title: Dynamic contrast-enhanced myocardial perfusion imaging using saturation-prepared TrueFISP.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To develop and test a saturation-recovery TrueFISP (SR-TrueFISP) pulse sequence for first-pass myocardial perfusion imaging.
  
  
  METHODS
  First-pass magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of Gd-DTPA (2 mL) kinetics in the heart was performed using an SR-TrueFISP pulse sequence (TR/TE/alpha = 2.6 msec/1.4 msec/55 degrees ) with saturation preparation TD = 30 msec before the TrueFISP readout. Measurements were also performed with a conventional saturation-recovery TurboFLASH (SRTF) pulse sequence for comparison.
  
  
  RESULTS
  SR-TrueFISP images were of excellent quality and demonstrated contrast agent wash-in more clearly than SRTF images. The signal increase in myocardium was higher in SR-TrueFISP than in SRTF data. Precontrast SNR and peak CNR were not significantly different between both sequences despite 57% improved spatial resolution for SR-TrueFISP.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SR-TrueFISP first-pass MRI of myocardial perfusion leads to a substantial improvement of image quality and spatial resolution. It is well suited for first-pass myocardial perfusion studies at cardiovascular MR systems with improved gradient hardware.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany. wolfgang.schreiber@radiologie.klinik.uni-mainz.de
authors.forename: Wolfgang Günther
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Schreiber
authors.forename: Melanie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schmitt
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kalden
authors.forename: Oliver Klaus
authors.initials: OK
authors.lastname: Mohrs
authors.forename: Karl-Friedrich
authors.initials: KF
authors.lastname: Kreitner
authors.forename: Manfred
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Thelen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003326:Coronary Circulation; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008833:Microcirculation; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA