Simone Angela Winkler1,
Brian K. Rutt1
1Department
of Radiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States
3T MRI is increasingly used because of its intrinsic SNR benefits compared to 1.5T MRI. Increased B1+ inhomogeneities in 3T MRI can lead to left-right B1+-asymmetry in the breast. This abstract presents simulations of several different methods for compensating left-right B1+-asymmetries in the breast region by means of 1) 2-channel RF shimming (I/Q-phase/amplitude adjustments); 2) dielectric-absorptive shimming; or 3) a combination. Both approaches are adaptable to a wide range of MR systems to yield a simple, practical, and inexpensive procedure without SAR penalty for uniform contrast and quantitative parameter estimates, and ultimately, more accurate detection and monitoring of breast cancer.