K Craig Goodrich1, Seong-Eun Kim1, Sung Man Moon1, J. Rock Hadley1, J Ulrich Fontius2, Franz Schmitt2, Dennis L. Parker1
1U.C.A.I.R., Univ of Utah, SLC, UT, USA; 2Siemens Health Care AG, Erlangen, Germany
Given the experience and issues with reduced volume and switchable gradient systems, it is logical to consider the evaluation of insertable gradients that can operate simultaneously with the system body gradients. Local and whole-body gradients can be combined in such a manner as to exhibit the best advantages of both gradient systems. We have constructed an imaging system with dual gradients and amplifiers that can be operated simultaneously. Each gradient axis (X,Y,Z) can be dynamically chosen to operate in a combined mode or separately. In this work we demonstrate improvements to EPI imaging with such a system.