Patent ID: 8332010

Claim:
A method for non-contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography to produce an image depicting vasculature of a subject with a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, the steps comprising: a) acquiring a signal indicative of a cardiac phase of the subject; b) performing a pulse sequence that directs the MRI system to: i) apply a radio frequency (RF) saturation pulse to a prescribed imaging region such that MR signals therein are substantially suppressed; ii) select a time interval that begins at a time point at which the RF saturation pulse is applied in step b)i) and ends at a time point at which spins associated with unsaturated arterial blood has maximally flowed into the prescribed imaging region; iii) wait the time interval selected in step ii); iv) acquire k-space data from the subject as a single shot in coordination with an application of a series of RF excitation pulses, wherein the k-space data is acquired during a time period that is sufficiently short such that the k-space data is acquired while only arterial blood is flowing into the prescribed imaging region, thereby mitigating variations in flow velocity during acquisition of the k-space data; and c) reconstructing, from the acquired k-space data, an image depicting vasculature of the subject.