MATPULSE

MATPULSE is a GUI-based program written in Matlab that enables calculation of Shinnar-LeRoux (SLR) frequency selective RF pulses. A description of an early version of the program is described in reference 1. The program also enables pulse re-mapping (the MATPULSE version of VERSE [2]), and includes a Bloch equations section, in addition to a variety of additional pulse manipulations and calculations, including gradient refocusing, and calculation of the effects due to relaxation. A number of analytical pulse shapes are also available, including sinc-Gauss and hyperbolic secant pulses. Over the years a number of additional features have been added to the original package, including pulse concatenation, root reflection [3], and a Bloch equations menu which includes the effects of flow [4]. Finally, pulse optimizations packages using an optimal control optimization method have be added for both frequency-selective [5] and non-selective [6] pulses. Finally, an advanced options file has been recently added to enable optimal control optimization of specialized flow-sensitive inversion pulses for arterial spin labeling.

MATPULSE is designed with the Matlab program, and requires the Signal Processing Toolbox. Although the program should run on early versions of Matlab, some options may be unavailable.

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References:

  1. Matson, G.B. An integrated program for amplitude-modulated RF pulse generation and re-mapping with shaped gradients. Magn. Reson. Imaging 12, 1205-1225, 1994.
  2. Conolly, s., Nishimura, D., Macovski, A., and Glover, G. Variable-rate selective excitation. J. Magn. Reson. 78, 440-477, 1988.
  3. Pickup, S., and Xiaoning, D. Pulses with fixed magnitude and variable phase response profiles. Magn. Reson. Med 33, 648-655, 1995.
  4. Nezamzadeh, M., Matson, G.B., Young, K., Weiner, M.W., and Schuff, N. Improved Pseudo-Continuous Arterial Spin Labeling for Mapping Brain Perfusion. J Magn Reson Imaging 31,1419-1427, 2010.
  5. Matson, G.B., Young, K., and Kaiser, L.G. RF pulses for in vivo spectroscopy at high field designed under conditions of limited power using optimal control. J Magn Reson 199, 30-40, 2009.
  6. Liu, H. and Matson, G.B. RF Pulse Designs for 3D MRI Providing Uniform Tipping in Inhomogeneous B1 Fields. Magn Reson Med 66,1254-1266, 2011.