Abstract #2429

Horger W, Kiefer B, Mugler III J, Menzel M

The conventional phase-encoding method used with turbo/fast spin-echo (TSE) imaging is very inefficient for 3D imaging with a large number of echoes, such as can be achieved by using variable-flip-angle refocusing RF pulses. We developed a phase-encoding scheme that makes efficient use of very long echo trains by accelerating the acquisition along both the in-plane and through-plane phase-encoding directions. This method takes full advantage of the reduction in imaging time offered by such long echo trains and, combined with parallel imaging strategies, yields imaging times that are clinically practical for single-slab 3D-TSE imaging of large volumes.