A Novel Approach to ECG-Gated High-Resolution Contrast-Enhanced MR Angiography in Thorax: Technical Aspects

Yutaka Natsuaki¹, Philipp Moritz Wagner², J. Paul Finn², Randall Kroeker³, Gerhard Laub¹

Contrast-enhanced MR angiography (ceMRA) is typically performed without ECG gating, and in cardiothoracic applications, variable degrees of blurring may result due to cardiac motion. Alternatively, ceMRA can be acquired with ECG gating, whereby the segmented data acquisition is synchronized with the cardiac cycle and thus minimizes motion-induced blurring. However, conventional gated ceMRA is limited by its acquisition inefficiency, and its spatial resolution and coverage are insufficient for clinical purposes. The current work proposes a novel approach to increasing efficiency and flexibility in ECG-gated ceMRA, and achieves full-coverage high-resolution ECG-gated ceMRA within a single breath hold.