Steady-state diffusion-weighted imaging: theory, acquisition and analysis.

Journal article

Steady-state diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) has long been recognized to offer potential benefits over conventional spin-echo methods. This family of pulse sequences is highly efficient and compatible with three-dimensional acquisitions, which could enable high-resolution, low-distortion images. However, the same properties that lead to its efficiency make steady-state imaging highly susceptible to motion and create a complicated signal with dependence on T(1), T(2) and flip angle. Recent developments in gradient hardware, motion-mitigation techniques and signal analysis offer potential solutions to these problems, reviving interest in steady-state DWI. This review offers a description of steady-state DWI signal formation and provides an overview of the current methods for steady-state DWI acquisition and analysis.

Authors: McNab, J; Miller, K

• Journal: NMR in biomedicine
• Volume: 23
• Issue: 7
• Pages: 781-793
• Publication date: 2010-08-01
• DOI: 10.1002/nbm.1509
• EISSN: 1099-1492
• ISSN: 0952-3480
• Language: English
• Keywords: Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; Image Enhancement; Brain; Humans; Diffusion; Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Artifacts; Models, Theoretical; Motion