Statistical estimation of T1 relaxation times using conventional magnetic resonance imaging

Quantitative T-1 maps estimate T-1 relaxation times and can be used to assess diffuse tissue abnormalities within normal-appearing tissue. T-1 maps are popular for studying the progression and treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS). However, their inclusion in standard imaging protocols remains limited due to the additional scanning time and expert calibration required and susceptibility to bias and noise. Here, we propose a new method of estimating T-1 maps using four conventional MR images, which are intensity-normalized using cerebellar gray matter as a reference tissue and related to T-1 using a smooth regression model. Using cross-validation, we generate statistical T-1 maps for 61 subjects with MS. The statistical maps are less noisy than the acquired maps and show similar reproducibility. Tests of group differences in normal-appearing white matter across MS subtypes give similar results using both methods. (C) 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.