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Factors controlling T 2 mapping from partially spoiled SSFP sequence: Optimization for skeletal muscle characterization
Author(s) -
de Sousa Paulo Loureiro,
Vignaud Alexandre,
Caldas de Almeida Araújo Ericky,
Carlier Pierre G.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
magnetic resonance in medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.696
H-Index - 225
eISSN - 1522-2594
pISSN - 0740-3194
DOI - 10.1002/mrm.23131
Subject(s) - steady state free precession imaging , skeletal muscle , characterization (materials science) , steady state (chemistry) , imaging phantom , precession , computer science , muscle disease , nuclear magnetic resonance , relaxation (psychology) , biomedical engineering , physics , magnetic resonance imaging , chemistry , anatomy , medicine , biology , pathology , neuroscience , optics , radiology , disease , astronomy
A fast and robust methodology for in vivo T 2 mapping is presented. The approach is based on the partially spoiled steady state free precession technique recently proposed by Bieri et al. (Magn Reson Med 2011). The accuracy of this method was demonstrated in simulations and phantom experiments. Variations in skeletal muscle T 2 relaxation time have been correlated with cell damage and inflammatory response. Nonetheless, the lack of easily implementable, fast, accurate and reproducible methods has hampered the adoption of T 2 measurement as a noninvasive tool for skeletal muscle characterization. The applicability of the partially spoiled steady state free precession method for tissue characterization in muscle disease is illustrated in this work by several examples. Quantitative MRI, in particular T 2 mapping based on partially spoiled steady state free precession acquisitions, might provide objective markers of muscle damage and degenerative changes, and an alternative to serial muscle biopsies. Magn Reson Med, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.