Quantitative imaging through the production chain: from idea to application

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has revolutionised radiology, offering a wealth of contrast information on the structure, function and metabolism of organs. Yet, clinical MR images used in routine protocols rely on shades of grey where hypointensities and hyperintensities are visually identified by radiologists. Quantitative MR imaging (qMRI) is a promising alternative providing reproducible measurements that can be compared across patients and timepoints. With quantitative imaging, we are referring not only to relaxometry-type measurements, where water spin magnetic properties are probed, but also any physical quantities that can be derived from MRI signal by means of biophysical models (with diffusion, perfusion, fat fraction, flow and quantitative susceptibility mapping being some of the most notable examples). Since quantitative imaging typically requires longer acquisition times than qualitative imaging and because its full clinical value and meaning are not yet fully understood in all pathologies, its clinical adoption is often met with some resistance. Modern MR technology including high-performance hardware and computing power has allowed scientists in academia and the industry to effectively accelerate the acquisition and reconstruction processes, making quantitative imaging increasingly compatible with medical diagnostic workflows...