Steady State Free Precession

Steady State Free Precession (SSFP) is a family of sequences which are currently the backbone of cine cardiac MR imaging.  Members of the SSFP family include Balanced Fast Field Echo (FFE), FIESTA, and TrueFISP. SSFP is a modification of gradient echo imaging that produces bright blood images with excellent contrast between myocardium and blood within the heart (blood pool). It is a relatively fast acquisition, however image quality is very dependent on the homogeneity of the magnetic field.

The high temporal resolution and excellent contrast of SSFP make it well adapted for evaluation of wall motion and volumetric measurement, which require clear delineation between myocardium and blood pool.

The above image shows a Steady State Free Precession (SSFP) image, which has a clear interface between the blood pool and the myocardium. Compare back to the standard gradient echo image on the prior page.