Feasibility and optimization of 19 F MRI on a clinical 3T with a large field-of-view torso coil.

Objective. The objective of this work is to: (1) demonstrate fluorine-19 ( ¹⁹ F) MRI on a 3T clinical system with a large field of view (FOV) multi-channel torso coil (2) demonstrate an example parameter selection optimization for a ¹⁹ F agent to maximize the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR)-efficiency for spoiled gradient echo (SPGR), balanced steady-state free precession (bSSFP), and phase-cycled bSSFP (bSSFP-C), and (3) validate detection feasibility in ex vivo tissues. Approach. Measurements were conducted on a 3.0T Discovery MR750w MRI (GE Healthcare, USA) with an 8-channel ¹ H/ ¹⁹ F torso coil (MRI Tools, Germany). Numerical simulations were conducted for perfluoropolyether to determine the theoretical parameters to maximize SNR-efficiency for the sequences. Theoretical parameters were experimentally verified, and the sensitivity of the sequences was compared with a 10 min acquisition time with a 3.125 × 3.125 × 3 mm ³ in-plane resolution. Feasibility of a bSSFP-C was also demonstrated in phantom and ex vivo tissues. Main Results . Flip angles (FAs) of 12 and 64° maximized the signal for SPGR and bSSFP, and validation of optimal FA and receiver bandwidth showed close agreement with numerical simulations. Sensitivities of 2.47, 5.81, and 4.44ms-0.5mM-1 and empirical detection limits of 20.3, 1.5, and 6.2 mM were achieved for SPGR, bSSFP, and bSSFP-C, respectively. bSSFP and bSSFP-C achieved 1.8-fold greater sensitivity over SPGR ( p < 0.01). Significance. bSSFP-C was able to improve sensitivity relative to simple SPGR and reduce both bSSFP banding effects and imaging time. The sequence was used to demonstrate the feasibility of ¹⁹ F MRI at clinical FOVs and field strengths within ex-vivo tissues.
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