Microscopic spin tagging (MiST) for flow imaging.
In this study, a new strategy for slow flow imaging is proposed. The basic idea is to generate flow contrast on a microscopic level below the spatial resolution of an imaging experiment. Since a microscopic spin tagging scheme is used, this concept is called MiST (Microscopic Spin Tagging). MiST is not a single specific measurement sequence, but rather a new flow sensitive preparation concept which is highly flexible and can be carried out in many ways. The common principle in all possible realizations of MiST is a periodic tagging of magnetization in thin planes (100-200 microm) within the imaging voxels by means of spatially selective RF-pulses. Therefore, flow sensitivity occurs via inflow of fresh spins on a microscopic scale. With this approach, short evolution times are sufficient to introduce inflow contrast and a spatial dependence of inflow times is avoided. The flow sensitive preparation and image orientation are also not connected as they are in conventional time-of-flight techniques. Another powerful feature of MiST is that it can be designed as a non-subtraction method, which results in no signal from stationary spins. Here we present a first realization of the MiST concept and its validation in quantitative flow measurements to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed preparation concept.
Olt
Silvia
S
Physikalisches Institut, EP5, Universität Würzburg, Am Hubland, D-97074 Würzburg, Germany. saolt@physik.uni-wuerzburg.de
Schmitt
Peter
P
Fidler
Florian
F
Haase
Axel
A
Jakob
Peter M
PM
D001158:Arteries / Q000502:physiology; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D012212:Rheology / Q000379:methods*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013113:Spin Labels
D013113:Spin Labels