Repeatability of magnetic resonance fingerprinting T1 and T2 estimates assessed using the ISMRM/NIST MRI system phantom

Purpose The purpose of this study was to evaluate accuracy and repeatability of T 1 and T 2 estimates of a MR fingerprinting (MRF) method using the ISMRM/NIST MRI system phantom. Methods The ISMRM/NIST MRI system phantom contains multiple compartments with standardized T 1 , T 2 , and proton density values. Conventional inversion‐recovery spin echo and spin echo methods were used to characterize the T 1 and T 2 values in the phantom. The phantom was scanned using the MRF‐FISP method over 34 consecutive days. The mean T 1 and T 2 values were compared with the values from the spin echo methods. The repeatability was characterized as the coefficient of variation of the measurements over 34 days. Results T 1 and T 2 values from MRF‐FISP over 34 days showed a strong linear correlation with the measurements from the spin echo methods (R 2 = 0.999 for T 1 ; R 2 = 0.996 for T 2 ). The MRF estimates over the wide ranges of T 1 and T 2 values have less than 5% variation, except for the shortest T 2 relaxation times where the method still maintains less than 8% variation. Conclusion MRF measurements of T 1 and T 2 are highly repeatable over time and across wide ranges of T 1 and T 2 values. Magn Reson Med 78:1452–1457, 2017. © 2016 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.