Ali Caglar Ozen | Searcharxiv

arXiv2025

Zero Echo Time Functional MRI in Humans

Motivation: Conventional echo planar imaging(EPI) based functional MRI(fMRI) uses the BOLD contrast to map activity changes in human brains. Introducing an efficient ZTE sequence for functional brain mapping can help address limitations of EPI and demonstrate the feasibility of using T1 related changes as a surrogate marker of brain activity. Goals: To test and optimize ZTE sequence for fMRI. Methods: A ZTE sequence with radial inside out spokes was used to prepare a dynamic imaging protocol that matches conventional EPI time course. Temporal SNR and sensitivity to susceptibility differences of ZTE were evaluated and the sequence was benchmarked against BOLD EPI in a task based visual fMRI study with healthy volunteers at 3T. Results: Phantom measurements confirmed sensitivity of the ZTE protocol to the oxygen concentration. Functional activation in primary visual cortex could be detected using ZTE. Resting state networks could also be identified using independent component analysis. Discussion: ZTE-based fMRI is proposed for mapping functional activation in human brain. ZTE is robust against susceptibility artefacts and significantly reduces acoustic noise. Radial sampling pattern allows for high undersampling rates to increase temporal resolution.

physics.med-ph↗

arXiv2018

Active Decoupling of Transmit and Receive Coils for Full-Duplex MRI

Objective: Concurrent excitation and acquisition in MRI is a method to acquire MRI signal from tissues with very short transverse relaxation time. Since transmit power is many orders of magnitude larger than receive signal, a weak coupling dominates the MR signal during CEA. Thus, appropriate decoupling between transmit and receive coils is required. In this study, two controllable decoupling designs are investigated for achieving isolation between coils. Methods: A modified version of isolation concept used in the full-duplex radios in communication systems is applied to acquire MRI signal using CEA. In our new method, a small copy of RF transmit signal is attenuated and delayed to generate the same coupling signal which is available in the receiver coil. Then it is subtracted from the receive signal to detect the MRI signal. The proposed decoupling method is developed and implemented in two designs: Semi-Automatic and Fully-Automatic Controllable Decoupling Designs. Results: Using Semi-Automatic Controllable Decoupling Design, decoupling of more than 75 dB is achieved. Fully-Automatic Controllable Decoupling Design provides more than 100 dB decoupling between coils which is good enough for detecting MRI signals during excitation from tissues with very short transverse relaxation time. Conclusion: This study shows feasibility of applying full duplex electronics to decouple transmit and receive coils for CEA in a clinical MRI system. Significance: These designs can automatically tune the cancellation circuit and it is a potential tool for recovering signal from tissues with very short T2 in clinical MR systems with a minor hardware modification.

physics.med-ph↗