Absolute MR Thermometry in the breast using interleaved echo planar spectroscopic imaging

Motivation: Clinically available MR thermometry methods only measures relative temperature change. Availability of absolute temperature measurements has high impact potential to improve monitoring and evaluation of thermal therapies. Goal(s): Develop an efficient and practical approach for spatial absolute MR thermometry in the breast. Approach: A multi-echo echo-planar spectroscopic imaging pulse sequence was implemented and tested in ex vivo human breast fat samples and healthy volunteers. Comparisons to single voxel spectroscopy was performed. Results: Water and fat peaks can be detected in both ex vivo samples and in vivo, and converted to absolute temperature measurements. Potential of spatial absolute thermometry is demonstrated. Impact: Absolute MR thermometry has the potential to improve treatment monitoring and evaluation of thermal therapies, and is demonstrated in the breast using a new efficient high-resolution interleaved echo planar spectroscopic imaging pulse sequence.