PGDM-MRSRGAN: Physics-Guided Degradation Model with an SRGAN Framework for Magnetic Resonance Image Super-Resolution: Applications in Low-Field MRI

Abstract

Purpose: Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) often suffers from low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and limited spatial resolution, which compromise clinical precision. This study aims to address these challenges by developing a physics-guided degradation model (PGDM) and a novel deep learning framework, Magnetic Resonance Super-Resolution GAN Imaging (MRSRGAN), for improved super-resolution reconstruction of MRI images. Method: The proposed approach consists of two stages: (1) a physics-guided degradation model that simulates low-field MRI conditions by incorporating artifacts such as blur, B0 inhomogeneity, chemical shift effects, down-sampling, and noise to generate paired low-resolution (LR) and high-resolution (HR) training datasets; and (2) an MRSRGAN-based reconstruction network utilizing a hybrid loss function, including modified spectral angle mapper (MSAM) and sharpened ground truth images based on de-convolution of slice profile-based kernels to restore high-SNR and high-resolution images. Results: Experimental validation demonstrates that the proposed method achieves superior spatial resolution, enhanced SNR, improved peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR), higher structural similarity index (SSIM), reduced MSAM error, and better non-reference image quality evaluation (NIQE) metrics. Furthermore, it effectively reduces artifacts and demonstrates robustness on real MRI datasets. Conclusion: The MRSRGAN framework, guided by the physics-informed degradation model, provides a significant improvement in MRI image quality, enhancing spatial resolution and diagnostic accuracy. Its demonstrated robustness and effectiveness on real MRI datasets highlight its potential to resolution enhancement for precise diagnostic imaging.