ISMRM SCIENTIFIC WORKSHOP ~ 3-6 February 2013
 

Data Sampling & Image Reconstruction
 Sedona, AZ, USA
 

RECON CHALLENGE
Registrants are invited to submit reconstructed images in one or more of the following three challenges. Data can be collected on any MR scanner using any hardware with any reconstruction. The images will be judged by clinical radiologists and cardiologists for diagnostic relevance, and the discussion of the images on Monday evening will be followed by a presentation of the respective Challenge winners.

The deadline for submission is: 03 January 2013

1. Real-time Cardiac Challenge: The challenge is to provide the "best" real-time movies (2D plane over time) of the heart:
  • Two data sets must be presented: (1) the cardiac short-axis and (2) 4-chamber view; the 4-chamber view needs to include the mitral and tricuspid valves (see http://www.scmr.org/assets/files/members/documents/Cardiac_views.pdf for an example);
  • Each plane must be scanned in real-time for at least 10 seconds, showing at least 2 breathing cycles (no gating!);
  • We encourage submission of datasets that clearly illustrates the benefits of the real-time acquisitions, e.g. heavy breathing and arrhythmias;
  • Data such as B1 & B0 maps, eddy current measurements may be done ahead of time;
  • Information on recon algorithm, recon time (and platform), field strength and coils required;
  • Entrants must supply additional data (such as a breath hold cine) to illustrate the temporal and spatial resolution of their entry; and
  • Recon does not have to be real-time, but information on recon time (e.g. lag time if real-time) should be included.

2. T2 Brain Challenge (2D Multislice):

  • Image must be in brain, having good T2 weighted contrast between gray and white matter;
  • The total scan time must be less than or equal to 60 seconds;
  • The images should be in the Axial orientation, 2 mm thick (contiguous);
  • The images must support a minimum FOV of 220mm Anterior/Posterior, 180mm Left/Right, 160mm head/foot (in the slice direction, i.e. 80 slices);
  • Collect the best in-plane resolution you can achieve with adequate SNR and minimal artifacts; and
  • B0 and B1 maps, eddy current measurements, etc., can be acquired ahead of time (but used only for corrections, not as part of the final actual data). These must be declared.

3. T1 Brain Challenge (3D isotropic resolution):

  • Images must be of the brain, with good T1 weighted contrast between gray and white matter;
  • The total scan time must be less than or equal to 30 seconds;
  • The scan should be collected as a 3D scan with isotropic resolution. Obtain the best resolution possible with adequate SNR and minimal artifacts;
  • Reconstruct data with 0.6mm isotropic resolution (via zero-padding or interpolation);
  • The imaging volume must support a minimum FOV of 220mm Anterior/Posterior, 180mm Left/Right, 160mm head/foot; and
  • B0 and B1 maps, eddy current measurements, etc., can be acquired ahead of time (but used only for corrections, not as part of the final actual data). These must be declared.
 
FOR ALL CHALLENGES:
  • You must be registered for the meeting to be considered as a finalist;
  • Images must be in standard DICOM format;
  • Images must be given for three normal volunteers using the exact same parameters for acquisition and reconstruction (other than e.g. plane orientation - the point here is that you may not optimize parameters between subjects);
  • Images must be anonymized; and
  • Users must submit basic information on acquisition and reconstruction methods, e.g.:
  These images were collected on a 4T MRI scanner using an 17-channel head coil. Data were collected at 0.9mm resolution, the specified FOV, TR/TE 18/2 msec, flip angle 9 degrees, with a jazzy spiral sequence and undersampled by a factor of 17 in the radial direction. Acquisition was 29 seconds, and the reconstruction, using my new vice-grip algorithm for compressed sensing, took 4 hours on a HP Z280 with 16 CPU’s. B0 maps were acquired separately.  
     
  • For challenge 1 (Cardiac), there are 12 dicom series, eg:
    • 01 volunteer 1, short axis, breathold cine (for comparison)
    • 02 volunteer 1, short axis, realtime cine (for judging)
    • 03 volunteer 1, 4-chamber view, breathold cine (for comparison)
    • 04 volunteer 1, 4-chamber view, realtime cine (for judging)
    • 05 volunteer 1, short axis, breathold cine (for comparison)
    • 06 volunteer 2, short axis, realtime cine (for judging)
    • 07 volunteer 2, 4-chamber view, breathold cine (for comparison)
    • 08 volunteer 2, 4-chamber view, realtime cine (for judging)
    • 09 volunteer 3, short axis, breathold cine (for comparison)
    • 10 volunteer 3, short axis, realtime cine (for judging)
    • 11 volunteer 3, 4-chamber view, breathold cine (for comparison)
    • 12 volunteer 3, 4-chamber view, realtime cine (for judging)

  • Each cardiac series will be a single 2D plane shown over time

  • For challenge 2 (Brain T2) there are 3 series entered (one per volunteer)
    • Each series should be axial (or oblique axial), with 80 slices (2mm contiguous covering 160 mm)

  • For challenge 3 (Brain T1) there are 3 series entered (one per volunteer)
    • Each series should be reconstructed at 0.6mm isotropic resolution, covering a minimum FOV of 220mm (AP) x 180mm (LR) x 160 mm (SI).
  • For each challenge, the entries of all finalists will be shown, anonymously, at the meeting;
  • Finalists will be notified of this before the meeting, and should be ready, if they win, to present their work in a 2 minute, 2 slide presentations;
  • Deadline for entries is Jan 3, 2013;
  • Entries submitted before Dec. 7, 2012, will be inspected, and may be re-submitted if they fail to meet any of the criterion.

 

Recon Challenge Online Submission Form
 

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