Measurement of slice thickness using partial volume effect in MR imaging

The NEMA standard and AAPM method have been approved for the determination of slice thickness in diagnostic magnetic resonance imaging. In these methods, the slice thickness is obtained as the full width at half maximum of the slice profile. However, these methods are affected by the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and pixel size. In addition, the measurement procedure required for accurate evaluation is troublesome. Therefore, a new method of evaluation using the partial volume effect, called the PVE method, is proposed. With the PVE method, slice thickness can be evaluated without the slice profile. A comparison of accuracy and simplicity of measurement is made between the PVE method and the wedge method of the NEMA standard. Results showed the PVE method to be accurate and easier to use than the wedge method. (author)