title: Single breath-hold extended free-breathing navigator-gated three-dimensional coronary MRA.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To acquire the center of k-space while extending three-dimensional free-breathing navigator-gated coronary magnetic resonance (MR) angiography by an initial single breath-hold.
  
  
  METHODS
  This approach was successfully applied in eight healthy adult subjects. Resulting images were compared with conventionally acquired free-breathing navigator-gated MR angiograms.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The acquisition of k-space center during the single breath-hold resulted in a 26% increase (P < 0.05) of signal-to-noise ratio. Visible length of the right coronary artery, as well as contrast-to-noise ratio between the blood and the myocardial muscle, were identical.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The breath-hold extension was shown to be a valuable technique that may be combined with first-pass contrast-enhanced MR imaging.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomedical Engineering of the University and ETH Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Michael E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Huber
authors.forename: Markus E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Oelhafen
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kozerke
authors.forename: Oliver M
authors.initials: OM
authors.lastname: Weber
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Boesiger
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003331:Coronary Vessels; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D012119:Respiration