Automatic Heart Rate Dependent Timing Adjustments in Dark Blood Turbo-Spin Echo Sequences with and Without STIR Preparation

Wolfgang G. Rehwald¹, Hannes Kutza², Peter Weale, Jeanette Schulz-Menger³

The quality of STIR TSE images can be degraded in patients with high heart rates due to poor registration of STIR preparation slab and imaging slice, and due to imperfect blood nulling. To overcome this problem, we developed an algorithm that calculates the optimal TI to null blood based on the patients heart rate and sets the trigger pulse, time of dark blood preparation and readout, and temporal resolution accordingly. It was implemented in a standard TSE sequence and tested in 37 patients and volunteers on a Siemens MAGNETOM Avanto. Image quality was much improved as confirmed by trained observers.