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Magnetization transfer contrast in fat‐suppressed steady‐state three‐dimensional MR images
Author(s) -
Flame Duane P.,
Pierce W. Brad,
Harms Steven E.,
Griffey Richard H.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
magnetic resonance in medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.696
H-Index - 225
eISSN - 1522-2594
pISSN - 0740-3194
DOI - 10.1002/mrm.1910260113
Subject(s) - magnetization transfer , magnetization , nuclear magnetic resonance , contrast (vision) , signal (programming language) , excitation , attenuation , subtraction , materials science , magnetic resonance imaging , chemistry , physics , optics , magnetic field , mathematics , radiology , computer science , medicine , arithmetic , quantum mechanics , programming language
We demonstrate that magnetization transfer contrast can be used to improve the diagnostic utility of fat‐suppressed steady‐state three‐dimensional gradient‐recalled images. Fat suppression is achieved using a “jump‐return” pair of contiguous shaped pulses. No time interval exists between the pulses, and no RF echo is generated. The sequence normally produces images with “density” weighting. Preparation of the spin magnetization with off‐resonance frequency‐selective excitation creates magnetization transfer contrast which attenuates signal intensity in proportion to the exchange rate of magnetization from free water with magnetization from water bound to macromolecules or protons that have restricted mobility. The resulting images have excellent fat suppression with low sensitivity to motion since no subtraction is used. In addition, the mechanism of signal attenuation is independent of paramagnetic effects, and addition of Gd‐DTPA produces signal enhancement from vascularized regions of tissue. Examples are presented for the knee and breast, where the observation of pathology with signal enhancement from Gd‐DTPA is improved over conventional 3D fat‐suppressed images.