Fast imaging of phosphocreatine in the normal human myocardium using a three-dimensional RARE pulse sequence at 4 Tesla

Purpose To investigate the use of a three‐dimensional rapid acquisition with relaxation enhancement (RARE) pulse sequence for direct acquisition of phosphocreatine (PCr) images of the human myocardium. Materials and Methods A short elliptical birdcage radiofrequency (RF) body coil was constructed to produce a uniform flip angle throughout the chest cavity. In vivo images using a spectrally‐selective RARE sequence with a spatial resolution of 1.2 cm × 1.2 cm × 2.5 cm (4 cm3) were acquired in nine minutes and 40 seconds. Results Scans of phantoms demonstrated excellent spectral selectivity. The signal‐to‐noise ratio in the myocardium ranged from 12.6 in the anterior wall to 5.3 in the mid septum. Conclusion This study demonstrates that PCr data can be acquired using a three‐dimensional RARE sequence with greater spatial and temporal resolution than spectroscopic techniques. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2002;15:467–472. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.