Spin-locked balanced steady-state free-precession (slSSFP).
A spin-locked balanced steady-state free-precession (slSSFP) pulse sequence is described that combines a balanced gradient-echo acquisition with an off-resonance spin-lock pulse for fast MRI. The transient and steady-state magnetization trajectory was solved numerically using the Bloch equations and was shown to be similar to balanced steady-state free-precession (bSSFP) for a range of T(2)/T(1) and flip angles, although the slSSFP steady-state could be maintained with considerably lower radio frequency (RF) power. In both simulations and brain scans performed at 7T, slSSFP was shown to exhibit similar contrast and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) efficiency to bSSFP, but with significantly lower power.
Witschey
Walter R T
WR
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. wwitschey@gmail.com
Borthakur
Ari
A
Elliott
Mark A
MA
Magland
Jeremy
J
McArdle
Erin L
EL
Wheaton
Andrew
A
Reddy
Ravinder
R
D000465:Algorithms; D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; D013113:Spin Labels; D055815:Young Adult
D013113:Spin Labels