Near-contiguous spin echo imaging using matched-phase RF and its application in velocity-selective arterial spin labeling

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

1-1-2014

Journal

Magnetic Resonance in Medicine

Volume

71

Issue

6

DOI

10.1002/mrm.24866

Keywords

arterial spin labeling; cerebral blood flow; matched-phase RF; VSASL

Abstract

Purpose: The minimum slice spacing in multislice imaging is limited by inter-slice crosstalk due to an imperfect slice profile. This study sought to minimize the slice spacing using matched-phase RF pulses and demonstrate its application in cerebral blood flow imaging using velocity-selective arterial spin labeling. Methods: A spin-echo matched-phase 90-180 RF pair was designed using Shinnar-Le Roux algorithm in order to improve the slice profile of longitudinal magnetization, which plays a more critical role in creating interslice crosstalk than transverse magnetization. Both transverse and longitudinal slice profiles were compared between matched-phase RF and sinc-based RF pulses in simulations and measurements. Velocity-selective arterial spin labeling was performed in normal volunteers using both RF pulses and standard deviation of cerebral blood flow time series was calculated to examine ASL signal stability. Results: Using designed matched-phase RF, the longitudinal slice profile was sharpened without signal-to-noise ratio loss. In velocity-selective arterial spin labeling imaging, the temporal standard deviation of cerebral blood flow measurements was reduced from 48 mL/100 g/min to 32 mL/100 g/min by 33% using matched-phase RF pulses, and as a result, cerebral blood flow image quality improved. Conclusion: This study reports that near-contiguous multislice imaging can be achieved using matched-phase RF pulses without compromising signal-to-noise ratio and signal stability. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

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