Free-breathing T1ρ Quantification in the Pancreas

T1ρ quantification in the pancreas is largely unexplored due to the difficulty of compensating for breathing motion. In this study we demonstrate a free-breathing T1ρ technique for use in the abdomen which is able to quantify T1ρ in the pancreas without respiratory gating, through the use of golden-angle radial sampling. The technique was validated in phantoms and tested in three healthy volunteers. T1ρ values in the liver and spleen agreed with recent literature, while differences in T1ρ values in the pancreas may be related to the use of free breathing instead of respiratory gating.