Neville D. Gai1, John A. Butman1
1Radiology & Imaging Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
Alternating excitation and/or phase perturbed balanced SSFP provides highly localized variations in magnetization. The technique has been recently proposed as a means to provide positive contrast imaging. Here, the inflow effect is studied in relation to the technique. Simulations and in-vivo imaging in the brain show that blood as well as CSF pulsatility can be a confounding factor when using the sequence for positive contrast imaging. Means to reduce inflow effects need to be developed.