System and method for combined time-resolved magnetic resonance angiography and perfusion imaging

A method for producing a magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) image and a perfusion image of a subject having been administered a contrast agent with a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, the method comprising steps of:

• a) acquiring image data by directing the MRI system to perform a pulse sequence that:
• i) samples k-space points within a central region of k-space during a time frame;
• ii) samples k-space points within a plurality of different sets of radial sectors during a respective plurality of additional time frames, the radial sectors extending outward from the central region of k-space to an outer boundary;
• iii) repeats steps i) and ii) a plurality of times in order to acquire time-resolved image data;
• b) forming a plurality of image frame data sets by combining time-resolved image data acquired by sampling the central region of k-space with time-resolved image data acquired by sampling one of each of the different sets of radial k-space sectors;
• c) reconstructing a time series of image frames from the formed plurality of image frame data sets;
• and
• d) producing an MRA image and a perfusion image from the reconstructed time series of image frames.

A method for producing a magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) image and a perfusion image of a subject with a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, the steps comprising:

• a) acquiring pre-contrast image data by directing the MRI system to perform a pulse sequence that samples k-space points within a central region of k-space and k-space points within a plurality of different sets of radial sectors, each radial sector extending outward from the central region of k-space to an outer boundary;
• b) following an administration of a contrast agent to the subject, repeating step a) a plurality of times to acquire contrast enhanced image data;
• c) forming a plurality of image frame data sets by combining contrast enhanced image data acquired by sampling the central region of k-space with contrast enhanced image data acquired by sampling the different sets of radial k-space sectors;
• d) reconstructing a time series of image frames from the plurality of image frame data sets;
• e) reconstructing a plurality of pre-contrast images from the pre-contrast image data;
• f) determining a concentration of the contrast agent using the reconstructed pre-contrast images;
• and
• g) producing an MRA image from the reconstructed time series of image frames and a quantitative perfusion image using the determined concentration of the contrast agent and the reconstructed time series of image frames.