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Several gradient‐echo fMRI blood oxygenation level‐dependent (BOLD) effects are described in the literature: extravascular spin dephasing around capillaries and veins, intravascular phase changes, and transverse relaxation changes of blood. This work considers a series of tissue compartmentalized models incorporating each of these effects, and tries to determine the model which is most consistent with the data. To isolate the different tissue contributions, a series of multi‐echo inversion recovery (IR) fMRI scans were performed. Visual stimulation experiments were performed at 1.5 T, one interleaved six‐echo and two IR six‐echo EPI scans (the latter to suppress gray matter (GM) and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)). The tissue and vascular composition of activated areas was analyzed using independent spin‐echo IR MRI experiments and MR venography, respectively. This information was used to fit the multi‐echo fMRI data to the BOLD models. The activated areas almost always included a venous vessel visible on the venogram and consisted of GM and CSF. The fMRI signal changes were best described by extravascular dephasing effects in both GM and CSF around a venous vessel, in combination with intravascular effects. The role of spin dephasing around capillaries in GM appears to be insignificant. Magn Reson Med 45:233–246, 2001. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.

In magnetic resonance angiography, contrast agents are frequently used to help highlight arteries over background tissue. Unfortunately, enhancing veins hamper the visualization of arteries when data are collected over a long period of time after the arterial phase of the contrast agent. To overcome this problem, we have developed a novel imaging and postprocessing method that is capable of eliminating veins by utilizing the susceptibility difference between veins and surrounding tissue. This method was applied in the peripheral vasculature where the vessels are predominantly parallel to the main field and where the blood oxygen level‐dependent effect is most pronounced. Results are presented for both long (15.8 msec) and short echo times (7.8 msec) and for sequential and centrally reordered acquisition schemes. The short echo scan approach appears to be the most promising, making it possible to obtain good suppression of the venous signal even when the timing is not perfect or when repeat scans are necessary. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2000;12:661–670. © 2000 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.

In magnetic resonance angiography, contrast agents are frequently used to help highlight arteries over background tissue. Unfortunately, enhancing veins hamper the visualization of arteries when data are collected over a long period of time after the arterial phase of the contrast agent. To overcome this problem, we have developed a novel imaging and postprocessing method that is capable of eliminating veins by utilizing the susceptibility difference between veins and surrounding tissue. This method was applied in the peripheral vasculature where the vessels are predominantly parallel to the main field and where the blood oxygen level-dependent effect is most pronounced. Results are presented for both long (15.8 msec) and short echo times (7.8 msec) and for sequential and centrally reordered acquisition schemes. The short echo scan approach appears to be the most promising, making it possible to obtain good suppression of the venous signal even when the timing is not perfect or when repeat scans are necessary. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2000;12:661–670. © 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

A high-resolution gradient echo, multi-slice segmented echo planar imaging method was used for functional MRI (fMRI) using a motor task at 1.5 Tesla. Functional images with an in-plane resolution of 1 mm and slice thickness of 4 mm were obtained with good white-gray matter contrast. The multi-shot approach, combined with a short total readout period of 82 ms, limits blurring effects for short T2∗tissues (such as gray matter), assuring truly high-resolution images. In all subjects, motor functions were clearly depicted in the contralateral central sulcus over several slices and sometimes activation was detected in the supplementary motor area and/or ipsilateral central sulcus. The average signal change of 11 ± 3% was much higher than in standard low-resolution fMRI EPI experiments, as a result of larger relative blood fractions.

Recently, a new imaging method was proposed by Reichenbach et al (Radiology 1997;204:272–277) to image small cerebral venous vessels specifically. This method, referred to as high‐resolution blood oxygen level‐dependent venography (HRBV), relies on the susceptibility difference between the veins and the brain parenchyma. The resulting phase difference between the vessels and the brain parenchyma leads to signal losses over and above the usual T2* effect. At 1.5 T, a rather long TE (roughly 40 msec) is required for this cancellation to become significant, leading to enhanced susceptibility artifacts and a long data acquisition time. In this study, we examine the utility of incorporating a clinically available T1 reducing contrast agent, Omniscan (Sanofi Winthrop Pharmaceuticals, NY, NY), with the HRBV imaging approach to reduce susceptibility artifacts and imaging time while maintaining the visibility of cerebral veins. Using a double‐dose injection of Omniscan, we were able to reduce TE from 40 to 25 msec. This led to a decrease in TR from 57 to 42 msec, allowing a 26% reduction in data acquisition time while maintaining the visibility of cerebral venous vessels and reducing susceptibility artifacts. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 1999;10:118–123, 1999. © 1999 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.