50 Years after Relaxometry: The Performance of Three Quantitative MRI Methodologies in the Real World

Motivation: Clinical applications of T1/T2 relaxometry are hindered by methodological inconsistencies, limiting clinical translation. Goal(s): This study systematically compares three quantitative MRI methodologies that are currently more commonly used in clinical practice to clarify their stability and resolve uncertainties in method selection. Approach: Using standardized MRI phantoms (ISMRM/NIST) and healthy volunteers undergoing brain scans, we assessed T1 and T2 values with each methodology. Results: Significant variability in T1/T2 values was found across three methodologies, and population feature distributions also differed, underscoring the need for consistent imaging protocols to ensure comparability in relaxometry studies. Impact: This study highlights the need for standardized relaxometry protocols or rigorous data screening to minimize bias, enabling reliable T1/T2 imaging analysis and advancing clinical translation.