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Steady-state free precession sequences in myocardial first-pass perfusion MR imaging: comparison with TurboFLASH

Peter Hunold1, Stefan Maderwald, Holger Eggebrecht

  • 1Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Essen, Hufelandstrasse 55, 45122 Essen, Germany. peter.hunold@uni-essen.de

European Radiology
|December 3, 2003
PubMed

Insights

Saturation-recovery SSFP (SR-TrueFISP) offers superior image quality compared to TurboFLASH for myocardial first-pass perfusion MRI. SR-TrueFISP provides higher signal-to-noise ratio, enhancing diagnostic accuracy in assessing heart muscle perfusion.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Medical Imaging Physics
  • Cardiac Perfusion Assessment

Background:

  • Myocardial first-pass perfusion MRI is crucial for diagnosing and managing ischemic heart disease.
  • Gradient-recalled echo (GRE) sequences like TurboFLASH are commonly used but may have limitations in image quality.
  • Steady-state free precession (SSFP) sequences offer potential advantages for dynamic contrast imaging.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare the image quality of saturation-recovery gradient-recalled echo (TurboFLASH) and saturation-recovery SSFP (SR-TrueFISP) sequences.
  • To evaluate the sequences' performance in myocardial first-pass perfusion MRI.
  • To determine which sequence provides superior signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR).

Main Methods:

  • Eight patients with chronic myocardial infarction and eight volunteers underwent MRI on a 1.5 T scanner.
  • Both TurboFLASH and SR-TrueFISP sequences were used with identical repetition time (TR) and echo time (TE).
  • Gd-DTPA contrast agent was injected, and three short-axis slices of the left ventricle (LV) were scanned during breath-hold.

Main Results:

  • SR-TrueFISP demonstrated significantly higher SNR and percentage signal intensity change (PSIC) in the LV lumen compared to TurboFLASH.
  • Mean maximum SNR, PSIC, and CNR in the LV myocardium during peak enhancement were higher for SR-TrueFISP.
  • SR-TrueFISP provided a 2.4-fold higher SNR in the myocardium compared to TurboFLASH, improving overall image quality.

Conclusions:

  • Saturation-recovery SSFP (SR-TrueFISP) sequence offers superior image quality for first-pass myocardial perfusion MRI compared to TurboFLASH.
  • The higher SNR achieved with SR-TrueFISP enhances the visualization and assessment of myocardial perfusion.
  • SR-TrueFISP is a valuable alternative for improving diagnostic accuracy in cardiac perfusion imaging.

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