Improved cardiac and vascular MRI using parallel imaging and compressed sensing

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The objective of this proposal is to produce a new level of gains in imaging speed and SNR for cardiac and vascular imaging by combining novel concepts of non-Cartesian parallel imaging techniques with the newly emerging compressed sampling theory. Compressed sensing promises to revolutionize the field of MRI by breaking the traditional link between imaging time and SNR. Here we will exploit these concepts to develop a set of completely new imaging strategies with dramatic increases in SNR and imaging speed. We specifically address computational limitations by developing an open source software distribution for high-end graphical processing units. These processors promise to dramatically reduce computational time across the board in medical imaging. Ultimately we believe that these technologies, when viewed as a whole, will result in a novel class of methods for cardiac and vascular diagnosis which will provide an increase in image quality, SNR and speed in MRI, perhaps unparalleled in the evolution of MRI, resulting in dramatically improved imaging of MR angiography, cardiac function and cardiac perfusion. Our specific aims are to: 1) develop and evaluate improved methods to acquire, and reconstruct multislice non-Cartesian parallel imaging methods for 2D MRI applications 2) develop and evaluate robust combined non-Cartesian parallel imaging and compressed sensing methods 3) develop and evaluate improved computational methods based on graphical processing units (GPUs) for the calculation of non-Cartesian parallel imaging, CG-HYPR and combined methods to achieve clinically acceptable reconstruction times and 4) validate parallel CG-HYPR methods for the evaluation of cardiovascular disease as a means to shorten total exam time and increase image quality.