Computer assistance for MR based diagnosis of breast cancer: present and future challenges.

MR based methods have gained an important role for the clinical detection and diagnosis of breast cancer. Dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI of the breast has become a robust and successful method, especially for diagnosis of high-risk cases due to its higher sensitivity compared to X-ray mammography. The application of MR based imaging methods depends on various automated image processing routines.

Fast 1H spectroscopic imaging using steady state free precession and spectral-spatial RF pulses.

Recently, new methods for fast (1)H spectroscopic imaging based on the condition of steady state free precession (SSFP) were introduced to achieve a high signal-to-noise ratio at short minimum measurement times. In this work, a major improvement is presented to overcome a crucial drawback in some of the former sequences: the lack of spatial selectivity. Good spectral selectivity at very high sampling efficiency can be achieved by using spectral-spatial RF pulses, and combined with localised shimming.

Fast 3D echo planar SSFP-based 1H spectroscopic imaging: demonstration on the rat brain in vivo.

A fast proton spectroscopic imaging pulse sequence based on the condition of steady-state free precession is presented. High 3D spatial and temporal resolution is achieved using simultaneous detection of both one spatial and one spectral dimension, with a time-dependent gradient cycle known from echo planar imaging. Additionally, in order to increase the spectral width of the measurement, an interleaved acquisition scheme is shown either for systems with limited gradient switching capabilities or applications with a wide chemical shift range.

Fast proton spectroscopic imaging using steady-state free precession methods.

Various pulse sequences for fast proton spectroscopic imaging (SI) using the steady-state free precession (SSFP) condition are proposed. The sequences use either only the FID-like signal S(1), only the echo-like signal S(2), or both signals in separate but adjacent acquisition windows. As in SSFP imaging, S(1) and S(2) are separated by spoiler gradients.