Abstract #0011

Fast High Resolution Whole Brain T2* Weighted Imaging using Echo Planar Imaging at 7T

Jaco J. M. Zwanenburg^{1, 2}, Maarten J. Versluis³, Peter R. Luijten¹, Natalia Petridou^{1, 4}

¹Radiology, Universiy Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands; ²Image Sciences Institute, Universiy Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands; ³Radiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands; ⁴Rudolf Magnus Institute, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands

This work shows that high resolution (0.5 mm isotropic) T2* weighted images of the whole brain can be obtained in less than 6 minutes by utilizing the high SNR efficiency of echo planar imaging (EPI). The image SNR is increased by a factor of 2, and the coverage by a factor of approx. 5, compared to conventional gradient echo imaging (GRE) with the same scan duration. The contrast for both magnitude and phase is equivalent between EPI and GRE imaging.