Relaxation measurements of an MRI system phantom at low magnetic field strengths

Published

May 20, 2023

Author(s)

Michele Martin, Kalina Jordanova, Anthony Kos, Stephen E. Russek, Katy Keenan, Karl Stupic

Abstract

Abstract Objective Temperature controlled T1 and T2 relaxation times are measured on NiCl2 and MnCl2 solutions from the ISMRM/NIST system phantom at low magnetic field strengths of 6.5 mT, 64 mT and 550 mT. Materials and methods The T1 and T2 were measured of five samples with increasing concentrations of NiCl2 and five samples with increasing concentrations of MnCl2. All samples were scanned at 6.5 mT, 64 mT and 550 mT, at sample temperatures ranging from 10 °C to 37 °C. Results The NiCl2 solutions showed little change in T1 and T2 with magnetic field strength, and both relaxation times decreased with increasing temperature. The MnCl2 solutions showed an increase in T1 and a decrease in T2 with increasing magnetic field strength, and both T1 and T2 increased with increasing temperature. Discussion The low field relaxation rates of the NiCl2 and MnCl2 arrays in the ISMRM/NIST system phantom are investigated and compared to results from clinical field strengths of 1.5 T and 3.0 T. The measurements can be used as a benchmark for MRI system functionality and stability, especially when MRI systems are taken out of the radiology suite or laboratory and into less traditional environments.

Citation

Magnetic Resonance Materials in Physics Biology and Medicine

Volume

36

Issue

3

Pub Type

Journals

Download Paper

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10334-023-01086-y

Local Download

Citation

Martin, M. , Jordanova, K. , Kos, A. , Russek, S. , Keenan, K. and Stupic, K. (2023), Relaxation measurements of an MRI system phantom at low magnetic field strengths, Magnetic Resonance Materials in Physics Biology and Medicine, [online], https://doi.org/10.1007/s10334-023-01086-y, https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=935918 (Accessed October 13, 2025)