An Improved Phase-Contrast MRI Technique
SUMMARY
UCLA researchers in the Department of Radiological Sciences have developed a phase-contrast MRI acquisition technique called Hybrid One- and Two-sided Flow Encoding Only (HOTFEO).
BACKGROUND
4D flow phase-contrast MRI (PC-MRI) is clinically used to visualize and quantify blood flow and velocity. Temporal resolution and temporal footprint determine the accuracy in velocity measurements, which is important for diagnosing clinical diseases such as carotid artery stenosis. The PC-MRI technique acquires one flow-compensated (FC) and three-directional flow-encoded echoes (FC/3FE) to update one cardiac phase, which often limits the temporal resolution and footprint. Phase contrast MRI techniques can optimize the temporal resolution and footprint, but at increased acquisition times.
INNOVATION
UCLA researchers have developed an improved phase-contrast MRI acquisition technique, called Hybrid One- and Two-sided Flow Encoding Only (HOTFEO). The acquisition strategy uses a velocity direction constraint to provide more accurate blood flow and velocity measurements. The technique can also optimize temporal resolution and temporal footprint for PC-MRI without increasing total acquisition time. HOTFEO is an image-based reconstruction technique; therefore, other fast MRI techniques, such as parallel imaging, may be combined to achieve even higher acceleration rates.
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