The primary objective of this work is to create routinely useful techniques for spin-echo based, three dimensional, single-slab magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the human central nervous system (CNS) in clinically reasonable times. The comprehensive, high-resolution coverage accomplished with these new three-dimensional methods will provide more complete descriptions of pathological components of CNS diseases, higher probabilities of detecting focal abnormalities, and more accurate, quantitative evaluations of the extent of lesions. This work seeks to continue to advance the state of the art for high-resolution MRI of the CNS by building upon the progress achieved with three-dimensional single-slab techniques for imaging the brain during the first phase of this project. The current objectives include improving the temporal resolution for whole brain imaging, developing and evaluating three-dimensional single-slab techniques with other clinically-useful contrast behaviors, and extending the applications of these techniques beyond the brain to other territories of the CNS. Specifically, the research aims to: (1) substantially increase the spatial/temporal resolution of the new pulse sequence architectures, (2) extend the range of their contrast behaviors by adding fluid-attenuated inversion-recovery (FLAIR) contrast and robust separation of fat and water signals, (3)incorporate spatial selectivity to permit efficient, high-resolution imaging of the optic nerves and cervical spine, (4) implement the pulse sequences on an MR imager in a research setting and optimize their design, and (5) demonstrate in a clinical setting that the new techniques yield improved resolution with image contrast and artifacts at least comparable to current two-dimensional spin-echo-based techniques.
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