Metrology for MRI: the field you've never heard of

Abstract

Quantitative MRI has been an active area of research for decades and has produced a huge range of approaches with enormous potential for patient benefit. In many cases, however, there are challenges with reproducibility which have hampered clinical translation. Quantitative MRI is a form of measurement and like any other form of measurement it requires a supporting metrological framework to be fully consistent and compatible with the international system of units. This means not just expressing results in terms of seconds, meters, etc., but demonstrating consistency to their internationally recognized definitions. Such a framework for MRI is not yet complete, but a considerable amount of work has been done internationally towards building one. This article describes the current state of the art for MRI metrology, including a detailed description of metrological principles and how they are relevant to fully quantitative MRI. It also undertakes a gap analysis of where we are versus where we need to be to support reproducibility in MRI. It focusses particularly on the role and activities of national measurement institutes across the globe, illustrating the genuinely international and collaborative nature of the field.

Keywords: MRI; Metrology; Quantitative MRI; Reproducibility; Traceability; Uncertainty.

Fig. 1

The pyramid of traceability. As we move down the pyramid, the associated measurement techniques have increased uncertainty. Depending on application and quantity of interest, some intermediate steps may be missing

Fig. 2

Schematic of the NMR system used for NIST MRI Biomarker Measurement Service