non-Cartesian Parallel Imaging Research Articles

Single breath-hold 3D cardiac T1 mapping using through-time spiral GRAPPA.

The quantification of cardiac T1 relaxation time holds great potential for the detection of various cardiac diseases. However, as a result of both cardiac and respiratory motion, only one two-dimensional T1 map can be acquired in one breath-hold with most current techniques, which limits its application for whole heart evaluation in routine clinical practice. In this study, an electrocardiogram (ECG)-triggered three-dimensional Look-Locker method was developed for cardiac T1 measurement. Fast three-dimensional data acquisition was achieved with a spoiled gradient-echo sequence in combination with a stack-of-spirals trajectory and through-time non-Cartesian generalized autocalibrating partially parallel acquisition (GRAPPA) acceleration. The effects of different magnetic resonance parameters on T1 quantification with the proposed technique were first examined by simulating data acquisition and T1 map reconstruction using Bloch equation simulations. Accuracy was evaluated in studies with both phantoms and healthy subjects. These results showed that there was close agreement between the proposed technique and the reference method for a large range of T1 values in phantom experiments. In vivo studies further demonstrated that rapid cardiac T1 mapping for 12 three-dimensional partitions (spatial resolution, 2×2×8mm3 ) could be achieved in a single breath-hold of ~12s. The mean T1 values of myocardial tissue and blood obtained from normal volunteers at 3T were 1311±66 and 1890±159ms, respectively. In conclusion, a three-dimensional T1 mapping technique was developed using a non-Cartesian parallel imaging method, which enables fast and accurate T1 mapping of cardiac tissues in a single short breath-hold.

Free-breathing liver perfusion imaging using 3-dimensional through-time spiral generalized autocalibrating partially parallel acquisition acceleration.

The goal of this study was to develop free-breathing high-spatiotemporal resolution dynamic contrast-enhanced liver magnetic resonance imaging using non-Cartesian parallel imaging acceleration, and quantitative liver perfusion mapping. This study was approved by the local institutional review board and written informed consent was obtained from all participants. Ten healthy subjects and 5 patients were scanned on a Siemens 3-T Skyra scanner. A stack-of-spirals trajectory was undersampled in-plane with a reduction factor of 6 and reconstructed using 3-dimensional (3D) through-time non-Cartesian generalized autocalibrating partially parallel acquisition. High-resolution 3D images were acquired with a true temporal resolution of 1.6 to 1.9 seconds while the subjects were breathing freely. A dual-input single-compartment model was used to retrieve liver perfusion parameters from dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging data, which were coregistered using an algorithm designed to reduce the effects of dynamic contrast changes on registration. Image quality evaluation was performed on spiral images and conventional images from 5 healthy subjects. Images with a spatial resolution of 1.9 × 1.9 × 3 mm3 were obtained with whole-liver coverage. With an imaging speed of better than 2 s/vol, free-breathing scans were achieved and dynamic changes in enhancement were captured. The overall image quality of free-breathing spiral images was slightly lower than that of conventional long breath-hold Cartesian images, but it provided clinically acceptable or better image quality. The free-breathing 3D images were registered with almost no residual motion in liver tissue. After the registration, quantitative whole-liver 3D perfusion maps were obtained and the perfusion parameters are all in good agreement with the literature. This high-spatiotemporal resolution free-breathing 3D liver imaging technique allows voxelwise quantification of liver perfusion.

CT substitutes derived from MR images reconstructed with parallel imaging.

Computed tomography (CT) substitute images can be generated from ultrashort echo time (UTE) MRI sequences with radial k-space sampling. These CT substitutes can be used as ordinary CT images for PET attenuation correction and radiotherapy dose calculations. Parallel imaging allows faster acquisition of magnetic resonance (MR) images by exploiting differences in receiver coil element sensitivities. This study investigates whether non-Cartesian parallel imaging reconstruction can be used to improve CT substitutes generated from shorter examination times. The authors used gridding as well as two non-Cartesian parallel imaging reconstruction methods, SPIRiT and CG-SENSE, to reconstruct radial UTE and gradient echo (GE) data into images of the head for 23 patients. For each patient, images were reconstructed from the full dataset and from a number of subsampled datasets. The subsampled datasets simulated shorter acquisition times by containing fewer radial k-space spokes (1000, 2000, 3000, 5000, and 10,000 spokes) than the full dataset (30,000 spokes). For each combination of patient, reconstruction method, and number of spokes, the reconstructed UTE and GE images were used to generate a CT substitute. Each CT substitute image was compared to a real CT image of the same patient. The mean absolute deviation between the CT number in CT substitute and CT decreased when using SPIRiT as compared to gridding reconstruction. However, the reduction was small and the CT substitute algorithm was insensitive to moderate subsampling (≥ 5000 spokes) regardless of reconstruction method. For more severe subsampling (≤ 3000 spokes), corresponding to acquisition times less than a minute long, the CT substitute quality was deteriorated for all reconstruction methods but SPIRiT gave a reduction in the mean absolute deviation of down to 25 Hounsfield units compared to gridding. SPIRiT marginally improved the CT substitute quality for a given number of radial spokes as compared to gridding. However, the increased reconstruction time of non-Cartesian parallel imaging reconstruction is difficult to motivate from this improvement. Because the CT substitute algorithm was insensitive to moderate subsampling, data for a CT substitute could be collected in as little as minute and reconstructed with gridding without deteriorating the CT substitute quality.

Non‐Cartesian parallel imaging reconstruction

Non-Cartesian parallel imaging has played an important role in reducing data acquisition time in MRI. The use of non-Cartesian trajectories can enable more efficient coverage of k-space, which can be leveraged to reduce scan times. These trajectories can be undersampled to achieve even faster scan times, but the resulting images may contain aliasing artifacts. Just as Cartesian parallel imaging can be used to reconstruct images from undersampled Cartesian data, non-Cartesian parallel imaging methods can mitigate aliasing artifacts by using additional spatial encoding information in the form of the nonhomogeneous sensitivities of multi-coil phased arrays. This review will begin with an overview of non-Cartesian k-space trajectories and their sampling properties, followed by an in-depth discussion of several selected non-Cartesian parallel imaging algorithms. Three representative non-Cartesian parallel imaging methods will be described, including Conjugate Gradient SENSE (CG SENSE), non-Cartesian generalized autocalibrating partially parallel acquisition (GRAPPA), and Iterative Self-Consistent Parallel Imaging Reconstruction (SPIRiT). After a discussion of these three techniques, several potential promising clinical applications of non-Cartesian parallel imaging will be covered.

Accelerated 2D multi-slice first-pass contrast-enhanced myocardial perfusion using through-time radial GRAPPA

Background Non-Cartesian parallel imaging is a promising approach for reducing the scan time in multi-slice first-pass myocardial perfusion imaging, allowing increasing volumetric coverage in comparison with standard techniques. Through-time radial GRAPPA has previously been demonstrated for real-time functional cardiac imaging [Seiberlich, et al. MRM 2011 Feb;65 (2):492-505]. In this work, the through-time radial GRAPPA technique is applied for the acquisition of fifteen slices per heartbeat during a contrast-enhanced myocardial perfusion examination.

Cardiac cine with ART for radial parallel imaging reconstruction

Background It was noted early-on that non-Cartesian parallel imaging is achievable by solving the k-space data consistency equation, with inclusion of coil sensitivity profiles [1]. This iterative method which uses gridding is successful [2,3], as is radial GRAPPA [4]. Here we present the first results of algebraic reconstruction technique (ART) [5,6] which also enforces data consistency. The use of ART with coil-map constraints for radial MRI reconstruction has only recently been described [5] and has not been explored for clinical applications.

Quantification of left ventricular ejection fraction using through-time radial GRAPPA for real-time imaging

Background Cardiac MRI requires a steady cardiac rhythm for ECGgating, and multiple breath-holds to minimize respiratory artifacts. By employing a non-Cartesian parallel imaging in form of through-time radial GRAPPA [1], accelerated imaging can be performed with temporal resolutions of < 50 ms, obviating the need for gating or breath-holding. breath-holding. We tested the hypothesis that volumetric measurements in the LV obtained with the real-time method could replace traditional measurements. Methods A total of 31 subjects (23 patients, 8 volunteers) were scanned on a 1.5T Avanto or 1.5T Espree scanner (Siemens Medical Solutions, Erlangen, Germany) using a combined spine and abdominal receiver array with 12 to 15 channels. The gold-standard cardiac functional examination was performed in a short-axis orientation with ECG gating, requiring 12-16 breathholds with the following parameters: Cartesian bSSFP sequence, TR~3162 ms, in plane resolution = 1.4-2.6 mm 2 , slice thickness = 6-8 mm, cardiac phases = 18-30. The real-time scans (26 calibration frames per slice and accelerated acquisition) were performed immediately following the goldstandard scan with no ECG gating or breath-holding: radial bSSFP sequence, TR= 2.64 ms, resolution = 2.3 mm 2 , slice thickness = 6-8 mm. A data acceleration factor of R=8 (16 projections for 128 x 128 matrix) was used such that the temporal resolution for real-time imaging was 42.2 ms per image. Calibration data for non-Cartesian GRAPPA reconstruction was acquired without ECG gating or breath-holds. After data collection and reconstruction, the blood volume in the left ventricle was assessed to determine the ESV, EDV, and EF for both methods. Results Bland-Altman analysis [2] was used to analyze the agreement between the two methods. This showed that 30 of the 31 of the EF measurements using traditional breath-hold imaging and the real-time free breathing method were within the 95% limits of agreement. The mean difference in LVEF between the two methods was -2% (breath-hold minus real-time). All 31 measurements of EDV using both methods were within 95% limits of agreement. The mean difference in EDV between the two methods was -4ml. 30/ 31 measurements of ESV using both methods were within the 95% limits of agreement. The mean difference in ESV between the two methods was 2 ml. The differences in EF, EDV, and ESV are not clinically significant [3]. Conclusions Our results show no significant statistical or clinical difference between volumetric analysis determined using standard breathhold cine imaging and through-time radial GRAPPA. This indicates that standard method can be replaced by the real-time imaging approach which can be used even for patients with arrhythmia or difficulty with breath-holding. Funding

Improved motion correction capabilities for fast spin echo T1 FLAIR propeller using non‐Cartesian external calibration data driven parallel imaging

Patient motion is a common challenge in the clinical setting and fast spin echo longitudinal relaxation time fluid attenuating inversion recovery imaging method with motion correction would be highly desirable. The motion correction provided by transverse relaxation time- and diffusion-weighted periodically rotated overlapping parallel lines with enhanced reconstruction methods has seen significant clinical adoption. However, periodically rotated overlapping parallel lines with enhanced reconstruction with fast spin echo longitudinal relaxation time fluid attenuating inversion recovery-weighting has proved challenging since motion correction requires wide blades that are difficult to acquire while also maintaining short echo train lengths that are optimal for longitudinal relaxation time fluid attenuating inversion recovery-weighting. Parallel imaging provides an opportunity to increase the effective blade width for a given echo train lengths. Coil-by-coil data-driven autocalibrated parallel imaging methods provide greater robustness in the event of motion compared to techniques relying on accurate coil sensitivity maps. However, conventional internally calibrated data-driven parallel imaging methods limit the effective acceleration possible for each blade. We present a method to share a single calibration dataset over all imaging blades on a slice by slice basis using the APPEAR non-cartesian parallel imaging method providing an effective blade width increase of 2.45×, enabling robust motion correction. Results comparing the proposed technique to conventional cartesian and periodically rotated overlapping parallel lines with enhanced reconstruction methods demonstrate a significant improvement during subject motion and maintaining high image quality when no motion is present in normal and clinical volunteers.

Fast and tissue-optimized mapping of magnetic susceptibility and T2* with multi-echo and multi-shot spirals

Gradient-echo MRI of resonance-frequency shift and T2* values exhibit unique tissue contrast and offer relevant physiological information. However, acquiring 3D-phase images and T2* maps with the standard spoiled gradient echo (SPGR) sequence is lengthy for routine imaging at high-spatial resolution and whole-brain coverage. In addition, with the standard SPGR sequence, optimal signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) cannot be achieved for every tissue type given their distributed resonance frequency and T2* value. To address these two issues, a SNR optimized multi-echo sequence with a stack-of-spiral acquisition is proposed and implemented for achieving fast and simultaneous acquisition of image phase and T2* maps. The analytical behavior of the phase SNR is derived as a function of resonance frequency, T2* and echo time. This relationship is utilized to achieve tissue optimized SNR by combining phase images with different echo times. Simulations and in vivo experiments were designed to verify the theoretical predictions. Using the multi-echo spiral acquisition, whole-brain coverage with 1 mm isotropic resolution can be achieved within 2.5 min, shortening the scan time by a factor of 8. The resulting multi-echo phase map shows similar SNR to that of the standard SPGR. The acquisition can be further accelerated with non-Cartesian parallel imaging. The technique can be readily extended to other multi-shot readout trajectories besides spiral. It may provide a practical acquisition strategy for high resolution and simultaneous 3D mapping of magnetic susceptibility and T2*.