Radial MRI with variable echo times: reducing the orientation dependency of susceptibility artifacts of an MR-safe guidewire

Guidewires are indispensable tools for intravascular MR-guided interventions. Recently, an MR-safe guidewire made from a glass-fiber/epoxy compound material with embedded iron particles was developed. The size of the induced susceptibility artifact, and thus the guidewire’s visibility, depends on its orientation against B 0. We present a radial acquisition scheme with variable echo times that aims to reduce the artifact’s orientation dependency. The radial acquisition scheme uses sine-squared modulated echo times depending on the physical direction of the spoke to balance the susceptibility artifact of the guidewire. The acquisition scheme was studied in simulations based on dipole fields and in phantom experiments for different orientations of the guidewire against B 0. The simulated and measured artifact widths were quantitatively compared. Compared to acquisitions with non-variable echo times, the proposed acquisition scheme shows a reduced angular variability. For the two main orientations (i.e., parallel and perpendicular to B 0), the ratio of the artifact widths was reduced from about 2.2 (perpendicular vs. parallel) to about 1.2 with the variable echo time approach. The reduction of the orientation dependency of the guidewire’s artifact via sine-squared varying echo times could be verified in simulations and measurements. The more balanced artifact allows for a better overall visibility of the guidewire.