Scanner Hardware, Pulse Sequences and Protocols

The Hardware

Our SIGNA™ Premier is GE Healthcare’s newest ultra-premium 3.0T MR system that combines powerful SuperG gradient technology and a 146-channel Total Digital Imaging (TDI) RF chain into a true 70 cm wide bore. Designed for high-end research and clinical excellence, SIGNA™ Premier expands the capabilities of 3.0T imaging with consistent acquisitions that adapt to physiology and intelligent applications that accelerate clinical outcomes. GE has delivered the newest version of their console computer with an upgraded version of console software, as well as two image processing computers which will improve our ability for real time and post-scan processing of anatomic, functional, spectroscopic, and diffusion tensor imaging data.

Please click here for the technical specifications and features of the Signa Premier.

As we continue to optimize the hardware and expand our research capabilities, we expect the following features to be available in the near future: 

• The full ABCD protocol sequence package
• Phase-Sensitive Inversion Recovery (PSIR)  
• Multi-Echo fMRI
• Second Order Shimming

Available Coils

We are currently utilizing a 48-channel head array provided by GE for use with the Signa Premier system, as well as a 21-channel head&neck array provided by GE. 

For physical specifications of the GE 48-Channel Coil, click here.

We have conducted comparative SNR measurements between the two coils using the ABCD sequences as a baseline. Please click here for the results. 

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Designing a Study'

Please download this checklist of steps to complete before scanning and submit to MRI administrator once completed. Here is a summary of the steps:

• Contact and meet with Core MRI faculty members as appropriate to your technical and administrative needs
• Submit IRB application to both NYSPI IRB and to MRI Protocol committee (contact is Rachel Marsh)
• Submit MRI grant application to business office
• Check MRI schedule and consult with MRI administrator to ensure adequate scan time slots are available
• Have MRI protocol/pulse sequence added to the scanner database

The MRI Research program actively supports a number of pulse sequences and scan protocols with pre-defined parameters, all of which include sequences necessary to use standardized processing pipelines, including all recommended structural, functional, and scouting & measuring sequences for distortion correction, etc. 

If you wish to use sequences not included in these protocols, including newer modalities / sequence types, as well as sequences specific to multi-site projects, industry studies, etc., we're happy to accommodate these, but we ask that you please discuss your protocol and sequence parameters with Feng Liu and Gaurav Patel to ensure full compatibility with our scanner platform as well as optimal data quality. 

Current Protocols and Sequences

To see an enlarged image version of the table below, click here.

ABCD Sequences & QA

For ongoing quality assessment data for the ABCD pipelines on our scanner, please click here for the complete QA analysis excel spreadsheet. 

Current QA: 

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