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Simultaneous dual contrast weighting using double echo rapid acquisition with relaxation enhancement (RARE) imaging
Author(s) -
Fuchs Katharina,
Hezel Fabian,
Klix Sabrina,
Mekle Ralf,
Wuerfel Jens,
Niendorf Thoralf
Publication year - 2014
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.25066
Subject(s) - contrast (vision) , nuclear magnetic resonance , echo (communications protocol) , relaxation (psychology) , weighting , t2 relaxation , magnetic resonance imaging , chemistry , materials science , computer science , physics , artificial intelligence , medicine , radiology , psychology , neuroscience , acoustics , computer network
Purpose This work proposes a dual contrast rapid acquisition with relaxation enhancement (RARE) variant (2in1‐RARE), which provides simultaneous proton density (PD) and T 2 * contrast in a single acquisition. Theory and Methods The underlying concept of 2in1‐RARE is the strict separation of spin echoes and stimulated echoes. This approach offers independent weighting of spin echoes and stimulated echoes. 2in1‐RARE was evaluated in phantoms including signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR) and point spread function assessment. 2in1‐RARE was benchmarked versus coherent RARE and a split‐echo RARE variant. The applicability of 2in1‐RARE for brain imaging was demonstrated in a small cohort of healthy subjects (n = 10) and, exemplary, a multiple sclerosis patient at 3 Tesla as a precursor to a broader clinical study. Results 2in1‐RARE enables the simultaneous acquisition of dual contrast weighted images without any significant image degradation and without sacrificing SNR versus split‐echo RARE. This translates into a factor of two speed gain over multi‐contrast, sequential split‐echo RARE. A 15% broadening of the point spread function was observed in 2in1‐RARE. T 1 relaxation effects during the mixing time can be neglected for brain tissue. Conclusion 2in1‐RARE offers simultaneous acquisition of images of anatomical (PD) and functional (T 2 *) contrast. It presents an alternative to address scan time constraints frequently encountered during sequential acquisition of T 2 * or PD‐weighted RARE. Magn Reson Med 72:1590–1598, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.