CEST MRI of Human Liver at 3T

Kejia Cai¹, Anup Singh¹, Kalli Grasley¹, Mohammad Haris¹, Damodar Reddy¹, Hari Hariharan¹, Ravinder Reddy¹

Liver is a vital organ that regulates many key metabolites in the body. A number of metabolites with chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) effects have been shown to change in liver diseases. However, CEST MRI of liver in-vivo is vulnerable to motion artifacts. We have implemented a CEST FLASH (Fast Low Angle SHot) imaging sequence at 3T clinical scanner, with which artifact-free CEST images can be acquired in a single breath hold. CEST Z-spectral asymmetry profile from the liver has been characterized. CEST MRI of liver may open a new way to look in to liver diseases.