Optimization of the Encoding Scheme for Improved SNR Efficiency in Vessel Encoded Pseudo-Continuous ASL

Jia Guo¹, Eric C. Wong²

In Vessel-Encoded Pseudo-Continuous ASL, encoding schemes with high SNR efficiency are important to correctly decode the vascular territory information. Hadamard type encoding is optimal, but it is not always obvious how to construct such a matrix. In this study, the tagging profile of VE-PCASL is measured from in vivo data, and fitted to a simple model. Based on this model, an encoding scheme with a small number of encoding steps to optimize the efficiency is achieved by configuring the encoding gradients such that the encoding matrix has columns from a Hadamard matrix under constrains such as gradient amplitude.