Visualization of external carotid artery and its branches: Non–contrast‐enhanced MR angiography using balanced steady‐state free‐precession sequence and a time‐spatial labeling inversion pulse

Abstract

Balanced SSFP MR angiography with a Time-SLIP is superior to that without a Time-SLIP, showing excellent visualization of ECA system in approximately 3 min in average with sufficient background suppression including veins and salivary ducts. A TI of 1200 ms was considered to be optimal for this purpose.