Quantitative measurement of high flow velocities by a spin echo MR technique

A new method of flow measurement using a spin echo (SE) technique has been developed on the basis of the flow effect that at high velocities signal intensity decreases linearly with increasing flow velocity. Flow velocity is calculated from the signal intensity ratio of the flowing material in two images with the same imaging parameters but different echo times. The linear relationship between the signal intensity and flow velocity was examined with a steady flow phantom. When assessed with steady flows in the phantom, flow velocities calculated by this method were in good agreement with velocities measured by a flow meter. This method was used with ECG gating to measure the blood flow of the right common carotid artery of a healthy volunteer. The measured peak flow velocity and the pattern of flow velocities during systole correlated well with the results obtained by Doppler ultrasound.