Optimized Magnetic Resonance Fingerprinting Using Ziv-Zakai Bound

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel MRF sequence optimization framework using the Ziv-Zakai bound, which improves tissue parameter map accuracy by better evaluating discrimination errors compared to traditional bounds.

Contribution

It develops a new optimization approach for MRF sequences based on ZZB, providing deeper insights into sequence limitations and enhancing discrimination power.

Findings

ZZB-based optimization outperforms CRB in accuracy

Optimized sequences improve tissue parameter map reconstruction

Provides a new theoretical tool for MRF sequence assessment

Abstract

Magnetic Resonance Fingerprinting (MRF) has emerged as a promising quantitative imaging technique within the field of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), offers comprehensive insights into tissue properties by simultaneously acquiring multiple tissue parameter maps in a single acquisition. Sequence optimization is crucial for improving the accuracy and efficiency of MRF. In this work, a novel framework for MRF sequence optimization is proposed based on the Ziv-Zakai bound (ZZB). Unlike the Cram\'er-Rao bound (CRB), which aims to enhance the quality of a single fingerprint signal with deterministic parameters, ZZB provides insights into evaluating the minimum mismatch probability for pairs of fingerprint signals within the specified parameter range in MRF. Specifically, the explicit ZZB is derived to establish a lower bound for the discrimination error in the fingerprint signal matching process within MRF. This bound illuminates the intrinsic limitations of MRF sequences, thereby fostering a deeper understanding of existing sequence performance. Subsequently, an optimal experiment design problem based on ZZB was formulated to ascertain the optimal scheme of acquisition parameters, maximizing discrimination power of MRF between different tissue types. Preliminary numerical experiments show that the optimized ZZB scheme outperforms both the conventional and CRB schemes in terms of the reconstruction accuracy of multiple parameter maps.