Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Biomarker Measurement Service

Summary

Provides services for SI-traceable calibrations of MRI-based biomarkers (such as proton relaxation times, water diffusion and tumor volume), in imaging calibration structures (phantoms), phantom materials, tissue mimics, and human tissue. The program develops physics models and the uncertainty framework required to provide SI-traceability. Services can be found at https://shop.nist.gov/, type in “MRI” in the product search window.

Description

Biomarkers are parameters that can be quantitatively measured in-vivo and provide information on tissue health/ pathology.

Phantoms are medical imaging calibration structures designed to test scanner performance, image quality, and image-based measurements.

 

The NIST MRI Biomarker Measurement Service provides a path for traceable in vivo measurements by providing SI-traceable calibrations for medical imaging phantoms that are used to calibrate in-vivo measurements.  Shown above are the a) primary SI standards maintained by national metrology institutes, b) NMR calibration system, c) NIST system phantom, and d) quantitative maps of brain biomarkers obtained using a MR fingerprinting technique, which is calibrated using NIST phantoms.