Systematic assessment and evaluation of sliding interleaved kY (SLINKY) acquisition for 3D MRA.
In comparison with the conventional three-dimensional multiple overlapped thin slab acquisition (MOTSA) for magnetic resonance angiography (MRA), we have developed a novel sliding interleaved kY (SLINKY) acquisition technique, which can eliminate the slab boundary artifact (SBA) or venetian blind artifact without any a priori knowledge of blood flow. This work addresses the systematic assessment and evaluation of the SLINKY technique and verifies the advantages of SLINKY in the following several aspects: (a) scan time efficiency; (b) signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and signal-difference-to-noise ratio (SDNR); (c) sensitivity to flow velocity range; (d) sensitivity to flow direction; (e) signal loss in slow/reversal flow regions; and (f) reconstruction efficiency and feasibility. Both phantom and in vivo experiments verify the clinical significance of the technique. The new MRA images acquired with this imaging technique in 31 volunteer/patient examinations show highly reliable mapping of vascular morphology without the SBA and reduction of signal voids in complex/slow flow regions.
The Tom Lawson Family Imaging Research Laboratories, John P. Robarts Research Institute, London, Ontario, Canada.
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D016477:Artifacts; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000175:diagnosis; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D002532:Intracranial Aneurysm / Q000175:diagnosis; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D008955:Models, Cardiovascular