Real-time interactive color flow MR imaging

This paper reports on the development and testing of an interactive MR flow-imaging system capable of displaying real-time color-coded velocity information on continuously acquired, dynamic, gray-scale morphologic images. Continuous, ultrashort (TR = 8 msec) gradient-echo sequences were used, with alternating gradient moment nulling and flow encoding. Phase and modulus images are reconstructed in real time by dedicated hardware that we have previously developed and interfaced to an otherwise standard 1.5-T imager. Areas of nonzero velocity are coded as color hues in the gray-scale modulus images. The overall update rate is currently two images per second; section location and orientation can be modified interactively