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The water proton longitudinal relaxation time, T 1 , is a common and useful MR parameter in nephrology research. Here we provide three step-by-step T 1 -mapping protocols suitable for different types of nephrology research. Firstly, we provide a single-slice 2D saturation recovery protocol suitable for studies of global pathology, where whole-kidney coverage is unnecessary. Secondly, we provide an inversion recovery type imaging protocol that may be optimized for specific kidney disease applications. Finally, we also provide imaging protocol for small animal kidney imaging in a clinical scanner.This chapter is based upon work from the COST Action PARENCHIMA, a community-driven network funded by the European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) program of the European Union, which aims to improve the reproducibility and standardization of renal MRI biomarkers. This analysis protocol chapter is complemented by two separate chapters describing the basic concept and experimental procedure.

In renal MRI, measurement of the T 1 relaxation time of water molecules may provide a valuable biomarker for a variety of pathological conditions. Due to its sensitivity to the tissue microenvironment, T 1 has gained substantial interest for noninvasive imaging of renal pathology, including inflammation and fibrosis. In this chapter, we will discuss the basic concept of T 1 mapping and different T 1 measurement techniques and we will provide an overview of emerging preclinical applications of T 1 for imaging of kidney disease.This chapter is based upon work from the COST Action PARENCHIMA, a community-driven network funded by the European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) program of the European Union, which aims to improve the reproducibility and standardization of renal MRI biomarkers. This introduction chapter is complemented by two separate chapters describing the experimental procedure and data analysis.

The computation of T 1 maps from MR datasets represents an important step toward the precise characterization of kidney disease models in small animals. Here the main strategies to analyze renal T 1 mapping datasets derived from small rodents are presented. Suggestions are provided with respect to essential software requirements, and advice is provided as to how dataset completeness and quality may be evaluated. The various fitting models applicable to T 1 mapping are presented and discussed. Finally, some methods are proposed for validating the obtained results.This chapter is based upon work from the COST Action PARENCHIMA, a community-driven network funded by the European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) program of the European Union, which aims to improve the reproducibility and standardization of renal MRI biomarkers. This analysis protocol chapter is complemented by two separate chapters describing the basic concept and experimental procedure.