Phase‐cycled balanced SSFP imaging for non‐contrast‐enhanced functional lung imaging

Purpose To introduce phase‐cycled balanced SSFP (bSSFP) acquisition as an alternative in Fourier decomposition MRI for improved robustness against field inhomogeneities. Methods Series 2D dynamic lung images were acquired in 5 healthy volunteers at 1.5 T and 3 T using bSSFP sequence with multiple RF phase increments and compared with conventional single RF phase increment acquisitions. The approach was evaluated based on functional map homogeneity analysis, while ensuring image and functional map quality by means of SNR and contrast‐to‐noise ratio analyses. Results At both field strengths, functional maps obtained with phase‐cycled acquisitions displayed improved robustness against local signal losses compared with single‐phase acquisitions. The coefficient of variation (mean ± SD, across volunteers) measured in the ventilation maps resulted in 29.7 ± 2.6 at 1.5 T and 37.5 ± 3.1 at 3 T for phase‐cycled acquisitions, compared with 39.9 ± 5.2 at 1.5 T and 49.5 ± 3.7 at 3 T for single‐phase acquisitions, indicating a significant improvement () in ventilation map homogeneity. Conclusions Phase‐cycled bSSFP acquisitions improve robustness against field inhomogeneity artifacts and significantly improve ventilation map homogeneity at both field strengths. As such, phase‐cycled bSSFP may serve as a robust alternative in lung function assessments.