Rapid 3D Whole-Brain High-Resolution T1 Quantification: Accelerating Standard Inversion Recovery with Stack-of-Spirals FLASH Acquisition

Motivation: A rapid 3D whole-brain high-resolution T1 quantification using IR is desired but time-consuming. Goal(s): Optimize IR protocols to make the acquisition faster with sufficient accuracy. Approach: Conventional IR was accelerated using a long 3D stack-of-spirals FLASH readout. Its accuracy was evaluated by comparing protocols using varying saturation times with a reference 2D-EPI readout and with different undersampling factors. Results: This study presented a method for 3D whole-brain 1mm-resolution T1 mapping using IR with stack-of-spirals FLASH acquisition under 3.6min, employing a short presaturation time, a long echo train, and a large undersampling factor. Impact: This study demonstrates a 3D whole-brain 1mm-resolution IR-based T1 mapping method under 3.6min. The optimized IR technique was accelerated using a 3D SoS-TFL readout with a short presaturation time, a long echo train, as well as a large undersampling factor.