Name: Marc-Antoine Fortin
Most recent degree: BSc Physics
Level at MPU: MSc
Email: ma.fortin [at] mail.mcgill.ca
Supervisor(s): Dr. Ives Levesque
Research interests: T1 mapping
Research summary
Due to its broad spectrum of applications, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is one of the most widely used imaging devices for diagnosis of various pathologies. However, most MR images used for diagnostics are said to be qualitative images in comparison with Computed Tomography (CT) for instance. Indeed, in CT, voxel values are directly related to density of tissues (HU number) and physical calculations can be derived from images directly. In MRI, voxels do not contain such information and direct relation with physical properties of the tissue can not be directly derived from them. Recently, MR physicists have been trying to develop techniques to quantify MR images and consequently, a new growing subfield in MRI has been created: Quantitative MRI (qMRI). For instance, quantitative maps of the different relaxation parameters like the T1 relaxation can be directly calculated from MR images. Moreover, the determination of T1 values in the brain can be an useful tool in the prediction of certain pathologies. However, issues in acquisition and standardization of T1 maps are slowing the progress of efficient and accurate qMRI methods. My work is focussed on evaluating the accuracy and feasibility of fast volumetric T1 mapping techniques in the brain. More precisely, my work is oriented on MPnRAGE T1 mapping techniques.
Key publications
Awards
McGill - Graduate Excellence Fellowship (2019)
