Magnetic resonance fingerprinting (MRF)

Understanding the need Quantitative vs Qualitative MRI data: The vast majority of common clinical MRI protocols rely on qualitative images reflecting the weighted effect of different tissue parameters. These contrast parameters include relaxation times, principally T1, T2 and T2*, as well as structural or functional quantities such as diffusion and blood flow. The absolute level of the signal values in these images is largely meaningless and the radiologist has to rely on prior knowledge and experience to discern abnormalities. This was however not how it was meant to be. Initial work during the formative years of MRS and MRI sparked great interest in the ability of the new technology to “quantify” tissue status with the goal of assessing pathological states. However, this promise has largely been left unfulfilled. This is due to a number of reasons, among which are the practical limitations in the common methods for quantification in which one sequence parameter is manipulated over multiple image acquisitions. Moreover, even if acquired, this information has not been found to be accurate and robust enough to identify states such as tumor staging. While efforts to speed up mapping sequences such as those for relaxometry has continued unabated, the application of these techniques has remained controversial.