Reproducibility of spin lattice relaxation time (<i>T</i>₁) measurement using an 0.08 tesla MD 800 magnetic resonance imager

Abstract

The reproducibility of T1 measurements using an MD 800 magnetic resonance imager operating at 0.08 T (3.4 MHz) has been assessed by repeated imaging over a 15-week period of a phantom containing six copper-sulphate solutions of different dilutions. The standard pulse sequence of this scanner with an inversion time of 200 ms and a repetition time of 1 s was used. Reproducibility was excellent for the lower T1 range (less than 350 ms), but greater variability was observed at higher T1 values (greater than 490 ms). A linear relationship between T1 and temperature has been demonstrated and a method for standardising T1 values obtained at different temperatures is described.