title: In vivo measurement of a new source of contrast, the dipolar relaxation time, T1D, using a modified inhomogeneous magnetization transfer (ihMT) sequence.
abstract: This paper describes a technique that can be used in vivo to measure the dipolar relaxation time, T1D, of macromolecular protons contributing to magnetization transfer (MT) in tissues and to produce quantitative T1Dmaps.
  
  
  
  The technique builds upon the inhomogeneous MT (ihMT) technique that is particularly sensitive to tissue components with long T1D. A standard ihMT experiment was altered to introduce a variable time for switching between positive and negative offset frequencies for RF saturation. A model for the dependence of ihMT was developed and used to fit data acquired in vivo.
  
  
  
  Application of the method to images from brains of healthy volunteers produced values of T1D= (5.9 ± 1.2) ms in gray matter and T1D= (6.2 ± 0.4) ms in white matter regions and provided maps of the T1Dparameter.
  
  
  
  The model and experiments described provide access to a new relaxation characteristic of tissue with potentially unique diagnostic information. Magn Reson Med 78:1362-1372, 2017. © 2016 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Division of MR Research, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: Gopal
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Varma
authors.affiliation: Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, CRMBM-CEMEREM, UMR 7339, Marseille, France.
authors.forename: Olivier M
authors.initials: OM
authors.lastname: Girard
authors.affiliation: Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, CRMBM-CEMEREM, UMR 7339, Marseille, France.
authors.forename: Valentin H
authors.initials: VH
authors.lastname: Prevost
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Division of MR Research, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: Aaron K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Grant
authors.affiliation: Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, CRMBM-CEMEREM, UMR 7339, Marseille, France.
authors.forename: Guillaume
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Duhamel
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Division of MR Research, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: David C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Alsop
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001931:Brain Mapping / Q000379:methods*; D066128:Gray Matter / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D009186:Myelin Sheath / Q000737:chemistry; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: MT; dipolar relaxation; ihMT; inhomogeneous magnetization transfer; myelin; quantitative magnetization transfer