Bloch Simulation of a Three-point Dixon Experiment Using a Four-dimensional Numerical Phantom.

A 4D numerical phantom, which is defined in the 3D spatial axes and the resonance frequency axis, is indispensable for Bloch simulations of biological tissues with complex distribution of materials. In this study, a 4D numerical phantom was created using MR image datasets of a biological sample containing water and fat, and the Bloch simulations were performed using the 4D numerical phantom. As a result, 3D images of the sample containing water and fat were successfully reproduced, which demonstrated the usefulness of the concept of the 4D numerical phantom.