Quiescent-Interval Single-Shot Unenhanced Magnetic Resonance Angiography featuring Continuous Table Movement

Most recently, quiescent-interval single-shot (QISS) peripheral MRA [1] has been introduced as a fast and robust alternative to unenhanced MRA methods such as two-dimensional time of flight [2] and fresh blood imaging [3]. Being a single-shot technique, QISS is relatively robust in the presence of respiratory and bowel motion. The method, furthermore, is widely independent of the arterial peak flow velocity. Thus, individual adaptation of the data acquisition protocol is not required for the majority of subjects. However, like any other multi-step MR imaging method, QISS suffers from signal discontinuities between adjacent sub-sets of images in coronal reformats of the longitudinally extended FOV. Last, but not least, the shimming procedure for up to thirteen stationary acquisitions adds significantly to the total in-room time of each patient. Continuously moving table MRI potentially overcomes both limitations [4]. This family of methods provides a seamlessly extended FOV and adjustments and shimming can be performed on the fly. In addition, scan planning is simplified with the moving table approach. In the current work, continuously moving table capabilities were introduced to a recent implementation of QISS peripheral MRA. The method was evaluated in comparison to the stationary approach in five healthy volunteers with respect to the overall image quality and the total acquisition time.