Hybrid adiabatic-rectangular pulse train for effective saturation of magnetization within the whole heart at 3 T

Uniform T(1)-weighting is a major challenge for first-pass cardiac perfusion MRI at 3 T. Previously proposed adiabatic amplitude of radiofrequency field (B(1))-insensitive rotation (BIR-4) pulse and standard and tailored pulse trains of three nonselective pulses have been important developments but each pulse has limitations at 3 T. As an extension of the tailored pulse train, we developed a hybrid pulse train by synergistically combining two nonselective rectangular radiofrequency pulses and an adiabatic half-passage pulse, in order to achieve effective saturation of magnetization within the heart, while remaining within clinically acceptable specific absorption rate limits. The standard pulse train, tailored pulse train, hybrid pulse train, and BIR-4 pulse train were evaluated through numerical, phantom, and in vivo experiments. Among the four saturation pulses, only the hybrid pulse train yielded residual magnetization <2% of equilibrium magnetization in the heart while remaining within clinically acceptable specific absorption rate limits for multislice first-pass cardiac perfusion MRI at 3 T.