to carefully consider the risk versus benefit of contrast agent administration, following the advent of Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis (NSF), as well as the need to perform cost effective MR studies, there is a demand for improved methods for performing MR angiography using intrinsic rather than extrinsic contrast mechanisms.
To address this need, the image acquisition technique Native has been developed, which encompasses two new methods of non contrast MRA, exploiting new ways for generating angiographic contrast. The two varieties are Native TrueFISP and Native SPACE – the former being more appropriate for abdominal imaging and the latter for peripheral arterial evaluation.
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| syngo Native – Non Contrast MR Angiography Techniques |
syngo NATIVE TrueFISP in the Assessment of the Transplanted Kidney
When imaging patients with impaired renal function that have recently undergone transplant surgery, one approach is to use a completely non- invasive method, without the use of a gadolinium chelate, and thus without the potential risk of NSF. In this article the effectiveness of TrueFISP with selective inversion recovery preparation, now known as syngo NATIVE TrueFISP, is shown. This technique from a diagnostic point of view appears equivalent to low dose contrast-enhanced angiography, providing a low-risk method for the initial evaluation of the transplanted kidney.
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| syngo NATIVE TrueFISP in the Assessment of the Transplanted Kidney |
Improved Workflow and Performance for Contrast-Enhanced MR Angiography Sequences
Gary McNeal, MS BME
Recent improvements in TWIST (dynamic contrast enhanced MRA) and more
conventional non-dynamic contrast enhanced MRA are discussed.
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| Improved Workflow and Performance for Contrast-Enhanced MR Angiography Sequences |
TWIST (Time-resolved Angiography With Interleaved Stochastic Trajectories)
3D dynamic imaging has been available since the late 90s. The speed of dynamic imaging was subsequently improved due to advances in gradient design, for example current 40 mT/m gradients. Since then, dynamic imaging has gone through several changes and improvements, including the implementation of parallel imaging, and more recently, the new k-space coverage now available with TWIST (a 4D MRA application). TWIST achieves significant improvements in temporal and spatial resolution and faster tracking of dynamic processes relative to the other versions of dynamic imaging introduced earlier. TWIST offers a practical, flexible, and elegant way to perform sub-second, time-sequential 3D measurements, both at 1.5 T and 3 T. This can be used in combination with contrast injection to provide dynamic clinical information, including the evaluation of abnormal vascular anatomy as well as vascular hemodynamics, and perfusion measurements.
Clinical applications include:
- Better depiction of vascular disease processes including specifically arteriovenous malformations (AVM) and shunts by providing dynamic information.
- Better assessment of vascular diseases, for example peripheral obstructive artery disease (POAD) or steal phenomenon by visualizing hemodynamics.
- Smaller amounts of contrast agent are required.
- Complete elimination of venous contamination even in abnormal hemodynamic states.
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| syngo TWIST for Dynamic Time-Resolved MR Angiography |
Let’s TWIST again:
Temporal and Spatial High-Resolution
3D MR-Angiography of the Hand
Anton S. Quinsten
Compared to conventional contrastenhanced
MR angiography (MRA), which
provides a spatial high-resolution threedimensional
(3D) MRA data set of the
vascular target region, MRA with TWIST
(time-resolved angiography with stochastic
trajectories) with its high temporal
resolution offers an additional dynamic
component. It presents a broad
range of advantages for all vascular diagnostic
questions where blood flow dynamics
play a role.
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| Let’s TWIST again:
Temporal and Spatial High-Resolution
3D MR-Angiography of the Hand |
Whole-Body Oncologic Imaging with syngo TimCT
Vamsi Narra, M.D. , Eric Hatfield, M.D.
The article shows that the addition of syngo TimCT functionality makes whole-body MR oncologic evaluation a viable reality.
Extended, whole-body anatomic coverage is now possible without off-isocenter artifacts or signal loss.
In-plane image quality with the TimCT application is maintained in comparison to conventional MR.
Non-breathhold technique did not limit diagnostic quality in the presented patients.
Skull-base to upper thigh coverage was achieved in standard imaging times of 30–40 minutes.
With the addition of DWI to conventional sequences, functional-anatomic information correlation is possible
through the whole-body field of view. TimCT has removed the barriers to whole-body MR evaluation.
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| Whole-Body Oncologic Imaging with syngo TimCT |
Fat Suppression in the Abdomen
Due to the different chemical environment, hydrogen nuclei in water- and in fat-tissue have different values for some MRI-relevant parameters, mainly being the relaxation time and the resonance frequency (chemical shift). These differences can be used to selectively suppress/reduce the signal of fat bound protons.Thus relaxation-dependant and chemical shift-dependant methods can be used for fat suppression.
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| Fat Suppression in the Abdomen |
Spectral Adiabatic Inversion Recovery
(SPAIR) MR imaging of the Abdomen
Thomas C. Lauenstein
SPAIR (Spectral Adiabatic Inversion Recovery) is a powerful technique for fat suppression which offers advantages over conventional fat suppression techniques. The technique is insensitive to B1 inhomogenities and only fat spins are suppressed/inverted.
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| Spectral Adiabatic Inversion Recovery
(SPAIR) MR imaging of the Abdomen |
Revisiting Liver Imaging with VIBE
Vamsi Narra, M.D.
Volume Interpolated Breath-hold Examination (VIBE) offers three-dimensional multiphase image acquisition before and following contrast administration on a breath-hold time scale. The dynamic behavior of liver lesions and structures during the precontrast, arterial, portal venous, early equilibrium and 5-minute delayed equilibrium phases of enhancement allows more accurate characterization than static pre- and postcontrast analysis.
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| Revisiting Liver Imaging with VIBE |
Detection and Characterization
of Focal Liver Lesions using
Respiratory-Triggered Diffusion-
Weighted MR Imaging (DWI)
Konstantin Holzapfel
Due to a
number of technical challenges, the use
of DWI was initially confined to the
brain with its low incidence of movement
artifacts and the high homogeneity
and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of brain
tissue. Physiological motion artifacts
(e.g. motility of the bowel, cardiac pulsation,
respiratory motions) and the
heterogeneous composition of many extracranial
organs had precluded the application
of DWI in body imaging until
a series of technologic advances such as
the development of echo-planar imaging
(EPI), high-gradient amplitudes,
multichannel coils and parallel imaging
techniques enabled the acquisition of
high quality diffusion-weighted images
of the body.
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| Detection and Characterization
of Focal Liver Lesions using
Respiratory-Triggered Diffusion-
Weighted MR Imaging (DWI) |
Evaluation of a Modified Stejskal-Tanner Pulsing Scheme for DWI Allowing a Marked Reduction in Echo Time at 3 T by John N. Morelli, MD
To evaluate a modified Stejskal-Tanner diffusion gradient pulsing scheme that achieves a markedly shorter TE, by applying diffusion encoding during the entire time between the two requisite radiofrequency pulses, with respect to SNR, overall diagnostic image quality, bulk susceptibility artifact, and resulting spatial distortions (which were quantified).
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| Evaluation of a Modified Stejskal-Tanner Pulsing Scheme for DWI Allowing a Marked Reduction in Echo Time at 3 T |
syngo BLADE
Motion Correction from Head to Toe
BLADE measures and corrects in-plane motion through periodically rotated overlapping parallel lines with enhanced reconstruction. syngo BLADE acquires multiple low resolution data sets and combines them to make one motion free, high quality image. This provides clear images in all slice orientations and body regions such as the head, spine, liver or knee.
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| syngo BLADE Motion Correction from Head to Toe |
NEW Diagnostic Relevant Reduction of Motion Artifacts in the Posterior Fossa by syngo BLADE Imaging
Although movement and pulsation artifacts are a frequent problem in daily routine, especially in the evaluation of pediatric patients, few articles on this topic can be found in the literature. Experience from Stuttgart shows that MR images of the posterior fossa, cerebellum and brain stem may be significantly impaired by artifacts from pulsatile flow of blood or cerebrospinal fluid even without inadvertent patient head movement. Sedation or general anesthesia rarely influence these pulsation or flow artifacts. However, accurate assessment of small brain lesions is essential in many pediatric patients, especially those with malignant brain tumors. BLADE reduces movement and pulsation artifacts in T2w FLAIR images without relevant loss of image quality. It therefore markedly improves depiction of small and low contrast brain lesions in the posterior fossa of pediatric patients. This can be crucial especially following surgery of malignant brain tumors. In the absence of major artifacts, in this study, lesions of all sizes were depicted with comparable quality by both techniques (BLADE vs conventional FSE technique).
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| Diagnostic Relevant Reduction of Motion Artifacts in the Posterior Fossa by syngo BLADE Imaging |
3D High Resolution MRI of the Knee at 3T Using a Moderately T2-weighted 3D-TSE-fs
(syngo SPACE) sequence – Useful or Not?
3D High Resolution MRI of the Knee at 3T SPACE is a new approach to MRI of the knee at 3T. It allows high spatial resolution isotropic true 3-dimensional acquisition and subsequent reconstruction. Overall acquisition time is shorter than that of three separate 2-dimensional datasets and SNR for 1 mm reconstructions is similar to conventional 2D-TSE-fs. The identification of anatomical structures is in general equal or superior to conventional scans, with superior discrimination of relevant small ligamentous structures. A simple protocol comprising 1 mm SPACE reconstructions in all three orientations is extremely useful for clinical evaluation. The additional possibility of free 3- dimensional reconstruction depending on the specific clinical need may become useful for diagnosis in difficult cases or with complex anatomy, and in particular for presurgical planning, i.e. for traumatic ligamentous lesions or complex meniscal tears.
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| 3D High Resolution MRI of the Knee at 3T Using a Moderately T2-weighted 3D-TSE-fs (syngo SPACE) sequence – Useful or Not? |
Hardware Updates
ADVANCED CLINICAL BRAIN IMAGING AT 3 T
SNR and Parallel Imaging Improvements Offered by a 32 Channel Head Coil Design
Advanced head coil design with 3 T imaging substantially improves the available signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), making possible a significant reduction in scan time, the use of advanced parallel imaging, high spatial resolution imaging (reduced voxel size in 3D acquisitions, whether for imaging of the brain itself or the vasculature) and implementation of innovative imaging techniques. The use of higher parallel imaging factors in conventional diffusion-weighted echoplanar imaging (EPI), together with the implementation of a fast spin echo (FSE) based BLADE diffusion-weighted scan is illustrated in patients with acute infarction (the latter free of bulk susceptibility artifact and geometric image distortion).
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POWERPOINT |
Download POWERPOINT |
| ADVANCED CLINICAL BRAIN IMAGING AT 3 T |
32-Channel Head Coil Imaging
at 3T Case Reports from Scott and
White Clinic and Hospital
Val M. Runge, M.D.
Advanced head coil design with 3T imaging
substantially improves the available
signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), making possible
a substantial reduction in scan time,
the use of advanced parallel imaging,
high spatial resolution imaging (reduced
voxel size in 3D acquisitions, whether for
imaging of the brain itself or the vasculature)
and implementation of innovative
imaging techniques.
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| 32-Channel Head Coil Imaging
at 3T Case Reports from Scott and
White Clinic and Hospital |
Large FOV Imaging at 3T
with a 32-Channel Body Array Coil
Yutaka Natsuaki, Ph.D.; Gerhard Laub, Ph.D.
This article shows the benefits of a 32-channel body coil for large field-of-view imaging in the abdomen and pelvis, including MR Angiography. The evolution of parallel imaging techniques has been very rapid, with realization of their full potential requiring development and utilization of MR systems with up to 32 receiver channels.
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| Large FOV Imaging at 3T
with a 32-Channel Body Array Coil |
Clinical Neurological Imaging
on an Open Bore MRI System
(MAGNETOM Espree)
Tammie L.S. Benzinger, M.D., Ph.D.
An open bore MRI has the practical advantage
of accommodating large or
claustrophobic patients. Unfortunately,
until the advent of the 1.5T MAGNETOM
Espree, “open” was often synonymous
with inferior image quality. However, in
addition to the large 70 centimeter bore,
the Espree system offers advanced coil
combinations using the Total imaging
matrix (Tim) and isocenter imaging technology.
Together, these features allow
for performance of advanced neuroimaging
protocols in new clinical populations.
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| Clinical Neurological Imaging
on an Open Bore MRI System
(MAGNETOM Espree) |
TrueForm™ Technology
Ioannis Panagiotelis; Mathias Blasche
TrueForm magnet design is an innovation that produces a cylindrically optimized homogeneity volume instead of the conventional elliptical volume.
TrueForm RF design includes innovative
hardware technology as well as new
application and processing features,
which ensure uniform RF distribution
in all body regions.
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| TrueForm™ Technology
(MAGNETOM Espree) |
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