Applications of T1 and T2 relaxation time calculation in tissue differentiation and cancer diagnostics—a systematic literature review

Abstract

IntroductionThe purpose of this review was to summarize current applications of non-contrast-enhanced quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (qMRI) in tissue differentiation, considering healthy tissues as well as comparisons of malignant and benign samples. The analysis concentrates mainly on the epithelium and epithelial breast tissue, especially breast cancer.MethodsA systematic review has been performed based on current recommendations by publishers and foundations. An exhaustive overview of currently used techniques and their potential in medical sciences was obtained by creating a search strategy and explicit inclusion and exclusion criteria.Results and DiscussionPubMed and Elsevier (Scopus & Science Direct) search was narrowed down to studies reporting T1 or T2 values of human tissues, resulting in 404 initial candidates, out of which roughly 20% were found relevant and fitting the review criteria. The nervous system, especially the brain, and connective tissue such as cartilage were the most frequently analyzed, while the breast remained one of the most uncommon subjects of studies. There was little agreement between published T1 or T2 values, and methodologies and experimental setups differed strongly. Few contemporary (after 2000) resources have been identified that were dedicated to studying the relaxation times of tissues and their diagnostic applications. Most publications concentrate on recommended diagnostic standards, for example, breast acquisition of T1- or T2-weighted images using gadolinium-based contrast agents. Not enough data is available yet to decide how repeatable or reliable analysis of relaxation times is in diagnostics, so it remains mainly a research topic. So far, qMRI might be recommended as a diagnostic help providing general insight into the nature of lesions (benign vs. malignant). However, additional means are generally necessary to differentiate between specific lesion types.

Quantitative characterization of breast lesions and normal fibroglandular tissue using compartmentalized diffusion-weighted model: comparison of intravoxel incoherent motion and restriction spectrum imaging

“…There was nonsignificant difference between benign lesions and malignant tumors on C 2 . Previous studies have shown that the T2 relaxation time of benign lesions was significantly higher than that of malignant lesions [ 36 , 37 ]. Therefore, we hypothesize that generally higher C 2 and F 2 signal values of benign lesions may be concerned with the higher T2 value and composition of fibroglandular tissue in some types of benign lesions [ 38 ].…”

Technical note: hydrogel‐based mimics of prostate cancer with matched relaxation, diffusion and kurtosis for validating multi‐parametric MRI

“…Multi‐parametric (mp) MRI is widely used in clinical practice 1–3 for disease detection and evaluation based on the soft‐tissue contrast changes due to altered water magnetization relaxation 4 and diffusion 5 . Recent developments suggest added value in sensitivity and specificity of the quantitative mpMRI protocols, 6,7 particularly for prostate cancer risk stratification 8–10 .…”

The role of MRI technology in liver evaluation for NAFLD patients: Advancements and opportunities

“…MRI is a widely used medical technique that has been in practical use since the 1980s. Quantitative MRI techniques have been developed to assess the relaxation parameters of tissues, [6] including T1 mapping, which quantitatively evaluates and maps the T1 relaxation time for each pixel. T1 mapping displays absolute T1 values, providing a potential method for more objective and accurate tissue property evaluation.…”