Interleaved acquisition of lipid and water images of the heart using a double-inversion fast spin-echo method

Abstract

In this work we present a new method for the improved detection of lipid infiltration in the heart. The method employs a double-inversion fast spin-echo technique where the acquisition of water- and lipid-suppressed k-space data is alternated between TR periods to produce coregistered lipid and water images from data acquired in a breath hold. The lipid and water images can then be combined to generate a lipid/water image with reduced artifacts due to flow and excellent contrast between lipid and myocardium. The method is demonstrated in ex vivo tissue and in vivo. This novel method may improve the detection of lipid infiltration in the heart in pathologies such as arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.