High-Resolution Continuously Acquired Peripheral MRA Featuring Self-Calibrated Parallel Imaging

Moving table magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques potentially improve the scan time efficiency of large field-of-view (FOV) MR imaging applications and provide the physician with seamless images of the extended FOV. Particularly peripheral MR angiography (MRA) requires high spatial resolution to resolve small arteries and at the same time has rigid scan time constraints in order to stay within the arterial window [1]. To fulfill these demands, a combination of a continuous moving table technique with self-calibrated parallel imaging (GRAPPA) [2] is presented. The subject volume of interest was covered with a matrix of phased-array surface coils which traveled through the magnet along with the patient table. In this setup the coil sensitivity profiles were fixed relative to the subject volume of interest. The speed-up in acquisition time was converted into an increase in spatial resolution, aiming towards an optimization of the peripheral MRA protocol.