Trevor Andrews1, Jimmy S. Ghostine2,
Jay V. Gonyea2, George M. Ebert2, Steven P. Braff3,
Christopher G. Filippi3
1Philps Healthcare, Cleveland, OH,
United States; 2Radiology, Fletcher Allen Health Care-UVM,
Burlington, VT, United States; 3Radiology, Fletcher Allen Health
Care-University of Vermont School of Medicine, Burlington, VT, United States
Dielectric
shading artifacts impair image quality for body applications at 3T and hamper
clinical acceptance of 3T body imaging. Parallel radiofrequency (RF)
excitation, an application of parallel imaging to transmission, at 3T,
reduces dielectric shading by adjustment of RF transmission signals enabling
RF shimming There is the added benefit of more uniform specific absorption
ratio (SAR), and shorter acquisition times. Our purpose was to quantitatively
validate a novel acquisition method for reducing dielectric shading using
parallel transmission techniques in clinical 3T abdominal MRI. In most cases,
shading artifact was nearly eliminated, and with B1 shimming this was
significantly lower.