FAST ANATOMICAL IMAGING OF THE HEART AND ASSESSMENT OF MYOCARDIAL PERFUSION WITH ARRHYTHMIA INSENSITIVE MAGNETIZATION PREPARATION

A new contrast preparation based on modified driven equilibrium Fourie r transfer is introduced and evaluated for generation of T-1-weighted images for assessment of the myocardial perfusion with contrast agent first-pass kinetics, The new preparation scheme produces T-1 contrast with insensitivity to arrhythmias in prospectively triggered sequentia l imaging thereby eliminating one of the major sources of problems in potential patient studies with previously employed contrast preparatio ns schemes.