title: SSFP and GRE phase contrast imaging using a three-echo readout.
abstract: A technique for rapid in-plane phase-contrast imaging with high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is described. Velocity-encoding is achieved by oscillating the readout gradient, such that each 2DFT phase-encode is acquired three times following a single RF slice-selective excitation. Three images are reconstructed, from which both flow velocity and local resonance offset are calculated. This technique is compatible with both gradient-recalled echo (GRE) and balanced steady-state free precession (SSFP) imaging using a single steady-state. The proposed technique enables 1D velocity mapping with 40% higher temporal resolution and 80% higher SNR, compared to conventional PC-MRI using bipolar velocity-encoding gradient pulses.
authors.affiliation: Magnetic Resonance Engineering Laboratory, Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089-2564, USA. jfnielse@usc.edu
authors.forename: Jon-Fredrik
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Nielsen
authors.forename: Krishna S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Nayak
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity