Can increasing the number of excitations (NEX) in late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) imaging prove beneficial in patients who can not hold their breath for the duration of the scan time?

Abstract

Summary Image quality greatly improves using a LGE sequence with 4 NEX in patients that cannot hold their breath. Background It is imperative that patients hold their breath for Cardiac MRI imaging. Parallel imaging can be implemented on steady state free precession (SSFP) imaging to reduce scan time. However, for LGE imaging parallel imaging is not available. Manipulation of other parameters such as matrix, views per segment can be utilized but scan times are still too long for patients that cannot hold their breath. Increasing the NEX will increase scan time but will decrease respiratory motion. Perhaps, a free breathing technique can be mastered instead of trying various ways for a patient to hold their breath. Hypothesis We propose that by doubling the NEX on LGE imaging, free breathing can be utilized and that image quality will improve.