Motivation: This abstract focuses on educating on how high-gradient MRI systems can utilize the multi-echo functional MRI (ME-fMRI) techniques.
 

Goal(s): We explain the blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) signal technique and how additional echoes can improve the signal fidelity. 

Approach: The ME-fMRI, using three or more echoes allow for the pixelwise T2* decay to be modeled, and as BOLD contrast is a function of T2* evolution over time, an experiment sampling the voxel-wise T2* signal decay can be used to separate BOLD from artifact signal constituents.

Results: Gradient systems with ultra-rapid slew rates (> 400 T/m/s) allow ME-fMRI to reduce artefacts from flow, motion, and susceptibility effects.

Impact: MRI systems with ultra-high gradient systems can reduce artefacts from flow, motion, and susceptibility effects in the BOLD contrast technique using an ME-fMRI technique with three or more echoes to improve fidelity of fMRI. 

Motivation: The ever-evolving complexities of implants, clothing and technology in MRI, combined with the increased recent reported safety incidents around the world, motivated us to reinvent our safety program. 

Goal(s): Our goal was to create and institute a robust, multifaceted safety program that provides awareness into how each of us contributes to a safe environment in the MRI suite.

Approach: We assessed needs through surveys and observation. Support and education are  provided via weekly emails, site visits, quarterly meetings, and clearly written policies.

Results: Greater technologist engagement through increased incident documentation, adoption of a safer workflow, and greater participation at safety meetings.

Impact: Got Safety??
We've created a path for achieving a successful culture of safety in the MRI suite for staff and patients utilizing a broad, collaborative and comprehensive process, which brings together the key elements of safety with increased staff commitment.

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Motivation: MRI scans in young pediatric patients are challenging due to motion sensitivity and anxiety triggers yet its high contrast resolution and radiation-free make it pivotal especially in directing an appropriate treatment plan.

Goal(s): Identify key factors for successful sedation-free supplementary MRI scans in children, focusing on a child-friendly environment, trust-building, communication, tailored techniques, and parental support.

Approach: The MR team of the Hong Kong Children's Hospital implemented strategies like child-friendly rooms, audio-visual systems, child-life specialists, optimized protocols, shorter scan times, and parental accompany.

Results: Achieved high success rates with improved patient experience, shorter procedures, and better MRI facility utilization.

Impact: With the increasing demand for MRI, the efficient use of MR suits has become a global issue. Introducing non-sedating MR scanning skills for young pediatrics could save both preparation and table time and therefore boost the scanning efficiency. 

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Motivation: A worldwide increase of MRI staff shortage and at the same time an increasing number of MRI requests. 

Goal(s): Deployment of remote assist performed by properly trained MRI staff in a single site MRI department.

Approach: After a test period, remote assist was evaluated based on a survey conducted among the MRI staff members.

Results: Due to slow technical performance of the remote assist hardware and software and a normal patient schedule during the test period, the first experience was disappointing. A new test period will be planned where patient scheduling and technical performance will be tested and evaluated again.

Impact: Technical performance of the remote assist hardware and software (direct respond required) and patient scheduling need further improvement.

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Motivation: Performing dynamic contrast-enhanced MR lymphangiogram (DCMRL) in children require general anesthesia. In a non-hybrid environment, the nodal puncture for DCMRL is often performed in the angiography suite. Transporting a pediatric patient under general anesthesia with needles to an MRI environment presents unique challenges.

Goal(s): Develop a safe and effective workflow for DCMRL in non-hybrid setting.

Approach: Meticulous planning and collaborations between radiology and anesthesiology teams ensure safe execution of DCMRL.  Using contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) also improve the logistic of intranodal DCMRL by minimizing patient transfer.

Results: Careful coordination between Radiology and Anesthetic team results in successful and safe intranodal and intrahepatic DCMRL. .

Impact: The ability to perform DCMRL in non-hybrid environment has significant implications for accurate diagnosis of lymphatic diseases, enabling improved treatment planning and better patient outcomes.

Motivation: To evaluate the role that MR Spectroscopy and MR Perfusion play in characterizing breast masses on MR Mammograms with HPE correlation.

Goal(s):

• To compare the findings of the Histopathological Evaluation (HPE) with the radiological diagnosis.

• To evaluate the role that MR Spectroscopy and MR Perfusion play in the identification of breast masses.

Approach: 160 patients were included in prospective research design for eight months.
Patients with k/c/o carcinoma, sono-mammography, post-operative evaluation, and screening mammography were included.

Results: MRI diagnosis and histopathological results correlated in 86.1% patients. Dynamic Contrast Enhanced MR perfusion kinetics have been highly sensitive in distinguishing benign and malignant lesions. 
 

Impact: MR mammography has been demonstrated that MR Perfusion is extremely sensitive in identifying benign from malignant breast lesions. In order to provide sufficient information to differentiate between breast tumors, MR Spectroscopy has proven useful adjunct to MR Perfusion.

Motivation: Artefacts are features that appear in an image  not present in the original object.The study was informed by the various artefacts encountered during scanning.

Goal(s):  Different artefacts occured during scanning  affecting the diagnostic quality ,classified as patient related, signal processing and hardware related.
 

Approach: Information was collected on patients undergoing scanning on 3T Philip ingenia machine recording all artefacts. The consent form was used as a measure of accuracy of  patient information.

Results: Artefacts noted were motion artefacts, metallic and orthopaedic. Various methods were applied of elimination including field of view,  spin echo sequences, short echo time and use of oversampling techniques.

Impact: knowledge  of different types of artefacts and their origin was necessary to eliminate them to reduce their negative influence on MR images by adjusting acquisition parameters. 

Motivation: The fatal accidents in the MRI room are caused by the bringing of ferromagnetic objects. It is necessary to identify the trends in incidents.

Goal(s): Our goal was to investigate the relationship between the frequency of bringing ferromagnetic objects and years of MRI experience.

Approach: We compiled incident reports for the past 10 years, extracted reports related to the bringing of ferromagnetic objects.

Results: There were 26 reports of ferromagnetic objects brought introduced, and half of the reports were from technologists with less than one year of MRI experience.

Impact: In order to prevent the adsorption accidents of the ferromagnetic objects, it is important to understand the causes of such incidents and the characteristics of our own facilities. Sharing this survey will lead to the prevention of similar incidents.

Keywords:

Motivation: Minimize scanning time while ensuring the quality of MRH images.

Goal(s): This study investigated the feasibility of using compressed perception acceleration sequences to evaluate the quality of MRH images.

Approach: We compared data from traditional sequences and CS sequences with different acceleration factors.

Results: The results showed that CS4 can guarantee diagnostic requirement with 44%time reduction. Conventional images were more commonly used than CS SPACE images for radiologists. However, CS4 SPACE images still get more than 3-point. This suggests that CS4 SPACE images is still considered acceptable.

Impact: This preliminary study showed that for the MRH of inner ear, T2 SPACE sequence with 4-fold CS technique provided similar image quality to conventional T2 SPACE with 44% shorter scan time. Therefore, we can save a lot of examination time.

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Motivation: Even though PET-MR has been around for more than a decade, it is not highly available in all imaging centers due to high cost and complexity. Thus, seeking experience in setting up PET-MR protocols is challenging and can be quite daunting for first-timers and scans involving new tracers. 

Goal(s): To create an informative checklist which can ease planning a PET-MR protocol based on clinical experience and from literature review. This aim to overcome pitfalls and include considerations in setting up PET-MR protocols.

Approach: Systematic planning of PET-MR protocol.

Results: PET-MR radiographers and researchers will be able to plan their protocols efficiently and effectively.

Impact: This informative checklist can assist planning a PET-MR protocol on scanner from scratch. Using this guide, the PET-MR radiographers and researchers will become more confident and efficient in planning the PET-MR scanning protocols. This can also boost data-sharing among others.

Keywords:

Motivation: Coronary artery examination in elderly patients with low renal function and poor respiratory coordination has always been a clinical pain point.

Goal(s): Explore the feasibility of balanced steady-state free precession BTFE sequence for non-drug coronary imaging and find the optimal compressed sensing coefficient under this sequence

Approach: Acquire cs4, 6, and 8 images under BTFE sequence, record acquisition time and analyze objective indicators and subjective scores

Results: CS6 can achieve relatively high imaging quality in a short time

Impact: Our study may inform efforts to more rapidly perform non-contrast enhanced coronary MRI angiography in elderly patients.

Motivation: To present our experience with native T1 mapping in Post-COVID Vaccine-related myocarditis.

Goal(s): To evaluate paediatric native T1 mapping values in Post-COVID Vaccine-related myocarditis

Approach: Data was collated over August 2021 - August 2023 in 15 patients (13 boys and 2 girls), aged 9 to 16 years old. Patients were scanned in a 3 Tesla MRI scanner. 

Results: Majority of T1 values ranged 1201-1250ms. 17 segments had T1 values above 1250ms which correlated with LGE, (mostly in the basal region), ranging 1256ms – 1606ms. Thus, we perceived the normal range of T1 values to be 1100ms-1250ms and those above as increased T1 values. 

Impact: Our study evaluated the characteristics of post-COVID vaccine-related myocarditis, a relatively new disease, in children aged 9 to 16 years-old using native T1 Mapping at 3T MRI, filling up the current gap in data in paediatric myocardial native T1 values

Motivation: The quality of cardiac film sequences in patients with arrhythmia is poor, which affects the clinical diagnosis.

Goal(s): To observe the value of single-shot compressed sensing cine imaging  inevaluating cardiac structure and function in arrhythmia patients

Approach: MRI;ICC;Kappa

Results: n arrhythmia group, there was statistical difference of myocardial thickness in 12 myocardial segments between the 2 sequences,as well as peak and average values of myocardial radial and circumferential strain.

Impact: For arrhythmia patients, single-shot compressed sensing cine imaging cine sequence could improve image quality of cardiac MRI.

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Motivation: TSE sequences are crucial for rectum MRI, but have limitations. DL-TSE is expected to improve image quality and reduce acquisition time for rectum MRI.

Goal(s): To assess the viability of employing TSE sequences with deep learning reconstruction for rectal MRI when compared to conventional TSE sequences.

Approach: This study included 16 patients with colorectal cancer confirmed by pathology. SNR and CNR were analyzed by SPSS 22.0 software.A P-value below 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
 

Results: The results show that the application of deep learning can shorten the scanning time while maintaining high image resolution, and improve the diagnostic efficiency of rectal diseases.

Impact: Deep learning reconstruction of TSE sequence in rectal MRI has the advantages of shortening acquisition time, improving image quality, and improving diagnostic efficiency. DL-TSE may also be extended to MRI examinations of other organs, such as the prostate and pelvis.

Motivation: Two big problems encountered in hybrid MR PET exams are: long duration of the exams and the optimization of the administered activity.

Goal(s): I tried to evaluate the feasibility of decreasing the time and dose using an artificial intelligence tool in reconstruction while preserving the performance of PET and MR.

Approach: By analyzing the literature, it was possible to identify the optimal reconstruction strategies for PET and MR imaging that utilize artificial intelligence to save dose and time.

Results: Deep learning techniques have made significant advances in data reconstruction images from examinations with low scan times or radiopharmaceutical dose

Impact: Artificial intelligence in MR PET is a promising approach. The impact on the health of patients is undeniable, especially in the paediatric population. This approach reduces the dose and consequently the cost of radiopharmaceuticals and increases productivity and efficiency.  

Keywords:

Motivation:
  Adolescents have high sensitivity to X-ray, and MRI has the advantage of non-radiation, which has not been perfected in the assessment of adolescent bone age.
 
 
 

Goal(s):  To analyze the predictive value of MRI ossification development of knee joint with gender and age. 

Approach: The indexes representing epiphyseal development of distal femur and proximal tibia were selected for measurement, and the differences of epiphyseal development of distal femur and proximal tibia between different gender and different age groups were explored. 
 

Results: Males performed better on the distal femur and females on the proximal tibia for age prediction, which could be evaluated separately if necessary.

Impact: The objective indicators of ossification development in MRI of knee joint have certain predictive value with gender and age, which helps to evaluate bone age objectively and accurately, and provides a new idea for epiphysis evaluation 

Motivation: PET/MRI integrate functional and anatomical information, elevating diagnostic precision. However, a key challenge lies in ensuring the reliability of attenuation (µ) map generation.

Goal(s): This research assesses the accuracy of PET/MR-based µ-map from 3D-Dixon and 3D-Dixon Hires T1W in comparison to a standard µ-map from PET/CT at the voxel level.

Approach: the µ-map data from 15 patients who underwent both PET/CT and PET/MRI of the pelvic region were analyzed to quantify the disparities in the generated µ-maps.

Results: We found that 3D-Dixon Hires outperforms the 3D-Dixon in the creation of µ-maps, rendering it a superior choice for precise attenuation correction.

Impact: Spatial resolution influences the accuracy of attenuation correction in PET/MRI, particularly when employing quantitative methods for diagnosis. Notably, the utilization of higher-resolution Dixon MRI images enhances the reliability of attenuation in tissue compartmental models for the generation of this map.

Keywords:

Motivation: We tested the acceleration method in a clinical setting demanding high-resolution and high-quality structural images.

Goal(s): Deep -brain stimulation requires high-resolution 3D MRI sequences. The Wave CAIPIRINHA (Wave-CAIPI) may be expected to significantly reduce acquisition time while changing tissue contrast.

Approach: We collected scanning data from 5 healthy volunteers, including conventional MP2RAGE and Wave CAIPI research applications (with acceleration factors of 2x2, 2x3, and 3x3, respectively).

Results: Compared with MP2RAGE, the Wave-CAIPI (2Xx2) and Wave-CAIPI (2xX3) sequences provide good tissue contrast while shortening acquisition time.

Impact: This new sequence is helpful to the localization of brain structures for pre-surgical planning.

Keywords:

Motivation: Torso enhanced CT is the standard method for colon cancer staging. MRI is a complimentary method. Our purpose is to develop a MR Colon cancer scanning method with simple process and short scan time.

Goal(s): develop a new T2WI  breath-hold scanning technique that eliminates the need for bowel preparation and reduces scan time

Approach: compared the image quality between trans-axial T2WI and axial T2WI in visualization of anatomical structure

Results: Patient examination time for our colon MRI is less than 10min, compared with conventional MRI, our approach offered a simplified and expedited means of visualizing lesion details with superior clarity.

Impact: Our research focused on MRI scan optimization. Without bowel preparation, using breath-hold, our creative trans-axial imaging plan becomes highly manageable and enables efficient repetition of the entire process.

Motivation: In this study, the motivation was to improve fat signal suppression in Diffusion-weighted Whole Body Imaging with Background Body Signal Suppression (DWIBS).

Goal(s): The specific goals were to evaluate the fat suppression effect of the Principle of Selective Excitation Technique (PROSET) in combination with STIR DWI (PROSET-STIR DWI) compared to conventional methods.

Approach: The approach involved scanning healthy volunteers using PROSET-STIR DWI, STIR DWI and SPAIR DWI.

Results:  The results revealed that PROSET-STIR DWI achieved superior fat suppression for Methylene signals compared to conventional methods. Overall, PROSET-STIR DWI demonstrated enhanced fat suppression, highlighting its potential in clinical applications.

Impact: The PROSET-STIR DWI technique demonstrates superior fat suppression compared to conventional methods, with notable differences in Methylene fat signals. This advance can benefit medical imaging, potentially improving cancer detection and diagnostic accuracy.

Motivation: Clinical and research patients can be imaged safely at 7T while providing improved quality and resolution enabling better detection of lesions while maintaining a safe working environment for our patients and technologists.

Goal(s): The goal is to guide new operator of MRI 7T on how to prepare themselves and patient for advance imaging exam.

Approach: Informative approaches for equipment, safety, side effects of 7T MRI for patients and technologist.

Results: Operating a 7T MRI is similar to other field strengths, but technologist should be well trained and understand the environment in UHF scanners.

Impact: 7T MRI is an advance imaging technology that is very beneficial for patient care.  This guidelines will provides MRI technologist some insight on the equipment, safety, and how to prepare the patient for 7T MRI studies.

Motivation: To improve the safety of Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Patients with Implantable Medical Devices in Japan.

Goal(s): To Investigate of Conducting for Patients with Implantable Devices and Items included in the Metal Safety Checklist.

Approach: A questionnaire survey was conducted at medical facilities that perform MRI examinations of patients with implantable devices.

Results: Conducting MRI for Patients with Implantable Medical Devices and Items in the Metal Safety Checklist revealed variations.

Impact: This study advances the discussion of Conducting for Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Patients with Implantable Medical Devices and the need to create a template for the Metal Safety Checklist in Japan.

Motivation: MRI is the best imaging modality due to its excellent resolution and contrast differentiation of soft tissue. However, MRI is scarce and lengthy, yielding low patient throughput and delays in the diagnosis and management of health conditions. It is crucial to have an appropriate imaging protocol to minimize delays in the management of any health conditions for improved health outcomes and quality of life.

Goal(s): To advocate for early diagnosis and management of health conditions for improved quality of life in developing countries.

Approach: Case study

Results: MRI showed a thin encapsulated lesions with a lobular pattern, which were in line with lipoma.

Impact: Appropriate MRI protocols will minimize unnecessary sequences and improve patient throughput and early diagnosis for improved health outcomes in developing countries.

Motivation: The Significance of fMRI in Surgical Planning for Tumour Resection and Epilepsy Surgery: Optimal Language Paradigms for Language Area Mapping

Goal(s): This paper explores the importance of fMRI in surgical planning and the most effective language paradigms for language area mapping.

Approach: fMRI allows neurosurgeons to pinpoint critical brain regions responsible for language, motor function, and sensory perception. This information is pivotal in minimizing postoperative neurological deficits

Results: For epilepsy surgery, it aids in delineating the epileptogenic zone as data clearly shows increase in seizure freedom with detailed imaging identifying the true extent of the lesion.

Impact: Resource for radiographers on how to perform a fMRI examination, sequence parameters and corresponding language paradigms.