T1 mapping performance and measurement repeatability: results from the multi-national T1 mapping standardization phantom program (T1MES)

Journal of Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance, vol. 22, pp. 31

Abstract

The T 1 Mapping and Extracellular volume (ECV) Standardization (T1MES) program explored T 1 mapping quality assurance using a purpose-developed phantom with Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Conformité Européenne (CE) regulatory clearance. We report T 1 measurement repeatability across centers describing sequence, magnet, and vendor performance. Phantoms batch-manufactured in August 2015 underwent 2 years of structural imaging, B 0 and B 1 , and “reference” slow T 1 testing. Temperature dependency was evaluated by the United States National Institute of Standards and Technology and by the German Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt. Center-specific T 1 mapping repeatability (maximum one scan per week to minimum one per quarter year) was assessed over mean 358 (maximum 1161) days on 34 1.5 T and 22 3 T magnets using multiple T 1 mapping sequences. Image and temperature data were analyzed semi-automatically. Repeatability of serial T 1 was evaluated in terms of coefficient of variation (CoV), and linear mixed models were constructed to study the interplay of some of the known sources of T 1 variation. Over 2 years, phantom gel integrity remained intact (no rips/tears), B 0 and B 1 homogenous, and “reference” T 1 stable compared to baseline (% change at 1.5 T, 1.95 ± 1.39%; 3 T, 2.22 ± 1.44%). Per degrees Celsius, 1.5 T, T 1 (MOLLI 5s(3s)3s) increased by 11.4 ms in long native blood tubes and decreased by 1.2 ms in short post-contrast myocardium tubes. Agreement of estimated T 1 times with “reference” T 1 was similar across Siemens and Philips CMR systems at both field strengths (adjusted R 2 ranges for both field strengths, 0.99–1.00). Over 1 year, many 1.5 T and 3 T sequences/magnets were repeatable with mean CoVs < 1 and 2% respectively. Repeatability was narrower for 1.5 T over 3 T. Within T1MES repeatability for native T 1 was narrow for several sequences, for example, at 1.5 T, Siemens MOLLI 5s(3s)3s prototype number 448B (mean CoV = 0.27%) and Philips modified Look-Locker inversion recovery (MOLLI) 3s(3s)5s (CoV 0.54%), and at 3 T, Philips MOLLI 3b(3s)5b (CoV 0.33%) and Siemens shortened MOLLI (ShMOLLI) prototype 780C (CoV 0.69%). After adjusting for temperature and field strength, it was found that the T 1 mapping sequence and scanner software version (both P < 0.001 at 1.5 T and 3 T), and to a lesser extent the scanner model ( P = 0.011, 1.5 T only), had the greatest influence on T 1 across multiple centers. The T1MES CE/FDA approved phantom is a robust quality assurance device. In a multi-center setting, T 1 mapping had performance differences between field strengths, sequences, scanner software versions, and manufacturers. However, several specific combinations of field strength, sequence, and scanner are highly repeatable, and thus, have potential to provide standardized assessment of T 1 times for clinical use, although temperature correction is required for native T 1 tubes at least.

Authors 49

1. Gabriella Captur

   The Royal Free Hospital · MRC Unit for Lifelong Health and Ageing · University College London

   Affiliation as printed

   Cardiology Department, The Royal Free Hospital, Centre for Inherited Heart Muscle Conditions, Pond Street, Hampstead, London, NW3 2QG, UK

   UCL Institute of Cardiovascular Science, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK

   UCL MRC Unit for Lifelong Health and Ageing, University College London, 1-19 Torrington Place, London, WC1E 7BH, UK

2. Abhiyan Bhandari

   University College London

   Affiliation as printed

   UCL Medical School, University College London, Bloomsbury Campus, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK

3. Rüdiger Brühl

   Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt

   Affiliation as printed

   Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB), Abbestr. 2-12, D-10587, Berlin, Germany

   Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB), Abbestr. 2–12, D-10587, Berlin, Germany

4. Bernd Ittermann

   Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt

   Affiliation as printed

   Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB), Abbestr. 2-12, D-10587, Berlin, Germany

   Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB), Abbestr. 2–12, D-10587, Berlin, Germany

5. Kathryn E. Keenan

   National Institute of Standards and Technology

   Affiliation as printed

   National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Boulder, MS 818.03, 325 Broadway, Boulder, CO, USA

6. Yang Ye

   Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital · Zhejiang University

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Cardiology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310016, Zhejiang, People's Republic of China

7. Richard J. Eames

   Imperial College London

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Physics, Imperial College London, Prince Consort Rd, London, SW7 2BB, UK

8. Giulia Benedetti

   Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Radiology, Guys and St Thomas NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK

9. Camilla Torlasco

   University of Milano-Bicocca

   Affiliation as printed

   University of Milan-Bicocca, Piazza dell'Ateneo Nuovo 1, 20100, Milan, Italy

10. Lewis Ricketts

    University College London

    Affiliation as printed

    UCL Medical School, University College London, Bloomsbury Campus, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK

11. Redha Boubertakh

    Queen Mary University of London

    Affiliation as printed

    Cardiovascular Biomedical Research Unit, Queen Mary University of London, London, E1 4NS, UK

12. Nasri Fatih

    MRC Unit for Lifelong Health and Ageing · University College London

    Affiliation as printed

    UCL Institute of Cardiovascular Science, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK

    UCL MRC Unit for Lifelong Health and Ageing, University College London, 1-19 Torrington Place, London, WC1E 7BH, UK

13. John Pierre Greenwood

    University of Leeds

    Affiliation as printed

    Multidisciplinary Cardiovascular Research Center & Division of Biomedical Imaging, Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK

14. Leonie E. M. Paulis

    Maastricht University Medical Centre

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Radiology & Nuclear Medicine, Maastricht University Medical Centre, PO Box 5800, 6202 AZ, Maastricht, The Netherlands

15. Chris Benny Lawton

    University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust · University of Bristol · NIHR Bristol Biomedical Research Centre

    Affiliation as printed

    Bristol Heart Institute, National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre, University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust and University of Bristol, Upper Maudlin St, Bristol, BS2 8HW, UK

16. Chiara Bucciarelli‐Ducci

    University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust · University of Bristol · NIHR Bristol Biomedical Research Centre

    Affiliation as printed

    Bristol Heart Institute, National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre, University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust and University of Bristol, Upper Maudlin St, Bristol, BS2 8HW, UK

17. Hildo J. Lamb Aachen Department of Radiology, Leiden University Medical Center

    Leiden University · Leiden University Medical Center

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Radiology, Leiden University Medical Centre, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA, Leiden, The Netherlands

18. Richard Paul Steeds

    University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust

    Affiliation as printed

    University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TH, UK

19. Steve Leung

    Albert B. Chandler Hospital

    Affiliation as printed

    UK Albert B. Chandler Hospital - Pavilion G, Gill Heart & Vascular Institute, Lexington, KY, 40536, USA

20. Colin Berry

    University of Glasgow

    Affiliation as printed

    Institute of Cardiovascular and Medical Sciences, RC309 Level C3, Bhf Gcrc, Glasgow, Scotland, G12 8TA, UK

21. Sinitsyn Valentin

    Lomonosov Moscow State University

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Multidisciplinary Clinical Studies, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia

22. Andrew S. Flett

    University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust

    Affiliation as printed

    University Hospital Southampton Foundation Trust, Tremona Road, Southampton, Hampshire, SO16 6YD, UK

23. Charlotte de Lange

    Oslo University Hospital

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Sognsvannsveien 20, 0372, Oslo, Norway

24. Francesco DE COBELLI

    IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele

    Affiliation as printed

    San Raffaele Hospital, Via Olgettina 60, 20132, Milan, Italy

25. Magalie Viallon

    Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique · Inserm · Centre de Recherche en Acquisition et Traitement de l'Image pour la Santé · Université Jean Monnet

    Affiliation as printed

    INSA, CNRS UMR 5520, INSERM U1206, University of Lyon, UJM-Saint-Etienne, CREATIS, F-42023, Saint-Etienne, France

26. Pierre Croisille

    Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Saint-Étienne

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Radiology, University Hospital Saint-Etienne, Saint-Etienne, France

27. David M. Higgins

    Philips (United Kingdom)

    Affiliation as printed

    Philips, Philips Centre, Unit 3, Guildford Business Park, Guildford, Surrey, GU2 8XG, UK

28. Andreas Greiser

    Siemens Healthineers (Germany)

    Affiliation as printed

    SiemensHealthcare GmbH, Erlangen, Germany

29. Wenjie Pang

    Resonance Health (Australia)

    Affiliation as printed

    Resonance Health, 278 Stirling Highway, Claremont, WA, 6010, Australia

30. Christian R Hamilton-Craig

    Griffith University · The University of Queensland · Prince Charles Hospital

    Affiliation as printed

    The Prince Charles Hospital, Griffith University and University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia

31. W. Strugnell

    Griffith University · The University of Queensland · Prince Charles Hospital

    Affiliation as printed

    The Prince Charles Hospital, Griffith University and University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia

32. Tom Dresselaers

    Universitair Ziekenhuis Leuven

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Radiology, Universitair Ziekenhuis Leuven, Leuven, UZ, Belgium

33. Andrea Barison

    Fondazione Toscana Gabriele Monasterio

    Affiliation as printed

    Fondazione Toscana Gabriele Monasterio, Pisa, Italy

34. Dana K. Dawson

    University of Aberdeen

    Affiliation as printed

    School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Aberdeen, Polwarth Building, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, AB25 2ZD, Scotland, UK

35. Andrew J. Taylor

    Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute · The Alfred Hospital · Monash University

    Affiliation as printed

    Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, Australia

    Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Australia

    Department of Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia

36. François‐Pierre Mongeon

    Montreal Heart Institute · Université de Montréal

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Medicine, Montreal Heart Institute and Université de Montréal, 5000 Bélanger Street, Montreal, QC, H1T 1C8, Canada

37. Sven Plein

    University of Leeds

    Affiliation as printed

    Multidisciplinary Cardiovascular Research Center & Division of Biomedical Imaging, Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK

38. Daniel Messroghli

    Deutsches Herzzentrum der Charité · Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Internal Medicine - Cardiology, Deutsches Herzzentrum Berlin, Berlin, Germany

    Department of Internal Medicine and Cardiology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Virchow Klinikum, Berlin, Germany

    Department of Internal Medicine – Cardiology, Deutsches Herzzentrum Berlin, Berlin, Germany

39. Mouaz Husayn Al-Mallah

    National Guard Health Affairs

    Affiliation as printed

    King Abdulaziz Cardiac Center (KACC) (Riyadh), National Guard Health Affairs, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

40. Stuart M. Grieve

    The University of Sydney

    Affiliation as printed

    The University of Sydney School of Medicine, Camperdown, NSW, 2006, Australia

41. Massimo Lombardi

    IRCCS Policlinico San Donato

    Affiliation as printed

    I.R.C.C.S., Policlinico San Donato, Piazza Edmondo Malan, 2, 20097, San Donato Milanese, MI, Italy

42. Jihye Jang

    Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center · Harvard University

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Medicine (Cardiovascular Division), Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Cardiology East Campus, Room E/SH455, 330 Brookline Ave, Boston, MA, 02215, USA

43. Michael Salerno

    University of Virginia Health System

    Affiliation as printed

    University of Virginia Health System, 1215 Lee St, PO Box 800158, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, USA

44. Nish Chaturvedi

    MRC Unit for Lifelong Health and Ageing · University College London

    Affiliation as printed

    UCL MRC Unit for Lifelong Health and Ageing, University College London, 1-19 Torrington Place, London, WC1E 7BH, UK

45. Peter Kellman

    National Institutes of Health · National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

    Affiliation as printed

    National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892-1061, USA

46. David A. Bluemke

    University of Wisconsin–Madison

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Radiology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, 53792-3252, USA

47. Reza Nezafat

    Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center · Harvard University

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Medicine (Cardiovascular Division), Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Cardiology East Campus, Room E/SH455, 330 Brookline Ave, Boston, MA, 02215, USA

48. Peter D. Gatehouse

    Royal Brompton Hospital

    Affiliation as printed

    CMRI Department, Royal Brompton Hospital, Sydney Street, London, SW3 6NP, UK

49. James Moon corresponding

    St Bartholomew's Hospital · University College London

    Affiliation as printed

    Barts Heart Center, St Bartholomew's Hospital, West Smithfield, London, EC1A 7BE, UK. j.moon@ucl.ac.uk

    UCL Institute of Cardiovascular Science, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK. j.moon@ucl.ac.uk

    Barts Heart Center, St Bartholomew's Hospital, West Smithfield, London, EC1A 7BE, UK