Purpose: The purpose of this work is to apply multi-echo spin- and gradient-echo (SAGE) echo-planar imaging (EPI) combined with a navigator-based (NAV) prospective motion compensation method for a quantitative liver blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) measurement with a breath-hold (BH) task.

Methods: A five-echo SAGE sequence was developed to quantitatively measure T₂ and T₂ * to depict function with sufficient signal-to-noise ratio, spatial resolution and sensitivity to BOLD changes induced by the BH task. To account for respiratory motion, a navigator was employed in the form of a single gradient-echo projection readout, located at the diaphragm along the inferior-superior direction. Prior to each transverse imaging slice of the spin-echo EPI-based readouts, navigator acquisition and fat suppression were incorporated. Motion data was obtained from the navigator and transmitted back to the sequence, allowing real-time adjustments to slice positioning. Six healthy volunteers and three patients with liver carcinoma were included in this study. Quantitative T₂ and T₂ * were calculated at each time point of the BH task. Parameters of t value from first-level analysis using a general linear model and hepatovascular reactivity (HVR) of Echo1, T₂ and T₂ * were calculated.

Results: The motion caused by respiratory activity was successfully compensated using the navigator signal. The average changes of T₂ and T₂ * during breath-hold were about 1% and 0.7%, respectively. With the help of NAV prospective motion compensation whole liver t values could be obtained without motion artifacts. The quantified liver T₂ (34.7 ± 0.7 ms) and T₂ * (29 ± 1.2 ms) values agreed with values from literature. In healthy volunteers, the distribution of statistical t value and HVR was homogeneous throughout the whole liver. In patients with liver carcinoma, the distribution of t value and HVR was inhomogeneous due to metastases or therapy.

Conclusions: This study demonstrates the feasibility of using a NAV prospective motion compensation technique in conjunction with five-echo SAGE EPI for the quantitative measurement of liver BOLD with a BH task.