MRI Mapping of Renal T1: Basic Concept

Abstract In renal MRI, measurement of the T 1 relaxation time of water molecules may provide a valuable biomarker for a variety of pathological conditions. Due to its sensitivity to the tissue microenvironment, T 1 has gained substantial interest for noninvasive imaging of renal pathology, including inflammation and fibrosis. In this chapter, we will discuss the basic concept of T 1 mapping and different T 1 measurement techniques and we will provide an overview of emerging preclinical applications of T 1 for imaging of kidney disease. This chapter is based upon work from the COST Action PARENCHIMA, a community-driven network funded by the European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) program of the European Union, which aims to improve the reproducibility and standardization of renal MRI biomarkers. This introduction chapter is complemented by two separate chapters describing the experimental procedure and data analysis.