Fast three-dimensional sodium imaging of human brain

A three-dimensional sodium imaging technique with a minimum echo time of 0. 9 ms is described in a 2.0 Tesla whole-body system. The relaxation behaviou r in vivo of sodium was analysed: a fast T-2* relaxation component between 1.2 and 1.6 ms and a slow T2* relaxation component between 7.1 ms and 8.4 m s were quantified in brain tissue of three volunteers. Three-dimensional so dium images of the human brain were acquired in 8.5 min with a resolution o f 4.7 x 4.7 x 10 mm (0.2 cc voxel size) and a signal-to-noise ratio of 20 i n brain tissue and 30 in cerebrospinal fluid. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science BN. All rights reserved.