Self-Gated Inversion Recovery Prepared Ultrashort Echo Time Sequence for Improved Direct Myelin Imaging

Motivation: Direct myelin imaging is a promising technique for assessing myelin-related disorders. However, long scan time can introduce unwanted motion artifacts that impairs the sensitivity of myelin detection. Goal(s): This study aims to demonstrate the efficacy of self-gated IR-UTE for improved myelin imaging. Approach: A self-navigator was placed at the end of spokes within each segment to correct motion during IR-UTE imaging. The impact of gating was investigated using two different view ordering schemes: sequential and bit-reverse. Results: Self-gating with bit-reverse improved myelin detection in the presence of motion. Additionally, bit-reverse ordering significantly reduced the side effects of gating compared to sequential view ordering. Impact: The proposed technique may provide a critical tool for assessing demyelination and remyelination in various neurological disorders, including multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, traumatic brain injury, and epilepsy, with reduced sensitivity to intra-scan motion.