The purpose of this proposed work is to validate and implement a new method for creating quantitative blood flow images of the carotid arteries using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Imaging and the NMR phenomenon called even-echo rephasing. Even-echo rephasing has been shown to occur in those circumastances when spin groups flow along magnetic field gradient. The technique will be validated and calibrated using continuous and pusatile flow phantoms and in experimental animals. Surface coils will be designed and fabricated to complemented the flow imaging technique by optimizing signal-to-noise and spatial resolution in the carotid artery images.
| Conturo, T E; Price, R R; Beth, A H (1988) Rapid local rectangular views and magnifications: reduced phase encoding of orthogonally excited spin echoes. Magn Reson Med 6:418-29 |
