Multiple contrast fse approach to black blood angiography with redundant and supplementary vascular information

Abstract

A black blood magnetic resonance angiogram is produced by exciting dipoles ( ) and repeatedly inverting the resonance ( , . . . ) to produce a series of magnetic resonance echoes ( , . . . ). Early echoes (e.g., ( , . . . , 56 )) are more heavily proton density weighted than later echoes (e.g., ( )) which are more heavily T2 weighted. The magnetic resonance echoes are received and demodulated ( ) into a series of data lines. The data lines are sorted ( ) between the more heavily proton density weighted data lines and T2 weighted data lines which are reconstructed into a proton density weighted image representation and a T2 weighted image representation. The proton density weighted and T2 weighted image representations are combined ( ) to emphasize the black blood from the T2 weighted images and the static tissue from the proton density weighted image. The combined image is a black blood magnetic resonance angiogram. The production of the angiogram is time efficient and displays enhanced vessel depiction.