Real‐time cardiac cine imaging with SPIDER: Steady‐state projection imaging with dynamic echo‐train readout

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Abstract
Steady‐state projection imaging with dynamic echo‐train readout (SPIDER) is a multiecho radial k‐space trajectory TrueFISP sequence developed for real‐time cine imaging of the heart. This new pulse sequence combines the superior SNR and blood‐to‐myocardium contrast of TrueFISP with the increased scan time efficiency of EPI and undersampled projection reconstruction. SPIDER sequence RF repetition time (TR) was minimized by limiting the echo‐train to a length of three while acquiring the first and third echoes asymmetrically. A temporal resolution of 45 ms was achieved with TR/TE1/TE2/TE3 of 3.24/0.6/1.6/2.6 ms and a factor of 2 view sharing scheme. Phantom experiments showed little difference between the weighting of the signals acquired at each of the echo times but did show considerable off‐resonance modulation between them. In vivo experiments demonstrated the feasibility of using the SPIDER sequence for real‐time imaging in the cardiac short axis orientation. Magn Reson Med 46:1059–1066, 2001.