Segmented k-space and real-time cardiac cine MR imaging with radial trajectories

The authors developed and evaluated two cine magnetic resonance (MR) imagin g sequences with a radial rather than a rectilinear k-space coordinate fram e: segmented k space and realtime true fast imaging with steady-state prece ssion, or FISP. The two radial k-space segmentation (or view sharing) techn iques, which were interleaved or continuous, were compared, and the feasibi lity of their application in cardiac cine MR imaging was explored in phanto m and volunteer studies. Images obtained with the radial sequences were com pared with those obtained With two-dimensional Fourier transform, or 2DFT, sequences currently used in cine MR imaging. Temporal resolution of 55 msec was achieved with the real-time radial sequences, which allowed acquisitio n of almost 19 high-quality images per second.