PERFORMANCE OF AN ELLIPTIC CENTRIC VIEW ORDER FOR SIGNAL ENHANCEMENT AND MOTION ARTIFACT SUPPRESSION IN BREATH-HOLD 3-DIMENSIONAL GRADIENT-ECHO IMAGING

An elliptical centric phase-encoding (PE) order is applied to steady-s tate 3DFT imaging as performed during a single breath-hold or followin g contrast agent administration. In a set of simulation, phantom, and in vivo experiments, this truly centric RE order is shown to be both m ore resistant to breathing artifact and more capable of suppressing un desirable venous signals that can arise following peak arterial enhanc ement than a number of other centric RE techniques that are presently in use. Unlike other RE orders, the elliptical centric ordering change s with the relative dimensions of the two RE fields of view and is opt imal based on increasing k-space radius. It thus creates a temporally diminishing importance to the RE order. The specific advantages of suc h an acquisition are demonstrated.