Abstract
Echo-planar imaging (EPI) is a snap-shot imaging technique capable of producing medically useful images in times around 50 ms. The quality of EPI has improved with the use of high static magnetic fields. The advantages of EPI are:
(a) that rapid movies can be produced thereby helping the diagnostic process,
(b) that rapid sequencing of images can be obtained through a region of the body corresponding to a multi-slice volume image and
(c) that single shot single slice images can be obtained thereby considerably reducing both movement artefact and the patient scan time.
One of the current major disadvantages of EPI is the high acoustic noise associated with the rapid pulsing of the gradient coils. This carries implications for patient safety. In the second part of this talk I will concentrate on this danger area, focusing on one potential solution to ameliorate the situation.
(a) that rapid movies can be produced thereby helping the diagnostic process,
(b) that rapid sequencing of images can be obtained through a region of the body corresponding to a multi-slice volume image and
(c) that single shot single slice images can be obtained thereby considerably reducing both movement artefact and the patient scan time.
One of the current major disadvantages of EPI is the high acoustic noise associated with the rapid pulsing of the gradient coils. This carries implications for patient safety. In the second part of this talk I will concentrate on this danger area, focusing on one potential solution to ameliorate the situation.