T(1) relaxation in in vivo mouse brain at ultra-high field.
Accurate knowledge of relaxation times is imperative for adjustment of MRI parameters to obtain optimal signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast. As small animal MRI studies are extended to increasingly higher magnetic fields, these parameters must be assessed anew. The goal of this study was to obtain accurate spin-lattice (T(1)) relaxation times for the normal mouse brain at field strengths of 9.4 and 17.6 T. T(1) relaxation times were determined for cortex, corpus callosum, caudate putamen, hippocampus, periaqueductal gray, lateral ventricle, and cerebellum and varied from 1651 +/- 28 to 2449 +/- 150 ms at 9.4 T and 1824 +/- 101 to 2772 +/- 235 ms at 17.6 T. A field strength-dependent increase of T(1) relaxation times is shown. The SNR increase at 17.6 T is in good agreement with the expected SNR increase for a sample-dominated noise regime.
van de Ven
Rob C G
RC
Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
Hogers
Bianca
B
van den Maagdenberg
Arn M J M
AM
de Groot
Huub J M
HJ
Ferrari
Michel D
MD
Frants
Rune R
RR
Poelmann
Robert E
RE
van der Weerd
Louise
L
Kiihne
Suzanne R
SR
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001931:Brain Mapping / Q000379:methods*; D003287:Contrast Media; D005260:Female; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging
D003287:Contrast Media; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA