Improved 3D multi-contrast CMR for high-quality anatomical imaging and joint T1/T2 mapping in a single free-breathing scan

Motivation: Cardiovascular MR (CMR) provides comprehensive assessment of heart disease. However, conventional CMR examinations involve multiple sequential 2D acquisitions under breath-hold conditions. Goal(s): To devise and develop a novel 3D free-breathing sequence for simultaneous assessment of cardiovascular anatomy via bright- and black-blood imaging and myocardial tissue quantification in a single scan. Approach: Implementation of an improved iNAV-based 5-heartbeat interleaved sequence (proACTION) with distinct IR and T2 preparation modules and non-rigid motion correction for robust and accurate myocardial tissue quantification. Results: proACTION provides accurate delineation of cardiac and vascular structures, while demonstrating good agreement with conventional mapping sequences in healthy subjects. Impact: Comprehensive 3D whole-heart tissue characterization and clinically relevant anatomical information can be obtained in an efficient, free-breathing, and easier to use one-click-scan with the proposed proACTION approach.