TY - GEN A1 - Lindel, Tomasz Dawid A1 - Greiser, Andreas A1 - Waxman, Patrick A1 - Dietterle, Martin A1 - Seifert, Frank A1 - Fontius, Ulrich A1 - Renz, Wolfgang A1 - Dieringer, Matthias A. A1 - Frauenrath, Tobias A1 - Schulz-Menger, Jeanette A1 - Niendorf, Thoralf A1 - Ittermann, Bernd T1 - Cardiac CINE MRI at 7 T using a transmit array T2 - 2012 ISMRM Annual Meeting Proceedings N2 - With its need for high SNR and short acquisition times, Cardiac MRI (CMR) is an intriguing target application for ultrahigh field MRI. Due to the sheer size of the upper torso, however, the known RF issues of 7T MRI are also most prominent in CMR. Recent years brought substantial progress but the full potential of the ultrahigh field for CMR is yet to be exploited. Parallel transmission (pTx) is a promising approach in this context and several groups have already reported B1 shimming for 7T CMR. In such a static pTx application amplitudes and phases of all Tx channels are adjusted individually but otherwise imaging techniques established in current clinical practice 1.5 T and 3 T are applied. More advanced forms of pTx as spatially selective excitation (SSE) using Transmit SENSE promise additional benefits like faster imaging with reduced fields of view or improved SAR control. SSE requires the full dynamic capabilities of pTx, however, and for the majority of today's implemented pTx hardware the internal synchronization of the Tx array does not easily permit external triggering as needed for CMR. Here we report a software solution to this problem and demonstrate the feasibility of CINE CMR at 7 T using a Tx array. Y1 - 2012 SN - 1545-4428 N1 - ISMRM 20th Annual Meeting & Exhibition, 5-11 May 2012, Melbourne, Australia ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Niendorf, Thoralf A1 - Winter, Lukas A1 - Frauenrath, Tobias ED - Millis, Richard T1 - Electrocardiogram in an MRI environment: Clinical needs, practical considerations, safety implications, technical solutions and fFuture directions T2 - Advances in Electrocardiograms - Methods and Analysis Y1 - 2012 SN - 978-953-307-923-3 (print) SN - 978-953-51-6762-4 (eBook) U6 - https://doi.org/10.5772/24340 SP - 309 EP - 324 PB - IntechOpen CY - London ER - TY - GEN A1 - Frauenrath, Tobias A1 - Pfeiffer, Harald A1 - Hezel, Fabian A1 - Dieringer, Matthias A. A1 - Winter, Lukas A1 - Gräßl, Andreas A1 - Santoro, Davide A1 - Özerdem, Celal A1 - Renz, Wolfgang A1 - Greiser, Andreas A1 - Niendorf, Thoralf T1 - Lessons learned from cardiac MRI at 7.0 T: LV function assessment at 3.0 T using local multi-channel transceiver coil arrays T2 - 2012 ISMRM Annual Meeting Proceedings N2 - Cardiac MR (CMR) is of proven clinical value but also an area of vigorous ongoing research since image quality is not always exclusively defined by signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR). Recent developments of CMR at 7.0 T have been driven by pioneering explorations into novel multichannel transmit and receive coil array technology to tackle the challenges B1+-field inhomogeneities, to offset specific-absorption rate (SAR) constraints and to reduce banding artifacts in SSFP imaging. For this study, recognition of the benefits and performance of local surface Tx/Rx-array structures recently established at 7.0 T inspired migration to 3.0 T, where RF inhomogeneities and SAR limitations encountered in routine clinical CMR, though somewhat reduced versus the 7.0 T situation, remain significant. For all these reasons, this study was designed to build and examine the feasibility of a local four channel Tx/Rx cardiac coil array for anatomical and functional cardiac imaging at 3.0 T. For comparison, a homebuilt 4 channel Rx cardiac coil array exhibiting the same geometry as the Tx/Rx coil and a Rx surface coil array were used. Y1 - 2012 SN - 1545-4428 N1 - ISMRM 20th Annual Meeting & Exhibition, 5-11 May 2012, Melbourne, Australia ER - TY - GEN A1 - Tkachenko, Valeriy A1 - von Knobelsdorff-Brenkenhoff, Florian A1 - Kleindienst, Denise A1 - Winter, Lukas A1 - Rieger, Jan A1 - Frauenrath, Tobias A1 - Dieringer, Matthias A. A1 - Santoro, Davide A1 - Niendorf, Thoralf A1 - Schulz-Menger, Jeanette T1 - Cardiovasular MR at 7Tesla: assessment of the right ventricle T2 - 2012 ISMRM Annual Meeting Proceedings N2 - The assessment of the right ventricle (RV) is a challenge in today's cardiology, but of growing clinical impact regarding patient prognosis in different cardiac diseases. The detection and differentiation of small wall motion abnormalities may help to enhance the differentiation of cardiomyopathies including Arrhythmogenic Rightventricular Cardiomyopathy. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) at 1.5T is the accepted gold standard for RV quantification. The higher spatial resolution achievable at ultrahigh field strength (UHF) offers the potential to gain new insights into the structure and function of the RV. To approach this goal accurate RV chamber quantification at 7T has to be proven. Consequently this study examines the feasibility of assessment of RV dimensions and function at 7T using improved spatial resolution enabled by the intrinsic sensitivity gain of UHF CMR. For this purpose, a dedicated 16 channel TX/RX RF coil array is used together with 2D CINE fast gradient echo (FGRE) imaging. For comparison RV chamber quantification is conducted at 1.5T using a SSFP based state of the art clinical protocol. Y1 - 2012 SN - 1545-4428 N1 - ISMRM 20th Annual Meeting & Exhibition, 5-11 May 2012, Melbourne, Australia ER - TY - GEN A1 - Gräßl, Andreas A1 - Renz, Wolfgang A1 - Hezel, Fabian A1 - Frauenrath, Tobias A1 - Pfeiffer, Harald A1 - Hoffmann, Werner A1 - Kellmann, Peter A1 - Martin, Conrad A1 - Niendorf, Thoralf T1 - Design, evaluation and application of a modular 32 channel transmit/receive surface coil array for cardiac MRI at 7T T2 - 2012 ISMRM Annual Meeting Proceedings N2 - Cardiac MR (CMR) at ultrahigh (≥7.0 T) fields is regarded as one of the most challenging MRI applications. At 7.0 T image quality is not always exclusively defined by signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR). Detrimental effects bear the potential to spoil the signal-to-noise (SNR) and contrast-to-noise (CNR) benefits of cardiac MR (CMR) at 7.0 T. B₁⁺-inhomogeneities and signal voids represent the main challenges. Various pioneering coil concepts have been proposed to tackle these issues, enabling cardiac MRI at 7.0 T. This includes a trend towards an ever larger number of transmit and receive channels. This approach affords multi-dimensional B₁⁺ modulations to improve B₁⁺ shimming performance and to enhance RF efficiency. Also, parallel imaging benefits from a high number of receive channels enabling two-dimensional acceleration. Realizing the limitations of existing coil designs tailored for UHF CMR and recognizing the opportunities of a many element TX/RX channel architecture this work proposes a modular, two dimensional 32-channel transmit and receive array using loop elements and examines its efficacy for enhanced B¹+ homogeneity and improved parallel imaging performance. Y1 - 2012 SN - 1545-4428 N1 - ISMRM 20th Annual Meeting & Exhibition, 5-11 May 2012, Melbourne, Australia ER - TY - PAT A1 - Frauenrath, Tobias A1 - Niendorf, Thoralf T1 - MRT-Vorrichtung und Verfahren zum Betreiben einer MRT-Vorrichtung T1 - Magnetic resonance tomography (MRT) apparatus and method of operating a magnetic resonance (MR) apparatus T1 - Appareil de tomographie par résonance magnétique et procédé de fonctionnement d'un appareil à résonance magnétique N2 - A magnetic resonance tomography (MRT) apparatus (1) for the examination of a body (14) comprises parameter acquisition devices (13) for the acquisition of cardiovascular parameters of the body (14) and a control device (15) in communication with the parameter acquisition devices (13) for synchronizing the imaging, wherein the control device (15) is adapted to analyse the data of at least two parameter acquisition devices (13) and to output a control signal based on the analysis. Y1 - 2012 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Gräßl, Andreas A1 - Renz, Wolfgang A1 - Hezel, Fabian A1 - Dieringer, Matthias A. A1 - Winter, Lukas A1 - Özerdem, Celal A1 - Rieger, Jan A1 - Kellmann, Peter A1 - Santoro, Davide A1 - Lindel, Tomasz D. A1 - Frauenrath, Tobias A1 - Pfeiffer, Harald A1 - Niendorf, Thoralf T1 - Modular 32-channel transceiver coil array for cardiac MRI at 7.0T JF - Magnetic Resonance in Medicine N2 - Purpose To design and evaluate a modular transceiver coil array with 32 independent channels for cardiac MRI at 7.0T. Methods The modular coil array comprises eight independent building blocks, each containing four transceiver loop elements. Numerical simulations were used for B1+ field homogenization and radiofrequency (RF) safety validation. RF characteristics were examined in a phantom study. The array's suitability for accelerated high spatial resolution two-dimensional (2D) FLASH CINE imaging of the heart was examined in a volunteer study. Results Transmission field adjustments and RF characteristics were found to be suitable for the volunteer study. The signal-to-noise intrinsic to 7.0T together with the coil performance afforded a spatial resolution of 1.1 × 1.1 × 2.5 mm3 for 2D CINE FLASH MRI, which is by a factor of 6 superior to standardized CINE protocols used in clinical practice at 1.5T. The 32-channel transceiver array supports one-dimensional acceleration factors of up to R = 4 without impairing image quality significantly. Conclusion The modular 32-channel transceiver cardiac array supports accelerated and high spatial resolution cardiac MRI. The array is compatible with multichannel transmission and provides a technological basis for future clinical assessment of parallel transmission techniques at 7.0T. Y1 - 2013 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1002/mrm.24903 SN - 1522-2594 VL - 72 IS - 1 SP - 276 EP - 290 PB - Wiley-Liss CY - New York ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Frauenrath, Tobias A1 - Fuchs, Katharina A1 - Dieringer, Matthias A. A1 - Özerdem, Celal A1 - Patel, Nishan A1 - Renz, Wolfgang A1 - Greiser, Andreas A1 - Elgeti, Thomas A1 - Niendorf, Thoralf T1 - Detailing the use of magnetohydrodynamic effects for synchronization of MRI with the cardiac cycle: A feasibility study JF - Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging N2 - Purpose: To investigate the feasibility of using magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) effects for synchronization of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with the cardiac cycle. Materials and Methods: The MHD effect was scrutinized using a pulsatile flow phantom at B0 = 7.0 T. MHD effects were examined in vivo in healthy volunteers (n = 10) for B0 ranging from 0.05–7.0 T. Noncontrast-enhanced MR angiography (MRA) of the carotids was performed using a gated steady-state free-precession (SSFP) imaging technique in conjunction with electrocardiogram (ECG) and MHD synchronization. Results: The MHD potential correlates with flow velocities derived from phase contrast MRI. MHD voltages depend on the orientation between B0 and the flow of a conductive fluid. An increase in the interelectrode spacing along the flow increases the MHD potential. In vivo measurement of the MHD effect provides peak voltages of 1.5 mV for surface areas close to the common carotid artery at B0 = 7.0 T. Synchronization of MRI with the cardiac cycle using MHD triggering is feasible. MHD triggered MRA of the carotids at 3.0 T showed an overall image quality and richness of anatomic detail, which is comparable to ECG-triggered MRAs. Conclusion: This feasibility study demonstrates the use of MHD effects for synchronization of MR acquisitions with the cardiac cycle. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2012;36:364–372. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Y1 - 2012 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1002/jmri.23634 SN - 1522-2586 VL - 36 IS - 2 SP - 364 EP - 372 PB - Wiley-Liss CY - New York ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Grande, Marion A1 - Meffert, Elisabeth A1 - Schoenberger, Eva A1 - Jung, Stefanie A1 - Frauenrath, Tobias A1 - Huber, Walter A1 - Hussmann, Katja A1 - Moormann, Mareike A1 - Heim, Stefan T1 - From a concept to a word in a syntactically complete sentence: An fMRI study on spontaneous language production in an overt picture description task JF - NeuroImage N2 - Spontaneous language has rarely been subjected to neuroimaging studies. This study therefore introduces a newly developed method for the analysis of linguistic phenomena observed in continuous language production during fMRI. Most neuroimaging studies investigating language have so far focussed on single word or — to a smaller extent — sentence processing, mostly due to methodological considerations. Natural language production, however, is far more than the mere combination of words to larger units. Therefore, the present study aimed at relating brain activation to linguistic phenomena like word-finding difficulties or syntactic completeness in a continuous language fMRI paradigm. A picture description task with special constraints was used to provoke hesitation phenomena and speech errors. The transcribed speech sample was segmented into events of one second and each event was assigned to one category of a complex schema especially developed for this purpose. The main results were: conceptual planning engages bilateral activation of the precuneus. Successful lexical retrieval is accompanied – particularly in comparison to unsolved word-finding difficulties – by the left middle and superior temporal gyrus. Syntactic completeness is reflected in activation of the left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) (area 44). In sum, the method has proven to be useful for investigating the neural correlates of lexical and syntactic phenomena in an overt picture description task. This opens up new prospects for the analysis of spontaneous language production during fMRI. Y1 - 2012 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2012.03.087 SN - 1522-2586 VL - 61 IS - 3 SP - 702 EP - 714 PB - Elsevier CY - Amsterdam ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Martin, Conrad A1 - Frauenrath, Tobias A1 - Özerdem, Celal A1 - Renz, Wolfgang A1 - Niendorf, Thoralf T1 - Development and evaluation of a small and mobile Magneto Alert Sensor (MALSE) to support safety requirements for magnetic resonance imaging JF - European Radiology N2 - Objective The purpose of this study is to (i) design a small and mobile Magnetic field ALert SEnsor (MALSE), (ii) to carefully evaluate its sensors to their consistency of activation/deactivation and sensitivity to magnetic fields, and (iii) to demonstrate the applicability of MALSE in 1.5 T, 3.0 T and 7.0 T MR fringe field environments. Methods MALSE comprises a set of reed sensors, which activate in response to their exposure to a magnetic field. The activation/deactivation of reed sensors was examined by moving them in/out of the fringe field generated by 7TMR. Results The consistency with which individual reed sensors would activate at the same field strength was found to be 100% for the setup used. All of the reed switches investigated required a substantial drop in ambient magnetic field strength before they deactivated. Conclusions MALSE is a simple concept for alerting MRI staff to a ferromagnetic object being brought into fringe magnetic fields which exceeds MALSEs activation magnetic field. MALSE can easily be attached to ferromagnetic objects within the vicinity of a scanner, thus creating a barrier for hazardous situations induced by ferromagnetic parts which should not enter the vicinity of an MR-system to occur. KW - MRI KW - MR safety KW - Magneto alert sensor KW - High field MRI KW - Uktrahigh field MRI Y1 - 2011 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-011-2153-z SN - 1432-1084 VL - 21 SP - 2187 EP - 2192 PB - Springer CY - Berlin, Heidelberg ER -