Summary
In this chapter, we discuss the factors that affect image quality of DW-MRI and practical methods to improve the quality of DW-MR images obtained from clinical scanners. We demonstrate how simple phantoms may be used to improve image quality so that high-quality images can be attained consistently. We review the relative merits of fat-suppression schemes and how these may be applied to different clinical applications. We discuss the optimization of b-values and the number of b-values required for clinical imaging and further illustrate the range of considerations required for these choices. We survey the different data acquisition methods using breath-holding, physiological gating or free breathing, and how the choice of data acquisition method may relate to a particular scanning application. Finally, we provide recommendations to enable the reader to develop their own practical diffusion-weighted imaging protocols in the body.
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Collins, D.J., Blackledge, M. (2010). Techniques and Optimization. In: Koh, D.M., Thoeny, H.C. (eds) Diffusion-Weighted MR Imaging. Medical Radiology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-78576-7_2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-78576-7_2
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