Abstract #0869
Steady-state Functional MRI Using Spoiled Small-tip Fast Recovery (STFR) Imaging
Hao Sun 1 , Jeffrey A. Fessler 1 , Douglas C. Noll 2 , and Jon-Fredrik Nielsen 2
1
Electrical Engineering and Computer Science,
the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United
States,
2
Biomedical
Engineering, the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI,
United States
Most functional brain MR imaging uses T2*-weighted
gradient-echo sequences with single-shot readout (BOLD
fMRI), providing high activation contrast but suffering
from off-resonance-induced image artifacts (signal drop,
distortions or blurring). Steady-state fMRI based on
balanced steady-state free precession (bSSFP) uses
segmented readouts and can produce excellent image
quality, but is susceptible to dark banding artifacts,
and generally has lower functional contrast than BOLD.
Small-tip fast recovery (STFR) imaging is a recently
proposed steady-state imaging sequence that has similar
image intensity to bSSFP, but with reduced signal
variations (banding) due to resonance offsets. STFR
relies on a tailored tip-up, or fast recovery, RF
pulse to align the spins with the longitudinal axis
after each data readout segment. Using Monte Carlo Bloch
simulation and preliminary in vivo experiments, it has
been demonstrated that STFR can produce detectable fMRI
signal. Here we investigate the spoiled STFR fMRI
sequence in more detail by: (1) performing a
quantitative comparison between simulation and in vivo
experiments, and (2) estimating testretest reliability
of STFR (and BOLD) functional maps.
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