O-scan

Image Quality and Sequence Manual

350003400 Rev. 04

Esaote S.p.A.
Genoa

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 Edition
April 2020

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 INDEX
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Chapter 1 - Image Quality in MR

Signal and Noise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
Spatial Resolution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Contrast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Sequence Parameters versus Image Quality and Scan Time . . . . . . . 4
Repetition Time TR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Echo Time TE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
Inversion Time TI. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Flip Angle FA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Slice Thickness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Number of Slices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Gap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Number of Acquisitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Field of View in Acquisition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Number of series . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Matrix. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
SpeedUp Tecnique . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
Elliptical filling of K-space . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Motion artifacts correction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Typical parameters of the FSE sequences versus Image Quality. . . . . 20
Echo Spacing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
Echo Train Length . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
Relaxation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
Multiplication factor of sampling frequency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
X-MAR Technique. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
TR reduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Displayed Image . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
Acquisition modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Multislice 2D Acquisition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62
3D Acquisition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63
Isotropic 3D . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

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 Anisotropic 3D . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Quality Factor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Recognizing and Correcting Artifacts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Inhomogeneity Artifacts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Magnetic field non-uniformity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Local Inhomogeneity of the Magnetic Field . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Zebra Artifact . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Magnetic Disturbance Related Artifacts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
RF Disturbance Related Artifacts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Magnet frequency variation artifacts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Edge Artifacts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Chemical Shift Contours . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Ringing due to Finite Data Sampling. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
Ghosting and Smearing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Wraparound Artifacts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
“Magic angle” artifacts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Typical artifacts in Fast Spin Echo sequences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Relaxation technique malfunctioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Typical artifacts in Stationary State sequences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Typical artifacts of “XBONE” sequences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Typical artifacts due to the use of the SpeedUp technique. . . . . . . . . 86

Chapter 2 - Examination Sequences & Protocols

Pulse Sequences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Sequences to obtain T1 Contrast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
“Spin Echo T1” Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
“Spin Echo T1 HE” Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
“Spin Echo T1 HF” Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
“Fast Spin Echo T1” Sequences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
“IR” Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Sequences to obtain T2 Contrast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
“Spin Echo T2” Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
“Spin Echo Proton Density-T2” Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
“Turbo Multi Echo 3 Echoes”” Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
“Turbo Spin Echo” Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

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 “Fast Spin Echo T2” Sequences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
“FSE Proton Density T2” sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
“Turbo Multi Echo” Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Sequences to obtain the “Proton Density” Contrast . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
“SPED” Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Gradient Echo Sequences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

INDEX
“Gradient Echo, TE = 10 ms” and “Gradient Echo, TE = 14 ms” and
“Gradient Echo, TE = 16 ms” sequences. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Gradient Echo T2 sequence. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
“XBONE” seqence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
“2D HYCE” Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
“2D HYCE S” Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Fat suppression sequences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
“STIR” Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
“STIR T2” Sequence. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
“Gradient Echo STIR, TE = 25” Sequences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
“Fast STIR” Sequences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Sequences to obtain hybrid contrasts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
“Spin Echo T2, TE = 50 ms” Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
“Turbo Spin Echo T2, TE = 50 ms” Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Three-dimensional Sequences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
“Turbo 3D T1” Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
“3D SST1” Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
“3D SST2” Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
“3D SHARC” Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
“SET1 3D HF” Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
“STIR 3D HF” Sequence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Cinematic examination sequences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Cinematic knee examination sequences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Dynamic acquisition sequences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Examination Protocols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Pre-set Protocols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Cinematic Protocols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Protocol Choice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

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 Chapter 3 - Technical Description
Technical specifications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Sequences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

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 CHAPTER 1
Introduction
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This image and sequence quality manual constitutes only a part of the
instructions required for safe and correct use of all configurations of the O-
scan system.
The following manuals, supplied with the device for user consultation, are
an integral part of the instructions required for use of the O-scan system.
• O-scan User Manual
• User Interface Manual
• LCD TFT Monitor User Manual
• CD/DVD drive User Manual
The original language of all the O-scan User Manuals is Italian. Esaote
S.p.A. has had these manuals translated into English, German, Spanish
and Portuguese.

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 CHAPTER 1
Image Quality in MR
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The aim of this chapter is to provide the user with the basic information
required to select the examination protocols, sequences and related
parameters, in order to optimize image quality and minimize examination
time, and obtain diagnostic MR images.
The factors in MR image quality are:
☛ Signal-to-Noise Ratio
☛ Spatial Resolution
☛ Contrast Resolution
☛ Lack of Artifacts. (Refer to the paragraph on Recognizing and Correcting
Artifacts in this chapter for a brief description of the typical artifacts in MR
imaging)

Signal and Noise

The MR image consists of a matrix of individual image elements, known as
“pixels”. Each pixel has a specific gray value that is the result of two
factors:
☛ the intensity of the MR signal for the associated volume element (voxel)
☛ noise.
Refer to the next paragraph “Spatial Resolution” for the definition of voxel.

SIGNAL INTENSITY
Signal intensity is determined by:
☛ the typical parameters of the tissue examined: proton density,
relaxation times T1 and T2
☛ parameters of the pulse sequence: repetition time TR, echo time TE,
inversion time TI, flip angle FA, slice thickness, FOV, matrix size, number
of acquisitions, etc.
☛ reconstruction parameters: interpolation etc.
☛ system parameters: magnetic field intensity and type of receiving coil
used.

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 NOISE
Noise is a statistic fluctuation of signal intensity that does not contribute
to image information. The factors generating noise are:
☛ presence of the patient in the magnet
☛ electrical noise generated by the RF receiving system
☛ external electromagnetic noise.
The Signal to Noise Ratio (S/N) is used in MR as a measure of image
quality. It describes the relative contributions to the detected signal of the
true signal intensity and superimposed background noise.
When the Signal to Noise Ratio (S/N) is lower than a threshold, dependent
on the sequence used and the parameters set, you receive the following
message "At least one image of the series has been acquired with a
Signal/Noise ratio very poor".

Spatial Resolution
Spatial resolution is a measure of the system's ability to display closely
spaced points as separate and distinct.
Spatial resolution depends on the voxel size: the smaller the voxel the
increased the spatial resolution.
Signal intensity, which is proportional to the number of excited protons,
also depends on the voxel: the smaller the voxel, the fewer the number of
protons excited and lower the signal intensity
The voxel size is defined by the following sequence parameters:
☛ slice thickness, i.e. the spatial depth of each slice into which the
anatomical region to be examined is divided.
☛ Field of view (FOV) in acquisition, i.e. the area of the slice from which
the system acquires information
☛ matrix size, i.e. the number of rows multiplied by the number of
columns into which the image is divided.

voxel size = (pixel size) x (slice thickness)

pixel size = (FOV) / matrix size

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 Image Quality in MR
fig. 1.1 - Acquisition matrix: voxel and pixel

Contrast
Contrast is the relative difference in signal intensity between two types of
tissues. It is very important criterion used to differentiate pathological and
healthy tissues.
The contrast is determined by:
☛ Type of pulse sequence
☛ sequence parameters: TR, TE, TI, flip angle
☛ typical parameters of FSE sequences: Echo Spacing, Echo Train Length,
Flow Compensation, Relaxation
☛ use of contrast agents.
Contrast in MRI is determined by the relaxation times, T1 and T2, of the
different tissues.
There are many image acquisition techniques (i.e., pulse sequences) to
distinguish tissues by their relaxation times: refer to the chapter on
“Examination protocols and sequences” in this manual for a brief
description of the contrast behavior of each pulse sequence.

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 Sequence Parameters versus Image Quality and Scan Time

Repetition Time TR
Repetition time, TR, is the time interval between the start of two
consecutive pulse sequences.
A pulse sequence is a train of RF and gradient pulses used to:
☛ excite the MR response signal from the sample subject to the influence
of the magnetic field
☛ encode this signal with spatial information.
TR influences image contrast: T1 contrast depends mainly on the TR
value.
TR has a minimum value depending on the selected pulse sequence, the
selected echo time, TE, and the selected number of slices.

Effects of modifying TR value

Increase Decrease

Increased T2 contrast, with long TE. Increased T1 contrast, with short TE.
Results in proton-density contrast, with short
TE.

Allows increased number of slices. Decreased number of slices is required.

Increased scan time as follows: Decreased sequence time.

Scan time = (effective no. of phase
encodings) x (no. of acquisitions) x TR.

Increased signal intensity from all tissues due Decreased signal intensity from all tissues:
to T1 relaxation. time for recovery of longitudinal
magnetization is insufficient.

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Echo Time TE
The echo time TE is the time between the center of the RF excitation pulse
and the center of the pulse echo (spin echo or gradient echo).

Image Quality in MR
TR influences image contrast: T2 contrast depends mainly on the TE
value.
TE has a minimum value depending on the selected pulse sequence and a
maximum value depending both on the selected pulse sequence and on
the minimum acceptable S/N for the system.

Effects of modifying TE value

Increase Decrease

Increased T2 contrast, with long TR. Increased T1 contrast, with short TR.
Results in proton-density contrast image,
with long TR.

Decreased signal intensity from all tissues Increased signal intensity according to the T2
due to T2 relaxation. of each tissue.

Increased scan time as follows: an increase in

TE may require an increase in TR.

fig. 1.2 - Spin Echo Sequence

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 Inversion Time TI
The inversion time TI is the time between the 180° inversion RF pulse,
after which the net magnetization is in the direction opposite to the static
magnetic field, and the subsequent 90° excitation pulse to obtain MR
signal in inversion recovery sequences.
T1 influences image contrast: the amplitude of longitudinal
magnetization, which relaxes during T1, depends on T1 Moreover if the
90° excitation pulse is applied at the exact moment when the relaxation
curve of a particular T1 value is at zero, the signal of the corresponding
tissue is suppressed.
A short TI produces a fat suppression effect in the image; a long TI
enhances T1 contrast.

Effects of Modifying TI value

Increase Decrease

Decreased signal intensity from all tissues Increased signal intensity due to a larger
due to T1 relaxation of the longitudinal amount of net longitudinal magnetization
magnetization. present when the 90° excitation pulse is
applied.

fig. 1.3 - Inversion Recovery Sequence

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Flip Angle FA
The Flip Angle is the deflection angle, caused by the RF excitation pulse, of
the net magnetization with respect to the direction of the static magnetic

Image Quality in MR
field.
FA influences the contrast of the image in gradient echo sequences, as
follows:
☛ FA t75°, with TE d 14 ms, provides pseudo T1 contrast
☛ FA d 45°, with TE t18 ms, provides pseudo T2 contrast.
Gradient Echo sequences are fast sequences that adopt short TR values.
With a short TR and a FA = 90° only a small amount of longitudinal
magnetization can be recovered between an excitation pulse and the
following one, and consequently less net magnetization can be moved into
the transverse plane, yielding a decrease of the signal intensity.
With FA smaller than 90° there is always a substantial amount of
longitudinal magnetization after each excitation pulse, which yields a
higher signal.
The signal intensity depends on the values FA and TR: for a fixed TR, a
specific FA maximizes signal intensity.

fig. 1.4 - Signal intensity vs. TR, depending on FA

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 fig. 1.5 - Gradient Echo Sequence

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Slice Thickness
Slice thickness is the spatial depth of each slice into which the anatomical
region to be examined is divided.

Image Quality in MR
The voxel size depends on the slice thickness:

voxel size = (pixel size) x (slice thickness)

In typical MR examination conditions, the slice thickness is greater than

the other two sizes of the voxel and the signal measured derives from a
series of different tissues (“partial volume” effect).

Effects of modifying ST value

Increase Decrease

Increased signal intensity per pixel due to the Decreased signal intensity per pixel due to
voxel size increase. the voxel size decrease.

Increases the volume acquired with a single Decreases the volume acquired with a single
scan. scan.

Increased partial volume effect, especially at Decreased partial volume effect.

oblique tissue interfaces.

Decreased spatial resolution due to the voxel Increased spatial resolution due to the voxel
size increase. size decrease.

Number of Slices
The MR signal from different slices of the same anatomic region can be
measured using the multi-slice acquisition method.
The maximum permissible number of slices depends on the TR value,
selected by the user, and on the minimum TR, specific to the pulse
sequence in use.
To increase the number of slices over the maximum value for a selected
TR, first increase the TR and then increase the number of slices.
The scan time will increase as a consequence of the TR increase.

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 Gap
The gap is the distance between two adjacent slices.
Slices may be either contiguous or with small gap between them.
If the gap is less than 10% of the slice thickness, the signals of the
adjacent slices affect one another (crosstalk effect), decreasing the signal
intensity per slice.

Effects of modifying gap value

Increase Decrease

Increases the volume acquired with a single Decreases the volume acquired with a single
scan. scan.

Decreased crosstalk between slices and Increased crosstalk between slices and
consequently increased signal intensity per consequently decreased signal intensity per
slice. slice.

Increased risk of missing small-scale Decreased risk of missing small-scale

pathology between slices. pathology between slices.

Number of Acquisitions
The number of acquisitions represents how many times during a scan the
excitation pulse is applied to the same voxel.
By applying the excitation pulse to a voxel several times and calculating
the average of measurements taken, a greater S/N ratio is obtained with
respect to the single application on the same voxel of the excitation pulse.
The increase factor is equal to the square root of the number of
acquisitions, given that the noise of each signal is totaled incoherently.

Effects of modifying number of acquisitions value

Increase Decrease

Increased S/N of all tissues. Decreased S/N of all tissues.

Decreased motion and flow artifacts thanks Increased motion and flow artifacts.
to signal averaging.

Increased scan time as follows: Decreased sequence time.

Scan time = (effective no. of phase
encodings) x (no. of acquisitions) x TR.

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Field of View in Acquisition
The field of view (FOV) establishes the dimensions of the area from which
the system acquires information. This area can be square or rectangular

Image Quality in MR
and its two sides are “Readout FOV” and “Encoding FOV”.

FOV = (Readout FOV) x (Encoding FOV)

The readout FOV determines the direction in which the system executes
the readout (frequency) sampling.
The encoding FOV determines the direction in which the system executes
the phase encoding.
The number of sampling points in the readout (frequency) direction and
the number of phase encodings in the phase encoding direction
determines the size of the raw data matrix.
The FOV has a minimum value depending on the maximum gradient
strength.

Effects of modifying “square FOV” value

Increase Decrease

Increased signal intensity per pixel due to the With a fixed matrix size, decreased signal
voxel size increase, with fixed matrix size. intensity per pixel due to the voxel size
decrease.

Increases the volume acquired with a single Decreases the volume acquired with a single
scan. scan.

May increase the “wrap-around” artifact, with

fixed matrix size.

Decreased spatial resolution due to the voxel Increased spatial resolution due to the voxel
size increase, with fixed matrix size. size decrease, with fixed matrix size.

Decreased ringing artifact.

Effects of modifying “rectangular FOV” value

The User can obtain rectangular FOV by choosing an Encoding FOV less
than the Readout FOV (the opposite is not allowed by the software), with
fixed matrix size.
The effective number of phase encoding steps depends on the selected
values of Encoding FOV, Reading FOV and phase encoding steps as
follows:

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 effective no. of phase encodings =

(no. of phase encodings) x (Encoding FOV / Reading FOV)

The spatial resolution is the same as that of a square FOV, with side
dimensions equal to the maximum value between Encoding FOV and
Reading FOV.

Decrease Encoding FOV

Decreased scan time, due to the decrease in the effective number of phase encoding steps.
Scan time = (effective no. of phase encodings) x (no. of acquisitions) x (TR).

Decreased S/N, due to the FOV dimensions decrease.

Increase Reading FOV

Decreased scan time, due to the decrease in the effective number of phase encoding steps.
Scan time = (effective no. of phase encodings) x (no. of acquisitions) x TR.

Increased S/N, due to the FOV dimensions increase.

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Number of series
The number of series represents the number of times in which the
sequence is automatically acquired in a single TR.

Image Quality in MR
This parameter can be set directly by the user on all Fast Spin Echo (FSE)
and Steady State sequences:
The parameter series acts in a different way depending on the type of
sequences on which is used:
Fast Spin Echo (FSE) family of sequences
The maximum number of series actually admissible for this type of
sequences is 2.
In response of two acquisitions, two different k spaces are filled, which
complement one another, leaving the echo selected by the user, by means
of the TE, at the center of both; at the end, the two k spaces are
combined, thereby obtaining an image with the required contrast.

Effects of modifying series number on FSE

Active Not Active

Increases the number of times in which the Decreases the number of times in which the
sequence is automatically acquired. sequence is automatically acquired.

Decreases, thanks to the filling of n K spaces, Increases the blurring artifacts.

which complement one another, the blurring
type artifact.

Increasees the duration of the sequence: Decreases the duration of the sequence.
duration scan = (phase encoding number) x
(series number) x TR/ETL.

Steady state family of sequences

For this type of sequences there is no restriction on the maximum number
of series that can be set.
In response of n acquisitions, each preceded by an appropriate pulse
phase change, n different k spaces are generated, and thus n images; at
the end of the entire sequence, the n images are combined to obtain an
image in which the Banding artifact is reduced to a minimum and/or
eliminated.

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350003400 Rev. 04 • 13 / 88
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•
•
 Effects of modifying series number on steady state sequences

Active Not Active

Increases the number of times in which the Decreases the number of times in which the
sequence is automatically acquired. sequence is automatically acquired.

Decreases the banding type artifact. Increases the banding artifacts.

Increasees the duration of the sequence: Decreases the duration of the sequence.
duration scan = (phase encoding number) x
(series number) x TR.

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Matrix
There are two different types of matrices:
☛ The raw data matrix

Image Quality in MR
☛ The Fourier transformed matrix, which derives from the raw data matrix
and is the image matrix. The pixels of the image matrix of the system are
always square and their size can be obtained as follows:

pixel size (1)= FOV / (128 x 128)

pixel size (2)= FOV / (256 x 256)

pixel size (3)= FOV / (512 x 512)

The User can choose the raw data matrix size by the number of reading
(frequency) sampling points and the number of phase encoding steps to
yield a desired spatial resolution.

Effects of modifying matrix size

Increase Decrease

Increased spatial resolution due to the voxel Decreased spatial resolution due to the voxel
size decrease, with fixed FOV size. size increase, with fixed FOV size.

Increased occurrence of “ringing” artifacts.

Decreased signal intensity per pixel due to Increased signal intensity per pixel due to the
the voxel size decrease, with fixed FOV voxel size increase, with fixed FOV
dimensions. dimensions.

Increased sequence time, due to the increase Decreased scan time, due to the decrease in
in the effective number of phase encoding the effective number of phase encoding
steps: scan duration = (effective number of steps.
phase encoding steps) x (number of
acquisitions) x TR.

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350003400 Rev. 04 • 15 / 88
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•
 SpeedUp Tecnique
SpeedUp is an imaging technique to increase scan speed reducing the
acquisition time. The sparsity which is implicit in MR images is exploited to
significantly undersample the k-space, resulting in incoherent artifacts
(noise like). Time is decreased reducing the number of acquired k-space
lines (i.e. undersampling) and the final image can be reconstructed
accurately with an appropriate non-linear reconstruction method.
The SpeedUp technique can be enabled/disabled directly by the user only
on the following 2D and 3D sequences.
2D sequences for which the SpeedUp technique is available
(under licence “Speed Up 2D Acquisition“)
☛ Spin Echo T1 (SET1)
☛ Spin Echo T2 (SET2)
☛ Multi-Echo (SE_PD_T2)
☛ Inversion Recovery (IR)
☛ Short TI Inversion Recovery (STIR)
☛ Short Time Inversion Recovery Gradient Echo (GE-STIR)
☛ Gradient Echo (GE)
☛ Fast Spin Echo (FSET1, FSE STIR, FAST FLAIR, FSE T2, FSE PD, FSE PD
T2)
☛ XBONE
☛ 2D HYCE
3D sequences for which the SpeedUp technique is available
(under licence “Speed Up 3D Acquisition“)
☛ Gradient Echo 3D (T3D T1)
☛ 3D SHARC
☛ 3D SST1
☛ 3D SST2
☛ Spin Echo T1 3D
☛ Short Time Inversion Recovery 3D (STIR 3D)
☛ Short Time Inversion Recovery Gradient Echo 3D (GE STIR 3D)

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3D sequences for which the SpeedUp technique is never available
also if the licence “Speed Up 3D Acquisition“ is enabled
The SpeedUp technique is disabled to the user for the following

Image Quality in MR
sequences, even in the presence of the license "SpeedUp 3D Acquisition",
since the two techniques (SpeedUp and Half Fourier) are incompatible
each other, so only one of them may be applied to the same sequence.
☛ Spin Echo T1 3D Half Fourier
☛ Short Time Inversion Recovery 3D Half Fourier (STIR 3D HF)
☛ Short Time Inversion Recovery Gradient Echo 3D Half Fourier (GE STIR
3DHF).
The reconstruction algorithm causes a deterioration of the final image the
more significant the higher the applied SpeedUp factor is. This
deterioration is primarily a loss of definition of the anatomical structures,
in particular those with low contrast, which involves a general effect of
blurring of the image. For high SpeedUp factors the final image can be
affected by ringing artifacts, as well. These issues are more pronounced
on T1-weighted, XBONE or proton density images compared to high-
contrast images as the T2-weighted or fat suppression images as STIR.
To allow the best performance of the reconstruction algorithm and
consequently mitigate the blurring and ringing artifacts on the final image
it is advisable to use, consistently with the other sequence parameters,
large acquisition matrix, reduced FOV and increase the Oversampling
value.
Effects of Modifying SpeedUp factor

Increase Decrease

Decrease scan duration of a quantity equal to Increases progressively the scan duration till
SpeedUp factor/100. the scan time without SpeedUp.

Introduce blurring and progressively ringing /

artifacts.

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350003400 Rev. 04 • 17 / 88
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 Elliptical filling of K-space
The parameter "Filling elliptical k-space", when enabled, activates a
technique of filling the k-space based on the acquisition only of the
encodings in the 2D-3D plane belonging to the ellipse inscribed into the
rectangle related to the k space standard.
The elliptical filling respects the symmetry of the k-space standard.
The shape of the ellipse is dependent from parameters "Numphases" and
"Phases 3D" selected by the user, which determine the size of the ellipse
respectively in the directions 2D and 3D of the plane.
The elliptical k-space filling technique can be enabled and disabled by the
user on all 3D sequences except for the 3D sequences on which the
acquisition technique "Half Fourier" or "Partial Fourier" has been already
enabled.

Effects of modifying the elliptical filling of k-space

Value Effect

Not active The elliptical filling of k-space technique is not

enabled.
The duration of the sequence and the
remaining parameters are not changed.

Active The elliptical filling of k-space technique is

enabled.
Other parameters being equal, a scan time
reduction is obtained to the detriment of the
spatial resolution, that is less than the one
obtainable - reaching the same scan time - by
means a reduction of the acquisition matrix.

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Motion artifacts correction
The motion artifacts correction technique allows to reduce the random
movement artifacts of the patient, including the inadvertent small move-

Image Quality in MR
ments - caused by the contraction of one or more nervous and/or muscu-
lar structures - and the small voluntary movements of the anatomic re-
gion examined due to uncomfortable sensations or slight and momentary
paresthesia (see paragraph “Random movement artifacts” of this chap-
ter).
This technique processes post-acquisition data in order to compensate the
blurring and ghosting effects typical of the random movement artifacts.
It can be applied to all the 2D sequences - with the exception of the ones
implementing Half-Echo and Half-Fourier techniques and the Streaming
acquisition - but it is not compatible with the SpeedUp technique de-
scribed previously.

Effetcs of the motion artifacts correction technique

Valore Effetto

Not active The motion artifacts correction technique is

not enabled.
No action on the images.

Active The motion artifacts correction technique is

enabled: the possible appearance of the
artifacts caused by small movements of the
patient is reduced.
The reconstruction-time of the images
increases.
The SpeedUp technique can not be used.

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350003400 Rev. 04 • 19 / 88
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•
•
 Typical parameters of the Fast Spin Echo sequences versus Image
Quality

Echo Spacing
Echo Spacing is the time interval between two consecutive echoes in the
FSE (Fast Spin Echo) sequence.
Given the particular construction of the FSE, the contrast of which is
determined by the acquired echo placed at the centre of the raw data to
be reconstructed, the ESP value (Echo Spacing) defines the possible TE as
multiples of ESP:
TE = n x ESP, with n = from the 1st ETL
On increase of ESP according to the ETL there is an increase in the time
required for acquisition of a single slice.
ESP is a parameter that varies on the basis of the type of FSE sequence to
be used (FSE, FSE STIR, FSE PD T2).

Effects of Modifying ESP

Increase Decrease

Decreased number of slices is required Allows increased number of slices.

Increased separation of possible TE values Increased approximation of possible TE

values.

Echo Train Length

The Echo Train Length is the number of echoes effectively acquired by a
Fast Spin Echo sequence. The special structure of the FSE sequence, in
which each echo acquired corresponds to a different phase encoding,
enables accelerated acquisition in proportion to an increase in the Echo
Train Length.
Given the particular construction of the FSE, the contrast of which is
determined by the acquired echo placed at the centre of the raw data to
be reconstructed, the ESP value (Echo Spacing) defines the possible TE as
multiples of ESP:
TE = n x ESP, with n = from the 1st ETL
On increase of ETL in proportion to ESP there is an increase in the time
required for acquisition of a single slice.
ETL is a parameter that varies from 2 to 16 on the basis of the type of FSE
sequence to be used (FSE, FSE STIR, FSE PD T2) and the ESP selected by
the user.

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 Effects of modifying ETL

Increase Decrease

Image Quality in MR
Increased number of possible choices for TE. Decreased number of possible choices for
TE.

Decreased number of slices is required Allows increased number of slices.

Decreases the sequence duration as defined Increased sequence time.

below:
Scan time = (no. of phase encodings) x (no.
of acquisitions) x TR / ETL.

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350003400 Rev. 04 • 21 / 88
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 Relaxation
When the relaxation function is enabled, an acquisition technique is
activated which enables the addition of a 90° RF pulse at the TR end of a
sequence, which, transforming transverse residual magnetization into
longitudinal magnetization, thus accelerates signal relaxation, enabling
high T1 tissues (such as cerebral spinal fluid) to reach hyperintense values
even with a relatively short TR.
Activation of relaxation increases the time required for acquisition of a
single slice.
The Relaxation function can be enabled/disabled directly by the user only
on the following FSE sequences:
☛ FSE
☛ FSE STIR
☛ FSE PD-T2.

Effects of the Relaxation function

Value Effect

No “Traditional” contrast” caused by TR and TE.

Yes Particularly hyperintense signal from long T1

tissues (liquids); may require a reduction in
number of slices with respect to “No” case.

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Multiplication factor of sampling frequency
The technique to increase the sampling frequency may reduce the
artifacts from the local inhomogeneity of the magnetic field occurring in

Image Quality in MR
the cases of patients with MR Safe or MR Conditional prosthesis or clips,
residues or metal fragments present in the anatomical region under
examination.

Caution
Refer to chapter 3 - paragraph “Pre-screening of patients” - of the user
manual for the possible risks related to the examination of patients
with implanted surgical clips or metal objects in the cranial, ocular and
vascular areas and patients with metal object in the body.

This technique implies a modification to the sequence that leads to a

decreasing of the signal/noise ratio of the image, as indicated by the
quality factor of the scan.
The selectable value is between 1 and 10, the maximum setting of this
parameter can be limited from the selection of the other MR parameters:
in this case is displayed the message “Error Checking Gradient
Constraints” and is not possible to increase further the value.
The multiplication factor of Sampling Frequency can be enabled/disabled
directly by the user on all FSE sequences.

Effects of the multiplication factor of sampling frequency

Value Effect

1 The Sampling frequency is not increased.

From 1.1 up to 10 step 0.1 The increase of the value corresponds to a

decrease in the presence of artifacts from
local inhomogeneities of the magnetic field on
the images and a decrease in the
signal/noise ratio.

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350003400 Rev. 04 • 23 / 88
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•
 X-MAR Technique
The X-MAR technique allows to reduce the artifacts from the local
inhomogeneity of the magnetic field occurring in the cases of patients with
MR Safe or MR Conditional prosthesis or clips, residues or metal fragments
present in the anatomical region under examination.

Caution
Refer to chapter 3 - paragraph “Pre-screening of patients” - of the User
Manual for the possible risks related to the examination of patients
with implanted surgical clips or metal objects in the cranial, ocular and
vascular areas and patients with metal objects in the body.

The X-MAR technique reduces the distortion of the image on the plane,
with an introduction of some blurring in the readout direction, in addition
to the blurring in the phase encoding direction commonly found in FSE
images.
The X-MAR technique is used only in combination with the FSE sequences
with echo spacing equal to 12, as the blurring side-effect introduced by
the technique is mitigated by the selection of a short echo spacing (in the
Fast Spin Echo sequences shorter is the echo spacing, lower is the blurring
effect).

Effects of enabling X-MAR

Value Effect

No The X-MAR technique is not applied.

Yes The use of the X-MAR technique

corresponds to a decrease of artifacts
appearance from local inhomogeneities of
the magnetic field on the images and an
increase in blurring effect.

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TR reduction
Enabling the TR reduction parameter activate an acquisition technique in
which the k space is reorganized within the various series avoiding, in a

Image Quality in MR
suitable manner, the filling of some lines of k space in all series.
This allows the sequence to complete the acquisition using a number of
echoes lower than those set by the ETL parameter.
This condition allows the automatic TR reduction and consequently the
decrease of the overall sequence duration.
For T2 or Proton-density weighted sequences the user must checks, from
the positioning enviroment, that the Repetition Time (TR) automatically
set, after enabling of TR reduction parameter, is not lower than the
minimum value required to obtain the images with that contrasts.
This technique can be activated only when the user set the Series
parameter to a value greater than 1.

Effects of the TR reduction technique

Value Effect

None The TR reduction technique is not enabled

The TR and the scan duration are not
modified.

Low, Medium, High, Maximum The TR reduction technique is enabled.

The selected value, among the available
ones, corresponds to a different decrease of
the TR.
The TR decrease entails the decrease of the
overall sequence duration and the
Signal/Noise ratio.

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350003400 Rev. 04 • 25 / 88
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 Displayed Image
It is important for the user of the O-scan system to understand the
relationship between the FOV in acquisition, the homogeneity region of
the magnet, and the displayed image.

FIELD OF VIEW IN ACQUISITION

The field of view in acquisition system is adjustable from 100 x 100 mm to
400 x 400 mm, to enable optimization of S/N and spatial resolution.

MAGNET HOMOGENEITY REGION

the homogeneity region of the magnet corresponds to an oblate spheroid
with semiaxes of 82 and 95 mm, centered in the isocenter of the magnet.

ISOCENTER OF THE MAGNET IN THE IMAGE DISPLAYED

Any information related to the image displayed in this document refers to
the isocenter of the magnet.
To correctly identify the isocenter of the magnet within the image
displayed, proceed as follows:
☛ Open the SCOUT sequence related to the study of the image displayed.
☛ In the menu displayed, enable the slice projection function (see
paragraph “slice projection”, chapter 4 in the User Interface manual).
☛ Two straight red lines appear on the image displayed; one vertical and
one horizontal. The isocenter of the magnet is located at the point where
the lines intersect.

IMAGE DISPLAYED FOR ALL COILS, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF

KNEE COIL 1, AND FOR ALL SEQUENCES, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF
XBONE
With regard to the magnet homogeneity region, the maximum size of the
image displayed for all coils and sequences, except for knee coil 1 and the
XBone sequence, is a 140 mm x 140 mm square, in order to minimize the
display of possible artifacts due to lack of homogeneity of the magnetic
field. If a FOV less than or equal to 140 mm x 140 mm is selected, the
displayed image will be the actual size at which it was acquired.

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 Image Quality in MR
fig. 1.6 - Displayed image with acquisition FOV equal to 140 mm x 140 mm

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350003400 Rev. 04 • 27 / 88
•
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•
 fig. 1.7 - Maximum displayed image with acquisition FOV greater than 140 mm
x 140 mm

fig. 1.8 - Displayed image with acquisition FOV smaller than 140 mm x 140 mm

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IMAGE DISPLAYED FOR ALL COILS, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF
KNEE COIL 1, USING THE XBONE SEQUENCE
When using the Xbone sequence, with all coils except for knee coil 1, the

Image Quality in MR
maximum size of the displayed image depends on the following factors:
☛ the sensitivity region of the coil user, which limits the maximum size of
the displayed image further in order to maintain diagnostic quality image
throughout the image displayed
☛ the exclusion, from the image, of anatomic regions of the body not
involved in the diagnostic examination; this is performed in order to
facilitate immediate use of the images, without requiring image
modifications (clips, enlargements etc.) by the operator (e.g. before
printing).
In relation to the factors above, the following maximum displayed image
dimensions as specified in the following pages have been adopted for each
single orientation obtained with the XBone sequence, used with all coils
except for knee coil 1.
All information related to the field of view (FOV) in acquisition and shown
on the following pages, refer, according to each orientation, to the axes of
the gradient system, defined X, Y and Z.

fig. 1.9 - Gradient system axes for the O-scan system

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350003400 Rev. 04 • 29 / 88
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 Sagittal orientation
In the window size 140 mm x 140 mm, according to the magnet
homogeneity region, an additional black background is applied (clip), the
dimensions and position of which are shown in the figure below.

fig. 1.10 - Sagittal orient.: positioning of clip in window of 140 mm x 140 mm

and dimensions

The acquired image is centered with respect to the 140 x 140 mm

window, i.e. with respect to the isocenter of the magnet.
Therefore the user may find the following cases; these cases refer to
different configurations both of the front-rear dimensions and the head-
foot dimensions of the patient.
By default, the FOV in the front-rear direction of the patient corresponds
to the FOV on the X axis and is defined FOVx.

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30 / 88 •• Chapter 1
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☛ CASE 1
• FOVx t 140 mm, i.e. FOVx/2 t 70 mm
• In the center-P direction (rear) 70 mm are displayed.

Image Quality in MR
In fact, starting from the center and distributing the image towards
the rear of the patient, there are 70 mm before reaching the clip.
All excess of the image, the rear patient direction, from the 70 mm
are eliminated from the display.
• In the center-A direction (front) 70 mm are displayed.
In fact, starting from the center and distributing the image towards
the front of the patient, there are 70 mm before reaching the clip.
All excess of the image, the rear patient direction, from the 70 mm
are eliminated from the display.
☛ CASE 2
• FOVx < 140 mm, i.e. FOVx/2 < 70 mm
• In the P direction (rear) (FOVx/2) mm are displayed.
With the FOVx within the range specified above, FOVx/2 remains
below 70 mm. Depending on how much FOVx/2 is less than 70 mm,
the dimensions increase in the right section of the image, on the
black background.
• In the A direction (front) (FOVx/2) mm are displayed.
With the FOVx within the range specified above, FOVx/2 remains
below 70 mm. Depending on how much FOVx/2 is less than 70 mm,
the dimensions increase in the left section of the image, on the
black background.
By default, the FOV in the head-feet direction of the patient corresponds
to the FOV on the Z axis and is defined FOVz.
☛ CASE A
• FOVz t 130 mm, i.e. FOVz/2 t 65 mm
• In the center-F direction (feet) 65 mm are displayed.
In fact, starting from the center and distributing the image towards
the feet of the patient, there are 65 mm before reaching the lower
edge of the maximum displayed image. All excess of the image, in
the patient feer direction, from the 65 mm are eliminated from the
display.
• In the center-H direction (head) 65 mm are displayed.
In fact, starting from the center and distributing the image towards
the head of the patient, there are 65 mm before reaching the clip.
All excess of the image, in the patient head direction, from the
65 mm are eliminated from the display.

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350003400 Rev. 04 • 31 / 88
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•
 ☛ CASE B
• FOVz 130 mm, i.e. FOVz/2 65 mm
• In the center-F direction (feet) FOVz/2 mm are displayed.
With the FOVz within the range specified above, FOVz/2 remains
below 65 mm. Depending on how much FOVz/2 is less than 65 mm,
the dimensions increase in the lower section of the image, of the
black background.
• In the center-H direction (head) FOVz/2 mm are displayed.
With the FOVz within the range specified above, FOVz/2 remains
below 65 mm. Depending on how much FOVz/2 is less than 65 mm,
the dimensions increase in the upper section of the image, of the
black background.
An example of case 1 + case A is shown below: FOVx = 160 mm and FOVz
= 160 mm.

fig. 1.11 - Sagittal orient.: maximum displayed image with acquisition FOV
160 mm x 160 mm

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32 / 88 •• Chapter 1
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An example of case 2 + case B is shown below: FOVx = 100 mm and FOVz
= 100 mm.

Image Quality in MR
fig. 1.12 - Sagittal orient.: maximum displayed image with acquisition FOV
100 mm x 100 mm

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350003400 Rev. 04 • 33 / 88
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 coronal orientation
In the window size 140 mm x 140 mm, according to the magnet
homogeneity region, an additional black background is applied (clip), the
dimensions and position of which are shown in the figure below.

fig. 1.13 - Coronal orient.: positioning of clip in window of 140 mm x 140 mm

and dimensions

The acquired image is centered with respect to the 140 x 140 mm

window, i.e. with respect to the isocenter of the magnet.
Therefore the user may find the following cases; these cases refer to
different configurations both of the left-right dimensions of the patient
(horizontal on the image) and the head-foot dimensions of the patient
(vertical on the image).
By default, the FOV in the right-left direction of the patient corresponds to
the FOV on the Y axis and is defined FOVy.
Note that according to DICOM® conventions, the right side of the patient
is displayed on the left section of the image and the left part is displayed
on the right section of the image.

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☛ CASE 1
• FOVy !140 mm, i.e. FOVy/2 ! 70 mm
• In the center-L direction (left) 70 mm are displayed.

Image Quality in MR
In fact, starting from the center and distributing the image towards
the left of the patient, there are 70 mm before reaching the clip All
excess parts of the image, in the left patient direction, from the
70 mm are eliminated from the display.
• In the center-R direction (right) 70 mm are displayed.
In fact, starting from the center and distributing the image towards
the right of the patient, there are 70 mm before reaching the clip
All excess parts of the image, in the right patient direction, from the
70 mm are eliminated from the display.
☛ CASE 2
• FOVy d140 mm, i.e. FOVy/2 d 70 mm
• In the center-L direction (left) (FOVy/2) mm are displayed.
In fact, starting from the center and distributing the image towards
the left of the patient, there are 70 mm before reaching the clip
With the FOVy within the range specified above, Reading FOVy/2
remains below or equal to 70 mm. Depending on how much FOVy/2
is less than 70 mm, the dimensions increase in the left section of
the image, on the black background.
• In the center-R direction (right) (FOVy/2) mm are displayed.
In fact, starting from the center and distributing the image towards
the right of the patient, there are 70 mm before reaching the clip
With the FOVy within the range specified above, FOVy/2 remains
below or equal to 70 mm. Depending on how much FOVy/2 is less
than 70 mm, the dimensions increase in the right section of the
image, on the black background.

The FOV in the head-feet direction of the patient corresponds to the FOV
in the Z direction and is defined FOVz.
☛ CASE A
• FOVz ! 130 mm, i.e. FOVz/2 ! 65 mm
• In the center-F direction (feet) 65 mm are displayed.
In fact, starting from the center and distributing the image towards
the feet of the patient, there are 65 mm before reaching the lower
edge of the maximum displayed image. All excess of the image, in
the patient feer direction, from the 65 mm are eliminated from the
display.

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350003400 Rev. 04 • 35 / 88
•
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•
 • In the center-H direction (head) 65 mm are displayed.
In fact, starting from the center and distributing the image towards
the head of the patient, there are 65 mm before reaching the clip.
All excess of the image, in the patient head direction, from the
65 mm are eliminated from the display.
☛ CASE B
• FOVz d130 mm, i.e. FOVz/2 d65 mm
• In the center-F direction (feet) FOVz/2 mm are displayed.
With the FOVz within the range specified above, FOVz/2 remains
below or equal to 65 mm. Depending on how much FOVz/2 is less
than 65 mm, the dimensions increase in the lower section of the
image, of the black background.
• In the center-H direction (head) FOVz/2 mm are displayed.
With the FOVz within the range specified above, FOVz/2 remains
below or equal to 65 mm. Depending on how much FOVz/2 is less
than 65 mm, the dimensions increase in the upper section of the
image, of the black background.
An example of case 1 + case A is shown below: FOVy = 170 mm and FOVz
= 170 mm.

fig. 1.14 - Coronal orient.: maximum displayed image with acquisition FOV
170 mm x 170 mm

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36 / 88 •• Chapter 1
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An example of case 2 + case B is shown below: FOVy = 100 mm and FOVz
= 100 mm.

Image Quality in MR
fig. 1.15 - Coronal orient.: maximum displayed image with acquisition FOV
100 mm x 100 mm

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350003400 Rev. 04 • 37 / 88
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 Transverse orientation
In the window size 140 mm x 140 mm, according to the magnet
homogeneity region, an additional black background is applied (clip), the
dimensions and position of which are shown in the figure below.

fig. 1.16 - Transverse orient.: positioning of clip in window of 140 mm x 140 mm

and dimensions

The acquired image is centered with respect to the 140 x 140 mm

window, i.e. with respect to the isocenter of the magnet.
Therefore the user may find the following cases; these cases refer to
different configurations both of the left-right dimensions of the patient
(horizontal on the image) and the head-foot dimensions of the patient
(vertical on the image).
By default, the FOV in the right-left direction of the patient corresponds to
the FOV on the Y axis and is defined FOVy.
Note that according to DICOM® conventions, the right side of the patient
is displayed on the left section of the image and the left part is displayed
on the right section of the image.

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38 / 88 •• Chapter 1
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☛ CASE 1
• FOVy !140 mm, i.e. FOVy/2 ! 70 mm
• In the center-L direction (left) 70 mm are displayed.

Image Quality in MR
In fact, starting from the center and distributing the image towards
the left of the patient, there are 70 mm before reaching the clip All
excess parts of the image, in the left patient direction, from the
70 mm are eliminated from the display.
• In the center-R direction (right) 70 mm are displayed.
In fact, starting from the center and distributing the image towards
the right of the patient, there are 70 mm before reaching the clip
All excess parts of the image, in the right patient direction, from the
70 mm are eliminated from the display.
☛ CASE 2
• FOVy d140 mm, i.e. FOVy/2 d 70 mm
• In the center-L direction (left) (FOVy/2) mm are displayed.
In fact, starting from the center and distributing the image towards
the left of the patient, there are 70 mm before reaching the clip
With the FOVy within the range specified above, FOVy/2 remains
below or equal to 70 mm. Depending on how much FOVy/2 is less
than 70 mm, the dimensions increase in the right section of the
image, on the black background.
• In the center-R direction (right) (FOVy/2) mm are displayed.
In fact, starting from the center and distributing the image towards
the right of the patient, there are 70 mm before reaching the clip
With the FOVy within the range specified above, FOVy/2 remains
below or equal to 70 mm. Depending on how much FOVy/2 is less
than 70 mm, the dimensions increase in the left section of the
image, on the black background.

By default, the FOV in the front-rear direction of the patient corresponds

to the FOV on the X axis and is defined FOVx.
☛ CASE A
• FOVx t 140 mm, i.e. FOVx/2 t 70 mm
• In the center-A direction (front) 70 mm are displayed.
In fact, starting from the center and distributing the image towards
the front of the patient, there are 70 mm before reaching the clip.
All excess of the image, the rear patient direction, from the 70 mm
are eliminated from the display.
• In the center-P direction (rear) 70 mm are displayed.
In fact, starting from the center and distributing the image towards
the rear of the patient, there are 70 mm before reaching the clip.
All excess of the image, the rear patient direction, from the 70 mm
are eliminated from the display.

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 ☛ CASE B
• FOVx  140 mm, i.e. FOVx/2 70 mm
• In the center-A direction (front) FOVx/2 are displayed.
With the FOVx within the range specified above, FOVx/2 remains
below 70 mm. Depending on how much FOVx/2 is less than 70 mm,
the dimensions increase in the upper section of the image, of the
black background.
• In the center-P direction (rear) FOVx/2 are displayed.
With the FOVx within the range specified above, FOVx/2 remains
below 70 mm. Depending on how much FOVx/2 is less than 70 mm,
the dimensions increase in the lower section of the image, of the
black background.

An example of case 1 + case A is shown below: FOVy = 170 mm and FOVx

= 170 mm.

fig. 1.17 - Transverse orientation: maximum displayed image with acquisition

FOV greater than 170 mm x 170 mm

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An example of case 2 + case B is shown below: FOVy = 120 mm and FOVx
= 120 mm.

Image Quality in MR
fig. 1.18 - Transverse orientation: maximum displayed image with acquisition
FOV greater than 120 mm x 120 mm

IMAGE DISPLAYED FOR KNEE COIL 1

The image displayed for the knee coil 1 therefore has a maximum
dimension determined by three different factors:
☛ the homogeneity region of the magnet, which limits the maximum size
of the displayed image to a 150 x 140 mm rectangle in order to minimize
the display of artifacts due to inhomogeneity of the magnetic field.
☛ the sensitivity region of knee coil 1, which limits the maximum size of
the displayed image further in order to maintain diagnostic quality image
throughout the image displayed
☛ the exclusion, from the image, of anatomic regions of the body not
involved in the diagnostic examination; this is performed in order to
facilitate immediate use of the images, without requiring image
modifications (clips, enlargements etc.) by the operator (e.g. before
printing).
In relation to the three factors above, the following maximum displayed
image dimensions have been adopted for each single orientation of knee
coil 1.
All information related to the field of view (FOV) in acquisition and shown
on the following pages, refer, according to each orientation, to the axes of
the gradient system, defined X, Y and Z.

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 fig. 1.19 - Gradient system axes for the O-scan system

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Sagittal orientation
In the window size 160 mm x 160 mm, according to the magnet
homogeneity region, an additional black background is applied (clip), the

Image Quality in MR
dimensions and position of which are shown in the figure below.

fig. 1.20 - Sagittal orient.; all sequences except for XBone: positioning of clip in
window of 160 mm x 160 mm and dimensions

fig. 1.21 - Sagittal orient.; XBone sequence: positioning of clip in window of

160 mm x 160 mm and dimensions

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350003400 Rev. 04 • 43 / 88
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 The acquired image is centered with respect to the 160 x 160 mm
window, i.e. with respect to the isocenter of the magnet.
The displayed image is offset by 100 mm with respect to the magnet
isocenter in the front direction of the patient
Therefore the user may find the following cases; these cases refer to
different configurations both of the front-rear dimensions and the head-
foot dimensions of the patient.
All sequences excluding XBone
By default, the FOV in the front-rear direction of the patient corresponds
to the FOV on the X axis and is defined FOVx.
☛ CASE 1
• FOVx t 160 mm, i.e. FOVx/2 t 80 mm
• In the center-P direction (rear) 70 mm are displayed.
In fact, starting from the center and distributing the image towards
the rear of the patient, there are 70 mm before reaching the clip.
All excess of the image, the rear patient direction, from the 70 mm
are eliminated from the display.
• In the center-A direction (front) 80 mm are displayed.
In fact, starting from the center and distributing the image towards
the front of the patient, there are 80 mm before reaching the clip.
All excess of the image, the rear patient direction, from the 80 mm
are eliminated from the display.
☛ CASE 2
• 110 mm d FOVx  160 mm, i.e. FOVx/2 t 55 mm and FOVx/2 
80 mm
• In the center-P direction (rear) 70 mm are displayed.
In fact, starting from the center and distributing the image towards
the rear of the patient, there are 70 mm before reaching the clip.
All excess of the image, the rear patient direction, from the 70 mm
are eliminated from the display.
• In the center-A direction (front) (FOVx/2) mm are displayed.
In fact, starting from the center and distributing the image towards
the rear of the patient, there are 80 mm before reaching the clip.
With the FOVx within the range specified above, FOVx/2 remains
below 80 mm. Depending on how much FOVx/2 is less than 80 mm,
the dimensions increase in the left section of the image, on the
black background.
☛ CASE 3
• FOVx < 100 mm, i.e. FOVx/2 = 50 mm
• In the P direction (rear) (FOVx/2) mm are displayed.
If FOVx/2 is 50 mm it is obviously displayed in its entirety and the
dimensions in the right section of the image, of the black
background is increased by 20 mm (i.e. 70 mm – 50 mm).

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 • In the A direction (front) (FOVx/2) mm are displayed.
If FOVx/2 is 50 mm it is obviously displayed in its entirety and the
dimensions in the left section of the image, of the black background
is increased by 30 mm (i.e. 80 mm – 50 mm).

Image Quality in MR
By default, the FOV in the head-feet direction of the patient corresponds
to the FOV on the Z axis and is defined FOVz.
☛ CASE A
• FOVz t 140 mm, i.e. FOVz/2 t 70 mm
• In the center-F direction (feet) 70 mm are displayed.
In fact, starting from the center and distributing the image towards
the feet of the patient, there are 70 mm before reaching the lower
edge of the maximum displayed image. All excess of the image, in
the patient feer direction, from the 70 mm are eliminated from the
display.
• In the center-H direction (head) 70 mm are displayed.
In fact, starting from the center and distributing the image towards
the head of the patient, there are 70 mm before reaching the clip.
All excess of the image, in the patient head direction, from the
70 mm are eliminated from the display.
☛ CASE B
• FOVz 140 mm, i.e. FOVz/2 70 mm
• In the center-F direction (feet) FOVz/2 mm are displayed.
With the FOVz within the range specified above, FOVz/2 remains
below 70 mm. Depending on how much FOVz/2 is less than 70 mm,
the dimensions increase in the lower section of the image, of the
black background.
• In the center-H direction (head) FOVz/2 mm are displayed.
With the FOVz within the range specified above, FOVz/2 remains
below 70 mm. Depending on how much FOVz/2 is less than 70 mm,
the dimensions increase in the upper section of the image, of the
black background.

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 An example of case 1 + case A is shown below: FOVx = 170 mm and FOVz
= 170 mm.

fig. 1.22 - Sagittal orient.: maximum displayed image with acquisition FOV
170 mm x 170 mm

An example of case 2 + case A is shown below: FOVx = 150 mm and FOVz

= 140 mm.

fig. 1.23 - Sagittal orient.: maximum displayed image with acquisition FOV
150 mm x 140 mm
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An example of case 3 + case B is shown below: FOVx = 100 mm and FOVz
= 100 mm.

Image Quality in MR
fig. 1.24 - Sagittal orient.: maximum displayed image with acquisition FOV
100 mm x 100 mm

“XBONE” Sequence
By default, the FOV in the front-rear direction of the patient corresponds
to the FOV in the X direction and is defined FOVx.
☛ CASE 1
• FOVx t 160 mm, i.e. FOVx/2 t 80 mm
• In the center-P direction (rear) 70 mm are displayed.
In fact, starting from the center and distributing the image towards
the rear of the patient, there are 70 mm before reaching the clip.
All excess of the image, the rear patient direction, from the 70 mm
are eliminated from the display.
• In the center-A direction (front) 80 mm are displayed.
In fact, starting from the center and distributing the image towards
the front of the patient, there are 80 mm before reaching the clip.
All excess of the image, the rear patient direction, from the 80 mm
are eliminated from the display.

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 ☛ CASE 2
• 110 mm d FOVx < 160 mm, i.e. FOVx/2 t 55 mm and FOVx/2 <
80 mm
• In the center-P direction (rear) 70 mm are displayed.
In fact, starting from the center and distributing the image towards
the rear of the patient, there are 70 mm before reaching the clip.
All excess of the image, the rear patient direction, from the 70 mm
are eliminated from the display.
• In the center-A direction (front) (FOVx/2) mm are displayed.
In fact, starting from the center and distributing the image towards
the rear of the patient, there are 80 mm before reaching the clip.
With the FOVx within the range specified above, FOVx/2 remains
below 80 mm. Depending on how much FOVx/2 is less than 80 mm,
the dimensions increase in the left section of the image, on the
black background.
☛ CASE 3
• FOVx < 100 mm, i.e. FOVx/2 = 50 mm
• In the P direction (rear) (FOVx/2) mm are displayed.
If FOVx/2 is 50 mm it is obviously displayed in its entirety and the
dimensions in the right section of the image, of the black
background is increased by 20 mm (i.e. 70 mm – 50 mm).
• In the A direction (front) (FOVx/2) mm are displayed.
If FOVx/2 is 50 mm it is obviously displayed in its entirety and the
dimensions in the left section of the image, of the black background
is increased by 30 mm (i.e. 80 mm – 50 mm).

By default, the FOV in the head-feet direction of the patient corresponds

to the FOV on the Z axis and is defined FOVz.

☛ CASE A
• FOVz t 130 mm, i.e. FOVz/2 t 65 mm
• In the center-F direction (feet) 65 mm are displayed.
In fact, starting from the center and distributing the image towards
the feet of the patient, there are 65 mm before reaching the lower
edge of the maximum displayed image. All excess of the image, in
the patient feer direction, from the 65 mm are eliminated from the
display.
• In the center-H direction (head) 65 mm are displayed.
In fact, starting from the center and distributing the image towards
the head of the patient, there are 65 mm before reaching the clip.
All excess of the image, in the patient head direction, from the
65 mm are eliminated from the display.

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☛ CASE B
• FOVz 130 mm, i.e. FOVz/2 65 mm
• In the center-F direction (feet) FOVz/2 mm are displayed.

Image Quality in MR
With the FOVz within the range specified above, FOVz/2 remains
below 65 mm. Depending on how much FOVz/2 is less than 65 mm,
the dimensions increase in the lower section of the image, of the
black background.
• In the center-H direction (head) FOVz/2 mm are displayed.
With the FOVz within the range specified above, FOVz/2 remains
below 65 mm. Depending on how much FOVz/2 is less than 65 mm,
the dimensions increase in the upper section of the image, of the
black background.
An example of case 1 + case A is shown below: FOVx = 170 mm and FOVz
= 170 mm.

fig. 1.25 - Sagittal orient.: maximum displayed image with acquisition FOV
170 mm x 170 mm

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 An example of case 2 + case A is shown below: FOVx = 150 mm and FOVz
= 140 mm.

fig. 1.26 - Sagittal orient.: maximum displayed image with acquisition FOV
150 mm x 140 mm

An example of case 3 + case B is shown below: FOVx = 100 mm and FOVz

= 100 mm.

fig. 1.27 - Sagittal orient.: maximum displayed image with acquisition FOV
100 mm x 100 mm
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Coronal orientation
In the window size 160 mm x 160 mm, according to the magnet
homogeneity region, an additional black background is applied (clip), the

Image Quality in MR
dimensions and position of which are shown in the figure below.

fig. 1.28 - Coronal orient.; all sequences except for XBone: positioning of clip in
window of 160 mm x 160 mm and dimensions

fig. 1.29 - Coronal orient.; XBone sequence: positioning of clip in window of

160 mm x 160 mm and dimensions

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•
 The acquired image is centered with respect to the 160 x 160 mm
window, i.e. with respect to the isocenter of the magnet.
Therefore the user may find the following cases; these cases refer to
different configurations both of the left-right dimensions of the patient
(horizontal on the image) and the head-foot dimensions of the patient
(vertical on the image).
All sequences excluding XBone
By default, the FOV in the right-left direction of the patient corresponds to
the FOV on the Y axis and is defined FOVy.
Note that according to DICOM® conventions, the right side of the patient
is displayed on the left section of the image and the left part is displayed
on the right section of the image.
☛ CASE 1
• FOVy !140 mm, i.e. FOVy/2 ! 70 mm
• In the center-L direction (left) 70 mm are displayed.
In fact, starting from the center and distributing the image towards
the left of the patient, there are 70 mm before reaching the clip All
excess parts of the image, in the left patient direction, from the
70 mm are eliminated from the display.
• In the center-R direction (right) 70 mm are displayed.
In fact, starting from the center and distributing the image towards
the right of the patient, there are 70 mm before reaching the clip
All excess parts of the image, in the right patient direction, from the
70 mm are eliminated from the display.
☛ CASE 2
• FOVy d140 mm, i.e. FOVy/2 d 70 mm
• In the center-L direction (left) (FOVy/2) mm are displayed.
In fact, starting from the center and distributing the image towards
the left of the patient, there are 70 mm before reaching the clip
With the FOVy within the range specified above, FOVy/2 remains
below or equal to 70 mm. Depending on how much FOVy/2 is less
than 70 mm, the dimensions increase in the left section of the
image, on the black background.
• In the center-R direction (right) (FOVy/2) mm are displayed.
In fact, starting from the center and distributing the image towards
the right of the patient, there are 70 mm before reaching the clip
With the FOVy within the range specified above, FOVy/2 remains
below or equal to 70 mm. Depending on how much FOVy/2 is less
than 70 mm, the dimensions increase in the right section of the
image, on the black background.

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By default, the FOV in the head-feet direction of the patient corresponds
to the FOV on the Z axis and is defined FOVz (phase encoding inversion is
possible).

Image Quality in MR
☛ CASE A
• FOVz t 140 mm, i.e. FOVz/2 t 70 mm
• In the center-F direction (feet) 70 mm are displayed.
In fact, starting from the center and distributing the image towards
the feet of the patient, there are 70 mm before reaching the clip All
excess of the image, in the patient feer direction, from the 70 mm
are eliminated from the display.
• In the center-H direction (head) 70 mm are displayed.
In fact, starting from the center and distributing the image towards
the head of the patient, there are 70 mm before reaching the clip.
All excess of the image, in the patient head direction, from the
70 mm are eliminated from the display.
☛ CASE B
• FOVz 140 mm, i.e. FOVz/2 70 mm
• In the center-F direction (feet) FOVz/2 mm are displayed.
With the FOVz within the range specified above, FOVz/2 remains
below 70 mm. Depending on how much FOVz/2 is less than 70 mm,
the dimensions increase in the lower section of the image, of the
black background.
• In the center-H direction (head) FOVz/2 mm are displayed.
With the FOVz within the range specified above, FOVz/2 remains
below 70 mm. Depending on how much FOVz/2 is less than 70 mm,
the dimensions increase in the upper section of the image, of the
black background.

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•
 An example of case 1 + case A is shown below: FOVy = 170 mm and FOVz
= 170 mm.

fig. 1.30 - Coronal orient.; all sequences excluding XBone: maximum displayed
image with acquisition FOV 170 mm x 170 mm

An example of case 2 + case B is shown below: FOVy = 100 mm and FOVz

= 100 mm.

fig. 1.31 - Coronal orient.; all sequences excluding XBone: maximum displayed
image with acquisition FOV 100 mm x 100 mm
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XBone sequence
By default, the FOV in the right-left direction of the patient corresponds to
the FOV in the Y direction and is defined FOVy.

Image Quality in MR
Note that according to DICOM® conventions, the right side of the patient
is displayed on the left section of the image and the left part is displayed
on the right section of the image.
☛ CASE 1
• FOVy !140 mm, i.e. FOVy/2 ! 70 mm
• In the center-L direction (left) 70 mm are displayed.
In fact, starting from the center and distributing the image towards
the left of the patient, there are 70 mm before reaching the clip All
excess parts of the image, in the left patient direction, from the
70 mm are eliminated from the display.
• In the center-R direction (right) 70 mm are displayed.
In fact, starting from the center and distributing the image towards
the right of the patient, there are 70 mm before reaching the clip
All excess parts of the image, in the right patient direction, from the
70 mm are eliminated from the display.
☛ CASE 2
• FOVy d140 mm, i.e. FOVy/2 d 70 mm
• In the center-L direction (left) (FOVy/2) mm are displayed.
In fact, starting from the center and distributing the image towards
the left of the patient, there are 70 mm before reaching the clip
With the FOVy within the range specified above, FOVy/2 remains
below or equal to 70 mm. Depending on how much FOVy/2 is less
than 70 mm, the dimensions increase in the left section of the
image, on the black background.
• In the center-R direction (right) (FOVy/2) mm are displayed.
In fact, starting from the center and distributing the image towards
the right of the patient, there are 70 mm before reaching the clip
With the FOVy within the range specified above, FOVy/2 remains
below or equal to 70 mm. Depending on how much FOVy/2 is less
than 70 mm, the dimensions increase in the right section of the
image, on the black background.

The FOV in the head-feet direction of the patient corresponds to the FOV
in the Z direction and is defined FOVz.
☛ CASE A
• FOVz t 130 mm, i.e. FOVz/2 t 65 mm
• In the center-F direction (feet) 65 mm are displayed.
In fact, starting from the center and distributing the image towards
the feet of the patient, there are 65 mm before reaching the clip All
excess of the image, in the patient feer direction, from the 65 mm
are eliminated from the display.
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•
 • In the center-H direction (head) 65 mm are displayed.
In fact, starting from the center and distributing the image towards
the head of the patient, there are 65 mm before reaching the clip.
All excess of the image, in the patient head direction, from the
65 mm are eliminated from the display.
☛ CASE B
• FOVz 130 mm, i.e. FOVz/2 65 mm
• In the center-F direction (feet) FOVz/2 mm are displayed.
With the FOVz within the range specified above, FOVz/2 remains
below 65 mm. Depending on how much FOVz/2 is less than 65 mm,
the dimensions increase in the lower section of the image, of the
black background.
• In the center-H direction (head) FOVz/2 mm are displayed.
With the FOVz within the range specified above, FOVz/2 remains
below 65 mm. Depending on how much FOVz/2 is less than 65 mm,
the dimensions increase in the upper section of the image, of the
black background.
An example of case 1 + case A is shown below: FOVy = 170 mm and FOVz
= 170 mm.

fig. 1.32 - Coronal orient.; XBone sequence: maximum displayed image with
acquisition FOV greater than 170 mm x 170 mm

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An example of case 2 + case B is shown below: FOVy = 100 mm and FOVz
= 100 mm.

Image Quality in MR
fig. 1.33 - Coronal orient.; XBone sequence: maximum displayed image with
acquisition FOV 100 mm x 100 mm

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 Transverse orientation
In the window size 160 mm x 160 mm, according to the magnet
homogeneity region, an additional black background is applied (clip), the
dimensions and position of which are shown in the figure below.

fig. 1.34 - Transverse orientation; all sequences: positioning of clip in window of

160 mm x 160 mm and dimensions

The acquired image is centered with respect to the 160 x 160 mm

window, i.e. with respect to the isocenter of the magnet.
The displayed image is offset by 100 mm with respect to the magnet
isocenter in the front direction of the patient
Therefore the user may find the following cases; these cases refer to
different configurations both of the left-right dimensions of the patient
(horizontal on the image) and the head-foot dimensions of the patient
(vertical on the image).
All sequences including XBone
By default, the FOV in the right-left direction of the patient corresponds to
the FOV in the Y direction and is defined FOVy.
Note that according to DICOM® conventions, the right side of the patient
is displayed on the left section of the image and the left part is displayed
on the right section of the image.
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☛ CASE 1
• FOVy !140 mm, i.e. FOVy/2 ! 70 mm
• In the center-L direction (left) 70 mm are displayed.

Image Quality in MR
In fact, starting from the center and distributing the image towards
the left of the patient, there are 70 mm before reaching the clip All
excess parts of the image, in the left patient direction, from the
70 mm are eliminated from the display.
• In the center-R direction (right) 70 mm are displayed.
In fact, starting from the center and distributing the image towards
the right of the patient, there are 70 mm before reaching the clip
All excess parts of the image, in the right patient direction, from the
70 mm are eliminated from the display.
☛ CASE 2
• FOVy d140 mm, i.e. FOVy/2 d 70 mm
• In the center-L direction (left) (FOVy/2) mm are displayed.
In fact, starting from the center and distributing the image towards
the left of the patient, there are 70 mm before reaching the clip
With the FOVy within the range specified above, FOVy/2 remains
below or equal to 70 mm. Depending on how much FOVy/2 is less
than 70 mm, the dimensions increase in the right section of the
image, on the black background.
• In the center-R direction (right) (FOVy/2) mm are displayed.
In fact, starting from the center and distributing the image towards
the right of the patient, there are 70 mm before reaching the clip
With the FOVy within the range specified above, FOVy/2 remains
below or equal to 70 mm. Depending on how much FOVy/2 is less
than 70 mm, the dimensions increase in the left section of the
image, on the black background.
By default, the FOV in the front-rear direction of the patient corresponds
to the FOV in the X direction and is defined FOVx.
☛ CASE A
• FOVx t 160 mm, i.e. FOVx/2 t 80 mm
• In the center-A direction (front) 80 mm are displayed.
In fact, starting from the center and distributing the image towards
the front of the patient, there are 80 mm before reaching the clip.
All excess of the image, the rear patient direction, from the 80 mm
are eliminated from the display.
• In the center-P direction (rear) 70 mm are displayed.
In fact, starting from the center and distributing the image towards
the rear of the patient, there are 70 mm before reaching the clip.
All excess of the image, the rear patient direction, from the 70 mm
are eliminated from the display.

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 ☛ CASE B
• FOVx  160 mm, i.e. FOVx/2 80 mm
• In the center-A direction (front) FOVx/2 are displayed.
With the FOVx within the range specified above, FOVx/2 remains
below or equal to 80 mm. Depending on how much FOVx/2 is less
than 80 mm, the dimensions increase in the front section of the
image, of the black background.
• In the center-P direction (rear) 70 mm are displayed.
In fact, starting from the center and distributing the image towards
the rear of the patient, there are 70 mm before reaching the clip.
All excess of the image, the rear patient direction, from the 70 mm
are eliminated from the display.

An example of case 1 + case A is shown below: FOVy = 170 mm and FOVx

= 170 mm.

fig. 1.35 - Transverse orientation: maximum displayed image with acquisition

FOV greater than 170 mm x 170 mm

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An example of case 2 + case B is shown below: FOVy = 120 mm and FOVx
= 120 mm.

Image Quality in MR
fig. 1.36 - Transverse orientation: maximum displayed image with acquisition
FOV greater than 120 mm x 120 mm

In relation to the behavior of the Windows£ Vista Ultimate operating

system, displaying the individual series of images, note that:
☛ for all coils with the exception of knee coil 1.
If the acquisition FOV is less than or equal to 140 mm x 140 mm, all pixels
making up the image are displayed within the maximum displayed image
(128x128, 256x256 or 512x512), on a black background that contains the
information relayed to the image itself (the number of which depends on
the size of the window and user settings)
If the acquisition FOV is greater than 140 mm x 140 mm, only the part of
the 128x128, 256x256 or 512x512 pixels of the required image related to
the 140 mm x 140 mm are displayed.
☛ the system displays the image with a zoom factor that is the highest
possible in relation to the size of the window; if the window has different
horizontal and vertical dimensions, the zoom factor is determined by the
smaller of the two dimensions (as the image is always square).
☛ Because of displayed image constraints, O-scan is not recommended
for use in evaluation of diffuse pathologies that may extend beyond the
homogeneity region of the magnet and, in the case of the knee, beyond
the sensitivity region of knee coil 1
Tumors, for example, may extend beyond an area greater than the
maximum displayed image and it may be seriously difficult, or even
impossible, to make a correct assessment or diagnosis using O-scan.

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 Caution
Because of displayed image constraints, O-scan is not
recommended for use in evaluation of diffuse pathologies that may
extend beyond the homogeneity region.
Users are advised to conclusively determine that tumors or other
diffuse pathologies are entirely within the homogeneity region,
before attempting to assess or diagnose them.
It may be not possible to assess or diagnose pathologies that
extend beyond the homogeneity region. The size of the pathology
may not be known and important diagnostic structures may not be
visible.

Acquisition modes

Multislice 2D Acquisition
The 2D multislice mode is the standard G-scan acquisition method. In this
mode image slice thickness varies from 2 to 10 mm.
Each slice contains the area from which the system acquires information
using a specific sampling process in the direction of frequency and phase
encoding. Selection of the slice is by means of a selective RF excitation
pulse, which thus identifies the sample portion that will generate the
signal used to create the image.
The longer the excitation pulse, the closer the slice to a rectangular
profile.
The length of the excitation pulse is typical for a specific pulse sequence,
and cannot be modified by the user.
The possible 2D acquisition matrices for standard sequences, envisage
192 or 256 samples and from 64 to 256 encoding steps, selectable in
intervals from 4 to 8. Therefore the maximum matrix is 256x256 and the
minimum is 192x128.
The possible 2D acquisition matrices for high resolution sequences,
envisage 128, 160, 192, 224, 256, 288, 320, 352, 384, 416, 448, 480 or
512 samples and from 64 to 512 encoding steps, selectable in intervals
from 4 to 8. Therefore the maximum matrix is 256x256 and the minimum
is 128x128.

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3D Acquisition
In three-dimensional acquisition mode the RF pulse excites a volume of
tissue a few centimeters in thickness at one time, and the signal is

Image Quality in MR
acquired from the volume by using an additional phase encoding along the
volume thickness direction (known as 3D phase encoding).
During reconstruction, an additional Fourier transform in the 3D encoding
direction yields three-dimensional image data, which is viewable as a
series of two-dimensional slices of the data volume analyzed.
As the signal is obtained from the whole volume of tissue, the signal
intensity in 3D acquisitions is high and the S/N is good.
The 3D acquisition method produces slices with a rectangular profile and
a thickness as small as 0.6 mm (as the slice selection is determined by the
additional Fourier transform and not by a selective RF pulse). This obtains
images with high sptial resolution (the voxel size may be less than one
mm3) and fewer “crosstalk” and partial volume effects.
In 3D acquisitions the scan time is longer than in multislice 2D acquisitions
due to the 3D phase encoding:

scan time = (no. of phase encodings) x

x (no. of 3D phase encodings) x (no. of acquisitions) x TR

Therefore, TR must be reduced in order to reduce the sequence duration.

This may be accomplished by using Gradient Echo type sequences, which
use a short TR.
In 3D, the possible acquisition matrices envisage either 192 or 256
samples and from 64 to 256 steps for the first encoding and from 24 to
128 steps for the second, both with intervals selectable from 4 to 8. The
maximum matrix is therefore 256x256x128 and the minimum matrix is
192x64x24.

Isotropic 3D
In isotropic 3D mode, the acquired volume of the anatomical region
examined is stored in the system memory as a three-dimensional matrix,
called a “data cube”.
The aim of this technique is to allow the User to reconstruct multislice 2D
images, with any spatial orientation, by “reslicing” the data cube.

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 To obtain quality comparable to that of multislice 2D images in any re-
slicing direction, the voxel's three dimensions must also be comparable.
This is achieved by increasing the number of 3D encoding steps. Note:
increasing the number of 3D encoding steps also increases scan time.
A voxel size in the 3D encoding direction of up to 1 mm is generally
acceptable (depending on the anatomical region and the actual size of the
structures being examined) for obtaining optimal image quality and
minimum examination time.
In the case of isotropic 3D the quality of the images is similar regardless
of the selected projection, while the 3D encoding direction is the
preferential direction for re-slicing.
In the isotropic 3D technique, an increase in slice thickness leads to an
increase in the S/N ratio: in fact the contribution of different voxels is
added up in the direction of the selected projection.

Anisotropic 3D
All available 3D scans also exist in anisotropic version.
The anisotropic 3D mode automatically reconstructs the multislice 2D
images in the direction of the 3D encoding after the acquisition. The data
cube is then removed, which prevents any further re-slicing.
Anisotropic 3D may be considered as an alternative to a multislice 2D to
obtain both a smaller slice thickness (to minimum 0.6 mm) and a higher
S/N.

Quality Factor
The quality factor provides an indication of the image quality in terms of
S/N.
The quality factor value depends on the type of sequence and on the
selected sequence parameters (TR, TE, slice thickness, FOV, matrix size,
etc.).
When the listed parameters change, the system calculates the resulting
quality factor and displays it in real time.
The quality factor is displayed in the examination environment.

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Recognizing and Correcting Artifacts
Artifacts are signal intensities in the image that do not correspond to the
spatial distribution of tissues in the slice. Recognition of artifacts is

Image Quality in MR
important in minimizing negative influences on the diagnostic
interpretation of the image.
There are a number of artifacts associated with MR imaging. In general
the cause of their occurrence is physiological or technological. Artifacts
are internationally known with specific terms as described below. Artifacts
can be classified as follows:
☛ Inhomogeneity and disturbance related artifacts
☛ Magnet frequency variation artifacts
☛ Edge type artifacts (ghosting, smearings, chemical shift contours,
ringing)
☛ Wraparound artifacts
☛ “Magic angle” artifacts.
☛ typical artifacts in Fast Spin Echo sequences
☛ typical artifacts in Stationary State sequences
☛ typical artifacts in XBONE sequences
☛ typical artifacts due to the use of SpeedUp technique.
The following pages present examples of artifacts and possible causes.
Included are methods for correcting or minimizing them.

Inhomogeneity Artifacts

Magnetic field non-uniformity

Streak type artifacts may be present on the image, especially if large coils
are used. The appearance may be:
☛ Distorted indentations on the side of the FOV
☛ Streaks across the image
☛ Bright “wavy” structures in the image
☛ Signal voids for Gradient Echo sequences.

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 CAUSES
The shimmed field has been optimized for a sphere measuring up to
140 mm in diameter. The streak artifact is caused by tissue which extends
into the fall-off of the homogeneous field.
The larger the sensitive volume of the coil, the stronger the artifacts will
be.
Magnetic field inhomogeneity produces hyper-intense signal in spin echo
images, as indicated by the right arrow in next figure (weighed T2 image).
When inhomogeneity increases, the artifact adds a deformity on the
image, as shown under the hyper-intense area.

fig. 1.37 - Artifacts due to magnetic field inhomogeneity in a Spin Echo T2-
weighted image

In Gradient Echo images, the artifacts attributed to magnetic field

inhomogeneity are characterized by absence of signal as indicated by the
two arrows of next figure

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fig. 1.38 - Artifacts due to magnetic field inhomogeneity in Gradient Echo image

REMEDIES
☛ Check the shim status of the magnet.
Drifting of the magnetic field homogeneity may cause an artifact over
time. Request that the Esaote authorized service personnel check the
homogeneity.
☛ Select shorter TE.
Shorter TE characterize sequences with higher acquisition bandwidth.
Using sequences with wide bandwidth reduces such artifacts.
☛ Use a smaller FOV and thinner slices.

Local Inhomogeneity of the Magnetic Field

A homogeneous magnetic field can be distorted when metal objects are
placed within the field.

CAUSES
Metal objects, clips, or fragments present within the examination area of
the patient, may locally distort the magnetic field causing artifacts to
appear on images.

Caution
Refer to chapter 3 - paragraph “Pre-screening of patients” - of the user
manual for the possible risks related to the examination of patients
with implanted surgical clips or metal objects in the cranial, ocular and
vascular areas and patients with metal object in the body.

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 fig. 1.39 - Artifact due to metal residuals following an ACL transplant

REMEDIES
☛ Acquire images using a shorter TE, larger acquisition matrix and smaller
FOV.
This type of artifact cannot be entirely eliminated, and should be noted
during patient diagnosis.
☛ In addition, only for FSE sequences and if "Metal Artifact Reduction
(MAR) tecnique" option is enabled, set the multiplication factor of
sampling frequency, from positioning environment - tag Special, to a
value greater than 1 (see paragrph “Multiplication factor of sampling
frequency”, chapter “Image Quality in MR” in this document).

Zebra Artifact
Zebra artifact causes an image to be covered by parallel lines of
alternating intensities and may make diagnosis difficult.

CAUSES
Strong surges in the power line may cause this artifact.

REMEDIES
Request that the Esaote authorized service personnel check the system
environment.

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Magnetic Disturbance Related Artifacts
Low Frequency (LF) electromagnetic disturbance may generate static
magnetic field fluctuations which appear in the image as ghost and blur

Image Quality in MR
artifacts

CAUSES
☛ AC disturbance caused by external electromagnetic fields at 50/60 Hz
and 16.6 Hz may result in ghost artifacts.
☛ AC disturbance within the system caused by the failure of hardware
module of the LF chain may result in ghost artifacts.

fig. 1.40 - Ghost artifact visualized on a phantom

☛ DC disturbance interference caused by hardware failures and thermal

instability of the system may result in blur artifacts.
☛ DC disturbance caused by large, moving ferromagnetic objects
(streetcars, elevators, etc.) may result in blur artifacts.
☛ quasi-DC disturbance caused by surges in DC power line of subways,
railways, etc. may result in blur artifacts.

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 fig. 1.41 - Blur artifact visualized on a phantom

☛ DC disturbance caused by large ferrous masses close to the system

may distort the magnet field homogeneity.

REMEDIES
☛ Check that the installation site meets the requirements specified in
Service Manuals.
☛ Ask the Esaote authorized service personnel for the AC/DC magnetic
compensation.

RF Disturbance Related Artifacts

RF disturbance related problems - for instance lines, spots, etc. - may
appear in the image

CAUSES
☛ RF external frequencies.
☛ RF frequencies within the system caused by the failure of hardware
modules of the RF chain.

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 Image Quality in MR
fig. 1.42 - RF disturbance related artifact

REMEDIES
Request the Esaote authorized service personnel for technical assistance.

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 Magnet frequency variation artifacts
If the magnet frequency is outside of the specification it causes an artifact
which consists of a shift in the direction of the reading of the image
acquired, with respect to the isocentre of the magnet.
The shift of the image acquired from the isocentre, is proportional to the
distance between the frequency actually used by the magnet and the
frequency as per specifications. For magnet frequencies extremely distant
from specifications, the NMR signal is not acquired and the image is only
made-up of noise.

CAUSES
The shift in the magnet frequency with respect to its central value is
determined by an incorrect magnet temperature.
This may occur for several reasons:
☛ The room temperature is outside of the specification so thermal control
to maintain the magnet temperature within the required range, is not
possible.
☛ Failure of magnet thermal control electronics.

fig. 1.43 - Artifact due to the magnet frequency variation

REMEDIES
☛ Check if the room and the magnet temperatures respect the
requirements specified in the Service manual.
☛ Request that Esaote authorized service personnel check and if
necessary, repair the thermal control malfunction.

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Edge Artifacts

Image Quality in MR
Chemical Shift Contours
This type of artifact occurs exclusively with Gradient Echo sequences and
appears as a dark edge in the interface between water and fat.

CAUSES
Protons of water and fat have slightly different precessing resonance
frequencies The signal phase response is thus sequential.
At 0.3 T the fat and the water spins are in and out phase every 11.18 ms
after the pulse. The signal intensity of a voxel containing fat and water
oscillates with increasing echo time TE. The strength depends on the ratio
between lipid and water protons in the tissue.

fig. 1.44 - Chemical shift contours at the interface between different tissues

REMEDIES
The artifact completely disappears only for TE less than 10 ms and when
TE = 36.4 ms. (fat and water spins are in phase). These conditions are
unrealistic with the O-scan system and therefore there is no remedy to
this problem.

Ringing due to Finite Data Sampling

Periodic oscillations parallel to tissue interfaces often appear in any
direction in MR images.

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 Any abrupt changes in tissue signals are subject to this effect. Bands of
alternating high and low signal intensities are produced. These bands tend
to look like regular structures and could cause incorrect interpretation of
images.

CAUSES
Ringing artifacts are intrinsic in the sampling process of an analog signal.
In theory the only way to eliminate these artifacts would be to acquire an
infinite bandwidth; however as in practice limited bandwidths are always
sampled, some data would always be “cut off”, generating this type of
artifact. For this reason, ringing artifacts are also referred to as truncation
artifacts

fig. 1.45 - “Ringing” artifact

REMEDIES
☛ Use the Hamming filter.
The Hamming filter is applied on raw data acquisition specifically to reduce
the ringing artifacts. See chapter «Examination environment» of the User
Interface Manual.
☛ Use a larger acquisition matrix

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fig. 1.46 - Previous image acquired with Hamming filter

Ghosting and Smearing

These artifacts are often caused by random or inadvertent movements
such as:
☛ Patient movement
☛ Respiratory motion
☛ Cardiac movement and blood flow
Motion artifacts are visible only in the phase encoding direction and
appear as ghosts or smears in the image.

Random movement artifacts

CAUSES
During the MR examination, the patient may:
☛ make inadvertent small movements, caused by the contraction of one
or more nervous and/or muscular structures (twitches, movement
disorders), located within the anatomic region examined.
☛ make voluntary movements of the anatomic region examined in the
direction/s up/down and/or left-right, due to the following factors:
• uncomfortable sensations caused by excessive duration of the
examination.
• slight and momentary paresthesia caused by excessively long (and
incorrect) compression of vascular or nervous structures in the
anatomic region examined, to immobilise the area concerned.

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 fig. 1.47 - Random movement artifacts

REMEDIES
☛ If the type of examination is suspected to be influenced from such
artifacts, utilize the motion artifacts correction technique (to be selected
before the acquisition, as indicated in the Chapter 3 of the User Interface
Manual)
☛ Restrict the duration of the examination to maximum 45 minutes
☛ Avoid excessive vascular and/or nervous compression of the anatomic
region examined when immobilizing the latter.

Periodic involuntary movement artifacts

GHOSTING CAUSES
During physiological movement such as respiratory motion, raw data lines
are acquired in the inspiration or expiration phase. As a result, the imaged
region is displayed offset at uniform intervals. Structures with high signal
intensity, such as subcutaneous fat, generate ghost images in response to
motion. The interval between the ghost images depends on the period of
motion and repetition time TR.

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SMEARING CAUSES
Smearing artifacts are caused by changes in the local signal during the
scanning. For example, the inflow enhancement of a vessel perpendicular

Image Quality in MR
to the image plane changes periodically due to the pulsate blood flow.
Ghost images of large vessels may be generated in the axial body images.
Blood flow in the image plane along the readout gradient leads to a loss of
signal in the vessel. When blood flow is slow during systole, a residual
signal remains with periodic fluctuations. For this reason, smearing is
visible in many vessels in the image plane.

fig. 1.48 - Artifact due to blood flow

REMEDIES
☛ Use pseudo-gating.
Make the TR a multiple of the heart rate (if known). This action greatly
reduces Ghosting caused by blood flow.
☛ Increase the number of acquisitions.
Data is acquired continuously during the entire respiratory or cardiac
cycle. If each scan is repeated several times, clearly delineated ghost
images may be eliminated, or greatly reduced.
However it must be considered that a large number of acquisitions
increases the overall time of the examination. The patient, forced to
remain immobile for prolonged periods of time, may be subject to
movement, even involuntary, which can have a negative effect on the
image produced. To determine the optimum number of acquisitions, the
patient's conditions, the area under examination and the incidence of
artifact should be carefully evaluated.

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 Wraparound Artifacts
Parts of the anatomical region placed outside the FOV, but within the
sensitive volume of the coil may overlap the image inside the FOV: an
artifact appears on the image, on the opposite side of the FOV with
respect to that containing the spins that cause the actual signal.

CAUSES
Aliasing or wraparound artifacts occur whenever a time-varying signal is
sampled discretely with a sampling frequency, fc, that does not exceed
more than twice the band of frequencies contained in the signal.
In fact, any frequency greater than one half of the fc (fc/2, is known as the
Nyqvist frequency) is indistinguishable from some lower frequency
Thus, a frequency spectrum derived from discretely sample data will not
exhibit frequencies above the Nyqvist frequency and any frequencies in
the temporal signal above the Nyqvist frequency will be folded over.
In MR imaging, where the signal is received with phase coherence, the
signal of frequencies exceeding that of Nyqvist will not simply be flipped
into the spectrum, but will be assigned to the respective negative
frequency. The extension o the concept of aliasing produces the “wrap-
around” effect: objects extending beyond one boundary of an image
project back into the image from the opposite boundary (with respect to
the exceeding border).
☛ In the readout direction fc should be at least double the signal
frequency, to avoid the readout gradient incorrectly placing the signal
coming from outside the FOV in the displayed image.
☛ In phase-encoding direction the spins within the chosen FOV exhibit a
maximum phase shift of 360 degrees for the highest phase encoding step.
Spins peripheral to the FOV accumulate a phase shift of more than a
complete cycle (E = D + k 360 degrees): these spins are encoded in the
same way as those spins characterized by a phase shift of D degrees.
☛ In 3D imaging the side regions of the selected volume may be obscured
by aliasing in the slice selection direction. In this case, the aliasing causes
a non-optimized slice selective excitation of the 3D volume.

REMEDIES
☛ Use a larger FOV to try to enclose the entire anatomical region within
the FOV.
☛ A band pass filter of the system eliminates the wraparound artifact in
the readout direction.
☛ Use the oversampling technique to eliminate the defect in the encoding
direction.
The function can be enabled/disabled by the user and can also function if
only one acquisition is set (see chapter 3 of the User Interface manual,
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 paragraph “Oversampling”).
☛ The system software mostly eliminates the obscured side regions in 3D
imaging. Some peripheral slices may be anyway affected.

Image Quality in MR
“Magic angle” artifacts
Some tissues in the human body, such as ligaments and tendons, are
composed of a collagenic, anisotropic structure.
In these tissues, T2 relaxation time depends strongly on the angle that
their direction forms with the magnetic field direction.

CAUSES
The structures in question (ligaments / tendons) result generally hypo -
intense (in absence of pathologies) in all the sequences, unless the angle
between the magnetic field and the direction of the tendon or ligament
tissue is approximately 55 degrees (the so-called “magic angle”).
In this case the relaxation time T2 is maximum and sufficiently long to
increase the signal.
In T1 weighted sequences with a short TE, such a signal increase may
simulate pathology of these structures: resulting in visualization of only
the “magic angle” artifact.

fig. 1.49 - Artifact caused by the “magic angle” phenomenon in a T1-weighted

image

REMEDIES
☛ Change the patient's position: this is not always easy, because of the
design of the O-scan.
☛ Use sequences with a sufficiently long TE: the “Spin Echo, TE=50 ms”
and “Turbo Spin Echo, TE=50 ms” sequences have been specially
designed to prevent the problem caused by long acquisition times.

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 fig. 1.50 - Image obtained with the sequence “Spin Echo, TE=50 ms”: the
“magic angle” artifact disappears

Typical artifacts in Fast Spin Echo sequences

Artifacts that occur with this type of sequence are caused by two main
factors:
☛ the space K is filled starting from different echoes.
☛ each echo acquired is the sum of the main echo (spin echo) and the
stimulated echo.
☛ Relaxation technique malfunctioning

Artifacts due to filling of K space using different echoes

CAUSES
These types of artifact are due to a series of factors such as:
☛ discontinuity in the K space due to errors on echoes, which for reasons
intrinsic to the FAST technique, cannot be factorized in the same way as
normal sequences (Spin Echo, Gradient Echo etc.) and consequently
reflect on image quality, giving rise to the following artifacts:
• ringing
• ghosting
☛ discontinuity in the K spcae, caused by deterioration of T2 which occurs
between one echo and the next, giving rise to the following artifacts:
• blurring: each digital image is the representation of a physical
object. In an ideal situation, each point of the physical object is
represented by a well defined point in the image; in a real system,
the single point of the image is spread (blurred) or repeated
(ringing) in the image. This effect is expressed mathematically with
the function PSF (Point Spread Function) the width of which
quantifies blurring; in the case of an FSE sequence, PSF broadens
on deterioration of T2. This effect influences image quality: the
greater the blurring the lower the quality of the image with possible

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 consequences due to incorrect interpretations.
This artifact is more marked in the case of structures with low T2
relaxation times.

Image Quality in MR
fig. 1.51 - Blurring type artifacts visible in an image obtained with the sequence
“Fast Spin Echo”, ETL=16

• “cusp” artifacts: this artifact is caused by hyperintense structures,

created by inhomogeneity of the magnet, located outside the
homogeneity region and replicated inside the image.

REMEDIES
☛ ringing: to correct this artifact, enter a value greater than 1 in the
parameter “Series”, located in the sequence programming environment.
This is valid only for sequences in which the Echo Time (TE) is greater than
the inter-echo time (ESP).
☛ blurring: to minimise this type of artifact, use low echo train values
(ETL) and set the parameter “Series”, to a value greater than 1.

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 fig. 1.52 - Image obtained with the sequence “Fast Spin Echo, ETL=8”: the
blurring artifact disappears

☛ “cusp” artifacts: to avoid this type of artifact, during sequence

programming, position a presaturation band to cancel out the signal from
hyperintense structures.

Artifacts due to an incoherent sum of the main echo (spin

echo) and the stimulated echo
CAUSES
If the stimulated echo does not coincide, in terms of time, with the main
echo, the sum of the two echoes is no longer coherent and may give rise
to an artifact that causes a change in brightness in the direction of the
readout gradient.
The more the stimulated echo deviates from the main echo, the more
marked is this artifact, transforming it into a Zebra type artifact.
REMEDIES
If the artifact is so marked that it becomes a Zebra type artifact:
☛ Request that the Esaote authorized service personnel check the system
environment, and repeat calibration when required.

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Relaxation technique malfunctioning
CAUSES

Image Quality in MR
The cause of an eventual malfunction of the Relaxation technique is
intrinsic to the methodology itself.
In case where the calibration of the Relaxation technique is not perfect,
enabling this technique it is possible that the 90 ° RF pulse , placed at the
end of the TR, is not sent so as to be perfectly synchronized with the
remaining part of the sequence, therefore not allowing the speeding up of
the signal relaxation and causing the partial and/or total deterioration of
the T2 contrast on the image.

fig. 1.53 - FSE Sequence with Relaxation technique functioning (left) and FSE
Sequence with Relaxation technique malfunction(right)

REMEDIES
Ask the Esaote authorized service personnel to control the environment in
which the system is installed and its eventual calibration.

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 Typical artifacts in Stationary State sequences
This type of sequence is normally subject to artifacts typical of the
Gradient Echo sequences, dealt with previously, and including:
• “absence of signal” type artifacts, largely due to magnetic field
inhomogeneity.
• Wraparound (Backfolding) Artifacts
In particular, the series of “Hyce” sequences (2D Hyce, 3D Hyce) may be
subject to the “Banding” type artifact.
CAUSES
The artifact is intrinsic to the technique used by the sequence, and is
essentially due to susceptibility of the latter to magnetic field
inhomogeneity.
This artifact appears as one or more black stripes, positioned at the center
or peripheral parts of the image, corresponding to the points where
inhomogeneity values depend on the Repetition Time (TR) used.

fig. 1.54 - “Banding” type artifacts visible in a “2D Hyce” sequence

REMEDIES
☛ enter a value greater than 1 in the parameter “Series”, located in the
sequence programming environment.
When a value greater than 1 is entered in the parameter “Series”, the
sequence is automatically acquired n times, where n is the number set by
the user.
Each time there are n acquisitions, each preceded by an appropriate pulse
phase change, n different k spaces are generated, and thus n images; at
the end of the entire sequence, the n images are combined to obtain an
image in which this artifact is reduced to a minimum and/or eliminated.
☛ when the other parameters are maintained, in a coherent manner, short
TR should be used, because when the TR is reduced, the black banding
artifact does not tend to be visible.
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Typical artifacts of “XBONE” sequences
This type of sequencee is normally prone to typical Gradient Echo se-
quence artifacts, discussed in the previous pages:

Image Quality in MR
• "Absence of Signal" type artifacts, basically due to local magnetic
field dishomogeneity, present principally on the borders of the field
of view of the native images.
• "water-fat suppression inversion" type artifacts (SWAP).

CAUSES
The first type of artifact is intrinsic of the technique used by this sequence,
and is substantially due to its sensitivity to local magnetic field
dishomogeneity.
This artifact appears as a loss of signal that is more or less evident
depending on the acquisition parameters used, in particolar the Echo time
(TE) and layer thickness.

fig. 1.55 - "Local Dishomogeneity" type aritifact visible on the two images which
represent the two native echoes of the XBONE sequence (1°eco on the left 2°eco
on the right).

The second type of artifact occurs as an inversion of fat and water sup-
pression; this artifact is highlighted only on the addition and subtraction
images of the phase derived from the two native images.

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 This inversion is generated by an erroneous calculation of the un-wrap-
ping phase algorithym caused by excessive phase turns of the NMR signal
acquired.

fig. 1.56 - "Water-fat suppression inversion" type artifacts visible on the addition
and subtraction images of the phase derived from th two native images of
XBONE sequence.

Typical artifacts due to the use of the SpeedUp technique

This type of technique can be subject to artifacts due to an incorrect phase
modulation in transmission, such as:
• artifacts type "bright spots" and/or "star-shaped structures" located
in the center of the image.

CAUSES
This type of artifacts is determined by an error in the SpeedUp acquisition
that in turn leads to an incorrect phase modulation in transmission.

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 Image Quality in MR
fig. 1.57 - Artifacts type "bright spots" and/or "star-shaped structures" located
in the center of the image, visible on image acquired with SpeedUp technique.

REMEDIES
☛ repeat the sequence by disabling the SpeedUp acquisition.
To disable this acquisition technique simply deselecting, with a click, the
appropriate box in the field SpeedUp, located in special parameters in the
edit/execute scans environment.

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 CHAPTER 2
Examination Sequences &
Protocols
••••••

Pulse Sequences
O-scan is a low field system (0.3 T) and the S/N resulting from the
magnetic field is lower than that of higher field systems. To offset this
factor, the system uses a proprietary design approach combined with
state-of-the-art electronics, receiving coils, design strategy and optimal
pulse sequence utilization, to achieve image quality comparable to that of
medium field systems.
The O-scan system has 2D and 3D sequences.
The system maximizes the S/N of each sequence by choosing the
appropriate acquisition bandwidth according to the selected scan
parameters.
The pre-set scan parameters of each sequence are designed to optimize
image quality and minimize examination time.
The following paragraphs describe the available O-scan system
sequences, and the effect of each sequence on image contrast This aspect
of MR imaging is essential for full utilization of the system's clinical
capability.
users are advised to supplement their knowledge of this subject through
training courses and existing literature.

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 Sequences to obtain T1 Contrast
T1-weighted images are characterized by a contrast which mainly
depends on the relaxation time, T1, of the tissues. Each tissue provides a
signal that depends on the T1: the shorter the T1, the more intense the
signal.
In this type of image, the S/N is usually high, allowing for a good
discrimination of the main anatomical structures.
T1 contrast can be obtained by using:
☛ Short echo times (TE shorter than 30 ms, usually TE = 24 ms), as short
TE minimizes T2 relaxation effects and consequently the T2 weight on the
image
☛ Short repetition times compared with tissue T1s (TR approximately
500 ms, or lower).

short TE
T1 contrast œ
short TR

To increase the T1 contrast, the user can adjust the sequence parameters
by reducing TE and TR.
A reduction in echo time means:
☛ an increase in the MR signal, as the echo signal is reduced by less in the
case of T2 relaxation
☛ a reduction in acquisition time, which, in turn, increases the acquisition
bandwidth, thereby also increasing noise. The net result of these factors
will determine the image S/N
The use of short TEs in studying ligaments may produce the “magic angle”
phenomenon (refer to the chapter on Image Quality in MR, paragraph
“Recognizing and correcting artifacts”)
T1 contrast can also be increased by using paramagnetic contrast agents
that reduce the T1 value of certain tissues, thereby increasing their
contrast with adjacent ones.

Caution
Before using any contrast agent, refer to the manufacturer’s
labeling.
Contrast agents may cause serious adverse effects such as
anaphylactic reactions, or other side effects such as rashes.

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Caution
Use exclusively paramagnetic contrast agents (gadolinium
compounds) approved by competent Regulation Authorities for use
in magnetic resonance imaging.
Before using any contrast agent, refer to the manufacturer’s
labeling.
Contrast agents may cause serious adverse effects such as
anaphylactic reactions, or other side effects such as rashes.

Caution
Patients with serious renal insufficiency, on administration of a
gadolinium based contrast agents may develop a potentially fatal
and debilitating illness known as nephrogenic systemic fibrosis
(NSF).
Also patients who have recently undergone or are about to undergo
a liver transplant, or patients with chronic liver disease, are at risk of
developing NSF if suffering from renal insufficiency to any degree.

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 “Spin Echo T1” Sequence
In spin echo sequences a 90° RF excitation pulse is followed by a 180° RF
refocusing pulse to eliminate static magnetic field inhomogeneity and
produce T1-weighted and T2-weighted images.
“Spin Echo T1” is a Spin Echo sequence with TE varying from 18 to 34 ms;
to optimize the S/N the acquisition bandwidth is automatically reduced to
the minimum possible for the selected TE.

fig. 2.1 - RF and gradients time evolution for Spin Echo sequences “G slice” is
the slice selecting gradient. “G phase” is the phase encoding gradient. “G
readout” is the frequency encoding (or reading) gradient.

“Spin Echo T1 HE” Sequence

This is a Spin Echo sequence with a very short TE.
With respect to a Spin Echo T1 sequence, the TE is reduced using the “Half
Echo” technique. Only half the MR signal is acquired. The missing half is
reconstructed using the appropriate algorithm.
This sequence will provide maximum T1 contrast, but is more prone to the
“magic angle” phenomenon (refer to the chapter “Image Quality in MR”,
paragraph “Recognizing and correcting artifacts” in this document)

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fig. 2.2 - RF and gradients time evolution for Spin Echo Half Echo sequences. “G
slice” is the slice selecting gradient. “G phase” is the phase encoding gradient.
“G readout” is the frequency encoding (or reading) gradient.

“Spin Echo T1 HF” Sequence

This is the “Spin Echo T1” sequence with application of the “Half-Fourier”
technique for reducing scan time. Half of the phase encodings are
acquired and an algorithm reconstructs the other half.
In reducing scan time, this technique can be used:
☛ as an alternative to reducing the number of acquisitions.
☛ For acquiring proton-density contrast images where very long TRs must
be used.
The Half-Fourier imaging technique is a conventional MRI technique,
defined as follows: “Reconstruction of an image from an MR data set
comprising an asymmetric sampling of k-space. For example, it can be
used either to shorten image acquisition time, by reducing the number of
phase encoding steps required, or to shorten the echo time, TE, by
moving the echo off center in the acquisition window. In either case the
signal-to-noise ratio is reduced and the resolution can be improved to
correspond to the maximum available resolution in the data.”

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 “Fast Spin Echo T1” Sequences
The Fast Spin Echo T1 (FSE T1) sequence is a Fast Spin Echo sequence
(see paragraph “Fast Spin Echo T2 sequences” for a detailed description)
with a fixed ESP and ETL (echo train length) selectable by the user (see
paragraph “Fast Spin Echo T2 sequences” for a detailed description).

“IR” Sequence
In Inversion Recovery sequences, a 180° pulse is used to reverse
longitudinal magnetization before acquisition.
In this way the MR signal is strongly characterized by T1 relaxation time
only and images acquired with this technique have a “cleaner” T1
contrast.
This sequence can be used to make guideline T1 evaluations.
Moreover if the 90° excitation pulse is applied at the exact moment when
the relaxation curve of a particular T1 value is at zero, the signal of the
corresponding tissue is suppressed (STIR sequence, refer to paragraph
“Fat Suppression Sequences”).

fig. 2.3 - RF and gradients time evolution for IR sequences “G slice” is the slice
selecting gradient. “G phase” is the phase encoding gradient. “G readout” is the
frequency encoding (or reading) gradient.

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Sequences to obtain T2 Contrast
T2-weighted images are characterized by a contrast which mainly
depends on the relaxation time, T2, of the tissues. Each tissue provides a
signal that depends on the T2: the greater the T2, the more intense the
signal.
The T2 contrast can be obtained via longer echo times compared with
tissue T2s and longer repetition times compared with T1, to reduce its
effect on the contrast of the images.

long TE
T2 contrast œ
long TR

An increase in echo time means a decrease in MR signal because of the T2

relaxation effects.
The S/N of this type of image is smaller than that of T1 images, despite a
decrease in noise due to the reduced acquisition bandwidth used by the
system in pulse sequences with long TR.
Moreover, due to the fact that this technique requires very long TR (from
2500 to 3000 ms), scan times are high.
Weighted T2 images are particularly sensitive to many pathological
lesions that, in some cases, are not visible using weighted T1 sequences
and to the presence of synovial liquid, edema and inflammatory tissue.

Note
When longer echo times (TE) are used, the “Magic Angle” effect
does not occur (see paragraph “Recognizing and Correcting
Artifacts” of chapter “Image Quality in MR” in this document).

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 “Spin Echo T2” Sequence
In spin echo sequences a 90° RF excitation pulse is followed by a 180° RF
refocusing pulse to eliminate static magnetic field inhomogeneity and
produce T1-weighted and T2-weighted images.
“Spin Echo T2” is a Spin Echo sequence with a long TE; the acquisition
bandwidth is as small as possible to improve the S/N ratio and is therefore
fixed for each TE.
This sequence features a long TE, which varies from 80 to 120 ms.
See fig. 2.1 of the manual for RF and gradients time evolution.

“Spin Echo Proton Density-T2” Sequence

In this type of sequence, after an initial 90° pulse the signal is refocused
three times by three consecutive 180° pulses thus producing three echoes
at different echo times.
Two different images are obtained through this sequence:
☛ The first image is proton density weighted and is obtained from the first
echo only
☛ The second image is T2-weighted and is obtained from all the three
echoes. The effective TE of this image is a value that achieves optimal
contrast.
This sequence is particularly useful to characterize tissues by means of
their contrast change between the first and second echo.

fig. 2.4 - RF and gradients time evolution for Multi-Echo sequences. “G slice” is
the slice selecting gradient. “G phase” is the phase encoding gradient. “G
readout” is the frequency encoding (or reading) gradient.

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“Turbo Multi Echo 3 Echoes”” Sequence
In this type of sequence - that use also the “Half Fourier” technique - after
an initial 90° pulse the signal is refocused three times by three
consecutive 180° pulses thus producing three echoes at different echo
times (see previous image for RF and gradients time evolution).
Three different images are obtained through this sequence:
☛ The first image is proton density weighted and is obtained from the first
echo only
☛ The second image is T2-weighted and is obtained from the second echo
only
☛ The third image is strongly T2-weighted and is obtained from the third
echo only
This sequence is particularly useful to characterize tissues by means of
their contrast change among the three echoes.

“Turbo Spin Echo” Sequence

In this sequence the signals of 3 echoes are combined using also the “Half
Fourier” technique, to obtain T2-weighted contrast images in a shorter
scan time than the standard “SPIN ECHO T2” sequence.
The TE of the image is an “effective” echo time and is the weighted
combination of the three echoes.

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 “Fast Spin Echo T2” Sequences
The Fast Spin Echo (FSE) is a Spin Echo type sequence with several
echoes generated by a train of refocalisation pulses (180°).
Each echo is encoded differently, and therefore the acquisition time is
reduced by a factor equal to the number of echoes used (Turbo Factor).
The distance between one echo and the next is called ESP (Echo Spacing).
Selection of the TE determines which echo is placed at the centre of the k
space, thus defining image contrast T2.
FSE images may be subject to blurring, which depends on the tissue T2
and the direction of the echo train. The ESP (Echo spacing) value can be
selected and, according to the ESP, also the number of echoes.
The frequency of finite data sampling is optimized for each selected
sample number, to maximize the image S/N.
It is also possible to enable/disable flow compensation in the reading
direction or gradient selection direction
.

fig. 2.5 - RF and gradients time evolution for Fast Spin Echo sequences. “G slice”
is the slice selecting gradient. “G phase” is the phase encoding gradient. “G
readout” is the frequency encoding (or reading) gradient.

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 Examination Sequences & Protocols
“FSE Proton Density T2” sequence
This is a Fast Spin Echo sequence with fixed ESP and ETL, in which two
different images are generated by special management functions; the first
with an echo time of 30 and proton density contrast, and the second with
an echo time of 120 and contrast T2.
Each echo is encoded differently, and therefore the acquisition time is
reduced by a factor equal to half the number of echoes used (Turbo
Factor).

“Turbo Multi Echo” Sequence

In this sequence the signals of 3 echoes are combined using also the “Half
Fourier” technique, to obtain two images, the first with a proton density
contrast and the second with a T2-weighted contrast, in a shorter
acquisition time than with the “Spin Echo Proton Density-T2” sequence.

Sequences to obtain the “Proton Density” Contrast

The “proton density” contrast distinguishes tissues depending on their
water content, having minimized the influence of T1 and T2 relaxation
times.
To obtain this contrast, use short echo (TE) times to reduce the effects of
the T2, and long repetition times (TR) to reduce the effects of the T1.

short TE
“proton density” contrast œ
long TR

This type of contrast provides high-resolution images, with a good S/N

ratio, providing a clear tissue differentiation.
If TR is long enough, all the short TE sequences described in the previous
paragraphs can be used to obtain this type of contrast. The same is true
for double-echo sequences, where the first echo is proton density
weighted.

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 SPED Sequence
The SPED sequence is a Spin Echo type sequence with two echoes, in
which the echo times are determined automatically by the software
according to the resonance frequency and the chemical shift between
water and fat to generate two images in which the water and fat signals
are respectively in counterphase and in phase.
The subsequent processing of data by the software leads to the
generation of two images containing respectively only the fat signal and
only the water signal, obtaining water/fat separation.

fig. 2.6 - RF and gradients time evolution for SPED sequences. “G slice” is the
slice selection gradient “G phase” is the phase encoding gradient. “G readout” is
the frequency encoding (or reading) gradient.

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Gradient Echo Sequences
In this type of sequence, the MR signal is refocused by inverting the
gradient instead of using a 180° RF pulse, which in Spin Echo sequences
neutralizes local inhomogeneities of the static magnetic field. Due to these
inhomogeneities, the protons will experience larger differences in
magnetic field strength and they will be out of phase faster; consequently
the relaxation time of the transverse magnetization will be shorter. This
shorter relaxation time is called T2*. (local magnetic field spin
interactions, refer to Appendix A - General Principles of Magnetic
Resonance Imaging).
The amount of signal flipped into the transverse plane is determined by
the flip angle. For a given repetition time, increasing the flip angle the T1
contrast increases as will be not enough time for complete T1 relaxation of
the signal into the longitudinal direction. Decreasing the flip angle the T1
contrast decreases as the T1 relaxation of the signal in the longitudinal
direction results complete thanks to the little amount of the signal to be
recovered.
In Gradient Echo sequences the image contrast is manipulated adjusting
the size of the flip angle and the echo time

TE d 14 ms
pseudo T1 contrast œ
FA t 75°

TE t 18 ms
pseudo T2 contrast œ
FA d 45°

Gradient Echo sequences are usually characterized by a strong S/N,

therefore they are also used to perform fast acquisition, in particular 3D.
Gradient Echo sequences are sensitive to local inhomogeneities of the
static magnetic field and the images may contain artifacts (refer to the
chapter “Image Quality in MR”, paragraph “Recognizing and correcting
artifacts” in this document).
Moreover, the different resonance frequency of water and fat protons,
known as “chemical shift”, causes a difference in the phase of the signal
between these two components with resulting signal cancellation in voxels
that contain both water and fat: this phenomenon appears as a dark edge
in the interface between water and fat (see chapter “Image Quality in MR”,
paragraph “Recognizing and correcting artifacts” in this document).

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 “Gradient Echo, TE = 10 ms” and “Gradient Echo, TE =
14 ms” and “Gradient Echo, TE = 16 ms” sequences
These are gradient echo sequences that provide “pseudo T1” weighted
images.
They are characterized by Flip angle values near to 90 degrees, which
increase the T1 contrast.

fig. 2.7 - RF and gradients time evolution for Gradient Echo sequences “G slice”
is the slice selecting gradient. “G phase” is the phase encoding gradient. “G
readout” is the frequency encoding (or reading) gradient.

Gradient Echo T2 sequence

These are gradient echo sequences that provide “pseudo T2” weighted
images.
As echo times of over 22 ms can be used – together with low Flip Angle
values (from 30° to 45°) – the T2 contrast may be greater than that
obtained with the sequences “Gradient Echo, TE = 18 ms” and” Gradient
Echo, TE = 22 ms”.
See fig. 2.6 of the manual for RF and gradients time evolution.

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 Examination Sequences & Protocols
“XBONE” seqence
The XBONE sequence is a Gradient Echo type sequence with two echoes,
in which the echo times are determined automatically by the software
according to the resonance frequency and the chemical shift between
water and fat to generate two images in which the water and fat signals
are respectively in counterphase and in phase.
The subsequent processing of data by the software leads to the
generation of two images containing respectively only the fat signal and
only the water signal, obtaining water/fat separation.

fig. 2.8 - RF and gradients time evolution for XBONE sequences. “G slice” is the
slice selection gradient “G phase” is the phase encoding gradient. “G readout” is
the frequency encoding (or reading) gradient.

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 “2D HYCE” Sequence
The 2D HYCE sequence is a Gradient Echo “stationary state” balanced
type sequence. Each TR image is specifically encoded in 2D. As the signal
is superimposed, this sequence is sensitive to inhomogeneity of the
magnetic field, as well as static inhomogeneities of B0 or effects related to
field susceptibility. The image may contain interference streaks, and for
this reason the TR is kept as low as possible.
Sampling frequency is optimized for each selection of the TR, in line with
the RF pulse and capacity of the field gradient, to obtain the maximum
image S/N ratio. The echo time is the same as TR/2.

fig. 2.9 - RF and gradients time evolution for 2D HYCE sequences. “G slice” is
the slice selecting gradient. “G phase 2D” is the phase encoding gradient. “G
readout” is the frequency encoding (or reading) gradient.

“2D HYCE S” Sequence

This is a 2DHYCE sequence using a special technique that enables
continuously repeated acquisition of images of the same slice, set by the
user.
On the basis of the parameters selected by the user (TR, N_acq, N_series
and N_phases) high speed acquisitions are possible up to a maximum of
approx. 1 image (frame) per second.
After a short interval for calibration, continuous acquisition is started; to
terminate acquisition and thus the sequence, the user can use the abort
key.

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 Examination Sequences & Protocols
Fat suppression sequences
Fat Suppression Sequences In Inversion Recovery sequences, a 180°
pulse inverts longitudinal magnetization, which returns to equilibrium
according to a T1 relaxation time
During this recovery, magnetization crosses a zero point T1 x log2 ms
after the application of the 180° pulse.
By applying an excitation pulse exactly at this time TI = (T1 x log2) ms,
the signal corresponding to that particular T1 will be cancelled in the
image.
Typically the T1 selected is the fat one, which is also the major component
of bone tissue. It will be very dark on the image.
Due to its nature, this technique produces images that have a low S/N, but
which allow good differentiation of structures within an adipose structure.
A good sensitivity to bone tissue pathologies (i.e., fractures or bone
edema) is obtained.

# 85 ms
TI = stir
Fat Suppression œ
# 75 ms
TI = ge stir

“STIR” Sequence
This is an Inversion Recovery sequence with short TI inversion pulse
(Short Tau Inversion Recovery).
After the inversion pulse, a Spin Echo type sequence is used to acquire the
signal.
See fig. 2.3 of the manual for RF and gradients time evolution.

“STIR T2” Sequence

This is an Inversion Recovery sequence with short TI inversion pulse
(Short Tau Inversion Recovery).
After the inversion pulse, a Spin Echo type sequence is used to acquire the
signal.
This sequence features a long TE, which varies from 80 to 120 ms.
See fig. 2.3 of the manual for RF and gradients time evolution.

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 “Gradient Echo STIR, TE = 25” Sequences
In this sequence, a Gradient Echo sequence is used, after the inversion
pulse, to obtain the signal.
It gives a slightly different sequence to the “STIR” sequence and a better
quality of image - in terms of the S/N ratio - in a slightly shorter time

fig. 2.10 - RF and gradients time evolution for Gradient Echo STIR sequences “G
slice” is the slice selecting gradient. “G phase” is the phase encoding gradient.
“G readout” is the frequency encoding (or reading) gradient.

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“Fast STIR” Sequences
The Fast Spin Echo STIR (Fast STIR) is a Fast Spin Echo type sequence,
which, as in the case of Inversion Recovery sequences, a pulse at 180
degrees is used to invert longitudinal magnetization before acquisition.
This technique produces images that have a low S/N, but which allow
good differentiation of structures within an adipose tissue. The user has
the option of selecting Echo Spacing and, depending on the selected ESP,
and the number of echoes (Echo Train Length).
It is also possible to enable/disable flow compensation in the reading
direction or gradient selection direction

fig. 2.11 - RF and gradients time evolution for Gradient Echo STIR sequences “G
slice” is the slice selecting gradient. “G phase” is the phase encoding gradient.
“G readout” is the frequency encoding (or reading) gradient.

Sequences to obtain hybrid contrasts

Sequences to obtain “hybrid contrasts” have a sufficiently long echo time
(TE) to avoid the “Magic Angle” phenomenon (refer to the chapter “Image
Quality in MR”, paragraph “Recognizing and correcting artifacts” in this
document) and are such that they always give a high S/N ratio and a high
contrast in reasonable acquisition times.
Contrasts obtained with the following sequences will never be T1, T2 or
proton density

“Spin Echo T2, TE = 50 ms” Sequence

This is a Spin Echo with an average TE, fixed at 50 ms.
It should be used whenever it is necessary to reduce the “Magic Angle”
phenomenon while maintaining a good quality of image and a contrast
similar to proton density.

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 “Turbo Spin Echo T2, TE = 50 ms” Sequence
These sequences are similar to the “Spin Echo T2, TE = 50 ms” but with
an acquisition time that is further reduced by using the techniques already
described in the “Turbo Spin Echo” and “Turbo Multi Echo” sequences.

Three-dimensional Sequences

“Turbo 3D T1” Sequence

This is a Gradient Echo sequence in which a special second signal encoding
in the direction of the selection gradient makes it possible to reconstruct
in 3D, in other words, it obtains the signal from a volume and not from
single layers.
Unlike the Gradient Echo sequence, because the TR is extremely short,
the contrast is always weighted T1; thanks to the use of a so-called
“Spoiler RF” the contrast is more like that of a Spin Echo with short ET
In this sequence, the Flip Angle has more influence on the S/N ratio than
on the contrast itself: values around 40-60 degrees maximize it, keeping
the T1 contrast, while minor values of 30 degrees reduce the T1 contrast.

“3D SST1” Sequence

This is a Gradient Echo sequence in which a special second signal encoding
in the direction of the selection gradient makes it possible to reconstruct
in 3D, in other words, it obtains the signal from a volume and not from
single layers.
Unlike the Gradient Echo sequence, the use of an extremely short TR
combined with the so-called “Spoiler RF” and low Flip Angle values obtains
a T1 contrast.
In this sequence the Flip Angle has more influence on the S/N ratio than
on the contrast; this is due to the use of the Spoiler RF.

“3D SST2” Sequence

This is a Gradient Echo sequence in which a special second signal encoding
in the direction of the selection gradient makes it possible to reconstruct
in 3D, in other words, it obtains the signal from a volume and not from
single layers.
The special layout of the gradients gives the sequence strong T2
weighting, despite the fact that the TE is normally short.
In this sequence the Flip Angle has more influence on the S/N ratio than
on the contrast.

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 Examination Sequences & Protocols
“3D SHARC” Sequence
The “3D SHARC” sequence is structured with an extra phase encoding
gradient along the slice selection direction that makes it a 3D sequence.
The use of a special RF technique in the steady state enables the user to
obtain the simultaneous acquisition of two echoes in a single sequence:
this provides two images of clearly different contrast, added with proper
weights (generally 1/2).
This sequence produces images that are neither T1-weighted nor T2-
weighted, but with a strong contrast between cartilage and joint fluid, and
is used in some clinical application for the detection of articular cartilage
abnormalities.

“SET1 3D HF” Sequence

This is a Spin Echo T1 sequence - with application of the “Half-Fourier”
technique for reducing scan time (see paragraph “Spin Echo T1 HF” of this
chapter) - in which a special second signal encoding in the direction of the
selection gradient makes it possible to reconstruct in 3D, in other words,
it obtains the signal from a volume and not from single layers.

“STIR 3D HF” Sequence

This is a STIR sequence - with application of the “Half-Fourier” technique
for reducing scan time (see paragraph “Spin Echo T1 HF” of this chapter)
- in which a special second signal encoding in the direction of the selection
gradient makes it possible to reconstruct in 3D, in other words, it obtains
the signal from a volume and not from single layers.

Cinematic examination sequences

The sequences for cinematic studies of the knee and wrist are extremely
short (less than one minute). In this case, by adjusting the size of the FOV
and acquisition matrix, we have aimed at obtaining a sufficient image
quality for formulating a diagnosis within an acceptable time frame, taking
into consideration that a cinematic study requires several acquisitions.
The reduced acquisition time does not prevent obtaining satisfactory
results, when considering two aspects:
☛ in terms of the quality factor, images obtained in less time are generally
better, as they are free of movement artifacts (vascular or of the internal
limb)
☛ in a cinematic examination, the information used for diagnosis is
dictated by the simulation of the movement rather than a high resolution
image.

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 Cinematic knee examination sequences
The sequences for cinematic knee examinations are:
☛ SE 24 Transverse Sequence. This is a Spin Echo T1 sequence, in which a
TE of 24 ms is considered optimal to achieve a good compromise between
cinematic scan duration and image quality factor.
☛ SE 24 Sagittal Sequence. This is a Spin Echo T1 sequence, in which a TE
of 24 ms is considered optimal to achieve a good compromise between
cinematic scan duration and image quality factor.
☛ GE 10 Transverse Sequence. This is a Gradient Echo sequence, in which
a TE of 10 ms - which associated with a FA value of 75° characterizes the
contrast provided by images obtained as “pseudo T1” - is considered
optimal in order to achieve a good compromise between cinematic scan
duration and image quality factor.

Dynamic acquisition sequences

Sequences for dynamic studies of joints have an acquisition time of
around 10 seconds, which obtain high contrast in a short time, while
spatial resolution and the Signal/Noise ratio are of secondary importance
in a study of the contrast agent absorption curves.
The sequences for a dynamic study are a Spin Echo T1 and a Gradient
Echo T1, the descriptions of which are provided in the previous
paragraphs.

Examination Protocols
To access the window containing the list of the examination protocols,
proceed as follows:
1 METHOD 1, from the main menu select View oWorkspace or click
on the relative icon of the tool bar displayed alongside.
2 METHOD 2, click on the desktop with the right mouse key to display
the text menu, then select View o Workspace
The workspace is displayed on the left side of the desktop and contains
the list of protocols and sequences (or the patient database) with two
buttons:
a click on Protocol List accesses the pre-defined procedure list.
The term “examination protocol” indicates a list of pre-optimized scans,
grouped by anatomical area and pathology. The protocols are named to
reflect the examination type and on the anatomical area for which they
are intended.

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 Examination Sequences & Protocols
The use of pre-set protocols for standard examinations reduces the time
required to select the relevant sequences, position the slices and select
the parameters, resulting in a reduction of operational errors.
When the user starts a pre-set protocol, all its sequences will be
performed automatically. User intervention is not required until the end of
the examination, for patient assistance (see chapter “Examination
environment” in the user Interface manual)
The User can create a custom pre-set protocol, by saving the sequences
with the desired parameters (see chapter “Examination Environment,
paragraph “Creating a customized protocol” in the user Interface manual)

Pre-set Protocols
O-scan is equipped with a pre-set protocol for each admissible anatomic
region.
These protocols have been tested to provide good clinical images in a
variety of clinical conditions The selection for the recommended
parameters for each sequence are aimed at achieving optimum image
quality in the balance of contrast, spatial resolution and S/N
The User is however totally responsible for choosing the optimal
parameters in relationship to the pathology under examination

Cinematic Protocols
The cinematic protocols to be used for cinematic examinations of the knee
and wrist contain extremely short scans (less than one minute). In this
case, by adjusting the size of the FOV and acquisition matrix, we have
aimed at obtaining a sufficient image quality for formulating a diagnosis
within an acceptable time frame, taking into consideration that a
cinematic study requires several acquisitions.

Protocol Choice
It is appropriate to use the fixed examination protocols in relation to the
part and the pathology to be studied. Note that the number of scans to
perform depends on the compromise between the doctor's available time
and the number of information that the doctor needs to the diagnosis.

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 CHAPTER 3
Technical Description
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Technical specifications
The following specifications are subject to modifications without notice.

Sequences
Sequences: Orthogonal Multiplane Scout
Spin Echo T1 (SET1)
Spin Echo T2 (SET2)
Multi echo (SE-PD T2)
Inversion Recovery (IR)
Short TI Inversion Recovery (STIR)
Gradient Echo (GE)
Spin Echo Half Echo (SET1 HE)
Spin Echo Half scan (SET1 HF)
Weighted Turbo SE T2 and Turbo ME (TSE, TME)
Short Time Inversion Recovery Gradient Echo (GE
STIR)
Isotrop and Anisotrop Turbo 3D T1 (T3D T1)
Fast Spin Echo (FSE, FSE STIR, FSE PD T2)
XBONE
3D SST1
3D SST2
3D SHARC
Real Time

Optional sequences

XBONE, “Fat &Water separation”

SPED, “Spin Echo Fat &Water separation”
“3D Steady State Sequences”
“MRI Dynamic Analysis”
“2DHyce & Streaming Acq”
“Wrist Sequences”

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 Sequence parameters: “2D Sequences” Protocol

Spin Echo T1
Repetition Time: from 50 to 5000, in steps of 10.
Echo Time: from 18 to 34 in steps of 2.
Flip angle: 90°.
Field of view in encoding direction: From 100 mm to
400 mm in steps of 10 mm.
Field of view in readout direction: from 100 mm to 400
mm, in steps of 10 mm.
Number of samples: From 192 to 512 in steps of 32.
For TE=26 the starting samples number is 128.
Number of phases: From 128 to 512 in steps of 8.
Slice Thickness: from 2 mm to 10 mm, in steps of 0.5
mm.

Spin Echo T1 HF
Repetition Time: From 50 to 5000 in steps of 10.
Echo Time: From 18 to 34 in steps of 2.
Flip angle: 90°.
Field of view in encoding direction: from 100 mm to
400 mm, in steps of 10 mm.
Field of view in readout direction: from 100 to 400
mm, in steps of 10 mm.
Number of samples: From 192 to 512 in steps of 32.
For TE=26 the starting samples number is 128.
Number of phases: From 128 to 512 in steps of 8.
Slice Thickness: from 2 mm to 10 mm, in steps of 0.5
mm.

Spin Echo T1 HE
Repetition Time: from 50 to 5000 in steps of 10.
Echo Time: from 12 to 24 in steps of 2.
Flip angle: 90°.
Field of view in encoding direction: from 120 mm to
400 mm in steps of 10 mm.
Field of view in readout direction: from 120 mm to 400
mm in steps of 10 mm.
Number of samples: 192, 224, 256, 288. For TE=26
the starting samples number is 128, up to 512 with
step of 32.
Number of phases: from 128 to 512 in steps of 8.
Slice Thickness: from 2 mm to 10 mm in steps of 0.5
mm.

Spin Echo T2
Repetition Time: from 200 to 5000 in steps of 10.
Echo Time: from 80 to 120 in steps of 10.
Flip angle: 90°.
Field of view in encoding direction: from 120 mm to
400 mm in steps of 10 mm.
Field of view in readout direction: from 120 mm to 400
mm in steps of 10 mm.
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 Number of samples: from 128 to 512 in steps of 32.
Number of phases: from 128 to 512 in steps of 8.
Slice Thickness: from 3 mm to 10 mm, in steps of 0.5

Technical Description
mm.

Turbo Spin Echo

Repetition Time: from 200 to 5000 in steps of 10.
Echo Time: from 80 to 120 in steps of 10.
Flip angle: 90°.
Field of view in encoding direction: from 120 mm to
400 mm in steps of 10 mm.
Field of view in readout direction: from 120 mm to 400
mm in steps of 10 mm.
Number of samples: from 128 to 512 in steps of 32.
Number of phases: from 128 to 512 in steps of 8.
Slice Thickness: from 3 mm to 10 mm, in steps of 0.5
mm.

Spin Echo Proton Density-T2

Repetition Time: from 200 to 5000 in steps of 10.
Echo Time: 28, 90.
Flip angle: 90°.
Field of view in encoding direction: from 120 mm to
400 mm in steps of 10 mm.
Field of view in readout direction: from 120 mm to 400
mm in steps of 10 mm.
Number of samples: from 128 to 512 in steps of 32.
Number of phases: from 128 to 512 in steps of 8.
Slice Thickness: from 3 mm to 10 mm, in steps of 0.5
mm.

Turbo Multi Echo

Repetition Time: from 200 to 5000 in steps of 10.
Echo Time: 28, 90.
Flip Angle FA: 90°.
Field of view in encoding direction: from 120 mm to
400 mm in steps of 10 mm.
Field of view in readout direction: from 120 mm to 400
mm in steps of 10 mm.
Number of samples: from 128 to 512 in steps of 32.
Number of phases: from 128 to 512 in steps of 8.
Slice Thickness: from 3 mm to 10 mm, in steps of 0.5
mm.

Gradient Echo, TE = 10 ms
Repetition Time: from 30 to 5000 in steps of 5.
Echo Time: 10.
Flip Angle: from 10° to 90° in steps of 5×.
Field of view in encoding direction: from 180 mm to
400 mm in steps of 10 mm.
Field of view in readout direction: from 180 mm to 400
mm in steps of 10 mm.
Number of samples: from 192 to 352 in steps of 32.
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 Number of phases: from 128 to 256 in steps of 8.
Slice Thickness: from 2 mm to 10 mm, in steps of 0.5
mm.

Gradient Echo, TE = 14 ms
Repetition Time: from 30 to 5000 in steps of 5.
Echo Time: 14.
Flip angle: from 10° to 90° in steps of 5°.
Field of view in encoding direction: from 150 mm to
400 mm in steps of 10 mm.
Field of view in readout direction: from 150 mm to 400
mm in steps of 10 mm.
Number of samples: from 192 to 352 in steps of 32.
Number of phases: from 128 to 256 in steps of 8.
Slice Thickness: from 2 mm to 10 mm, in steps of 0.5
mm.

Gradient Echo, TE = 16 ms
Repetition Time: from 30 to 5000 in steps of 5.
Echo Time: 16.
Flip angle: from 10° to 90° in steps of 5°.
Field of view in encoding direction: from 130 mm to
400 mm in steps of 10 mm.
Field of view in readout direction: from 130 mm to 400
mm in steps of 10 mm.
Number of samples: from 128 to 448 in steps of 32.
Number of phases: from 128 to 512 in steps of 8.
Slice Thickness: from 2 mm to 10 mm, in steps of 0.5
mm.

IR
Repetition Time: from 100 to 5000 in steps of 10.
Echo Time: from 18 to 34 in steps of 2.
Inversion Time: From 200 ms to 2000 ms in steps of
10 ms.
Flip angle: 90°.
Field of view in encoding direction: from 140 mm to
400 mm in steps of 10 mm.
Field of view in readout direction: from 140 mm to 400
mm in steps of 10 mm.
Number of samples: 192, 256.
Number of phases: from 128 to 256 in steps of 8.
Slice Thickness: from 3 mm to 10 mm, in steps of 0.5
mm.

Gradient Echo STIR, TE = 25 ms

Repetition Time: from 150 to 5000 in steps of 10.
Echo Time: 25.
Inversion Time: from 20 ms to 200 ms in steps of 5
ms.
Flip angle: 90°.
Field of view in encoding direction: from 130 mm to
400 mm in steps of 10 mm.
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 Field of view in readout direction: from 130 mm to 400
mm in steps of 10 mm.
Number of samples: from 128 to 448 in steps of 32.

Technical Description
Number of phases: from 128 to 512 in steps of 8.
Slice Thickness: from 3 mm to 10 mm, in steps of 0.5
mm.

STIR
Repetition Time: from 100 to 5000 in steps of 10.
Echo Time: from 18 to 34 in steps of 2.
Inversion Time: from 50 ms to 200 ms in steps of 5
ms.
Flip angle: 90°.
Field of view in encoding direction: from 140 mm to
400 mm in steps of 10 mm.
Field of view in readout direction: from 140 mm to 400
mm in steps of 10 mm.
Number of samples: 192, 256.
Number of phases: from 128 to 256 in steps of 8.
Slice Thickness: from 3 mm to 10 mm, in steps of 0.5
mm.

FSE (FSE T1, FSE T2, FSE PD)

Echo spacing (ESP): 20, 25, 30 ms.
Echo Train Length (ETL): from 2 to 16 in steps of 1.
Echo Time: from 20 to 450 in steps of 20, 25 or 30
(depending on selected ETL).
Repetition time: from 100 to 10000 in steps of 10.
Flip angle: 90°.
Field of view in encoding direction: from 120 mm to
400 mm, in steps of 10 mm.
Field of view in readout direction: from 120 mm to
400 mm, in steps of 10 mm.
Number of samples: from 192 to 512 in steps of 16.
Number of phases: from 192 to 512 in steps of 2*ETL.
Slice thickness: from 3 mm to 7 mm, in steps of 0.5 mm.
Relaxation: Yes/No.
Series number: from 1 to 2 in steps of 1.
The license “MAR technique” enables the ESP 15 ms,
the use of ESP=12 ms and the X-MAR technique for
metal-induced artifacts reduction.

Fast STIR
Echo spacing (ESP): 20, 25, 30 ms.
Echo Train Length (ETL): from 2 to 16 in steps of 1.
Echo Time: from 20 to 450 in steps of 20, 25 or 30
(depending on selected ETL).
Repetition time: from 100 to 10000 in steps of 10.
Inversion time: from 60 ms to 300 ms in steps of
5 ms.
Flip angle: 90°.
Field of view in encoding direction: from 120 mm to
400 mm, in steps of 10 mm.
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 Field of view in readout direction: from 120 mm to
400 mm, in steps of 10 mm.
Number of samples: from 160 to 512 in steps of 16.
Number of phases: from 192 to 512 in steps of 2*ETL.
Slice thickness: from 3 mm to 7 mm, in steps of 0.5 mm.
Relaxation: Yes/No.
Series number: from 1 to 2 in steps of 1
The license “MAR technique” enables the ESP 15 ms,
the use of ESP=12 ms and the X-MAR technique for
metal-induced artifacts reduction.

Fast PD T2
Echo spacing (ESP): 20, 25, 30 ms.
Echo Train Length (ETL): 8.
Echo Time: 20, 80; 25, 100; 30, 120
Repetition time: from 100 to 10000 in steps of 10.
Flip angle: 90°.
Field of view in encoding direction: from 120 mm to
400 mm, in steps of 10 mm.
Field of view in readout direction: from 120 mm to
400 mm, in steps of 10 mm.
Number of samples: from 192 to 512 in steps of 16.
Number of phases: 128, 144, 160, 176, 192, 208, 224,
240, 256, 272, 288, 304, 320, 336, 352, 368, 384,
400, 416, 432, 448, 464, 480, 496, 512.
Slice thickness: from 3 mm to 7 mm, in steps of
0.5 mm.
Relaxation: Yes/No.
Series number: 1
The license “MAR technique” enables the ESP 15 ms,
the use of ESP=12 ms and the X-MAR technique for
metal-induced artifacts reduction.

XBONE
Repetition Time: from 50 to 5000 in steps of 10.
Echo Time: 11, 22.
Flip angle: from 10° to 90° in steps of 5°.
Field of view in encoding direction: from 100 mm to
400 mm in steps of 10 mm.
Field of view in readout direction: from 100 mm to 400
mm, in steps of 10 mm.
Number of samples: from 192 to 256 in steps of 32.
Number of phases: from 128 to 256 in steps of 8.
Slice Thickness: from 2 mm to 10 mm, in steps of 0.5
mm.

SPED (optional, under “Spin Echo Fat & Water

Separation” license)
Repetition time: from 50 ms to 5000 ms in steps of 10
ms.
Echo time: from 20 ms to 30 ms in steps of 1 ms.
Flip angle: 90°.
Encoding field of view: from 100 mm to 400 mm in
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 steps of 10 mm.
Readout field of view: from 100 mm to 400 mm in
steps of 10 mm.

Technical Description
Sample number: from 192 to 512 in steps of 32.
Phase encoding number: from 128 to 384 in steps of
8.
Slice thickness: from 2 mm to 10 mm in steps of 0.5
mm.

Turbo 3D T1
Repetition Time: from 25 to 5000 in steps of 1.
Echo Time: from 10 to 24 in steps of 2.
Flip angle: from 10° to 90° in steps of 5×.
Field of view in encoding direction: from 120 mm to
400 mm in steps of 10 mm.
Field of view in readout direction: from 120 mm to 400
mm in steps of 10 mm.
Field of view in 3D encoding direction: from 40 mm to
200 mm in steps of 10 mm.
Number of samples: 192, 256.
Number of phases: from 128 to 256 in steps of 8.
Number of 3D phases: from 24 to 128 in steps of 8.
Slice Thickness: from 0.6 mm to 20 mm in steps of 0.1
mm.

3D SHARC
Repetition time: from 27 to 40 in steps of 1.
Echo time: from 13 to 20 in steps of 0.1.
Flip angle: from 30° to 90° in steps of 5°.
Highest resolution: 0.6 mm (TR<24 ms), 0.55 mm
(TR>=24 ms) in all 3 directions

3D SST1
Repetition time: from 20 to 40 in steps of 1.
Echo time: from 8 to 15 in steps of 0.1.
Flip angle: from 30° to 90° in steps of 5°.
Highest resolution: 0.8 mm (TR<16 ms), 0.6 mm
(TR<24 ms), 0.55 mm (TR>=24 ms) in all 3 directions

3D SST2
Repetition time: from 20 to 40 in steps of 1.
Echo time: from 8 to 15 in steps of 0.5.
Flip angle: from 30° to 90° in steps of 5°.
Highest resolution: 0.6 mm (TR<24 ms), 0.55 mm
(TR>=24 ms) in all 3 directions

Real Time
TR 17 ms
TE 6 ms
FA 45°
minimum FOV 160 mm

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 MRI Dynamic Analisys (Optional):

Spin Echo T1
Repetition Time: from 50 to 5000 in steps of 10.
Echo Time: from 16.
Flip Angle: 90×.
Field of view in encoding direction: from 100 mm to
300 mm in steps of 10 mm.
Field of view in readout direction: from 100 mm to 300
mm in steps of 10 mm.
Number of samples: 160.
Number of phases: from 128 to 160 in steps of 8.
Slice Thickness: from 2 mm to 10 mm, in steps of 0.5
mm.

Gradient Echo T1
Repetition Time: from 30 to 5000 in steps of 10.
Echo Time: from 6.
Flip Angle: from 10° up to 90° step 5°
Field of view in encoding direction: from 130 mm to
300 mm in steps of 10 mm.
Field of view in readout direction: from 130 mm to 300
mm in steps of 10 mm.
Number of samples: 160.
Number of phases: from 128 to 160 in steps of 8.
Slice Thickness: from 2 mm to 10 mm, in steps of 0.5
mm.

Wrist Sequences (Optional)

STIR T2
Repetition time: from 200 to 10000 step 10.
Echo time: from 80 to 120 step 10.
Inversion time: from 50 ms to 2000 ms step 5 ms.
Flip angle: 90°.
Field of view in encoding direction: from 120 mm to
400 mm step 10 mm.
Field of view in readout direction: from 120 mm to 400
mm step 10 mm.
Number of samples: from 128 to 512 step 32.
Number of phases: da 128 to 256 step 8.
Slice Thickness: from 3 mm to 10 mm step 0.5 mm.

Spin Echo T1 3D HF
Repetition time: from 40 to 5000 step 10.
Echo time: 24.
Flip angle: 90°.
Field of view in encoding direction: from 100 mm to
400 mm step 10 mm.
Field of view in readout direction: from 100 mm to 400
mm step 10 mm.
Number of samples: 192, 256.
Number of phases: from 32 to 256 step 8.
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 Slice Thickness: from 0.6 mm to 20 mm step 0.1 mm.

STIR 3D HF

Technical Description
Repetition time: from 40 to 5000 step 10.
Echo time: 24.
Invertion time: from 20 ms to 200 ms step 5 ms.
Flip angle: 90°.
Field of view in encoding direction: from 100 mm to
400 mm step 10 mm.
Field of view in readout direction: from 100 mm to 400
mm step 10 mm.
Number of samples: 192, 256.
Number of phases: frm 32 to 256 step 8.
Slice Thickness: from 0.6 mm to 20 mm step 0.1 mm.

2D HYCE & Streaming acq. (Optional)

2D HYCE
Repetition time: from 9 to 20 in steps of a 1.
Echo time: from 4.5 to 10 20 in steps of 0.1.
Flip angle: from 10° to 90° 20 in steps of 5°.
Field of view in encoding direction: from 200 mm to
400 mm 20 in steps of 10 mm.
Field of view in readout direction: from 200 mm to 400
mm 20 in steps of 10 mm.
Number of samples: from 160 to 224 20 in steps of 4.
Number of phases: from 128 to 224 20 in steps of 2.
Slice Thickness: from 5 mm to 20 mm 20 in steps of
0.1 mm.

2D HYCE S
Repetition time: from 9 to 20 20 in steps of 1.
Echo time: from 4.5 to 10 20 in steps of 0.1.
Flip angle: from 10° to 90° 20 in steps of 5°.
Field of view in encoding direction: from 200 mm to
400 mm 20 in steps of 10 mm.
Field of view in readout direction: from 200 mm to 400
mm 20 in steps of 10 mm.
Number of samples: from 160 to 224 20 in steps of 4.
Number of phases: from 128 to 224 20 in steps of 2.
Slice Thickness: from 5 mm to 20 mm 20 in steps of
0.1 mm.

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