Combination of 2D sensitivity encoding and 2D partial fourier techniques for improved acceleration in 3D contrast-enhanced MR angiography

Magn Reson Med. 2006 Jan;55(1):16-22. doi: 10.1002/mrm.20742.

Abstract

Sensitivity encoding (SENSE) and partial Fourier (PF) techniques both reduce MRI acquisition time. Two-dimensional SENSE uses coil sensitivities to unfold aliasing in the phase/slice-encoding plane. One-dimensional PF and homodyne reconstruction are routinely applied in the frequency/phase-encoding plane to compensate for nonsampled k-space of the presumed real magnetization. Recently, a modified 3D elliptical centric acquisition was proposed to facilitate 2D-PF and homodyne reconstruction on an undersampled phase/slice-encoding plane. In this work we hypothesized that this 2D-PF technique can be combined with 2D-SENSE to achieve a greater acceleration factor than what each method can provide separately. Reconstruction of data whereby SENSE and PF are applied along the same axes is described. Contrast-enhanced MR angiography (CE-MRA) results from experiments using four receiver coils in phantom and volunteer studies are shown. In 11 volunteer studies, the SENSE-PF-homodyne technique using sevenfold acceleration (4x SENSE, 1.7x PF) consistently provided high-diagnostic-quality images with near 1-mm isotropic resolution in acquisition times of <20 s.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Contrast Media
  • Fourier Analysis
  • Gadolinium DTPA
  • Humans
  • Image Processing, Computer-Assisted
  • Imaging, Three-Dimensional*
  • Leg / blood supply*
  • Magnetic Resonance Angiography / methods*
  • Phantoms, Imaging
  • Sensitivity and Specificity

Substances

  • Contrast Media
  • gadodiamide
  • Gadolinium DTPA