Zoomed echo-planar imaging using parallel transmission: impact on image quality of diffusion-weighted imaging of the prostate at 3T.

Purpose: To assess impact of two-channel parallel transmission (pTx) with focused excitation [zoomed echo-planar imaging (EPI)] on image quality of prostate diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) at 3T.

Methods: 27 male volunteers (27 ± 8 years) underwent 3T prostate MRI using 2-channel radiofrequency-transmit system and 18-channel torso receive coil. Scans included EPI-DWI sequence (b values 50, 500, 1000 s/mm(2)) acquired both with standard sinc pulse and 2-channel pTX with focused excitation, each acquired at large-field-of-view (FOV) (20 × 20 cm) and small-FOV (14 × 14 cm).

Evaluation of radiation dose among patients admitted through a university hospital emergency department.

This study was conducted to evaluate the impact of different patient presentations/characteristics on medical imaging and radiation exposure. We collected data on the estimated effective radiation dose (EED) of patients admitted through our University Hospital ER, and analyzed the relationships of patient gender, age, admitting diagnosis, and admission duration on EED. All (592) patients admitted through our ER (with imaging) during 1-week periods in May/November 2009 were included.