Abstract #0263

Diffusion-Prepared Fast Imaging with Steady-State Free Precession (DP-FISP): A Rapid Diffusion MRI Technique at 7T

Lan Lu¹, Bernadette Erowku¹, Gregory R. Lee¹, Katherine Dell^2,3, Chris A. Flask^1,4

¹Radiology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA; ²Pediatrics, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA; ³MetroHealth Medical Center, Cleveland, OH, USA; ⁴Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA

Diffusion MRI applications typically utilize rapid Echo-Planar Imaging (EPI) acquisition techniques. However, EPI techniques are susceptible to off-resonance distortion and eddy current artifacts, especially for high field MRI applications. We have developed a rapid Diffusion Prepared - Fast Imaging with Steady-State Free Precession (DP-FISP) MRI acquisition for a 7T small animal MRI scanner that combines a diffusion preparation scheme with a rapid FISP imaging readout to provide diffusion-weighted images in less than 500 ms and DTI data (7 directions) in less than 1 minute. Herein, DP-FISP results validated in a water phantom and in vivo polycystic rat kidneys.