SRS-FT, a Fourier imaging method based on sparse radial scanning and Bayesian estimation.

A new 3D Fourier imaging method based on sparse radial scanning (SRS-FT) of k space is proposed. It allows acquisition of FIDs and is therefore well suited to imaging objects with very short T2. Use of a Bayesian procedure allows (1) an important reduction of scan time to below that of the projection-reconstruction (PR) method by reducing the number of "Cartesian radial" encoding directions, and (2) a good image quality by estimating missing and corrupted Cartesian samples. SRS-FT images reconstructed from FIDs are compared to conventional FT and PR images.