Effects of view ordering and dummy pulse rate on two-dimensional and three-dimensional steady-state free precession imaging 1

Abstract

Rationale and Objective. To assess the effects of view ordering and dummy pulse rate on the image quality of steady-state free precession (SSFP) imaging. Material and Methods. Two- and three-dimensional (2D and 3D) SSFP imaging with various view orderings (eg, centric, sequential, reverse centric) and dummy pulse rates were performed in the phantom including several concentrations of gadolinium and patients. Results. Centric view orderings increased the noise in 3D SSFP images in the phantom. In the patients studied, the centric view ordering increased the signals obtained from abdominal organs in 2D and 3D SSFP and the background signal in 3D images, without changing the vascular signals. An increased dummy pulse rate reduced the background signal in 2D SSFP, but not in 3D SSFP. Conclusion. Sequential ordering is recommended for both 2D and 3D SSFP, and centric view ordering combined with an increase in dummy pulse rate can be used for 2D imaging.