Comparison between optimized GRE and RARE sequences for 19F MRI studies

Chiara Dolores Soffientini; Alfonso Mastropietro; Matteo Caffini; Sara Cocco; Ileana Zucca; Alessandro Scotti; Giuseppe Baselli; Maria Grazia Bruzzone

doi:10.1117/12.2042658

19 March 2014 Comparison between optimized GRE and RARE sequences for ¹⁹F MRI studies

Chiara Dolores Soffientini, Alfonso Mastropietro, Matteo Caffini, Sara Cocco, Ileana Zucca, Alessandro Scotti, Giuseppe Baselli, Maria Grazia Bruzzone

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Proceedings Volume 9033, Medical Imaging 2014: Physics of Medical Imaging; 90334E (2014) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2042658
Event: SPIE Medical Imaging, 2014, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

In ¹⁹F-MRI studies limiting factors are the presence of a low signal due to the low concentration of ¹⁹F-nuclei, necessary for biological applications, and the inherent low sensitivity of MRI. Hence, acquiring images using the pulse sequence with the best signal to noise ratio (SNR) by optimizing the acquisition parameters specifically to a ¹⁹F compound is a core issue. In ¹⁹F-MRI, multiple-spin-echo (RARE) and gradient-echo (GRE) are the two most frequently used pulse sequence families; therefore we performed an optimization study of GRE pulse sequences based on numerical simulations and experimental acquisitions on fluorinated compounds. We compared GRE performance to an optimized RARE sequence. Images were acquired on a 7T MRI preclinical scanner on phantoms containing different fluorinated compounds. Actual relaxation times (T₁, T₂, T₂*) were evaluated in order to predict SNR dependence on sequence parameters. Experimental comparisons between spoiled GRE and RARE, obtained at a fixed acquisition time and in steady state condition, showed RARE sequence outperforming the spoiled GRE (up to 406% higher). Conversely, the use of the unbalanced-SSFP showed a significant increase in SNR compared to RARE (up to 28% higher). Moreover, this sequence (as GRE in general) was confirmed to be virtually insensitive to T₁ and T₂ relaxation times, after proper optimization, thus improving marker independence from the biological environment. These results confirm the efficacy of the proposed optimization tool and foster further investigation addressing in-vivo applicability.

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Chiara Dolores Soffientini, Alfonso Mastropietro, Matteo Caffini, Sara Cocco, Ileana Zucca, Alessandro Scotti, Giuseppe Baselli, and Maria Grazia Bruzzone "Comparison between optimized GRE and RARE sequences for ¹⁹F MRI studies", Proc. SPIE 9033, Medical Imaging 2014: Physics of Medical Imaging, 90334E (19 March 2014); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2042658

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KEYWORDS

Signal to noise ratio

Magnetic resonance imaging

Data acquisition

Numerical simulations

Interference (communication)

Scanners

Image segmentation

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