INTRACRANIAL BLACK-BLOOD MR-ANGIOGRAPHY WITH HIGH-RESOLUTION 3D FAST SPIN-ECHO

Three-dimensional fast spin-echo (3DFSE) techniques are promising for black-blood imaging of cerebral vessels. In this study, flow-related s ignal dephasing was demonstrated as the primary mechanism for blood si gnal attenuation, Parameter optimization of TR (1500 to 3000 ms), rece iver bandwidth (25 to 31.25 kHz), effective TE (25.7 to 30.1 ms), and ETL (7 to 8) was accomplished by making measurements of vessel-to-tiss ue contrast-to-noise ratios on vessels. A comparison of high-resolutio n 3DFSE and 3DTOF magnetic resonance angiography demonstrated that 3DF SE can generate images with equivalent or better small vessel detail t han conventional techniques. 3DFSE black-blood techniques may provide improved sensitivity of small arteries and veins with slow or in-plane flow and immunity to flow-related distortions. Future studies with op timized parameters will determine the clinical efficacy of this techni que.