Single-breath-hold multiple-slice DENSE MRI.

A method to acquire multiple displacement encoded slices within a single breath hold is presented. Efficiency is improved over conventional DENSE without compromising image quality by readout of multiple slices in the same cardiac cycle, thus utilizing the position-encoded stimulated echo available in the whole heart. The method was evaluated by comparing strain values obtained using the proposed method to strain values obtained by conventional separate breath-hold single-slice DENSE acquisitions. Good agreement (Lagrangian E(2) strain bias = 0.000, 95% limits of agreement +/- 0.04, root-mean-square-difference 0.02 [9.4% of mean end-systolic E(2)]) was found between the methods, indicating that the proposed method can replace a multiple breath-hold acquisition. Eliminating the need for multiple breath holds reduces the risk of changes in breath-hold positions or heart rate, results in higher patient comfort, and facilitates inclusion of DENSE in a clinical routine protocol.