Lu Ming, Yan Xinqiang
Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA.
Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA.
IEEE Access. 2023;11:143998-144005. doi: 10.1109/access.2023.3343637. Epub 2023 Dec 15.
Transcranial magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound (tcMRgFUS) revolutionizes non-invasive therapy by combining MRI and high-intensity focused ultrasound for precise thermal treatment. MRI scans play an essential role during tcMRgFUS treatment in that they are used to localize the target and monitor temperature. Using the body coil for MRI introduces imaging challenges, notably extremely low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and a distinct dark band in 3 Tesla brain images. This study explores the impact of diverse local receive coils on SNR and parallel imaging capabilities in tcMRgFUS. Simulation results underscore the significant SNR enhancement, especially with helmet-shaped coils, crucial for capturing signals from the head's top and sides. Additionally, the study delves into integrating passive antennas to address the dark band issue, revealing a combined improvement in SNR and transmit field recovery. The study demonstrates that even a coil array outside the water bath can enhance SNR. This work offers critical insights into optimizing the imaging quality, improving temperature mapping accuracy, and recovering the transmit field in tcMRgFUS technology, holding potential for refined treatment visualization, targeting precision, and real-time monitoring.
经颅磁共振引导聚焦超声（tcMRgFUS）通过将磁共振成像（MRI）与高强度聚焦超声相结合以进行精确的热疗，彻底改变了无创治疗方法。在tcMRgFUS治疗过程中，MRI扫描发挥着至关重要的作用，因为它们用于定位目标并监测温度。在MRI中使用体线圈会带来成像挑战，尤其是极低的信噪比（SNR）以及3特斯拉脑图像中明显的暗带。本研究探讨了不同局部接收线圈对tcMRgFUS中信噪比和平行成像能力的影响。模拟结果强调了显著的信噪比增强，特别是使用头盔形状的线圈时，这对于从头部顶部和侧面捕获信号至关重要。此外，该研究深入探讨了集成无源天线以解决暗带问题，揭示了信噪比和发射场恢复的综合改善。研究表明，即使是水浴外的线圈阵列也可以提高信噪比。这项工作为优化tcMRgFUS技术中的成像质量、提高温度映射精度以及恢复发射场提供了关键见解，具有改善治疗可视化、靶向精度和实时监测的潜力。
