Chaitra Ashok Badve MD, MBBS, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

Alice Yu BS, MS, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Dan Ma MS, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Yun Jiang, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Jeffrey Lloyd Sunshine MD, PhD, Abstract Co-Author: Research support, Siemens AG Travel support, Siemens AG Travel support, Koninklijke Philips NV Travel support, Sectra AB Travel support, Allscripts Healthcare Solutions, Inc

Vikas Gulani MD, PhD, Abstract Co-Author: Research support, Siemens AG

Mark A. Griswold PhD, Abstract Co-Author: Research support, Siemens AG Royalties, Siemens AG Royalties, General Electric Company Royalties, Bruker Corporation Contract, Siemens AG

To quantify T1, T2 relaxation times of different brain regions in healthy volunteers using the novel magnetic resonance fingerprinting (MRF) technique and analyze differences based on age, gender and laterality.

We scanned 50 healthy volunteers (M: F 23:27, age 11-72 years) on 3T MRI with the MRF protocol. Imaging was acquired through various areas of brain and T1 & T2 maps were generated. Multiple regions of interest (ROIs) were manually outlined and T1 & T2 values were extracted. The 38 ROIs included lobar white matter (WM), corpus callosum, internal capsule (IC), deep nuclei, thalami, cerebellar structures and pons. Linear regression was used to assess the relationship between T1, T2 and age. Independent t-tests were used for differences in gender. For all the right-handed individuals, paired t-tests determined differences between right and left structures.

T1, T2 of prefrontal, frontal and parietal WM increase with increasing age (Rt parietal T1 p-value < 10-6; PCC = 0.63 and T2 p-value < 10-5; PCC = 0.55). T1, T2 measurements of occipital and temporal WM stay relatively stable with increasing age. The values are in agreement with previous literature. There is significant age dependent decrease in T1, T2 of bilateral substantia nigra (Rt SN T1 p-value < 10-4; PCC = -0.54 and T2 p-value < 10-3; PCC = -0.40). No significant changes were seen in T1, T2 of other deep nuclei. The age dependent changes are more pronounced in males compared to females in parietal WM and centrum semiovale. In right handed individuals, T1 was lower in right frontal WM (p<0.04), right IC (p<0.001), right lentiform nucleus (p<0.0007); and T2 is lower in right frontal WM (p<10-6), right lentiform nucleus (p< 0.001) compared to left.

MRF allows simultaneous, rapid, in vivo quantification of relaxation parameters of brain. Analyses show significant differences in relaxation parameters of certain brain regions based on age, gender and handedness.

Normal T1 & T2 relaxometry values in brain regions provide baselines for comparison with disease. A normative database will enable MRF evaluation of neoplastic, demyelinating and degenerative disease.

Badve, C, Yu, A, Ma, D, Jiang, Y, Sunshine, J, Gulani, V, Griswold, M, Regional Brain T1 and T2 Relaxometry in Healthy Volunteers Using Magnetic Resonance Fingerprinting  .  Radiological Society of North America 2014 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, - ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2014/14008739.html