title: In vivo three-dimensional high resolution cardiac diffusion-weighted MRI: a motion compensated diffusion-prepared balanced steady-state free precession approach.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to implement and optimize a novel application of diffusion-prepared balanced steady-state free precession (bSSFP) to perform in vivo cardiac diffusion-weighted MRI.
  
  
  METHODS
  Diffusion-prepared sequences have the flexibility to diffusion encode with a multi-shot image readout. The diffusion preparation was optimized to reduce sensitivity to cardiac bulk motion with second order motion compensation (M1M2). The image readout consisted of a three-dimensional (3D) centric-encoded segmented bSSFP acquisition that incorporated a prospective navigator. Ten healthy subjects were scanned twice using the proposed technique diffusion preparation with and without M1M2 using three orthogonal directions under varying off-resonance conditions. Trace apparent diffusion coefficient (trADC) maps and the left ventricular (LV) trADC were calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  M1M2 diffusion-prepared scans resulted in LV trADC values of 1.5 ± 0.4 × 10(-3) mm(2)/s that were reproducible yielding no statistical differences (P = 0.54). M1M2 diffusion-prepared images showed no ghosting artifacts and/or signal fallout. The non-motion-compensated diffusion-prepared scans yielded LV trADC values of 6.6 ± 0.9 × 10(-3) mm(2)/s and diffusion-prepared images with severe bulk motion-induced artifacts.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We developed a novel free-breathing bulk motion compensated diffusion-prepared 3D segmented bSSFP technique able to perform in vivo cardiac diffusion-weighted MRI on a conventional clinical MR scanner.
authors.affiliation: Biomedical Imaging Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, USA; Department of Bioengineering, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA.
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.forename: Zhaoyang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Behzad
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sharif
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Rohan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dharmakumar
authors.forename: Daniel S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Berman
authors.forename: Debiao
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D016477:Artifacts; D003198:Computer Simulation; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D064368:Healthy Volunteers; D006321:Heart / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D007866:Leg / Q000098:blood supply*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
keywords: bSSFP; cardiovascular MRI; diffusion preparation; motion compensation