Hyperpolarized 3He lung ventilation imaging with B1-inhomogeneity correction in a single breath-hold scan

The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of hyperpolarized noble gas MR images is sensitive to the flip angle used. Variations in flip angle due to B1-inhomogeneity of the RF coil cause intensity variation artifacts in lung ventilation images which may mask or mimic disease. We show these artifacts can be minimized by using the optimal flip angle and corrected if the local flip angle is known. Hyperpolarized 3He lung images were obtained in ten healthy subjects using both a conventional gradient-echo sequence and a new hybrid pulse sequence designed to simultaneously acquire lung ventilation images and corresponding flip-angle maps in comparable imaging time. Flip-angle maps and corrected images were calculated from the hybrid scan and compared with conventional images. The qualitative theoretical dependence of flip angle on SNR was verified. Ventilation images and flip-angle maps were successfully obtained with the hybrid sequence. Corrections to image intensity calculated from the flip-angle maps appeared reasonable for images acquired using an average flip angle near optimal. Use of the optimal flip angle is crucial to the quality of lung ventilation images. Artifactual intensity variations due to RF-coil inhomogeneity may be identified and potentially corrected using our hybrid sequence.