Abstract #2892

Theoretical and Experimental Optimization of a 3D Steady-State Inhomogeneous Magnetization Transfer (ihMT) Gradient Echo Sequence: Boosting the ihMT Sensitivity with Sparse Energy Deposition

Olivier M. Girard^1,2, Gopal Varma³, Samira Mchinda^1,2, Valentin Prevost^1,2, Arnaud Le Troter^1,2, Stanislas Rapacchi^1,2, Maxime Guye^1,2, Jean-Philippe Ranjeva^1,2, David C. Alsop³, and Guillaume Duhamel^1,2

¹CRMBM, UMR 7339 CNRS, Aix-Marseille University, Marseille, France, ²Pôle d'Imagerie Médicale, CEMEREM, APHM, Marseille, France, ³Radiology, Division of MR Research, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States

Inhomogeneous Magnetization Transfer (ihMT) has shown improved specificity for myelinated tissue as compared to conventional MT. Recently, fundamental developments have led to theoretical modeling of the ihMT effect. In this study forward modeling of a steady-state ihMT gradient echo (GRE) sequence is used to guide experimental optimization for various TRs, power levels and ihMT pulse-train duration. An efficient RF-energy deposition scheme is demonstrated for relatively long TRs, leading to ihMTRs as high as 15-17% and 10-12% in WM at 1.5T and 3T, respectively. This opens new perspectives for patient studies at clinical field strength and ihMT implementation at higher field strength.

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