Data acquisition strategies to reduce cardiac-induced noise in brain maps of R2* and magnetic susceptibility

Maps of the transverse relaxation rate R2* and magnetic susceptibility () are computed from gradient- echo data acquired at multiple echo times and are sensitive to signal instabilities induced by cardiac pulsation. Here, we introduce two k-space sampling strategies that aim to mitigate the impact of cardiac-induced noise in brain maps of R2* and . The proposed strategies are based on the higher level of cardiac-induced noise near the k-space centre compared to the periphery. Using a CArtesian trajectory with Spiral PRofile (CASPR), the first strategy allows for the acquisition of a specific number of averages at each k-space location, derived from the local level of cardiac-induced noise. The second strategy synchronizes the acquisition near the k-space centre with the cardiac cycle in real time. We compared the variability across 4 repetitions of R2* and maps computed from data acquired using both strategies and with a standard linear trajectory. Data was acquired in 10 healthy volunteers. Compared to linear trajectory, the CASPR trajectory reduced the variability of R2* and maps across repetitions by 26/28/22% and 19/18/16% in the brainstem/cerebellum/whole brain, for a 14% increase in scan time. The CASPR trajectory also reduced the level of aliasing artifacts from pulsating blood vessels. The synchronized trajectory did not reduce the variability of R2* or maps. CASPR trajectories can be designed to mitigate cardiac-induced noise in brain maps of the MRI parameters R2* and . Synchronization of data acquisition with the cardiac cycle did not reduce the level of cardiac-induced noise.