An UTE-Stack-Of-Spirals Sequence For Biexponential-T1ρ Mapping of Knee Joint

Motivation: Quantitative mapping of the whole knee joint could potentially improve the understanding of how OA initiates and progresses. Goal(s): To develop an UTE-based spiral sequence capable of quantifying biexponential T1ρ in knee cartilage, ligaments, tendons, and menisci. Approach: An UTE stack-of-spirals sequence with a magnetization-preparation module was developed and tested on healthy volunteers at 3T. Results: The developed UTE-based spiral sequence presented an increased signal-to-noise ratio in T1ρ- weighted images and a smaller standard deviation in quantitative maps. Impact: The feasibility of the UTE-based spiral sequence was demonstrated and showed potential for quantifying T1ρ on short T2 components in the whole knee joint.