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G Sobering

Publications and source records attributed to G Sobering.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

Functional brain MR imaging based on bolus tracking with a fast T2*-sensitized gradient-echo method.

Dynamic physiological scanning, based on temporary changes in local field homogeneity during the passage of a contrast agent bolus, has been performed hitherto with echo-planar imaging (EPI) or conventional gradient-recalled techniques (FLASH). Here, it is shown that the T2* sensitivity of conventional FLASH techniques can be improved drastically on a conventional whole body instrument by delaying the gradient-echo until the subsequent TR-period without increasing total imaging time. Examples are given for a full k-space matrix (128 x 256) obtained within 2 s with a TE of 25 ms, resulting in images free of artifacts. The method is applied to bolus tracking through the brain of healthy volunteers during visual stimulation and in the dark. An average increase of regional cerebral blood volume (rCBV) in the visual cortex of 10.9% (n = 9, p = .001) was found.

Blood Volume↗

Fast echo-shifted gradient-recalled MRI: combining a short repetition time with variable T2* weighting.

The principles of a fast T2*-sensitized MR imaging method (Moonen et al., Magn. Reson. Med. 26, 184 (1992)) are extended to further increase T2* sensitivity. It is shown that the period of T2*-weighting can be lengthened by n TR-periods by appropriate gradient schemes without RF refocusing resulting in progressively delayed gradient-recalled echoes. This extension of the echo-shifting concept thus introduces large flexibility in the choice of T2*-weighting without changing total imaging time. The coherence pathway formalism is used to evaluate and describe the selection of the desired echo and the attenuation of unwanted coherences. The new techniques are demonstrated for tracking a bolus of susceptibility contrast agent in cat brain. Relative blood-volume maps are derived with expected contrast between white and gray matter.

Animals↗

A functional MRI technique combining principles of echo-shifting with a train of observations (PRESTO).

We present a fast MRI technique sensitized to microscopic susceptibility effects. The method combines elements of echo-shifted gradient-recalled MR imaging (TE > TR) with the acquisition of multiple k-space lines within a single TR-period. The sequence results in a much reduced imaging time as compared with conventional gradient-echo MRI methods. The feasibility of the method is demonstrated for susceptibility bolus tracking in the cat brain using an imaging time of 153 ms. The relative cerebral blood volume maps created with this method are comparable with those obtained with conventional methods.

Animals↗

Multisection proton MR spectroscopic imaging of the brain.

The authors developed a hydrogen-1 proton magnetic resonance (MR) imaging method in which metabolic information is acquired by obtaining multiple sections through the brain. A spin-echo sequence is used for section selection, an octangular outer volume saturation pulse for lipid suppression, and a chemical-shift-selective saturation pulse for water suppression. High-quality maps of choline, creatine, and N-acetylaspartate were obtained in six studies performed in four volunteers. Water and lipid signal from the skull area was well suppressed by the pulse sequence used.

Adult↗

A fast gradient-recalled MRI technique with increased sensitivity to dynamic susceptibility effects.

A fast imaging method that is based on gradient-recalled echoes of spins whose excitation and echo formation are separated by more than one TR period is presented. This method does not incorporate chemical-shift refocusing and thus results in drastically increased sensitivity to dynamic susceptibility effects, while maintaining a short total imaging time. The efficiency of the new technique is demonstrated in dynamic contrast-enhanced experiments (bolus tracking) in the cat brain using a duration of 600 ms for each image. Blood volume maps are derived with expected contrast between white and gray matter.

Animals↗