Fast T1 mapping on a whole-body scanner.
A method for the fast acquisition of quantitative T1 maps is presented. It is based on the acquisition of a series of snapshot fast low-angle shot (FLASH) images after inversion of the magnetization. A drawback of this method is the necessity for a sufficiently long relaxation delay before each inversion pulse, leading to long experimental times if averaging or segmentation is required. Thus implementation of this method on a whole-body scanner is problematic, as the longer gradient rise times provide prolonged repetition times, which makes segmentation indispensable to provide a sufficient temporal resolution. We present a modification of the method that allows for reduction in the intermediate relaxation delays and thus for considerably reduced experimental durations.
Physikalisches Institut, EP5, Universität Würzburg, Germany.
R
R
Deichmann
D
D
Hahn
A
A
Haase
D016477:Artifacts; D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000295:instrumentation*; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000295:instrumentation*; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy / Q000295:instrumentation*; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity