Object
To investigate the feasibility of multiecho balanced steady-state free precession (bSSFP)-based fast chemical shift mapping
hyperpolarized 13C metabolites. The overall goal was to reduce total imaging time and to increase spatial resolution compared to common chemical
shift imaging (CSI).
Materials and methods
A multiecho bSSFP sequence in combination with an iterative reconstruction algorithm was implemented. 1H experiments were performed on phantoms and on a human volunteer in order to investigate the feasibility of the method on
a system with metabolite maps that are known beforehand. 13C experiments were performed in vivo on pigs, where CSI images were acquired also for comparison.
Results
Chemical shift images of three and four distinct 1H resonance frequencies as well as chemical shift images of up to five hyperpolarized 13C metabolites were successfully obtained.
Conclusion
Fast metabolite mapping based on multiecho balanced SSFP in combination with an iterative reconstruction approach could successfully
separate several 1H resonances and hyperpolarized 13C metabolites.
Keywords Balanced SSFP - Chemical shift imaging - Multiecho sequence - IDEAL - Hyperpolarized 13C