Premium
Optimized three‐dimensional sodium imaging of the human heart on a clinical 3T scanner
Author(s) -
Gai Neville D.,
Rochitte Carlos,
Nacif Marcelo S.,
Bluemke David A.
Publication year - 2015
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.25175
Subject(s) - imaging phantom , scanner , pulse sequence , magnetic resonance imaging , biomedical engineering , pulse (music) , nuclear magnetic resonance , data acquisition , human heart , computer science , nuclear medicine , physics , artificial intelligence , optics , medicine , radiology , detector , cardiology , operating system
Purpose Optimization of sequence and sequence parameters to allow three‐dimensional (3D) sodium imaging of the entire human heart in vivo in a clinically reasonable time. Theory and Methods A stack of spirals pulse sequence was optimized for cardiac imaging by considering factors such as spoiling, nutation angles, repetition time, echo time, T1/T2 relaxation, off‐resonance, data acquisition window, motion, and segmented k‐space acquisition. Simulations based on Bloch equations as well as the exact trajectory used for data acquisition provided the basis for choice of parameter combinations for sodium imaging. Sodium phantom scanning was used to validate the choice of parameters and for corroboration with simulations. In vivo cardiac imaging in six volunteers was also performed with an optimized sequence. Results Phantom studies showed good correlation with simulation results. Images obtained from human volunteers showed that the heart can be imaged with a nominal resolution of 5 × 5 × 10 mm 3 and with a signal‐to‐noise ratio >15 (in the septum) in about 6–10 minutes. Long axis views of the reformatted human heart show true 3D imaging capability. Conclusion Optimization of the sequence and its parameters allowed in vivo 3D sodium imaging of the entire human heart in a clinically reasonable time. Magn Reson Med 73:623–632, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.