Center Array-Sequencing 위상펼침 기법의 MR 온도영상 적용에 관한 기초연구

Purpose : To investigate the feasibility and accuracy of Proton Resonance Frequency (PRF) shift based magnetic resonance (MR) temperature mapping utilizing the self-developed center array-sequencing phase unwrapping (PU) method for non-invasive temperature monitoring. Materials and Methods : The computer simulation was done on the PU algorithm for performance evaluation before further application to MR thermometry. The MR experiments were conducted in two approaches namely PU experiment, and temperature mapping experiment based on the PU technique with all the image postprocessing implemented in MATLAB. A 1.5T MR scanner employing a knee coil with $T2^*$ GRE (Gradient Recalled Echo) pulse sequence were used throughout the experiments. Various subjects such as water phantom, orange, and agarose gel phantom were used for the assessment of the self-developed PU algorithm. The MR temperature mapping experiment was initially attempted on the agarose gel phantom only with the application of a custom-made thermoregulating water pump as the heating source. Heat was generated to the phantom via hot water circulation whilst temperature variation was observed with T-type thermocouple. The PU program was implemented on the reconstructed wrapped phase images prior to map the temperature distribution of subjects. As the temperature change is directly proportional to the phase difference map, the absolute temperature could be estimated from the summation of the computed temperature difference with the measured ambient temperature of subjects. Results : The PU technique successfully recovered and removed the phase wrapping artifacts on MR phase images with various subjects by producing a smooth and continuous phase map thus producing a more reliable temperature map. Conclusion : This work presented a rapid, and robust self-developed center array-sequencing PU algorithm feasible for the application of MR temperature mapping according to the PRF phase shift property. 목적: 물체 내부의 온도를 비침습적으로 측정할 수 있는 양성자 공명 주파수 이동에 의한 MR 온도영상의 재구성에 center array-sequencing 위상펼침(PU) 기법을 적용시켜 그 성능 및 유용성을 평가하고자 하였다. 대상 및 방법: MR 온도 영상에 앞서 잡음 수준이 다른 타원형 팬텀들을 컴퓨터 모의 실험으로 제작하고 제안된 PU방 법을 적용시켜 잡음에 대한 성능을 평가하였다. MR 실험은 PU 실험과 이를 이용한 온도분포영상획득 실험으로 구분하여 수행되었다. 1.5T MR 영상장치에서 무릎코일과 $T2^*$ 경사자장에코 펄스열을 이용하여 MR 영상을 얻었다. 물통, 오렌지, 아가젤 등의 팬텀을 실험 대상으로 하였고 자체 제작된 온수펌프 장치로 팬텀의 온도를 조절하였다. T 형 열전쌍 온도측정장치로 팬텀 온도를 측정하고 MR 온도영상 결과와 비교하였다. 획득된 MR영상의 위상분포는 제안된 PU방법으로 위상을 편 후 온도분포 영상을 재구성하였다. 가열 전 후의 온도변화와 MR 영상의 위상변화 관계를