Inventors:
Candice A. Bookwalter - University Heights OH, US
Jeffrey L. Sunshine - Pepper Pike OH, US
Jeffrey L. Duerk - Avon Lake OH, US
Assignee:
Case Western Reserve University - Cleveland OH
International Classification:
G01V 3/00
Abstract:
The present invention is directed to methods for chemical species signal suppression in magnetic resonance imaging procedures, wherein Dixon techniques are enhanced by continuously sampling techniques. In the invention, k-space data is acquired during the entire period of read gradient associated with a gradient echo pulse acquisition scheme. The invention utilizes a total sampling time (TST) acquisition during the entire read gradient, using three echoes of a TST data set to achieve chemical species separation in both homogenous fields as well as areas of field inhomogeneity. As an example, a continuously sampled rectilinearly FLASH pulse sequence is modified such that the time between echoes was configured to be 2. 2 milliseconds, with TE selected to allow 180° phase variation in the fat magnetization between each of the three TE's (TE, TE, and TE). Data collected during the dephase and rephase gradient lobes are defined as a first Dixon acquisition, with data collected by the read gradient lobe being defined as a second Dixon acquisition.