A Framework to Design 3D Quantitative Magnetic Resonance Fingerprinting (MRF) Scans and Reduce Patient Anxiety

摘要 MRI扫描过程中的噪音是导致患者焦虑的主要原因，但这种噪音的来源，主要是快速- 切换场也是生成图像的重要组成部分。目前减少噪声的方法 扫描几乎完全依赖于减慢切换场，这在灵活性和声音方面都有限制 减少效应，并导致降低的扫描效率。通过利用 磁共振指纹（MRF），我们将开发一个系统的框架，以1）减少患者的焦虑， 将扫描仪发出的声音改变为音乐，这允许使用快速切换的场，同时提供 悦耳的声音; 2）同时提供临床扫描所需的所有组织特性的定量信息， 3)与常规（噪声）扫描相比保持相同的高效率。为此，首先，我们将制定一个 声学模型来表征扫描器系统的声学响应。第二，我们将建立一个框架， 评估和优化任何声学输入的声学响应、图像质量和扫描时间。这一框架将 用于优化3D MRF扫描，分辨率为1 mm 3，覆盖全脑。最后我们将 验证患者研究的框架，以评估患者的焦虑，图像质量，扫描效率和成功率 招募那些以前拒绝接受MRI扫描的患者。这些研究产生的结果可以改善 任何接受MR扫描的患者的结果：定量扫描将提供更明确的信息， 病变定性的形式定量地图，和悦耳的声音将显着改变患者的 MR扫描期间的经验，这可能会导致更大的顺应性和减少运动问题，并可能会发生故障 阻止儿童和焦虑的成年人在没有镇静剂的情况下接受MRI的障碍。

Abstract Loud noise during MRI scans is the leading cause of patients' anxiety, but the origin of this loud noise, mainly fast- switching fields, is also an essential component to generate images. Current methods that reduce acoustic noise during scans rely almost solely on slowing down the switching field, which have limitations in both flexibility and sound reduction effect, and result in reduced scan efficiency. By taking advantages of the new degrees of freedom provided by Magnetic Resonance Fingerprinting (MRF), we will develop a systematic framework to 1) reduce patients' anxiety by changing the sound emitted from the scanner to music, which allows the use of fast-switching fields while providing pleasing sound; 2) simultaneously provide quantitative information on all tissue properties needed for a clinical scan and 3) maintain the same high efficiency as compared to conventional (noisy) scans. To this end, first, we will develop an acoustic model to characterize the acoustic response of the scanner system. Second, we will generate the framework that evaluates and optimizes the acoustic response, image quality and scan time from any acoustic input. This framework will be used to optimize 3D MRF scans with 1 mm3 isotropic resolution and with whole brain coverage. Finally, we will validate the framework on a patient study to assess patients' anxiety, image quality, scan efficiency and success rate of recruiting patients who previously refused to have an MRI scan. The results generated in these studies could improve the outcomes of any patients who undergo an MR scan: the quantitative scans will provide more definitive information for lesion characterization in the form of quantitative maps, and the pleasing sound will significantly change patients' experience during the MR scans, which could lead to greater compliance and reduced motion issue, and could break down the barriers that keep children and anxious adults from receiving MRIs without sedation.