Comparison of pulsed three-dimensional CEST acquisition schemes at 7 tesla: steady state versus pseudosteady state

Purpose: To compare two pulsed, volumetric chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) acquisition schemes: steady state (SS) and pseudosteady state (PS) for the same brain coverage, spatial/spectral resolution and scan time. Methods: Both schemes were optimized for maximum sensitivity to amide proton transfer (APT) and nuclear Overhauser enhancement (NOE) effects through Bloch-McConnell simulations, and compared in terms of sensitivity to APT and NOE effects, and to transmit field inhomogeneity. Five consented healthy volunteers were scanned on a 7 Tesla Philips MR-system using the optimized protocols at three nominal B ₁ amplitudes: 1 μT, 2 μT, and 3 μT. Results: Region of interest based analysis revealed that PS is more sensitive (P < 0.05) to APT and NOE effects compared with SS at low B ₁ amplitudes (0.7–1.0 μT). Also, both sequences have similar dependence on the transmit field inhomogeneity. For the optimum CEST presaturation parameters (1 μT and 2 μT for APT and NOE, respectively), NOE is less sensitive to the inhomogeneity effects (15% signal to noise ratio [SNR] change for a B ₁ dropout of 40%) compared with APT (35% SNR change for a B ₁ dropout of 40%). Conclusion: For the same brain coverage, spatial/spectral resolution and scan time, at low power levels PS is more sensitive to the slow chemical exchange-mediated processes compared with SS. Magn Reson Med 77:2280–2287, 2017.