A B1‐insensitive high resolution 2D T1 mapping pulse sequence for dGEMRIC of the HIP at 3 Tesla

Early detection of cartilage degeneration in the hip may help prevent onset and progression of osteoarthritis in young patients with femoroacetabular impingement. Delayed gadolinium‐enhanced MRI of cartilage is sensitive to cartilage glycosaminoglycan loss and could serve as a diagnostic tool for early cartilage degeneration. We propose a new high resolution 2D T₁ mapping saturation–recovery pulse sequence with fast spin echo readout for delayed gadolinium‐enhanced magnetic resonance imaging of cartilage of the hip at 3 T. The proposed sequence was validated in a phantom and in 10 hips, using radial imaging planes, against a rigorous multipoint saturation–recovery pulse sequence with fast spin echo readout. T₁ measurements by the two pulse sequences were strongly correlated (R² > 0.95) and in excellent agreement (mean difference = ?8.7 ms; upper and lower 95% limits of agreement = 64.5 and ?81.9 ms, respectively). T₁ measurements were insensitive to B₁₊ variation as large as 20%, making the proposed T₁ mapping technique suitable for 3 T. Magn Reson Med, 2011. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.