3-D MR angiography with scanning 2-D images--simultaneous data acquisition of arteries and veins (SAAV)

A 3-D MR angiography using a scanning 2-D planar imaging technique with the 90 degrees flip angle steady-state free precession sequence is presented. This method, in essence, is the rapid scanning of 2-D images to form a 3-D volume image. The method is then extended to the simultaneous acquisition of the separated images of the arteries and veins. Using the proposed method a set of separate angiograms of 3-D artery and vein of a volunteer's head of imaging volume of 220 X 220 X 120 mm was obtained with total imaging time of 16.5 min.