Multislice, dual-imaging sequence for increasing the dynamic range of the contrast-enhanced blood signal and CNR of myocardial enhancement at 3T.

PURPOSE

To develop a multislice, first-pass perfusion imaging sequence for increasing the effective dynamic range of the contrast-enhanced blood signal and the contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) of myocardial wall enhancement.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A hybrid echo-planar imaging (EPI) pulse sequence was modified to acquire data for both the arterial input function (AIF) and the myocardium, using two different saturation-recovery time delays (TDs) and spatial resolutions, after a single saturation pulse. Five healthy subjects were scanned at 3T in three short-axis levels of the heart per heartbeat during passage of a high-dose bolus of contrast agent. The T(1)-weighted signal-time curve of the blood was converted to AIF using empirical conversion tables derived from phantom experiments.

RESULTS

In all subjects the calculated AIF was consistently less distorted and higher for the short-TD protocol than for the long-TD protocol (peak concentration: 5.0 +/- 1.0 mM vs. 3.0 +/- 0.6 mM; P < 0.01). A combination of EPI, long TD, high-dose bolus of contrast agent, and 3T imaging yielded relatively strong peak enhancement in the myocardium (CNR = 11.9 +/- 3.3).

CONCLUSION

Our dual-imaging approach at 3T seems promising for acquiring both a relatively accurate AIF and a high CNR of myocardial wall enhancement in multiple slices per heartbeat.