Improved Fat Suppression in 3-D Double-Echo Steady-State Sequence with Water Excitation using an Adapted Dixon Technique

Motivation: In 3-D double-echo steady-state sequence with water excitation, fat suppression may be incomplete due to system imperfections, such as B0 and B1 inhomogeneity. Goal(s): This study describes implementing an adapted Dixon reconstruction to further suppress residual fat signal. Approach: The images between default and proposed reconstructions were compared in 16 patients undergoing routine upper extremity MR neurography. Results: The preliminary results demonstrated the feasibility of using the proposed reconstruction to remove residual fat signals incompletely suppressed by the water excitation. Impact: A benefit of the further suppressed fat provided by the proposed reconstruction was the improved depiction of small, yet clinically important peripheral nerves (particularly subcutaneous sensory branches surrounded by fat).