New 3.0T MR System Increases Anatomic Coverage with Higher Signal-to-Noise Ratio

A new magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system allows for up to five times the imaging performance over previous generations, increasing the freedom for advanced application development, including a routine liver exam in 15 minutes and a full breast exam in only two sequences.

GE Healthcare (Chalfont St. Giles, UK) reported that it has received clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the company's new 3.0T magnetic resonance (MR) scanner, the latest addition to GE's Signa family of MR systems. The new Signa MR750 3.0T was introduced at the International Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine in Toronto, Canada, May 3-9, 2008.

Equipped an extremely powerful gradient, easy-to-use workflow features, and sophisticated Thermal Management system, the Signa MR750 provides up to 60% additional anatomic coverage and resolution unit per time. The Signa MR750 features a newly designed radiofrequency (RF) Transmit system maximizing performance with a 17% gain in scanning efficiency. Moreover, the system includes the GE-exclusive Optical RF Technology that adds up to 27% higher signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) over conventional, non-optical MR receivers by reducing electrical noise and increasing signal detection.

When combined with GE's use of high-density surface coils, the optical receive chain is a critical path for ensuring clear signal reception and data analysis. To ensure that the high-density approach will always be maintained, the system's architecture is scalable to 128 channels of simultaneous data acquisition.

In efforts to improve full-body imaging on 3.0T MR, GE Healthcare's Signa MR750 features a newly developed parallel imaging technique entitled ARC, Auto Calibrating Reconstruction for Cartesian imaging. In addition to reducing specific absorption rate (SAR), the ARC technique also improves body imaging by allowing: (1) autocalibration that helps avoid collecting external sensitivity map; (2) less sensitive to field-of-view (FOV) positioning with a tight FOV; (3) clinically practical reconstruction times for continuous scanning; and (4) workflow simplification that can be integrated into sequences without the need for separate calibration scans.

As a result of this new imaging technique, the MR 750 also features new operational efficient advanced applications, including:

Lava-Ideal is a dual-echo acquisition technique that that provides consistent, detailed, three-dimensional (3D) abdominal images in one breath-hold. By allowing the user to select the output image types--in-phase, opposed-phase, water and fat, it has the ability to produce four image contrasts with only one scan. With this new 3.0T application, clinicians can now conduct a complete liver exam in 15 minutes.

Vibrant-Ideal is a new application that allows for fat-free breast imaging with high spatio-temporal resolution. This application catches the shortest in- and out-of phase echoes to keep scan times comparable to single echo acquisitions even though twice the amount of data is collected. It optimizes acquisition with a high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) for acquiring high quality water and fat images. This capability lets the user prescribe thinner slices for high spatial resolution imaging.

Propeller 2.0 enables strong performance in all neuroimaging planes with the implementation of the No Phase Wrap (NPW) technique. NPW allows virtually ghost-artifact-free, motion-immune scans in sagittal, coronal, axial, and oblique planes. Since this technique effectively deals with the aliasing artifact, Propeller 2.0 is now more robust performing small FOV scans.

The MR system has been designed around clinical workflow needs with a strong focus on improving productivity. The system also includes operational efficiencies such as the newly designed detachable patient table and the first ever in-room operator console.

Moreover, the Signa MR750 features automated acquisition based on the concept of touch and go protocols. The aspect of the system allows for more focused attention on the patient and consistent protocols and processing across operating technicians. Together, these features reduce setup time in the scanner room by up to 71% and additionally, the newly designed user interface reduces the number of steps by as much as 68%.


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