Black-blood MR angiography with GRASE: measurement of flow-induced signal attenuation.
We investigated the feasibility of performing black-blood MR angiography (MRA) with the gradient and spin-echo (GRASE) pulse sequence. Phantom experiments and human testing were conducted, and the results were compared with those of turbo spin-echo (TSE). We demonstrated that both techniques are able to produce signal suppression of flowing fluid to background level. With fewer radiofrequency (RF)-refocusing pulses, GRASE pulse sequences could serve as an alternative black-blood technique of reduced RF power exposure and shorter scan time. These relative advantages of GRASE may become useful when high-resolution images are taken.
Yu
B C
BC
Boston University School of Medicine, Boston Medical Center, MA 02118, USA. bevyu@bu.edu
Jara
H
H
Melhem
E R
ER
Caruthers
S D
SD
Yucel
E K
EK
D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply*; D002536:Cerebral Arteries / Q000502:physiology*; D002550:Cerebral Veins / Q000502:physiology*; D017352:Echo-Planar Imaging; D006801:Humans; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging