Gradient-echo-based 3D submillisecond echo time pulmonary MR imaging: a preliminary usability study on clinical and preclinical MR scanners

Objective:To preliminarily investigate a technical feasibility of a submillisecond echo time concurrent-dephasing-and-excitation (CODE) sequence for pulmonary MRI on clinical and preclinical MR scannersMethods:CODE imaging (echo time, 0.14 ~ 0.18 ms) was performed with American College of Radiology phantom at 3 T, 7 healthy volunteers at 1.5 and 3 T, 10 rabbits at 3 T, and 2 rodents at 9.4 T. Signal-to-noise ratio was compared in phantom. Image quality of human MRI was visually assessed on a 5-point scale for comparison between CODE and conventional lung MRI sequences. Visibility of bronchi, subcentimeter nodules, and MR air-bronchogram were assessed in animal studies.Results:In phantom study, signal-to-noise ratio was higher with CODE than with original three-dimensional ultrashort-echo time sequence (106.71 ± 4.32 vs 91.66 ± 3.54; p < 0.001). Image quality of human MRI was better with CODE than with conventional MRI sequences (p ≤ 0.002). Bronchi remained traceable up to the fifth bronchial generation i...