Analysis of Complex Flow Patterns with Acceleration-Encoded MRI

Felix Staehle¹, Simon Bauer¹, Bernd Andr Jung¹, Jrgen Hennig¹, Michael Markl¹

The phase contrast principle (PC) can be employed to measure flow acceleration by using acceleration sensitive encoding gradients. The aim of this study was to evaluate a newly developed gradient optimized acceleration-sensitive PC-MRI technique with full three-directional acceleration encoding of aortic blood flow. Results were compared to standard velocity encoded phase contrast MRI. In addition, the value of acceleration induced intravoxel dephasing as a new image contrast providing information about complex and vortical flow was investigated.