Varian 9.4T MRI Tips

• EPI optimization
• Shim volume should be inside the brain & away from the ear canal
  
• Always use R-L as readout direction
• Use ramp sampling to reduce echo train length
• Data size limit
  
• Maximum FID file size is 2GB
• Which means for 10 slices of 256x256 image, you can only acquire < 410 repetitions (using single channel) or < 103 repetitions (using 4 channel).
  
• If exceed, the scanner will run but no data will be saved! Have to calculate your data size if you plan to scan high-res and many repetitions.
• Introduction to Varian system (PowerPoint)
  
• Still have trouble? Varian Online Bug Report Form
  

Bruker ClinScan 7T Tips

• Orientation
• Choose Head First, Supine to ensure the displayed orientation is like what it should be.
  
• Optimize shimming for EPI
  
• Display Adjustment volume (View->Adjustment volume) and reposition inside the ROI (eg, brain).
• Choose Advanced shim mode in Sequence->Adjustment.
• Debug log files
  
• Data, HostInstLog, HostLog, MRIRLog
  

IDEA Tips

• Gradient system
• ClinScan: 7TZ
• Trio: TQ-engine
  
• External RF file
  
• \n4\MriSitedata\7TZ (in IDEA)
• \MedComm\MriSitedata\measurement (on host)
  
• perform PAS unload in ideacmdtool every time you add an RF file
• External gradient table for DTI
  
• \n4\x86\prod\bin (in IDEA)
• \MedComm\MriCustomer\seq (on host)
• Get k-space data
• open start menu by CTRL+ESC
• Programs->Save Meas Data
• look for data based on date/time
• Option->copy from RAID
• k-sapce data will be saved as meas.dat
  

Data analysis

• Matlab Tricks
• prcorr2: 10x faster than default correlation coefficient function.