Beat phenomena of oscillating readouts

PurposeTo demonstrate slowly varying, erroneous magnetic field gradients for oscillating readouts due to the mechanically resonant behavior of gradient systems.MethodsProjections of a static phantom were acquired using a one-dimensional (1D) EPI sequence with varying EPI frequencies ranging from 1121 to 1580 Hz on clinical 3T systems (30 mT/m, 200 T/m/s). Phase due to static B0 inhomogeneities was eliminated by a complex division of two separate scans with different polarities of the EPI readout. The temporal evolution of phase was evaluated and related to the mechanical resonances of the gradient systems derived from the gradient modulation transfer function. Additionally, the impact of temporally varying mechanical resonance effects on EPI was evaluated using an echo-planar spectroscopic imaging sequence.ResultsA beat phenomenon resulting in a slowly varying phase was observed. Its temporal frequency was given by the difference between the EPI frequency and the mechanical resonance frequency of the activated gradient axis. The maximum erroneous, oscillating phase during phase encoding was +/- 0.5 rad for an EPI frequency of 1281 Hz. Echo-planar spectroscopic imaging images showed the resulting time-dependent stretching/compression of the FOV.ConclusionOscillating readouts such as those used in EPI can result in low-frequency, erroneous phase contributions, which are explained by the beat phenomenon. Therefore, EPI phase-correction approaches may need to include beat effects for accurate image reconstruction.