Quantitative Magnetization Transfer Imaging Using Non-Balanced SSFP

Monika Gloor¹, Klaus Scheffler¹, Oliver Bieri¹

Similar to balanced steady-state free precession (bSSFP), the signal of non-balanced SSFP (nb-SSFP, such as SSFP-FID or SSFP-echo) depends on magnetization transfer (MT) in tissues. Based on a binary spin-bath model, an extended SSFP signal equation is presented which takes MT effects into account. Using this new SSFP signal equation, quantitative MT imaging (qMTI) is demonstrated ex-vivo and in-vivo. High correlation with literature values is observed and furthermore, this method benefits from short acquisition times, high signal-to-noise ratios and off-resonance insensitivity.