Meeting Banner
Abstract #0253

Reduction of Acoustic Noise to Improve Patient Comfort Through Optimized Sequence Design

Eric Yann Pierre1, David Manuel Grodzki2, Bjoern Heismann2, Vikas Gulani, 13, Jeffrey Sunshine4, Kecheng Liu5, Mark A. Griswold, 14

1Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States; 2Siemens AG, Erlangen, Germany; 3Radiology, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, Cleveland, OH, United States; 4Radiology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States; 5Siemens Medical Solutions, USA Inc., Malvern, PA, United States

Loud acoustic noise is a major cause of patient discomfort. It is mainly introduced during gradient switching, and many efforts have been made to address this issue. Some MR manufacturers encloses the whole gradient coil in a vacuum environment to reduce the noise significantly, increasing manufacturing costs. We present another approach without hardware modification, which relies solely on the optimization of pulse sequences to realize noise reduction for various standard clinical protocols. No significant degradation of imaging time or image quality was observed. With such an approach, for certain specific sequences, acoustic noise can be reduced almost to ambient level.

Abstract PDF Presentation Video

Keywords

achieve achieved acoustic acquisition allow allows amplitude apple applications applied assessment attempting audience available avoided bandwidth basic biomedical bounds brain chamber clinical coils comfort comparative comparing confidence consistent cost covering currently dashed degradation design diagram displayed division enclosing especially even every example exceeded expense experiment extend fell fields form functional gauss gradient greatly hardware head health identical illustrated improved in vivo included inset instance inter involve keep knee length lengthening limited linear long making manufacturing many mark measured mechanically medical minimizing modifications modified moments moreover never noise offered optimized pairs parallel patient patients peak perceived performance permits pixel placed positive protocol protocols pulse quality quiet radiologist radiologists radiology random readout recording reduce reduced reduction relax require reserve resolution rotate scale scanner scanners schematic sciences score scoring several simple slew slightly slower solid solutions spacing specifically spine steps studies sunshine switching table target thesis train trained turbo variety version vibration volunteers wave waveform western