Multi-center and multi-vendor evaluation study across 1.5 T and 3 T scanners (part 2): T1 and T2 standardization in the ISMRM/NIST MR phantom

Siria Pasini; Steffen Ringgaard; Tau Vendelboe; Leyre Garcia-Ruiz; Anika Strittmatter; Giulia Villa; Anish Raj; Rebeca Echeverria-Chasco; Michela Bozzetto; Paolo Brambilla; Malene Aastrup; Esben S.S. Hansen; Luisa Pierotti; Matteo Renzulli; Susan T. Francis; Frank G. Zöllner; Christoffer Laustsen; Maria A. Fernandez-Seara; Anna Caroli

doi:10.1007/s10334-025-01260-4

Multi-center and multi-vendor evaluation study across 1.5 T and 3 T scanners (part 2): T1 and T2 standardization in the ISMRM/NIST MR phantom

Siria Pasini, Steffen Ringgaard, Tau Vendelboe, Leyre Garcia-Ruiz, Anika Strittmatter, Giulia Villa, Anish Raj, Rebeca Echeverria-Chasco, Michela Bozzetto, Paolo Brambilla, Malene Aastrup, Esben S.S. Hansen, Luisa Pierotti, Matteo Renzulli, Susan T. Francis, Frank G. Zöllner, Christoffer Laustsen, Maria A. Fernandez-Seara, Anna Caroli^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal/Conference contribution in journal/Contribution to newspaper › Journal article › Research › peer-review

1 Citation (Scopus)

Abstract

Objective: To assess multi-site and multi-vendor accuracy, and intra- and inter-scanner variability of T1 and T2 measurements using the ISMRM/NIST System MRI phantom at room temperature. Materials and methods: T1 and T2 measurements were acquired using standardized NIST protocols on 13 scanners (1.5 T and 3 T) from 3 vendors at 7 sites and compared with reference values at room temperature. Pearson’s correlation (r) and accuracy error were used for comparison with reference values, while inter-scanner agreement was assessed using the coefficient of variation (CV%). Short-term reproducibility was evaluated using Bland–Altman plots and precision error. Generalized linear mixed models and post hoc tests (α = 0.05) were adopted to compare accuracy and precision across field strengths, vendors, and scanners. T2 measurements were corrected with StimFit toolbox for stimulated echo compensation. Results: T1 and T2 measurements had excellent correlation with reference values at both field strengths. Stimfit significantly improved T2 accuracy in the renal range for 9 of 13 scanners. Short-term reproducibility (limits of agreement < 10%) and inter-scanner agreement were good (median CV < 7%) for both T1 and T2 values. Inter-scanner CV was < 5% in the renal range for both parameters. Discussion: These findings support the need of scanner evaluation processes to ensure reliable T1–T2 measurements in multi-center MRI studies.

Original language	English
Article number	e0252966
Journal	Magnetic Resonance Materials in Physics, Biology and Medicine
ISSN	0968-5243
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s10334-025-01260-4
Publication status	E-pub / Early view - 2025

Keywords

MRI
Multi-site
Phantom
Relaxation times
Standardization

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Pasini, S., Ringgaard, S., Vendelboe, T., Garcia-Ruiz, L., Strittmatter, A., Villa, G., Raj, A., Echeverria-Chasco, R., Bozzetto, M., Brambilla, P., Aastrup, M., Hansen, E. S. S., Pierotti, L., Renzulli, M., Francis, S. T., Zöllner, F. G., Laustsen, C., Fernandez-Seara, M. A., & Caroli, A. (2025). Multi-center and multi-vendor evaluation study across 1.5 T and 3 T scanners (part 2): T1 and T2 standardization in the ISMRM/NIST MR phantom. Magnetic Resonance Materials in Physics, Biology and Medicine, Article e0252966. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10334-025-01260-4

@article{507aa82bc0e24216a84fa9f9648dcd1a,

title = "Multi-center and multi-vendor evaluation study across 1.5 T and 3 T scanners (part 2): T1 and T2 standardization in the ISMRM/NIST MR phantom",

abstract = "Objective: To assess multi-site and multi-vendor accuracy, and intra- and inter-scanner variability of T1 and T2 measurements using the ISMRM/NIST System MRI phantom at room temperature. Materials and methods: T1 and T2 measurements were acquired using standardized NIST protocols on 13 scanners (1.5 T and 3 T) from 3 vendors at 7 sites and compared with reference values at room temperature. Pearson{\textquoteright}s correlation (r) and accuracy error were used for comparison with reference values, while inter-scanner agreement was assessed using the coefficient of variation (CV%). Short-term reproducibility was evaluated using Bland–Altman plots and precision error. Generalized linear mixed models and post hoc tests (α = 0.05) were adopted to compare accuracy and precision across field strengths, vendors, and scanners. T2 measurements were corrected with StimFit toolbox for stimulated echo compensation. Results: T1 and T2 measurements had excellent correlation with reference values at both field strengths. Stimfit significantly improved T2 accuracy in the renal range for 9 of 13 scanners. Short-term reproducibility (limits of agreement < 10%) and inter-scanner agreement were good (median CV < 7%) for both T1 and T2 values. Inter-scanner CV was < 5% in the renal range for both parameters. Discussion: These findings support the need of scanner evaluation processes to ensure reliable T1–T2 measurements in multi-center MRI studies.",

keywords = "MRI, Multi-site, Phantom, Relaxation times, Standardization",

author = "Siria Pasini and Steffen Ringgaard and Tau Vendelboe and Leyre Garcia-Ruiz and Anika Strittmatter and Giulia Villa and Anish Raj and Rebeca Echeverria-Chasco and Michela Bozzetto and Paolo Brambilla and Malene Aastrup and Hansen, {Esben S.S.} and Luisa Pierotti and Matteo Renzulli and Francis, {Susan T.} and Z{\"o}llner, {Frank G.} and Christoffer Laustsen and Fernandez-Seara, {Maria A.} and Anna Caroli",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} The Author(s) 2025.",

year = "2025",

doi = "10.1007/s10334-025-01260-4",

language = "English",

journal = "Magnetic Resonance Materials in Physics, Biology and Medicine",

issn = "0968-5243",

publisher = "Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH",

}

Pasini, S , Ringgaard, S , Vendelboe, T, Garcia-Ruiz, L, Strittmatter, A, Villa, G, Raj, A, Echeverria-Chasco, R, Bozzetto, M, Brambilla, P, Aastrup, M , Hansen, ESS, Pierotti, L, Renzulli, M, Francis, ST, Zöllner, FG, Laustsen, C, Fernandez-Seara, MA & Caroli, A 2025, 'Multi-center and multi-vendor evaluation study across 1.5 T and 3 T scanners (part 2): T1 and T2 standardization in the ISMRM/NIST MR phantom', Magnetic Resonance Materials in Physics, Biology and Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10334-025-01260-4

Multi-center and multi-vendor evaluation study across 1.5 T and 3 T scanners (part 2): T1 and T2 standardization in the ISMRM/NIST MR phantom. / Pasini, Siria ; Ringgaard, Steffen ; Vendelboe, Tau et al.
In: Magnetic Resonance Materials in Physics, Biology and Medicine, 2025.

Research output: Contribution to journal/Conference contribution in journal/Contribution to newspaper › Journal article › Research › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Multi-center and multi-vendor evaluation study across 1.5 T and 3 T scanners (part 2)

T2 - T1 and T2 standardization in the ISMRM/NIST MR phantom

AU - Pasini, Siria

AU - Ringgaard, Steffen

AU - Vendelboe, Tau

AU - Garcia-Ruiz, Leyre

AU - Strittmatter, Anika

AU - Villa, Giulia

AU - Raj, Anish

AU - Echeverria-Chasco, Rebeca

AU - Bozzetto, Michela

AU - Brambilla, Paolo

AU - Aastrup, Malene

AU - Hansen, Esben S.S.

AU - Pierotti, Luisa

AU - Renzulli, Matteo

AU - Francis, Susan T.

AU - Zöllner, Frank G.

AU - Laustsen, Christoffer

AU - Fernandez-Seara, Maria A.

AU - Caroli, Anna

PY - 2025

Y1 - 2025

N2 - Objective: To assess multi-site and multi-vendor accuracy, and intra- and inter-scanner variability of T1 and T2 measurements using the ISMRM/NIST System MRI phantom at room temperature. Materials and methods: T1 and T2 measurements were acquired using standardized NIST protocols on 13 scanners (1.5 T and 3 T) from 3 vendors at 7 sites and compared with reference values at room temperature. Pearson’s correlation (r) and accuracy error were used for comparison with reference values, while inter-scanner agreement was assessed using the coefficient of variation (CV%). Short-term reproducibility was evaluated using Bland–Altman plots and precision error. Generalized linear mixed models and post hoc tests (α = 0.05) were adopted to compare accuracy and precision across field strengths, vendors, and scanners. T2 measurements were corrected with StimFit toolbox for stimulated echo compensation. Results: T1 and T2 measurements had excellent correlation with reference values at both field strengths. Stimfit significantly improved T2 accuracy in the renal range for 9 of 13 scanners. Short-term reproducibility (limits of agreement < 10%) and inter-scanner agreement were good (median CV < 7%) for both T1 and T2 values. Inter-scanner CV was < 5% in the renal range for both parameters. Discussion: These findings support the need of scanner evaluation processes to ensure reliable T1–T2 measurements in multi-center MRI studies.

AB - Objective: To assess multi-site and multi-vendor accuracy, and intra- and inter-scanner variability of T1 and T2 measurements using the ISMRM/NIST System MRI phantom at room temperature. Materials and methods: T1 and T2 measurements were acquired using standardized NIST protocols on 13 scanners (1.5 T and 3 T) from 3 vendors at 7 sites and compared with reference values at room temperature. Pearson’s correlation (r) and accuracy error were used for comparison with reference values, while inter-scanner agreement was assessed using the coefficient of variation (CV%). Short-term reproducibility was evaluated using Bland–Altman plots and precision error. Generalized linear mixed models and post hoc tests (α = 0.05) were adopted to compare accuracy and precision across field strengths, vendors, and scanners. T2 measurements were corrected with StimFit toolbox for stimulated echo compensation. Results: T1 and T2 measurements had excellent correlation with reference values at both field strengths. Stimfit significantly improved T2 accuracy in the renal range for 9 of 13 scanners. Short-term reproducibility (limits of agreement < 10%) and inter-scanner agreement were good (median CV < 7%) for both T1 and T2 values. Inter-scanner CV was < 5% in the renal range for both parameters. Discussion: These findings support the need of scanner evaluation processes to ensure reliable T1–T2 measurements in multi-center MRI studies.

KW - MRI

KW - Multi-site

KW - Phantom

KW - Relaxation times

KW - Standardization

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=105005122883&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1007/s10334-025-01260-4

DO - 10.1007/s10334-025-01260-4

M3 - Journal article

AN - SCOPUS:105005122883

SN - 0968-5243

JO - Magnetic Resonance Materials in Physics, Biology and Medicine

JF - Magnetic Resonance Materials in Physics, Biology and Medicine

M1 - e0252966

ER -