title: Comparison of fat suppression strategies in 3D spiral coronary magnetic resonance angiography.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Philips Research Laboratories, Roentgenstrasse 24-26, D-22335 Hamburg, Germany. Peter.Bornert@phillips.com
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Börnert
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stuber
authors.forename: René M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Botnar
authors.forename: Kraig V
authors.initials: KV
authors.lastname: Kissinger
authors.forename: Warren J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Manning
mesh_terms: 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