Progress in Visualizing Turbulent Flow using Single-Echo Acquisition Imaging

MRI of flow remains a challenging problem despite significant improvements in imaging speeds. For periodic flow the acquisition can be gated, synchronizing data acquisition with the flow. However, this method fails to work if the flow is sufficiently fast that turbulence occurs, or when it is sufficiently fast that blurring occurs during the excitation of the spins or the acquisition of the signal. This paper describes recent progress in employing a very fast MR imaging technique, single echo acquisition imaging (SEA-MRI) and spin-tagging to visualize very rapid and turbulent flow patterns. Demonstrations are done on a separating channel phantom with input flow rates ranging from zero to over 100 cm/sec. Spin-tagging enables a "texture" to be placed on the spins, enabling clear visualization of the complex flow patterns, and in some cases measurement of the flow velocity