Combined angiography and perfusion using radial imaging and arterial spin labeling

1. A computer implemented method for combined angiography and perfusion imaging using radial imaging, comprising:

labeling blood for dynamic imaging with arterial spin labeling and without use of a contrast agent;

acquiring a data set from the labeled blood using radial imaging and a continuous readout scheme;

reconstructing one or more angiography images from the data set, wherein the one or more reconstructed angiography images are reconstructed with a spatial and temporal resolution for angiography; and

separately reconstructing one or more perfusion images from the data set, wherein the one or more reconstructed perfusion images are reconstructed with a spatial and temporal resolution for perfusion imaging,

wherein the step of separately reconstructing one or more perfusion images includes separately reconstructing the one or more perfusion images from the same data set from which the one or more angiography images are reconstructed.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the arterial spin labeling (ASL) is pseudo-continuous ASL, time-encoded ASL, pulsed ASL, or vessel-selective ASL.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the radial imaging includes incrementing changing an azimuthal angle wherein the azimuthal angle is non-linearly incremented.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the angiography temporal resolution is higher than the perfusion temporal resolution.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the radial imaging includes taking full radial samples in a plane.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the radial imaging includes acquiring non-cartesian radial samples within a sphere of k-space.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the radial imaging is performed to allow reconstructing the one or more images at variable temporal resolution.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the radial imaging is performed to allow reconstructing the one or more images at variable spatial resolution.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising processing the one or more reconstructed angiography images with inflow subtraction.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising processing the one or more reconstructed angiography images or the one or more reconstructed perfusion images with post-hoc spatial smoothing, or both.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the acquired data set includes data from a readout module;

the one or more angiography images are reconstructed from data from the readout module; and

the one or more perfusion images are reconstructed from data from the readout module from which the one or more angiography images are also reconstructed.

12. A system comprising:

at least one computing device;

at least one application executable in the at least one computing device, the at least one application comprising logic that:

A. labels blood for dynamic imaging with arterial spin labeling and without use of a contrast agent;

B. acquires a data set from the labeled blood set using radial imaging and a continuous readout scheme;

C. reconstructs one or more angiography images from the data set, wherein the one or more reconstructed angiography images are reconstructed with a spatial and temporal resolution for angiography; and

D. separately reconstructs one or more perfusion images from the data set, wherein the one or more reconstructed perfusion images are reconstructed with a spatial and temporal resolution for perfusion imaging,

wherein the step of separately reconstructing one or more perfusion images includes separately reconstructing the one or more perfusion images from the same data set from which the one or more angiography images are reconstructed.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein arterial spin labeling (ASL) is pseudo-continuous ASL, time-encoded ASL, pulsed ASL, or vessel-selective ASL.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the radial imaging includes incrementing an azimuthal angle wherein the azimuthal angle is non-linearly incremented.

15. The system of claim 12 , wherein the angiography temporal resolution is higher than the perfusion temporal resolution.

16. The system of claim 12 , wherein the radial imaging includes taking full radial samples in a plane.

17. The system of claim 12 , wherein the radial imaging includes acquiring non-cartesian radial samples within a sphere of k-space.

18. The system of claim 12 , wherein the radial imaging is performed to allow reconstructing the one or more images at variable temporal resolution.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the radial imaging is performed to allow reconstructing the one or more images at variable spatial resolution.

20. The system of claim 12 , wherein the logic further comprises logic that:

E. processes the one or more reconstructed angiography images with inflow subtraction.

21. The system of claim 20 , wherein the logic further comprises logic that:

F. processes the reconstructed angiography images with post-hoc spatial smoothing.

22. The system of claim 21 , wherein the logic further comprises logic that:

G. processes the reconstructed perfusion images with post-hoc spatial smoothing.

23. The system of claim 12 , wherein the radial imaging is a Golden Ratio radial readout scheme providing the continuous readout scheme to continuously image the labeled blood through large arteries and into the tissue of a subject.

24. The system of claim 12 , wherein the acquired data set includes data from a readout module;

the one or more angiography images are reconstructed from data from the readout module; and

the one or more perfusion images are reconstructed from data from the readout module from which the one or more angiography images are also reconstructed.

25. A computer implemented method for combined angiography and perfusion imaging using radial imaging, comprising:

labeling blood for dynamic imaging with arterial spin labeling and without use of a contrast agent;

acquiring a data set from the labeled blood using radial imaging and a continuous readout scheme;

reconstructing one or more angiography images from the data set, wherein the one or more reconstructed angiography images are reconstructed with a spatial and temporal resolution for angiography;

separately reconstructing one or more perfusion images from the data set, wherein the one or more reconstructed perfusion images are reconstructed with a spatial and temporal resolution for perfusion imaging; and

wherein the radial imaging is a Golden Ratio radial readout scheme providing the continuous readout scheme to continuously image the labeled blood through large arteries and into the tissue of a subject.