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Fast T1 and T2 mapping methods: the zoomed U-FLARE sequence compared with EPI and snapshot-FLASH for abdominal imaging at 11.7 Tesla

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Abstract

Objective

A newly adapted zoomed ultrafast low-angle RARE (U-FLARE) sequence is described for abdominal imaging applications at 11.7 Tesla and compared with the standard echo-plannar imaging (EPI) and snapshot fast low angle shot (FLASH) methods.

Materials and methods

Ultrafast EPI and snapshot-FLASH protocols were evaluated to determine relaxation times in phantoms and in the mouse kidney in vivo. Owing to their apparent shortcomings, imaging artefacts, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and variability in the determination of relaxation times, these methods are compared with the newly implemented zoomed U-FLARE sequence.

Results

Snapshot-FLASH has a lower SNR when compared with the zoomed U-FLARE sequence and EPI. The variability in the measurement of relaxation times is higher in the Look–Locker sequences than in inversion recovery experiments. Respectively, the average T1 and T2 values at 11.7 Tesla are as follows: kidney cortex, 1810 and 29 ms; kidney medulla, 2100 and 25 ms; subcutaneous tumour, 2365 and 28 ms.

Conclusion

This study demonstrates that the zoomed U-FLARE sequence yields single-shot single-slice images with good anatomical resolution and high SNR at 11.7 Tesla. Thus, it offers a viable alternative to standard protocols for mapping very fast parameters, such as T1 and T2, or dynamic processes in vivo at high field.

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Acknowledgements

The study was partially conducted as part of the European-Union-funded SaveMe project. The overall aim of the project is the development of a modular nanosystem for use as a diagnostic and therapeutic agent targeting pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

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Author notes

  1. María Jiménez-González

    Present address: Metabolism Division, Johns Hopkins University, CMSC Building 10-113, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Molecular Imaging Unit, CIC biomaGUNE, Paseo Miramón 182, 20009, Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain

    Géraldine Pastor, María Jiménez-González, Sandra Plaza-García, Marta Beraza & Torsten Reese

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  1. Géraldine Pastor
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  2. María Jiménez-González
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  3. Sandra Plaza-García
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Correspondence to Géraldine Pastor.

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Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest in relation with the manuscript submitted or any disclosures to be made. All authors have read and approved the submission of the manuscript.

Ethical approval

All animal procedures met the requirements of European Union directive 2010/63/UE in accordance with the Spanish policy for animal protection (RD53/2013) and were authorised by the Basque government (PRO-AESS-035). All procedures performed in studies involving animals were conducted in accordance with the ethical standards at CIC biomaGUNE, an institution that holds full accreditation from AAALAC.

Research involving animals

The care and use of animals followed the requirements of European Union directive 2010/63/UE in accordance with the Spanish policy for animal protection (RD53/2013), and the study was authorised by the Basque government (PRO-AE-SS-035). All procedures performed in studies involving animals were conducted in accordance with the ethical standards at CIC biomaGUNE, an institution that holds full accreditation from AAALAC.

Informed consent

For this study, formal consent is not required.

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Pastor, G., Jiménez-González, M., Plaza-García, S. et al. Fast T1 and T2 mapping methods: the zoomed U-FLARE sequence compared with EPI and snapshot-FLASH for abdominal imaging at 11.7 Tesla. Magn Reson Mater Phy 30, 299–307 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10334-016-0604-x

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