A 3D dual-echo spiral sequence for simultaneous dynamic susceptibility contrast and dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI with single bolus injection

• Published in: Magnetic resonance in medicine 2024-08, Vol.92 (2), p.631-644
• Main Authors: Li, Zhiqiang, Wang, Dinghui, Ooi, Melvyn B, Choudhary, Poonam, Ragunathan, Sudarshan, Karis, John P, Pipe, James G, Quarles, C Chad, Stokes, Ashley M
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acceleration; Adult; Algorithms; Brain; Brain - diagnostic imaging; Brain Neoplasms - diagnostic imaging; Brain tumors; Contrast Media; Critical components; Drug delivery systems; Echo-Planar Imaging - methods; Female; Humans; Image Enhancement - methods; Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted - methods; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted - methods; Image quality; Image reconstruction; Imaging, Three-Dimensional - methods; Injection; Magnetic resonance imaging; Magnetic Resonance Imaging - methods; Male; Medical imaging; Perfusion; Signal-To-Noise Ratio; Tumors
• ISSN: 0740-3194; 1522-2594; 1522-2594
• DOI: 10.1002/mrm.30077

Perfusion MRI reveals important tumor physiological and pathophysiologic information, making it a critical component in managing brain tumor patients. This study aimed to develop a dual-echo 3D spiral technique with a single-bolus scheme to simultaneously acquire both dynamic susceptibility contrast (DSC) and dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) data and overcome the limitations of current EPI-based techniques. A 3D spiral-based technique with dual-echo acquisition was implemented and optimized on a 3T MRI scanner with a spiral staircase trajectory and through-plane SENSE acceleration for improved speed and image quality, in-plane variable-density undersampling combined with a sliding-window acquisition and reconstruction approach for increased speed, and an advanced iterative deblurring algorithm. Four volunteers were scanned and compared with the standard of care (SOC) single-echo EPI and a dual-echo EPI technique. Two patients were scanned with the spiral technique during a preload bolus and compared with the SOC single-echo EPI collected during the second bolus injection. Volunteer data demonstrated that the spiral technique achieved high image quality, reduced geometric artifacts, and high temporal SNR compared with both single-echo and dual-echo EPI. Patient perfusion data showed that the spiral acquisition achieved accurate DSC quantification comparable to SOC single-echo dual-dose EPI, with the additional DCE information. A 3D dual-echo spiral technique was developed to simultaneously acquire both DSC and DCE data in a single-bolus injection with reduced contrast use. Preliminary volunteer and patient data demonstrated increased temporal SNR, reduced geometric artifacts, and accurate perfusion quantification, suggesting a competitive alternative to SOC-EPI techniques for brain perfusion MRI.