Technical Note

Comparison of spiral imaging and SENSE-EPI at 1.5 and 3.0 T using a controlled cerebrovascular challenge

  1. Jeff D. Winter PhD1,
  2. Julien Poublanc MSc2,
  3. Adrian P. Crawley PhD2,3,
  4. Andrea Kassner PhD1,3,*

Article first published online: 22 APR 2009

DOI: 10.1002/jmri.21745

Issue

Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Volume 29, Issue 5, pages 1206–1210, May 2009

Additional Information

How to Cite

Winter, J. D., Poublanc, J., Crawley, A. P. and Kassner, A. (2009), Comparison of spiral imaging and SENSE-EPI at 1.5 and 3.0 T using a controlled cerebrovascular challenge. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging, 29: 1206–1210. doi: 10.1002/jmri.21745

Author Information

  1. 1

    Department of Physiology and Experimental Medicine, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

  2. 2

    Department of Medical Imaging, Toronto Western Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

  3. 3

    Department of Medical Imaging, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

*Department of Medical Imaging, University of Toronto, Fitzgerald Building, 150 College St., Toronto, Ontario M5S 3E2, Canada

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 22 APR 2009
  2. Article first published online: 22 APR 2009
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 3 FEB 2009
  4. Manuscript Received: 24 SEP 2008

Funded by

  • Ontario Research and Development Challenge Fund

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Keywords:

  • echo-planar imaging;
  • spiral imaging;
  • parallel imaging;
  • fMRI sensitivity;
  • cerebrovascular reactivity

Abstract

Purpose

To quantitatively compare spiral imaging and sensitivity-encoded-echo-planar-imaging (SENSE-EPI) methods for blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) imaging using controlled changes in the end-tidal partial pressure of CO2 (PetCO2) to provide a global BOLD response. Specifically, we examined susceptibility-field-gradient effects on the BOLD sensitivity throughout the brain.

Materials and Methods

We quantified cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR) using the BOLD response to cyclic changes in PetCO2 in five healthy volunteers at 1.5 and 3.0 T using spiral imaging and SENSE-EPI. We compared the two techniques with respect to susceptibility-induced signal dropout and CVR t-statistic.

Results

Compared to spiral imaging, SENSE-EPI significantly reduced the volume of signal dropout by 32 ± 18% at 3.0 T. In regions with large susceptibility gradients, SENSE-EPI demonstrated a trend for a greater t-statistic than spiral imaging, particularly at 3.0 T. However, no statistically significant between-technique differences existed.

Conclusion

The results at 3.0 T suggest that, compared with spiral imaging, SENSE-EPI reduces signal loss associated with susceptibility field gradients in affected regions without affecting BOLD sensitivity. This study also demonstrates a unique application of controlled PetCO2 changes to quantitatively compare BOLD techniques, which may be useful for the design of future fMRI studies. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2009;29:1206–1210. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

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