Simulation of Diffusion Weighted SSFP: Time to Reach the Steady State & Effects on Anisotropic Diffusion

Eun Soo Choi¹, Rafael O'halloran², Ernesto Staroswiecki², Roland Bammer²

Diffusion-weighted SSFP imaging offers high diffusion contrast with low spin preparation time, but requires an initial period to reach steady state. It is important to know how long this initial period is so that data collection can begin after steady state is achieved. Here, the time to reach steady state is investigated in three simulated brain tissue types using the extended phase graph simulation. The dependence of the time to steady state on multiple parameters such as TR, flip angle, and diffusion coefficient is explored. Additionally the effect of switching the diffusion gradient direction on the steady state is investigated. The time to return to steady state after the switch has implications for diffusion tensor imaging of anisotropic diffusion