T-1 Fast Acquisition Relaxation Mapping (T-1-FARM): Optimized data acquisition

A theoretical procedure for estimating the precision of the T-1 Fast Acquis ition Relaxation Mapping sequence as a function of a number of acquisition parameters has been validated by both simulations and experimental results. These results have clarified the selection of sequence parameters to give optimal accuracy and precision in the R-1* measurements. There is excellent agreement between theory, simulation, and experiment except for flip angle s greater than 9 degrees, at which point slice profile imperfections signif icantly degrade the precision of the technique. The experimental results in dicate that over a range of T(1)s that would be seen in a bolus tracking ex periment (25-1200 ms), T-1 Fast Acquisition Relaxation Mapping can be used to obtain 64 X 128 R-1* maps at a rate of 1 map/s, with a precision of 10% or better. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.