NMR angiography of coronary vessels with 2-D planar image scanning.
On the basis of the principles of the time-of-flight method and the 3-D angiogram obtained by the 2-D planar image scanning technique using 90 degrees RF pulses with short repetition time, we have obtained a coronary angiogram around the heart including the coronary arteries and veins. The cine NMR imaging technique is also incorporated in synchronizing ECG R waves to reduce the motion artifact and at the same time to induce the saturation effect on the static samples. Images of the large bulk blood flow corresponding to the heart chamber and descending aorta are further removed by postprocessing. The final 3-D angiogram is then formed by stacking the 2-D images and contrast is further enhanced by the maximum ray tracing algorithm.
Department of Electrical Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science, Cheongyangni, Seoul.
Z H
ZH
Cho
C W
CW
Mun
R M
RM
Friedenberg
D000465:Algorithms; D000792:Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D002933:Cineradiography; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D003626:Data Display; D004562:Electrocardiography; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D009200:Myocardial Contraction; D013382:Subtraction Technique; D013997:Time Factors