Systematic assessment and evaluation of sliding interleaved k(Y) (SLINKY) acquisition for 3D MRA

In comparison with the conventional three-dimensional multiple overlapped t hin slab acquisition (MOTSA) for magnetic resonance angiography (MRA), we h ave developed a novel sliding interleaved k(Y) (SLINKY) acquisition techniq ue, which can eliminate the slab boundary artifact (SBA) or venetian blind artifact without any a priori knowledge of blood now. This work addresses t he systematic assessment and evaluation of the SLINKY technique and verifie s the advantages of SLINKY in the following several aspects: (a) scan time efficiency; (b) signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and signal-difference-to-noise ratio (SDNR); (c) sensitivity to now velocity range; (d) sensitivity to no w direction; (e) signal loss in slow/reversal flow regions; and (f) reconst ruction efficiency and feasibility. Both phantom and in vivo experiments ve rify the clinical significance of the technique. The new MRA images acquire d with this imaging technique in 31 volunteer/patient examinations show hig hly reliable mapping of vascular morphology without the SEA and reduction o f signal voids in complex/slow now regions.