Strategies for improved 3D small‐tip fast recovery imaging

Small‐tip fast recovery (STFR) imaging is a recently proposed steady‐state sequence that has similar image contrast as balanced steady‐state free precession but has the potential to simultaneously remove banding artifacts and transient fluctuation. STFR relies on a “tip‐up” radiofrequency (RF) pulse tailored to the accumulated phase during the free precession (data acquisition) interval, designed to bring spins back to the longitudinal axis, thereby preserving transverse magnetization as longitudinal magnetization for the next pulse repetition time. We recently proposed an RF‐spoiled STFR sequence suitable for thin slab imaging, however, in many applications, e.g., functional magnetic resonance imaging or isotropic‐resolution structural imaging, three‐dimensional (3D) steady‐state imaging is desirable. Unfortunately, 3D STFR imaging is challenging due to the need for 3D tailored RF pulses. Here, we propose new strategies for improved 3D STFR imaging, based on (i) unspoiled imaging, and (ii) joint design of nonslice‐selective tip‐down/tip‐up RF pulses.

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