Dynamic 3D Spin-Labeling MRA for Evaluation of Vascular Territory Inflow

Ek Tsoon Tan¹, Norbert G. Campeau¹, John Huston III¹, Stephen J. Riederer¹

The 3D spin-labeling MRA technique, fast inversion recovery (FIR-MRA) provides excellent vessel conspicuity and venous suppression. To incorporate temporal information with high spatial resolution for intracranial imaging at 3T, we developed a variation of the 3D FIR-MRA sequence with segmented acquisitions of four time frames during the gradient echo readout. Scan time is five minutes. Initial feasibility studies show progressive filling of vascular distributions in the subtracted angiograms, along with varying tissue contrasts in the unsubtracted images. This capability may be useful in the setting of infarction, vascular stenoses, arteriovenous malformations and aneurysms.