Abstract #4480

Feasibility of Myelin Water Fraction Quantification using Multi-Component Gradient Echo Sampling of Spin Echoes

Yann Gagnon^1,2, Neil Gelman^1,2, Jean Thberge^1,2

¹Medical Biophysics, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada; ²Lawson Health Research Institute, London, Ontario, Canada

A new acquisition scheme is proposed consisting of symmetrically sampling, using gradient echoes, the rephrasing and subsequent dephasing parts of multiple spin echoes, termed multi-component gradient echo sampling of spin echoes (mcGESSE). The theoretical ability of this method to calculate the MWF is demonstrated in a two-component model using simulated data and realistic temporal signal to noise profiles. Implementation of this sequence would allow for whole-brain MWF data in a clinically relevant scan time of approximately 10 to 20 minutes.