Free-breathing 3D whole-heart simultaneous bright- and black-blood anatomical imaging and T1/T2 mapping at 0.55T

Motivation: To overcome the limitations of clinical examinations, which require several sequential acquisitions under multiple breath-holds, and to make cardiac MR more accessible and affordable at lower field strength. Goal(s): To develop a novel 3D free-breathing sequence for simultaneous assessment of cardiovascular anatomy via bright- and black-blood imaging and myocardial tissue quantification in an easy to use one-click-scan at 0.55T. Approach: Implementation of a novel iNAV-based 5-heartbeat interleaved sequence (proACTION) with distinct IR and T2 preparation modules and non-rigid motion correction at 0.55T. Results: proACTION provides good delineation of cardiac and vascular structures with accurate joint T1/T2 parametrical mapping in healthy subjects. Impact: Comprehensive 3D whole-heart evaluation of cardiovascular anatomy and tissue characterization with T1/T2 maps can be obtained in an efficient, free-breathing, and easier to use one-click-scan with proACTION at 0.55T.