Real-time black-blood MRI using spatial presaturation

A real-time interactive black-blood imaging system is described. Rapid bloo d suppression is achieved by exciting and dephasing slabs outside the imagi ng slice before each imaging excitation. Sharp-profiled radio frequency sat uration pulses placed close to the Imaging slice provide good blood suppres sion, even In views containing slow through-plane flow. In vivo results Ind icate that this technique improves endocardial border definition daring sys tole in real-time cardiac wall-motion studies. Phantom and animal results i ndicate that this technique nearly eliminates flow artifacts In real-time i ntravascular studies. (C) 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.