Phase-sensitive dual-inversion recovery for accelerated carotid vessel wall imaging

Area of Science:

• Magnetic Resonance Imaging
• Medical Imaging
• Cardiovascular Imaging

Background:

• Dual-inversion recovery (DIR) is a standard technique for magnetic resonance vessel wall imaging.
• Optimal contrast in DIR can be challenging due to RR variability, and it is time-inefficient.
• Multislice acquisitions with DIR can lead to prolonged scanning times.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose and evaluate an extension of phase-sensitive (PS) DIR for carotid vessel wall imaging.
• To address the limitations of conventional DIR, including contrast optimization and scan time.

Main Methods:

• Probing the statistical distribution of the phase signal after DIR for lumen segmentation and blood signal suppression.
• Characterizing the proposed PS-DIR technique across various inversion times.
• Implementing multislice imaging by interleaving 3 slices post-DIR.
• Conducting quantitative evaluation in healthy adults and comparing with conventional DIR.

Main Results:

• Single-slice PS-DIR demonstrated effective blood-signal suppression across a wide range of inversion times.
• Enhanced wall-lumen contrast and improved vessel wall conspicuity were observed for carotid arteries.
• Multislice PS-DIR imaging achieved effective blood-signal suppression.

Conclusions:

• A novel PS-DIR method was successfully implemented and validated for carotid vessel wall imaging.
• The technique eliminates timing constraints associated with inversion recovery.
• It significantly enhances wall-lumen contrast and enables a threefold increase in volumetric coverage without additional scanning time.