Quantification of cardiac longitudinal relaxation (T1) at 3.0 T during normal and hyperoxic breathing conditions

Abstract

This thesis is concerned with the quantification of cardiac longitudinal relaxation (T1) at 3.0 T. Normal and hyperoxic T1 are quantified in the myocardium and left ventricular blood pool of healthy volunteers using the Modified Look-Locker Inversion recovery (MOLLI) technique. Change in mean myocardial T1 with hyperoxia at 3.0 T is compared to similar results at lower field strengths. Three alternative T1 quantification techniques based on the original MOLLI sequence are presented and evaluated along with the original MOLLI sequence for accuracy and consistency in measuring T1 values expected in the myocardium and blood at 3.0 T. Additionally, a theoretical model predicting the reduction in myocardial T1 with an intravascular contrast agent is examined for applicability to oxygen as a contrast agent. The results of this theoretical model are compared to experimental results obtained in this study.