Fast T1 Mapping of Mouse Brain at 7 T with Time-Optimized Partial Inversion Recovery Utilizing a Surface Coil

Naoharu Kobayashi¹, Hironaka Igarashi¹, Tsutomu Nakada¹

We present a new method for measuring a longitudinal relaxation time, T₁, for a surface coil application utilizing adiabatic saturation pulses, referred to here as time-optimized partial inversion recovery (TOPIR). The recovery delays before and after the inversion pulse were optimized to sample data points such that the total sequence time was minimized under a specified dynamic range of the recovery curve. Accuracy of the method was validated by comparing the values obtained utilizing conventional inversion recovery sequence. The method enabled a two dimensional T₁ mapping of a mouse brain using a 6 point recovery curve in 2036 s.