Multiple echo diffusion tensor acquisition technique

Magn Reson Imaging. 2006 Jan;24(1):7-18. doi: 10.1016/j.mri.2005.10.015. Epub 2005 Dec 19.

Abstract

The standard method of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) involves one diffusion-sensitizing gradient direction per acquired signal. This paper describes an alternative method in which the entire direction set required for calculating the diffusion tensor is captured in a few scans. In this method, a series of radiofrequency (RF) pulses are applied, resulting in a train of spin echoes. A pattern of applied magnetic field gradients between the RF pulses generates a different diffusion weighting in both magnitude and direction for each echo, resulting in a dataset sufficient to determine the tensor. This significantly reduces the time required for a full DTI scan and potentially allows a tradeoff of this time for image quality. In the present work, this method is demonstrated in an anisotropic diffusion phantom (asparagus).

MeSH terms

  • Anisotropy
  • Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging / methods*
  • Image Enhancement / methods*
  • Image Processing, Computer-Assisted
  • Phantoms, Imaging
  • Radio Waves
  • Vegetables