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PC HYPR flow: A technique for rapid imaging of contrast dynamics
Author(s) -
Velikina Julia V.,
Johnson Kevin M.,
Wu Yijing,
Samsonov Alexey A.,
Turski Patrick,
Mistretta Charles A.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
journal of magnetic resonance imaging
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.563
H-Index - 160
eISSN - 1522-2586
pISSN - 1053-1807
DOI - 10.1002/jmri.22035
Subject(s) - temporal resolution , computer science , contrast (vision) , frame rate , image resolution , nuclear medicine , computer vision , physics , optics , medicine
Abstract Purpose: To improve spatial and temporal resolution and signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR) in three‐dimensional (3D) radial contrast‐enhanced (CE) time‐resolved MR angiography by means of a novel hybrid phase contrast (PC) and CE MRA acquisition and HYPR reconstruction (PC HYPR Flow). Materials and Methods: PC HYPR Flow consists of a CE exam immediately followed by a PC scan used to constrain the HYPR reconstruction of the time series. Temporal resolution of the new method was studied in computer simulations. The feasibility of the new technique was studied in healthy subjects and patients with brain arteriovenous malformations and in a canine model of aneurysms. Results: Simulations demonstrated preservation of contrast agent dynamics in proximal vessels, showing better performance than peer methods for acceleration up to 20 in 2D. In vivo, PC HYPR Flow yielded 3D time series with frame rate of 0.5 s and significantly outperformed two peer methods by means of a major increase in spatial resolution (0.8 × 0.8 × 0.8 mm 3 ) and arterial/venous ratio, while maintaining necessary temporal waveform fidelity and high SNR. Conclusion: This initial study indicates that PC HYPR Flow simultaneously provides 3D isotropic sub‐millimeter spatial resolution, sub‐second temporal reconstruction windows and high SNR level, which may benefit a wide range of CE MRA applications. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2010; 31: 447–456. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.