Quantitative T2 Relaxometry in Fetal Brain: Validation Using Modified FaBiaN Fetal Brain MRI Simulator

With development of fast imaging techniques and powerful motion correcting reconstruction techniques, high resolution 3D fetal brain images with a high level of anatomical detail are possible to acquire. A quantitative framework has been proposed that leverages fast imaging techniques and motion correcting reconstruction techniques to build quantitative T2 maps of the fetal brain. This study proposes a simulated phantom that modifies the FaBiaN fetal MRI simulated phantom to enable validation of this quantitative framework. We found that the slice-to-volume reconstruction (SVR) algorithm preserves quantitative T2 measurements and, therefore the proposed pipeline is suitable for reconstruction of quantitative T2 maps of fetal brain tissue.