3D MRA with Dynamic Sequence Switching: Improved Imaging of the Arterial and Venous Phases

Petrice M. Mostardi¹, Clifton R. Haider¹, Norbert G. Campeau¹, Stephen J. Riederer¹

Time-resolved CE-MRA is widely used for imaging the intracranial arterial system, while a single high spatial resolution acquisition is generally used for the intracranial venous system. The goal of this work was to combine these two studies into a single contrast-enhanced acquisition. A time-resolved CAPR sequence was played out for about 50 sec for arterial phase imaging, providing images every 3.57 sec. Then, by seamlessly switching to a high spatial resolution, 38 sec long scan, data for a venogram was acquired. High speed reconstruction further allows the time of switching to be done in real time on a patient-specific basis.