Accelerated T1ρ and T2 High Resolution Imaging: a Multi-vendor Multi-site study

Motivation: High-resolution T1ρ and T2 imaging techniques offer improved capabilities for detecting early cartilage degeneration in osteoarthritis. However, these techniques require long acquisition time. Goal(s): To develop and evaluate novel accelerated high-resolution T1ρ and T2 imaging techniques in a multi-vendor multi-site setting. Approach: 33 local volunteers and 2 traveling volunteers were scanned at 3T for T1ρ and T2 imaging using both reference and accelerated sequences with compressed sensing. Scans were performed at standard(0.44x0.88x4mm3) and high(0.37x0.73x1.6mm3) resolutions across four sites with MR platforms from three vendors. Results: Coefficients of variation(CVs) between reference and accelerated maps were <4.5%. Scan-rescan CVs were <3%. Inter-site CVs were <4%. Impact: We demonstrated high-resolution fast cartilage relaxometry imaging is reliable and reproducible, with excellent agreement between reference and accelerated imaging, excellent scan-rescan repeatability, and consistency across sites and vendors. Such techniques will greatly facilitate the clinical translation of quantitative knee imaging.