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Modulated repetition time look-locker (MORTLL): a method for rapid high resolution three-dimensional T1 mapping
1Radiology and Imaging Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA. gaind@mail.nih.gov
Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging : JMRI
|July 25, 2009
Summary
This study presents a modified Look-Locker technique for rapid, high-resolution T1 mapping of the brain. The new method accurately measures T1 values in white matter, gray matter, and CSF, significantly reducing scan times.
Area of Science:
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging
- Quantitative Imaging
- Neuroimaging
Background:
- Accurate T1 mapping is crucial for various MRI applications, including tissue characterization and disease detection.
- Traditional T1 mapping techniques can be time-consuming, limiting their clinical utility.
- The Look-Locker technique offers a basis for T1 quantification but requires optimization for speed and resolution.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate a modified Look-Locker technique for rapid, high-resolution T1 mapping of intracranial tissues.
- To enable accurate T1 measurement across the physiological range, including white matter, gray matter, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).
- To achieve these goals using a three-dimensional balanced steady-state free precession (3D b-SSFP) acquisition with variable repetition time.
Main Methods:
- Modified the Look-Locker technique by incorporating a 3D b-SSFP acquisition following an inversion pulse.
- Employed a variable repetition time strategy to ensure full longitudinal magnetization recovery.
- Acquired data from phantoms and volunteers at 3 Tesla, comparing results with established inversion recovery spin echo methods.
Main Results:
- Achieved high-resolution T1 maps with scan times reduced by approximately half compared to standard methods.
- Measured T1 values for white matter (755 ± 10 ms), gray matter (1202 ± 9 ms), and CSF (4482 ± 71 ms) that agreed well with reference techniques.
- Demonstrated the technique's efficacy for imaging long T1 species like CSF.
Conclusions:
- The modified Look-Locker technique enables rapid acquisition of high-resolution T1 maps using a straightforward postprocessing approach.
- This method is particularly advantageous for quantifying T1 values in long T1 species, such as CSF, which are relevant in various pathologies.
- The obtained T1 values show excellent agreement with those from conventional inversion recovery spin-echo imaging, validating the technique.
