Efficient iT2prep-BOOST for simultaneous contrast-free 3D aortic lumen and vessel wall imaging for the assessment of thoracic aortopathy

Bright- and black-blood MRI sequences are clinically acquired sequentially, for aortic lumen and vessel wall imaging respectively, in patients with thoracic aortic disease. A novel, free-breathing, 3D sequence (iT2prep-BOOST) is proposed for contrast-free simultaneous depiction of lumen and vessel wall. We clinically validated the iT2prep-BOOST in a cohort of 25 patients with thoracic aortic disease against the conventional bright-blood T2-prep bSSFP sequence and black-blood 2D HASTE. Quantitative and qualitative image quality assessment demonstrated that iT2Prep-BOOST enabled time-efficient, bright- and black-blood aortic imaging, with improved image quality compared to conventional approaches, and comparable measurements for aortic wall and lumen dimensions.