Meeting Banner
Abstract #2536

Vessel-Mimicking Mask for Improved Unfolding in SENSE-Accelerated CE-MRA

Eric G. Stinson1, Casey P. Johnson1, Stephen J. Riederer1

1MR Research Laboratory, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States

Masking in SENSE unfolding is known to reduce noise amplification and preserve SNR. Further, in contrast-enhanced MR angiography (CE-MRA), the final volume of interest is often a difference volume where, in the ideal case, signal is only present in the vasculature. The purpose of this work is to investigate the feasibility of improving the performance of 2D SENSE in 3D CE-MRA by masking all non-vascular voxels prior to performing the SENSE unfolding of a difference angiogram. Thigh CE-MRA exams were unfolded with conventional and vessel-mimicking masks and compared with respect to maximum intensity projection contrast-to-noise ratio and mean g-factor.

Keywords

accelerated aliased amplification analyzed angiography application applied approaches arrows artery artifacts assigned axial background bars beneficial beyond biology blue brown calibration called classification classified clinic closed coil contained containing contrast created decreased deep demonstrating described detail determine developed dilated distance edge element enhanced enhances errors excluded exclusion external feasibility femoral final finer formed fraction full generally generated greatly green hybrid ideal iliac illustrate implemented improved improvement included incorrectly increasing indeed intentional investigate known laboratory length magma magnetization maps mask masked masking masks mayo measured mimicking nearby noise normalized note object outer outside particularly path performance pixels post potential preserved preserving prevents previously prior process processing projection proposed rationale recognition reconstructed reconstructions reduce reduced reduces restrictive resultant sections segmenting selecting sense sensitivity shorter since slice slope step straightforward strength structuring studied studies subsequent subtracted suitable superior system taken targeted text thigh third threshold tree unfolding various vascular vessel vessels volume volumes zero