Arterial spin labeling with reduced acoustic noise emissions and method of operation thereof

Abstract

A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system () that generates information indicative of a fluid flow in accordance with a pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling (pCASL) method. The MRI system may include at least one controller () configured to generate a pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling (pCASL) pulse sequence () including at least a first gradient (GR) pulse sequence () having a sinusoidal waveform including a plurality of cycles, and a second radio frequency (RF) pulse sequence () including a half-wave rectified sinusoidal waveform having a plurality of cycles and which is synchronous with the first GR pulse sequence; label at least part of the fluid flow in a labeling region during a labeling mode using the pCASL pulse sequence; acquire label and control image information of the fluid flow at an imaging region proximal to downstream of the labeling region; and/or generate image information in accordance with a difference of the acquired label and control image information. The sinusoidal gradient waveform results in less acoustic noise during execution of the pulse sequence.