Diffusion-weighted MRI Simulator

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24500506
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Biomedical engineering/Biological material science
• Research Institution: Chiba University
• Principal Investigator: YAMAMOTO Etsuji 千葉大学, フロンティア医工学センター, 教授 (80501791)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: MRI / 拡散強調画像シミュレータ / 磁化率分布計測 / 圧縮センシング / 高周波磁場不均一 / 静磁場不均一

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Numerical simulation of magnetic resonance (MR) diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) experiments is useful for diagnosis and MR-guided therapy. However, DWI has not been simulated because huge computing power is required. We developed a DWI simulator with three acceleration techniques and reduced the simulation time to one hour and was 140,000 times shorter than without these for a head-sized-model. We also applied compressed sensing and reduced the simulation time by 70%. These reduction allowed the simulator to have greater functionality.
Magnetic field perturbations induced by devices with low magnetic susceptibility produce artifacts in MR images. These artifacts cause serious problems for therapeutic procedures. The effects of the devices need to be evaluated. However, the spatial resolution for calculations is insufficient. We developed a computer code based on the superposition principle and successfully applied the method to the needles penetrated into realistic head model.

Free Research Field

磁気共鳴撮像技術