Abstract #2461

In Vivo Rat Spinal Cord Relaxation Times Measured at 4.7 T & 11.1 T

Garrett William Astary¹, Xiaoming Chen², Malisa Sarntinoranont², Thomas Harold Mareci³

¹Biomedical Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States; ²Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, University of Florida; ³Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, University of Florida

In vivo rat spinal cord relaxation times (T₁ and T₂) and relative proton density (PD) values were measured at 4.7 T and 11.1 T. At both field strengths, six measurements were performed with a quadrature birdcage volume coil for excitation and quadrature surface coil for detection. At 4.7 T and 11.1 T, differences in WM and GM T₁ were not statistically significant; however, differences in T₂ and relative PD values were found to be statistically significant. Frequency dispersion of relaxation times showed T₁ dependence of the dipolar relaxation mechanism and T₂ dependence on dynamic dephasing in susceptibility gradients.