Single breath-hold extended free-breathing navigator-gated three-dimensional coronary MRA.
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.
Huber
Michael E
ME
Institute of Biomedical Engineering of the University and ETH Zurich, Switzerland.
Oelhafen
Markus E
ME
Kozerke
Sebastian
S
Weber
Oliver M
OM
Boesiger
Peter
P
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