Motivation: Inversion recovery T1 mapping methods with radial read-out can provide more reliable rapid renal T1 mapping compared to variable flip angle methods. Goal(s): To compare T1 measurements and diagnostic performance for identification of renal fibrosis with novel 2D and 3D inversion-recovery radial acquisitions against variable flip angle acquisitions in patients with renal transplant. Approach: 2D/3D GraspT1, and variable flip angle T1 maps were prospectively acquired in 61 renal transplant recipients and correlated with renal function and biopsy-proven renal allograft fibrosis. Results: Medulla T1 measured with 2DGraspT1 identified patients with fibrotic, but functional allografts with very good diagnostic performance. Impact: Renal T1 showed diagnostic sensitivity to the presence of renal allograft fibrosis, even in patients with preserved renal function, and thus can potentially be useful to select patients for biopsy or other interventions before serum eGFR decline.
Bane et al. (Tue,) studied this question.