Abstract #1058

Acoustic Radiation Contrast in Magnetic Resonance: Detection of Microcalcifications

Judith Schindler¹, Deniz Ulucay¹, Jessica Mende¹, Marcus Radicke¹, Anna-Lisa Kofahl¹, Jrgen Finsterbusch², Robert Krieg³, Karl Maier¹

¹HISKP, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany; ²University Medical Center, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany; ³Siemens Healthcare, Erlangen, Germany

One promising application of acoustic radiation contrast in magnetic resonance (ARC-MR) phase images is the detection of microcalcifications (tiny abnormal deposits of calcium) in breast tissue. Acoustic radiation force was applied using a custom-made MR-compatible piezoelectric transducer with a resonance frequency of 2,5 MHz. The thus produced displacement in the phantom was made visible with a displacement sensitive spin-echo sequence. The phantom was an agar/de-ionized water solution containing glass beads to get tissue-like ultrasound absorption. Results show that an eggshell (1mmx1mm) that mimics the microcalcification is only visible in MR phase images when the ultrasound is turned on.