BOLD imaging in the mouse brain using a turboCRAZED sequence at high magnetic fields.

Functional MRI (fMRI) based on the detection of intermolecular double-quantum coherences (iDQC) has previously been shown to provide pronounced activation signal. For fMRI in small animals at very high magnetic fields, the essential fast gradient echo-based readout methods become problematic. Here, rapid intermolecular double-quantum coherence (iDQC) imaging was implemented, combining the iDQC preparation sequence with a Turbo spin echo-like readout. Four-step phase cycling and a novel intensity-ordered k-space encoding scheme with separate acquisition of odd and even echoes were essential to optimize signal to noise ratio efficiency. Compared with a single echo readout of iDQC signal, acceleration of factor 16 was achieved in phantoms using the novel method at 17.6 Tesla. In vivo, echo trains consisting of 32 echoes were possible and images of the mouse brain were obtained in 30 s. The blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) effect in the mouse brain upon change of breathing gas was observed as average signal change of (6.3 +/- 1.1)% in iDQC images. Signal changes in conventional multi spin echo images were (4.4 +/- 2.3)% and (8.3 +/- 3.8)% with gradient echo methods. Combination of T(2)*-weighting with the fast iDQC sequence may yield higher signal changes than with either method alone, and establish fast iDQC imaging a robust tool for high field fMRI in small animals. (c) 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.