Volumetric Phase Contrast Flow Imaging with Multiple Station Isocenter Acquistion Substantially Improves Flow Results

Andreas Greiser¹, Mehmet Akif Gulsun², Arne Littmann¹, Jens Guehring², Edgar Mueller¹

Vector-encoded MR phase contrast acquisitions covering a bigger volume show larger errors in velocity due to eddy currents and gradient non-linearities. A new scan method is presented that acquires the volumetric dataset in multiple z-isocentered steps. The resulting corrected velocity images and the influence on the flow quantification results of the descending aorta and flow field visualization were analyzed. The multiply isocentered approach results in an overall increase of peak velocity estimates and flow values. The pixelwise standard deviation of the calculated background phase correction matrices across slices for fixed table position was 1.76 cm/sec vs. 0.61 cm/sec for z-isocentered.