Assessment of improved motion-sensitized driven equilibrium (iMSDE) for multi-contrast vessel wall screening.

PURPOSE We assessed the improved motion-sensitized driven equilibrium (iMSDE) technique for multiple contrast 3-dimensional vessel wall imaging at 3T. METHODS Carotid images were obtained using iMSDE combined with turbo field echo (iMSDE-TFE) and conventional double inversion-recovery turbo spin-echo (DIR-TSE) in 5 healthy adult subjects. The tissue signal-to-noise efficiency (SNReff), SNR divided by the square root of scan time, lumen-tissue contrast-to-noise efficiency (CNReff), CNR divided by the square root of scan time, and tissue signal intensity ratio (SIR) were measured in both techniques and compared. RESULTS The iMSDE-TFE had higher SNReff and CNReff (P < 0.01) and strong correlation in SIR (R = 0.92) compared to DIR-TSE. CONCLUSION The iMSDE-TFE sequence is an efficient technique for vessel wall screening.