3D-Quantification using an interleaved Look-Locker acquisition sequence with T2-prep pulse (3D-QALAS)

Background Quantification of the longitudinaland transverse relaxation time in the myocardium has shown to provide important information in cardiac diagnostics. Several methods are currently available for cardiac relaxation time mapping but they generally demand a long breath hold to measure either T1 or T2 in a single 2D slice. In order to make quantification of relaxation parameters in the myocardium clinically applicable, the methods must be improved in speed and coverage. In this work we propose a novel method for 3D interleaved T1 and T2 quantification of the whole left ventricular myocardium within one single breath hold.