Comparison of fat suppression strategies in 3D spiral coronary magnetic resonance angiography.
OBJECTIVE
In the present study, the impact of the two different fat suppression techniques was investigated for free breathing 3D spiral coronary magnetic resonance angiography (MRA). As the coronary arteries are embedded in epicardial fat and are adjacent to myocardial tissue, magnetization preparation such as T(2)-preparation and fat suppression is essential for coronary discrimination.


METHODS
Fat-signal suppression in three-dimensional (3D) thin- slab coronary MRA based on a spiral k-space data acquisition can either be achieved by signal pre-saturation using a spectrally selective inversion recovery pre-pulse or by spectral-spatial excitation. In the present study, the performance of the two different approaches was studied in healthy subjects.


RESULTS
No significant objective or subjective difference was found between the two fat suppression approaches.


CONCLUSIONS
Spectral pre-saturation seems preferred for coronary MRA applications due to the ease of implementation and the shorter cardiac acquisition window.
Börnert
Peter
P
Philips Research Laboratories, Roentgenstrasse 24-26, D-22335 Hamburg, Germany. Peter.Bornert@phillips.com
Stuber
Matthias
M
Botnar
René M
RM
Kissinger
Kraig V
KV
Manning
Warren J
WJ
D000328:Adult; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged