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Reducing bias in dual flip angle T1-mapping in human brain at 7T

Olsson, Hampus LU ; Andersen, Mads LU ; Lätt, Jimmy LU ; Wirestam, Ronnie LU orcid and Helms, Gunther LU orcid (2020) In Magnetic Resonance in Medicine 84(3). p.1347-1358
Abstract
Purpose: To address the systematic bias in whole-brain dual flip angle (DFA) T1-mapping at 7T by optimizing the flip angle pair and carefully selecting RF pulse shape and duration. Theory and Methods: Spoiled gradient echoes can be used to estimate whole-brain maps of T1. This can be accomplished by using only two acquisitions with different flip angles, i.e., a DFA-based approach. Although DFA-based T1-mapping is seemingly straightforward to implement, it is sensitive to bias caused by incomplete spoiling and incidental magnetization transfer (MT) effects. Further bias is introduced by the increased B0 and B1+ inhomogeneities at 7T. Experiments were performed to determine the optimal flip angle pair and appropriate RF pulse shape and... (More)
Purpose: To address the systematic bias in whole-brain dual flip angle (DFA) T1-mapping at 7T by optimizing the flip angle pair and carefully selecting RF pulse shape and duration. Theory and Methods: Spoiled gradient echoes can be used to estimate whole-brain maps of T1. This can be accomplished by using only two acquisitions with different flip angles, i.e., a DFA-based approach. Although DFA-based T1-mapping is seemingly straightforward to implement, it is sensitive to bias caused by incomplete spoiling and incidental magnetization transfer (MT) effects. Further bias is introduced by the increased B0 and B1+ inhomogeneities at 7T. Experiments were performed to determine the optimal flip angle pair and appropriate RF pulse shape and duration. Obtained T1 estimates were validated using inversion recovery prepared EPI and compared to literature values. A multi-echo readout was used to increase SNR, enabling quantification of R2* and susceptibility, X. Results: Incomplete spoiling was observed above a local flip angle of approximately 20 degrees. An asymmetric gauss-filtered sinc pulse with a constant duration of 700 us showed a sufficiently flat frequency response profile to avoid incomplete excitation in areas with high B0 offsets. A pulse duration of 700 us minimized effects from incidental MT. Conclusion: When performing DFA-based T1-mapping one should (i) limit the higher flip angle to avoid incomplete spoiling, (ii) use a RF pulse shape insensitive to B0 inhomogeneities and (iii) apply a constant RF pulse duration, balanced to minimize incidental MT. (Less)
Abstract (Swedish)
Purpose: To address the systematic bias in whole-brain dual flip angle (DFA) T1-mapping at
7T by optimizing the flip angle pair and carefully selecting RF pulse shape and duration.

Theory and Methods: Spoiled gradient echoes can be used to estimate whole-brain maps of
T1. This can be accomplished by using only two acquisitions with different flip angles, i.e., a
DFA-based approach. Although DFA-based T1-mapping is seemingly straightforward to
implement, it is sensitive to bias caused by incomplete spoiling and incidental magnetization
transfer (MT) effects. Further bias is introduced by the increased B0 and B1
+ inhomogeneities at 7T. Experiments were performed to determine the optimal flip angle pair and... (More)
Purpose: To address the systematic bias in whole-brain dual flip angle (DFA) T1-mapping at
7T by optimizing the flip angle pair and carefully selecting RF pulse shape and duration.

Theory and Methods: Spoiled gradient echoes can be used to estimate whole-brain maps of
T1. This can be accomplished by using only two acquisitions with different flip angles, i.e., a
DFA-based approach. Although DFA-based T1-mapping is seemingly straightforward to
implement, it is sensitive to bias caused by incomplete spoiling and incidental magnetization
transfer (MT) effects. Further bias is introduced by the increased B0 and B1
+ inhomogeneities at 7T. Experiments were performed to determine the optimal flip angle pair and appropriate
RF pulse shape and duration. Obtained T1 estimates were validated using inversion recovery
prepared EPI and compared to literature values. A multi-echo readout was used to increase
SNR, enabling quantification of R2* and susceptibility, χ.

Results: Incomplete spoiling was observed above a local flip angle of approximately 20°. An
asymmetric gauss-filtered sinc pulse with a constant duration of 700 μs showed a sufficiently
flat frequency response profile to avoid incomplete excitation in areas with high B0 offsets. A
pulse duration of 700 μs minimized effects from incidental MT.

Conclusion: When performing DFA-based T1-mapping one should (i) limit the higher flip
angle to avoid incomplete spoiling, (ii) use a RF pulse shape insensitive to B0
inhomogeneities and (iii) apply a constant RF pulse duration, balanced to minimize incidental
MT. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
T1, 7T, Longitudinal relaxation time, human brain, 7T, dual flip angle, human brain, longitudinal relaxation, spoiled gradient echo, T1
in
Magnetic Resonance in Medicine
volume
84
issue
3
pages
12 pages
publisher
John Wiley & Sons Inc.
external identifiers
  • scopus:85079453158
  • pmid:32060952
ISSN
1522-2594
DOI
10.1002/mrm.28206
project
Gradient echo-based quantitative MRI of human brain at 7T
Effects of Relaxation and Magnetization Transfer in VFA Experiments
Multiparametric mapping of the brain at 7T using gradient echoes
Automated data pipeline for clinical quantitative 7T MRI
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
11e7695e-8bd7-411e-9dad-f13689376764
date added to LUP
2020-01-23 16:31:30
date last changed
2022-04-18 20:05:16
@article{11e7695e-8bd7-411e-9dad-f13689376764,
  abstract     = {{Purpose: To address the systematic bias in whole-brain dual flip angle (DFA) T1-mapping at 7T by optimizing the flip angle pair and carefully selecting RF pulse shape and duration. Theory and Methods: Spoiled gradient echoes can be used to estimate whole-brain maps of T1. This can be accomplished by using only two acquisitions with different flip angles, i.e., a DFA-based approach. Although DFA-based T1-mapping is seemingly straightforward to implement, it is sensitive to bias caused by incomplete spoiling and incidental magnetization transfer (MT) effects. Further bias is introduced by the increased B0 and B1+ inhomogeneities at 7T. Experiments were performed to determine the optimal flip angle pair and appropriate RF pulse shape and duration. Obtained T1 estimates were validated using inversion recovery prepared EPI and compared to literature values. A multi-echo readout was used to increase SNR, enabling quantification of R2* and susceptibility, X. Results: Incomplete spoiling was observed above a local flip angle of approximately 20 degrees. An asymmetric gauss-filtered sinc pulse with a constant duration of 700 us showed a sufficiently flat frequency response profile to avoid incomplete excitation in areas with high B0 offsets. A pulse duration of 700 us minimized effects from incidental MT. Conclusion: When performing DFA-based T1-mapping one should (i) limit the higher flip angle to avoid incomplete spoiling, (ii) use a RF pulse shape insensitive to B0 inhomogeneities and (iii) apply a constant RF pulse duration, balanced to minimize incidental MT.}},
  author       = {{Olsson, Hampus and Andersen, Mads and Lätt, Jimmy and Wirestam, Ronnie and Helms, Gunther}},
  issn         = {{1522-2594}},
  keywords     = {{T1; 7T; Longitudinal relaxation time; human brain; 7T; dual flip angle; human brain; longitudinal relaxation; spoiled gradient echo; T1}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{3}},
  pages        = {{1347--1358}},
  publisher    = {{John Wiley & Sons Inc.}},
  series       = {{Magnetic Resonance in Medicine}},
  title        = {{Reducing bias in dual flip angle T1-mapping in human brain at 7T}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/76681023/Olsson_Reducing_bias_in_dual_flip_angle_T1_mapping_in_human_brain_at_7T.pdf}},
  doi          = {{10.1002/mrm.28206}},
  volume       = {{84}},
  year         = {{2020}},
}