Feasibility of Quantitative Magnetic Resonance Fingerprinting in Ovarian Tumors for T₁ and T₂ Mapping in a PET/MR Setting.

Abstract

Multi-parametric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can be used to characterise many cancer subtypes, including ovarian cancer. Quantitative mapping of MRI relaxation values, such as T1 and T2 mapping, is promising for improving tumour assessment beyond conventional qualitative T1- and T2-weighted images. However, quantitative MRI relaxation mapping methods often involve long scan times due to sequentially measuring many parameters.

Magnetic Resonance Fingerprinting (MRF) is a new method that enables fast quantitative MRI by exploiting the transient signals caused by the variation of pseudorandom sequence parameters. These transient signals are then matched to a simulated dictionary of T1 and T2 values to create quantitative maps. The ability of MRF to simultaneously measure multiple parameters, could represent a new approach to characterising cancer and assessing treatment response.

This feasibility study investigates MRF for simultaneous T1, T2 and relative proton density (PD) mapping using ovarian cancer as a model system.