Free-breathing abdominal CEST imaging at 3T with a steady-state MultiVane MRI acquisition

Motivation: This study is motivated by the need to overcome the limitations of abdominal chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) imaging, which is highly affected by motion, limiting its clinical utility for liver and kidney assessments. Goal(s): The goal is to develop a free-breathing CEST imaging sequence that maintains high image quality and acquisition efficiency without requiring patient breath-holding. Approach: A steady-state MultiVane MRI technique was implemented, enabling radial acquisition that corrects in-plane motion, enhancing image stability and quality. Results: The new free-breathing sequence achieved homogeneous, high-quality CEST images of the liver and kidneys, demonstrating potential for broader clinical and research applications. Impact: This study facilitates non-invasive, motion-corrected free-breathing CEST imaging, enhancing abdominal imaging for liver and kidney diagnostics. By eliminating breath-hold limitations, it supports broader metabolic studies, potentially advancing clinical applications and enabling new research into disease biomarkers and molecular changes.