[Low flip angle spin-echo MR imaging to obtain better Gd-DTPA enhanced imaging with ECG gating]

ECG-gated spin-echo imaging (ECG-SE) can reduce physiological motion artifacts. However, ECG-SE does not provide strong T1-weighted images because repetition time (TR) depends on heart rate (HR). We investigated the usefulness of low flip angle spin-echo imaging (LFSE) in obtaining more T1-dependent contrast with ECG gating. in computer simulation, the predicted image contrast and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) obtained for each flip angle (0-180 degrees) and each TR (300 msec-1200 msec) were compared with those obtained by conventional T1-weighted spin-echo imaging (CSE: TR = 500 msec, TE = 20 msec). In clinical evaluation, tissue contrast [contrast index (CI): (SI of lesion-SI of muscle)2*100/SI of muscle] obtained by CSE and LFSE were compared in 17 patients. At a TR of 1,000 msec, T1-dependent contrast increased with decreasing flip angle and that at 38 degrees was identical to that with T1-weighted spin-echo. SNR increased with the flip angle until 100 degrees, and that at 53 degrees was identical to that with T1-weighted spin-echo. CI on LFSE (74.0 +/- 52.0) was significantly higher than CI on CSE (40.9 +/- 35.9). ECG-gated LFSE imaging provides better T1-dependent contrast than conventional ECG-SE. This method was especially useful for Gd-DTPA enhanced MR imaging.