Abstract #1205

Gamper U, Boesiger P, Kozerke S

Cardiac diffusion imaging in the in-vivo heart is hampered by cardiac bulk motion, respiratory motion, chemical shift and susceptibility gradients around the heart. In this work a combined approach to diffusion imaging of the heart is presented employing motion-compensated diffusion encoding gradients with single-shot echo-planar imaging at 3T. Computer simulations were used to study phase dispersion from realistic cardiac bulk motion in the presence of bipolar diffusion encoding gradients to derive optimal sequence timing parameters. In-vivo data in short-axis view orientation were obtained during free-breathing. Results reveal known myocardial muscle fiber structure.