Fig. 3

Evaluation of the aorto-iliac vessels using PDIP-SOS CMR. (a) Healthy volunteer. Left: QISS nonenhanced CMR angiogram used for positioning the stack of stars imaging slab. Middle: PDIP-SOS CMR using the legacy k-space encoding approach of acquiring all radial views in rapid sequence. There are severe ghost artifacts arising from centrally-located bowel loops that obscure the iliac vessels (arrows). Right: Identical PDIP-SOS acquisition except that all slice partitions (instead of radial views) were acquired in rapid sequence. The bowel-related artifacts are eliminated, so that the iliac vessels are well shown (arrows). Note that both the aorto-iliac and ilio-femoral regions are encompassed in the field of view, allowing simultaneous assessment of both regions. (b) Patient with aorto-iliac calcifications. Left, middle: 4-mm thick minimum intensity projections from PDIP-SOS CMR clearly depict vascular calcifications involving the distal aorta and proximal iliac vessels. Right: Thin-slab maximum intensity coronal projection from the CT shows excellent correspondence with the PDIP-SOS CMR