Jane Utting

Publications (3)9.7 Total impact

• Article: Feasibility of cardiac gating free of interference with electro-magnetic fields at 1.5 Tesla, 3.0 Tesla and 7.0 Tesla using an MR-stethoscope.

  Tobias Frauenrath, Fabian Hezel, Uwe Heinrichs, Sebastian Kozerke, Jane F Utting, Malte Kob, Christoph Butenweg, Peter Boesiger, Thoralf Niendorf
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  ABSTRACT: To circumvent the challenges of conventional electrocardiographic (ECG)-gating by examining the efficacy of an MR stethoscope, which offers (i) no risk of high voltage induction or patient burns, (ii) immunity to electromagnetic interference, (iii) suitability for all magnetic field strengths, and (iv) patient comfort together with ease of use for the pursuit of reliable and safe (ultra)high field cardiac gated magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The acoustic gating device consists of 3 main components: an acoustic sensor, a signal processing unit, and a coupler unit to the MRI system. Signal conditioning and conversion are conducted outside the 0.5 mT line using dedicated electronic circuits. The final waveform is delivered to the internal physiological signal controller circuitry of a clinical MR scanner. Cardiovascular MRI was performed of normal volunteers (n = 17) on 1.5 T, 3.0 T and 7.0 T whole body MR systems. Black blood imaging, 2D CINE imaging, 3D phase contrast MR angiography, and myocardial T2* mapping were carried out. The MR-stethoscope provided cardiograms at 1.5 T, 3.0 T and 7.0 T free of interference from electromagnetic fields and magneto-hydrodynamic effects. In comparison, ECG waveforms were susceptible to T-wave elevation and other distortions, which were more pronounced at higher fields. Acoustically gated black blood imaging at 1.5 T and 3.0 T provided image quality comparable with or even superior to that obtained from the ECG-gated approach. In the case of correct R-wave recognition, ECG-gated 2D CINE SSFP imaging was found to be immune to cardiac motion effects -even at 3.0 T. However, ECG-gated 2D SSFP CINE imaging was prone to cardiac motion artifacts if R-wave mis-registration occurred because of T-wave elevation. Acoustically gated 3D PCMRA at 1.5 T, 3.0 T and 7.0 T resulted in images free of blood pulsation artifacts because the acoustic gating approach provided cardiac signal traces free of interference with electromagnetic fields or magneto-hydrodynamic effects even at 7.0 Tesla. Severe ECG-trace distortions and T-wave elevations occurred at 3.0 T and 7.0 T. Acoustically cardiac gated T2* mapping at 3.0 T yielded a T2* value of 22.3 +/- 4.8 ms for the inferoseptal myocardium. The proposed MR-stethoscope presents a promising alternative to currently available techniques for cardiac gating of (ultra)high field MRI. Its intrinsic insensitivity to interference from electromagnetic fields renders it suitable for clinical imaging because of its excellent trigger reliability, even at 7.0 Tesla.
  Investigative radiology 08/2009; 44(9):539-47. · 4.85 Impact Factor
• Article: Feasibility of k-t BLAST for BOLD fMRI with a spin-echo based acquisition at 3 T and 7 T.

  Jane F Utting, Sebastian Kozerke, Roger Luechinger, Ralph Schnitker, René Vohn, Rani Bhanniny, Maral Tilbian, Thoralf Niendorf
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  ABSTRACT: This study tested the feasibility of applying k-t BLAST to blood oxygen level dependent functional MRI of the brain at 3 Tesla (T) and at 7 T. Shorter echo train lengths, achieved through the application of k-t BLAST, are expected to counteract increased sensitivity to inhomogeneities in B0 at higher magnetic field strengths, especially in echo planar images, and reduce the relatively long acquisition times and high RF power deposition in spin-echo based methods. k-t BLAST was combined with displaced UFLARE at 3 T and 7 T. Temporal and spatial fidelity of k-t BLAST were investigated using a test object, in which localized variations in signal intensity mimic activation-induced signal changes. fMRI was performed using typical box-car design finger tapping. In a separate analysis full k-space data were decimated to simulate k-t BLAST acquisitions and compare results with the fully sampled data, thereby avoiding physiological and noise differences between acquisitions. Activation can be detected at under-sampling factors as high as 16, whereas appropriately reconstructed data, under-sampled at factors below 8 entail insignificant loss of sensitivity and considerable reductions in acquisition times and RF power deposition. k-t BLAST is compatible with fMRI acquisitions and opens up possibilities including distortion-free T2*-weighted blood oxygen level dependent fMRI with displaced UFLARE at high magnetic field strengths.
  Investigative radiology 08/2009; 44(9):495-502. · 4.85 Impact Factor
• Article: Myocardial T2* mapping free of distortion using susceptibility weighted spin-echo based imaging: a feasibility study

  Uwe Heinrichs, Jane Utting, Fabian Hezel, Gabriele Krombach, Sebastian Kozerke, Thoralf Niendorf
  Journal of Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance. 01/2009;