Elena Maria Tovar Martinez1, Fabian Hezel1, Katharina Maria Fuchs1, Jens Wuerfel2, 3, Friedemann Paul2, 4, Jan Sobesky2, Thoralf Niendorf1, 5
1Berlin Ultra-High Field Facility (B.U.F.F.), Max-Delbrueck-Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany; 2Charit University Medicine, Berlin, Germany; 3University of Luebeck, Luebeck, , Schleswig-Holstein, Germany; 4NeuroCure Clinical Research Center, Berlin, Germany; 5Experimental and Clinical Research Center (ECRC), Charit - University Medicine Campus Berlin Buch, Berlin, Germany
SWI is a technique that utilizes the magnetic susceptibility differences between tissues to highlight small blood vessels. Its clinical use for high spatial resolution is challenged by scan time. This work proposes the use of a displaced UFLARE for susceptibility weighted imaging that affords high spatial resolution and scan time reduction. UFLARE acquires a train of refocused echoes that are independently phase encoded. SWI contrast is accomplished by using an extra evolution time between the initial excitation pulse and the first refocusing pulse. Its applicability for high spatial resolution was examined in volunteer studies at a 3.0 and 7.0 T.