A self-compensated spin-locking scheme for quantitative R1ρ dispersion MR imaging in ordered tissues

Abstract

PurposeTo propose a self-compensated spin-locking (SL) method for quantitative R1ρ dispersion imaging in ordered tissues. MethodsTwo pairs of antiphase rotary-echo SL pulses were proposed in a new scheme with each pairs sandwiching one refocusing RF pulse. This proposed SL method was evaluated by Bloch simulations and experimental studies relative to three prior schemes. Quantitative R1ρR dispersion imaging studies with constant SL duration (TSL = 40 ms) were carried out on an agarose (1–4% w/v) phantom and one in vivo human knee at 3 T, using six SL RF strengths ranging from 50 to 1000 Hz. The performances of these SL schemes were characterized with an average coefficient of variation (CV) of the signal intensities in agarose gels and the sum of squared errors (SSE) for quantifying in vivo R1ρ dispersion of the femoral and tibial cartilage. ResultsThe simulations demonstrate that the proposed SL scheme was less prone to B0 and B1 field inhomogeneities. This theoretical prediction was supported by fewer image banding artifacts and less signal fluctuation signified by a reduced CV (%) on the phantom without R1ρ dispersion (i.e., 4.04 ± 1.36 vs. 18.87 ± 4.46 or 6.66 ± 2.92 or 5.71 ± 2.05 for others), and further by mostly decreased SSE (*10–3) for characterizing R1ρ dispersion of the femoral (i.e., 0.3 vs. 1.2 or 0.4 or 0.1) and tibial (i.e., 0.4 vs. 7.2 or 3.2 or 2.8) cartilage. ConclusionThe proposed SL scheme is less sensitive to B0 and B1 field artifacts for a wide range of SL RF strengths and thus more suitable for quantitative R1ρ dispersion imaging in ordered tissues.