title: Three-dimensional coronary dark-blood interleaved with gray-blood (cDIG) magnetic resonance imaging at 3 tesla.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Three-dimensional (3D) dark-blood MRI has shown great potential in coronary artery plaque evaluation. However, substantial variability in quantification could result from superficial calcification because of its low signal. To address this issue, a 3D coronary dark-blood interleaved with gray-blood (cDIG) technique was developed.
  
  
  METHODS
  cDIG is based on a balanced steady-state free precession readout combined with a local re-inversion-based double-inversion-recovery (LocReInv-DIR) preparation. The LocReInv-DIR is applied every two RR intervals. Dark-blood and gray-blood contrasts are collected in the first and second RR interval, respectively. To improve the respiratory gating efficiency, two independent navigators were developed to separately gate the respiratory motion for the two interleaved acquisitions. In vivo experiments in eight healthy subjects and one patient were conducted to validate the technique.
  
  
  RESULTS
  cDIG provided dual-contrasts without compromise in scan time. The dark-blood images with cDIG demonstrated excellent wall and lumen signal performances and morphological measurements. Advantageously, cDIG yielded a second contrast that was shown to help identify the superficial calcification in the coronary plaque of a patient.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A novel technique was developed for obtaining 3D coronary vessel wall and gray lumen images. The additional contrast may aid in identifying calcified nodules and thus potentially improve the evaluation of coronary plaque burden.
authors: Shenzhen Key Lab for MRI, BCMIIS, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China.|Biomedical Imaging Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, USA.
authors: Guoxi
authors: G
authors: Xie
authors: Siemens Healthcare, Los Angeles, California, USA.
authors: Xiaoming
authors: X
authors: Bi
authors: Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
authors: Jiabin
authors: J
authors: Liu
authors: Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
authors: Qi
authors: Q
authors: Yang
authors: Siemens Healthcare, Los Angeles, California, USA.
authors: Yutaka
authors: Y
authors: Natsuaki
authors: Department of Anesthesiology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, USA.
authors: Antonio Hernandez
authors: AH
authors: Conte
authors: Shenzhen Key Lab for MRI, BCMIIS, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China.
authors: Xin
authors: X
authors: Liu
authors: Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
authors: Kuncheng
authors: K
authors: Li
authors: Biomedical Imaging Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, USA.
authors: Debiao
authors: D
authors: Li
authors: Biomedical Imaging Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, USA.
authors: Zhaoyang
authors: Z
authors: Fan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003198:Computer Simulation; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
keywords: balanced SSFP; coronary vessel wall imaging; gray-blood imaging; local re-inversion; magnetic resonance imaging