Image quality and subject experience of quiet T1-weighted 7-T brain imaging using a silent gradient coil

Sarah M Jacobs; Edwin Versteeg; Anja G van der Kolk; Leonie N C Visser; Ícaro A F Oliveira; Emiel van Maren; Dennis W J Klomp; Jeroen C W Siero

doi:10.1186/s41747-022-00293-x

Image quality and subject experience of quiet T1-weighted 7-T brain imaging using a silent gradient coil

Sarah M Jacobs, Edwin Versteeg, Anja G van der Kolk, Leonie N C Visser, Ícaro A F Oliveira, Emiel van Maren, Dennis W J Klomp, Jeroen C W Siero

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Abstract

OBJECTIVES: Acoustic noise in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) negatively impacts patients. We assessed a silent gradient coil switched at 20 kHz combined with a T1-weighted magnetisation prepared rapid gradient-echo (MPRAGE) sequence at 7 T.

METHODS: Five healthy subjects (21-29 years; three females) without previous 7-T MRI experience underwent both a quiet MPRAGE (Q-MPRAGE) and conventional MPRAGE (C-MPRAGE) sequence twice. Image quality was assessed quantitatively, and qualitatively by two neuroradiologists. Sound level was measured objectively and rated subjectively on a 0 to 10 scale by all subjects immediately following each sequence and after the whole examination (delayed). All subjects also reported comfort level, overall experience and willingness to undergo the sequence again.

RESULTS: Compared to C-MPRAGE, Q-MPRAGE showed higher signal-to-noise ratio (10%; p = 0.012) and lower contrast-to-noise ratio (20%; p < 0.001) as well as acceptable to good image quality. Q-MPRAGE produced 27 dB lower sound level (76 versus 103 dB). Subjects reported lower sound level for Q-MPRAGE both immediate (4.4 ± 1.4 versus 6.4 ± 1.3; p = 0.007) and delayed (4.6 ± 1.4 versus 6.3 ± 1.3; p = 0.005), while they rated comfort level (7.4 ± 1.0 versus 6.1 ± 1.7; p = 0.016) and overall experience (7.6 ± 1.0 versus 6.0 ± 0.9; p = 0.005) higher. Willingness to undergo the sequence again was also higher, however not significantly (8.1 ± 1.0 versus 7.2 ± 1.3; p = 0.066).

CONCLUSION: Q-MPRAGE using a silent gradient coil reduced sound level by 27 dB compared to C-MPRAGE at 7 T while featuring acceptable-to-good image quality and a quieter and more pleasant subject experience.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	36
Journal	European radiology experimental
Volume	6
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1186/s41747-022-00293-x
Publication status	Published - 31 Aug 2022

Keywords

Acoustics
Brain/diagnostic imaging
Female
Humans
Magnetic Resonance Imaging/methods
Neuroimaging
Signal-To-Noise Ratio

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10.1186/s41747-022-00293-x

Jacobs2022Final published version, 3.6 MB

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title = "Image quality and subject experience of quiet T1-weighted 7-T brain imaging using a silent gradient coil",

abstract = "OBJECTIVES: Acoustic noise in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) negatively impacts patients. We assessed a silent gradient coil switched at 20 kHz combined with a T1-weighted magnetisation prepared rapid gradient-echo (MPRAGE) sequence at 7 T.METHODS: Five healthy subjects (21-29 years; three females) without previous 7-T MRI experience underwent both a quiet MPRAGE (Q-MPRAGE) and conventional MPRAGE (C-MPRAGE) sequence twice. Image quality was assessed quantitatively, and qualitatively by two neuroradiologists. Sound level was measured objectively and rated subjectively on a 0 to 10 scale by all subjects immediately following each sequence and after the whole examination (delayed). All subjects also reported comfort level, overall experience and willingness to undergo the sequence again.RESULTS: Compared to C-MPRAGE, Q-MPRAGE showed higher signal-to-noise ratio (10%; p = 0.012) and lower contrast-to-noise ratio (20%; p < 0.001) as well as acceptable to good image quality. Q-MPRAGE produced 27 dB lower sound level (76 versus 103 dB). Subjects reported lower sound level for Q-MPRAGE both immediate (4.4 ± 1.4 versus 6.4 ± 1.3; p = 0.007) and delayed (4.6 ± 1.4 versus 6.3 ± 1.3; p = 0.005), while they rated comfort level (7.4 ± 1.0 versus 6.1 ± 1.7; p = 0.016) and overall experience (7.6 ± 1.0 versus 6.0 ± 0.9; p = 0.005) higher. Willingness to undergo the sequence again was also higher, however not significantly (8.1 ± 1.0 versus 7.2 ± 1.3; p = 0.066).CONCLUSION: Q-MPRAGE using a silent gradient coil reduced sound level by 27 dB compared to C-MPRAGE at 7 T while featuring acceptable-to-good image quality and a quieter and more pleasant subject experience.",

keywords = "Acoustics, Brain/diagnostic imaging, Female, Humans, Magnetic Resonance Imaging/methods, Neuroimaging, Signal-To-Noise Ratio",

author = "Jacobs, {Sarah M} and Edwin Versteeg and {van der Kolk}, {Anja G} and Visser, {Leonie N C} and Oliveira, {{\'I}caro A F} and {van Maren}, Emiel and Klomp, {Dennis W J} and Siero, {Jeroen C W}",

note = "{\textcopyright} 2022. The Author(s) under exclusive licence to European Society of Radiology.",

year = "2022",

month = aug,

day = "31",

doi = "10.1186/s41747-022-00293-x",

language = "English",

volume = "6",

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journal = "European radiology experimental",

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T1 - Image quality and subject experience of quiet T1-weighted 7-T brain imaging using a silent gradient coil

AU - Jacobs, Sarah M

AU - Versteeg, Edwin

AU - van der Kolk, Anja G

AU - Visser, Leonie N C

AU - Oliveira, Ícaro A F

AU - van Maren, Emiel

AU - Klomp, Dennis W J

AU - Siero, Jeroen C W

PY - 2022/8/31

Y1 - 2022/8/31

N2 - OBJECTIVES: Acoustic noise in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) negatively impacts patients. We assessed a silent gradient coil switched at 20 kHz combined with a T1-weighted magnetisation prepared rapid gradient-echo (MPRAGE) sequence at 7 T.METHODS: Five healthy subjects (21-29 years; three females) without previous 7-T MRI experience underwent both a quiet MPRAGE (Q-MPRAGE) and conventional MPRAGE (C-MPRAGE) sequence twice. Image quality was assessed quantitatively, and qualitatively by two neuroradiologists. Sound level was measured objectively and rated subjectively on a 0 to 10 scale by all subjects immediately following each sequence and after the whole examination (delayed). All subjects also reported comfort level, overall experience and willingness to undergo the sequence again.RESULTS: Compared to C-MPRAGE, Q-MPRAGE showed higher signal-to-noise ratio (10%; p = 0.012) and lower contrast-to-noise ratio (20%; p < 0.001) as well as acceptable to good image quality. Q-MPRAGE produced 27 dB lower sound level (76 versus 103 dB). Subjects reported lower sound level for Q-MPRAGE both immediate (4.4 ± 1.4 versus 6.4 ± 1.3; p = 0.007) and delayed (4.6 ± 1.4 versus 6.3 ± 1.3; p = 0.005), while they rated comfort level (7.4 ± 1.0 versus 6.1 ± 1.7; p = 0.016) and overall experience (7.6 ± 1.0 versus 6.0 ± 0.9; p = 0.005) higher. Willingness to undergo the sequence again was also higher, however not significantly (8.1 ± 1.0 versus 7.2 ± 1.3; p = 0.066).CONCLUSION: Q-MPRAGE using a silent gradient coil reduced sound level by 27 dB compared to C-MPRAGE at 7 T while featuring acceptable-to-good image quality and a quieter and more pleasant subject experience.

AB - OBJECTIVES: Acoustic noise in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) negatively impacts patients. We assessed a silent gradient coil switched at 20 kHz combined with a T1-weighted magnetisation prepared rapid gradient-echo (MPRAGE) sequence at 7 T.METHODS: Five healthy subjects (21-29 years; three females) without previous 7-T MRI experience underwent both a quiet MPRAGE (Q-MPRAGE) and conventional MPRAGE (C-MPRAGE) sequence twice. Image quality was assessed quantitatively, and qualitatively by two neuroradiologists. Sound level was measured objectively and rated subjectively on a 0 to 10 scale by all subjects immediately following each sequence and after the whole examination (delayed). All subjects also reported comfort level, overall experience and willingness to undergo the sequence again.RESULTS: Compared to C-MPRAGE, Q-MPRAGE showed higher signal-to-noise ratio (10%; p = 0.012) and lower contrast-to-noise ratio (20%; p < 0.001) as well as acceptable to good image quality. Q-MPRAGE produced 27 dB lower sound level (76 versus 103 dB). Subjects reported lower sound level for Q-MPRAGE both immediate (4.4 ± 1.4 versus 6.4 ± 1.3; p = 0.007) and delayed (4.6 ± 1.4 versus 6.3 ± 1.3; p = 0.005), while they rated comfort level (7.4 ± 1.0 versus 6.1 ± 1.7; p = 0.016) and overall experience (7.6 ± 1.0 versus 6.0 ± 0.9; p = 0.005) higher. Willingness to undergo the sequence again was also higher, however not significantly (8.1 ± 1.0 versus 7.2 ± 1.3; p = 0.066).CONCLUSION: Q-MPRAGE using a silent gradient coil reduced sound level by 27 dB compared to C-MPRAGE at 7 T while featuring acceptable-to-good image quality and a quieter and more pleasant subject experience.

KW - Acoustics

KW - Brain/diagnostic imaging

KW - Female

KW - Humans

KW - Magnetic Resonance Imaging/methods

KW - Neuroimaging

KW - Signal-To-Noise Ratio

U2 - 10.1186/s41747-022-00293-x

DO - 10.1186/s41747-022-00293-x

M3 - Article

C2 - 36042139

SN - 2509-9280

VL - 6

SP - 36

JO - European radiology experimental

JF - European radiology experimental

IS - 1

ER -

Image quality and subject experience of quiet T1-weighted 7-T brain imaging using a silent gradient coil

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