T2-prepared segmented 3D-gradient-echo for fast T2-weighted high-resolution three-dimensional imaging of the carotid artery wall at 3T: a feasibility study.
BACKGROUND
The multi-contrast assessment of the carotid artery wall has become an important diagnostic tool for the characterization of atherosclerotic plaque and vessel wall thickening. For providing the required T1-, T2-, and proton density weighted contrast, multi-slice turbo spin echo (TSE) techniques are normally applied. The straightforward extension of the TSE techniques to volumetric imaging of large sections of the carotid arteries is limited by the resulting long acquisition times. Where the acquisition of a T1-weighted contrast can be accelerated by applying a T1-weighted fast gradient echo technique, acceleration of the T2-weighted contrast is not as straightforward.


METHODS
In this work, the combination of a T2 preparation and a conventional fast gradient echo technique (T2P-3DGE) was evaluated for rapid acquisition of a T2-weighted image contrast. Acquisition parameters were optimized in an initial in vitro study in direct comparison to the conventional T2-weighted TSE (T2W-3DTSE) technique. Subsequently, the T2P-3DGE technique was evaluated in vivo.


RESULTS
In direct comparison, the T2P-3DGE sequence provided similar T2 contrast as the respective T2W-3DTSE sequence. After correction of an observed intensity offset, most likely caused by the additional T1-weighting of the T2P-3DGE sequence, no significant difference between the two T2-weighted sequences were observed in phantom data. The good correlation of the image contrast between the two sequences was confirmed in the initial in-vivo study, proving a potential reduction of the scan time for T2P-3DGE to 25% of the respective T2W-3DTSE technique.


CONCLUSIONS
The in vitro as well as the in vivo results clearly indicate the potential of the T2P-3DGE technique for providing similar T2 image contrast as in the conventional techniques. Thereby, the acquisition times could be substantially reduced to about 25% of the respective 3D-TSE technique.
Department of Cardiology, Zhongda Hospital, Southeast University, Nanjing, China.|Department of Internal Medicine II, University Hospital of Ulm, Ulm, Germany.
Jian
J
Zhu
Department of Internal Medicine II, University Hospital of Ulm, Ulm, Germany.
Axel
A
Bornstedt
Department of Internal Medicine II, University Hospital of Ulm, Ulm, Germany.
Nico
N
Merkle
Department of Cardiology, Zhongda Hospital, Southeast University, Nanjing, China.
Naifeng
N
Liu
Department of Internal Medicine II, University Hospital of Ulm, Ulm, Germany.
Wolfgang
W
Rottbauer
Department of Cardiology, Zhongda Hospital, Southeast University, Nanjing, China. magenshan@hotmail.com.
Genshan
G
Ma
Department of Internal Medicine II, University Hospital of Ulm, Ulm, Germany. Volker.Rasche@uniklinik-ulm.de.
Volker
V
Rasche
D000368:Aged; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003287:Contrast Media; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000473:pathology; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D005290:Ferric Compounds / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic / Q000503:physiopathology; D012685:Sepharose; D059629:Signal-To-Noise Ratio
D003287:Contrast Media; D005290:Ferric Compounds; C000499:ferric oxide; D012685:Sepharose
Carotid artery; Gradient echo; T2-preparation; Vessel wall imaging