Evaluating the Impact of Anatomical Motion on Cardiac 31P MRSI with a Deformable Digital Phantom

Motivation: Cardiac 31P MRSI faces unique challenges, particularly due to continuous organ motion. Low spatial resolution makes efficacy of motion correction difficult to assess. Goal(s): To develop a simulation tool that visualizes the effects of cardiac and respiratory motion on spectral signal quality, enabling quantification of motion correction impacts on cardiac 31P MRSI data. Approach: A dynamic digital phantom with cardiac and respiratory motion was designed, followed by simulation of CSI acquisition and reconstruction, incorporating motion compensation. Various parameters allowed the simulation of realistic measurement scenarios. Results: Simulations confirmed the low spatial resolution as the major limiting factor for latent effect of motion correction. Impact: This simulation framework provides researchers with a tool to evaluate and optimize cardiac 31P MRSI protocols, paving the way for improved motion correction techniques that could refine in vivo measurements and metabolic assessment in clinical cardiology.