Spoiling without additional gradients: Radial FLASH MRI with randomized radiofrequency phases. Issue 5 (22nd June 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Roeloffs, Volkert; Voit, Dirk; Frahm, Jens
• Is Part Of: Magnetic resonance in medicine. Volume 75:Issue 5(2016)
• Page Start: 2094
• Page End: 2099
• Publication Date: 2015-06-22
• Subjects: RF spoiling -- gradient spoiling -- Golden Angle -- radial MRI -- real‐time MRI; Nuclear magnetic resonance -- Periodicals; Electron paramagnetic resonance -- Periodicals; 616.07548
• DOI: 10.1002/mrm.25809
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0740-3194

Abstract

Abstract : Purpose: To develop a method for spoiling transverse magnetizations without additional gradients to minimize repetition times for radial fast low angle shot (FLASH) MRI. Methods: Residual steady state transverse magnetizations and corresponding image artifacts were analyzed for radial gradient echo sequences with constant and randomized RF phases in comparison with a sequence with refocused frequency‐encoding gradients, constant spoiler gradient, and conventional RF spoiling (gold standard). The spoiling performance was assessed for different radial trajectories using numerical simulations, phantom experiments, and in vivo MRI studies of the human brain. Results: Simulations as well as phantom and in vivo measurements reveal a highly efficient spoiling capacity for randomized RF phases and radial FLASH sequences without the need for gradient rewinding and spoiler gradients. The data also demonstrate a strong dependence of the spoiling performance on the chosen radial trajectory (ie, the azimuthal angular increment between successive projections) with excellent results for an interleaved multiturn scheme. Conclusion: Effective spoiling of transverse magnetizations in radial FLASH MRI may be achieved by randomized RF phases without additional spoiler gradients. The technique allows for short repetition times as required for high‐speed real‐time MRI. Magn Reson Med 75:2094–2099, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.