R1 dispersion mapping of cerebral small vessel disease using Field-Cycling Imaging

Motivation: Field-Cycling Imaging accesses new biomarkers of pathology by mapping the dispersion of spin-lattice R1 with magnetic field strength below 0.2 T. Goal(s): To examine the efficacy of Field-Cycling Imaging to interrogate field-dependence of R1 in brain changes arising from cerebral small vessel disease. Approach: Twenty participants were recruited with moderate or severe small vessel disease and underwent 3T MRI and FCI scans, repeated 30 days apart. Results: Differences in R1 dispersion could repeatably be discerned between normal and abnormal appearing brain tissue regions using Field-Cycling Imaging. Impact: This work is a first step towards investigating whether quantitative measurements of low-field R1 dispersion have utility for assessing progression of cerebral small vessel disease.