Reversed half-echo stack-of-stars TrueFISP (TrueSTAR)

Area of Science:

• Magnetic Resonance Imaging
• Medical Imaging Techniques

Background:

• Artifacts in TrueFISP imaging, such as blurring and banding, can degrade image quality.
• Conventional radial acquisition schemes have limitations in mitigating these artifacts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and evaluate TrueSTAR, a reversed half-echo readout scheme for artifact-free 2D and 3D TrueFISP imaging.
• To assess TrueSTAR's performance compared to contemporary radial acquisition methods.

Main Methods:

• TrueSTAR imaging was implemented using a reversed half-echo readout.
• Evaluated in phantoms and in vivo chest imaging at 1.5T and 3T.
• Compared with center-out and symmetric radial sampling schemes.

Main Results:

• TrueSTAR demonstrated reduced banding artifacts due to a shorter TR and improved signal homogeneity from center-in trajectories.
• Center-out schemes showed blurring, while symmetric schemes exhibited banding artifacts.
• Near artifact-free 3D TrueSTAR chest imaging was achieved at 3T.

Conclusions:

• TrueSTAR effectively mitigates residual MR system imperfections, offering artifact-free chest imaging.
• The technique combines benefits of short TR and high trajectory fidelity for superior image quality.