Dynamic DTI (dDTI) shows differing temporal activation patterns in post-exercise skeletal muscles

Object

To assess post-exercise recovery of human calf muscles using dynamic diffusion tensor imaging (dDTI).

Materials and methods

DTI data (6 directions, b = 0 and 400 s/mm²) were acquired every 35 s from seven healthy men using a 3T MRI, prior to (4 volumes) and immediately following exercise (13 volumes, ~7.5 min). Exercise consisted of 5-min in-bore repetitive dorsiflexion-eversion foot motion with 0.78 kg resistance. Diffusion tensors calculated at each time point produced maps of mean diffusivity (MD), fractional anisotropy (FA), radial diffusivity (RD), and signal at b = 0 s/mm² (S₀). Region-of-interest (ROI) analysis was performed on five calf muscles: tibialis anterior (ATIB), extensor digitorum longus (EDL) peroneus longus (PER), soleus (SOL), and lateral gastrocnemius (LG).

Results

Active muscles (ATIB, EDL, PER) showed significantly elevated initial MD post-exercise, while predicted inactive muscles (SOL, LG) did not (p < 0.0001). The EDL showed a greater initial increase in MD (1.90 × 10^?4mm²/s) than ATIB (1.03 × 10^?4mm²/s) or PER (8.79 × 10^?5 mm²/s) (p = 7.40 × 10^?4), and remained significantly elevated across more time points than ATIB or PER. Significant increases were observed in post-exercise EDL S₀ relative to other muscles across the majority of time points (p < 0.01 to p < 0.001).

Conclusions

dDTI can be used to differentiate exercise-induced changes between muscles. These differences are suggested to be related to differences in fiber composition.

     

Quantitative T 2 * assessment of acute and chronic myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury in mice

Object

Imaging of myocardial infarct composition is essential to assess efficacy of emerging therapeutics. T ₂ ^* mapping has the potential to image myocardial hemorrhage and fibrosis by virtue of its short T ₂ ^* . We aimed to quantify T ₂ ^* in acute and chronic myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury in mice.

Materials and methods

I/R-injury was induced in C57BL/6 mice (n?=?9). Sham-operated mice (n?=?8) served as controls. MRI was performed at baseline, and 1, 7 and 28?days after surgery. MRI at 9.4?T consisted of Cine, T ₂ ^* mapping and late-gadolinium-enhancement (LGE). Mice (n?=?6) were histologically assessed for hemorrhage and collagen in the fibrotic scar.

Results

Baseline T ₂ ^* values were 17.1?±?2.0?ms. At day 1, LGE displayed a homogeneous infarct enhancement. T ₂ ^* in infarct (12.0?±?1.1?ms) and remote myocardium (13.9?±?0.8?ms) was lower than at baseline. On days 7 and 28, LGE was heterogeneous. T ₂ ^* in the infarct decreased to 7.9?±?0.7 and 6.4?±?0.7?ms, whereas T ₂ ^* values in the remote myocardium were 14.2?±?1.1 and 15.6?±?1.0?ms. Histology revealed deposition of iron and collagen in parallel with decreased T ₂ ^* .

Conclusion

T ₂ ^* values are dynamic during infarct development and decrease significantly during scar maturation. In the acute phase, T ₂ ^* values in infarcted myocardium differ significantly from those in the chronic phase. T ₂ ^* mapping was able to confirm the presence of a chronic infarction in cases where LGE was inconclusive. Hence, T ₂ ^* may be used to discriminate between acute and chronic infarctions.     

Quantitative liver ADC measurements using diffusion-weighted MRI at 3 Tesla: evaluation of reproducibility and perfusion dependence using different techniques for respiratory compensation

Object

Diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) of the liver suffers from low signal to noise making 3 Tesla (3 T) an attractive option, but 3 T data is scarce. It was the aim to study the influence of different b values and respiratory compensation methods (RCM) on the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) level and on ADC reproducibility at 3 T.

Materials and methods

Ten healthy volunteers and 12 patients with malignant liver lesions underwent repeated (2–22 days) breathhold, free-breathing and respiratory triggered DWI at 3 T using b values between 0 and 1,000 s/mm².

Results

The ADCs changed up to 150 % in healthy livers and up to 48 % in malignant lesions depending on b value combinations. Best ADC reproducibility in healthy livers were obtained with respiratory triggering (95 % limits of agreement: ±0.12) and free-breathing (±0.14). In malignant lesions equivalent reproducibility was obtained with less RCM dependence. The use of a lower maximum b value (b = 500) decreased reproducibility (±0.14 to ±0.32) in both normal liver and malignant lesions.

Conclusion

Large differences in absolute ADC values and reproducibility caused by varying combinations of clinically realistic b values were demonstrated. Different RCMs caused smaller differences. Lowering maximum b value to 500 increased limits of agreement up to a factor of two. Serial ADC changes larger than approximately 15 % can be detected confidently on an individual basis in both malignant lesions and normal liver parenchyma at 3 T using appropriate b values and respiratory compensation.     

Evaluation of a mobile NMR sensor for determining skin layers and locally estimating the T2eff relaxation time in the lower arm

Object

The nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) mobile-universal-surface-explorer (MOUSE) was evaluated in a pilot study to determine its ability to detect physiological changes in human skin caused by physical or pharmacological interventions.

Materials and methods

The left lower arm skin thicknesses of ten male subjects were measured five times using a Profile NMR-MOUSE^? (¹H, 19?MHz) before and after a venous occlusion manoeuvre. In five of the subjects, the T_2eff relaxation times were derived from a bi-exponential fitting and were determined in the dermis and subcutis before and after applying a salve containing capsaicin.

Results

The dermis (including the epidermis) showed rather homogeneous signal amplitudes. The subcutis was characterised by higher and more variable amplitudes. The full-skin thickness values were affirmed by ultrasound imaging. The NMR profiles did not show significant skin swelling due to venous occlusion. In the dermis, capsaicin caused significant (p?<?0.05) decreases in both components of T _2eff (100?±?19?ms?C19?±?10?ms; 9.5?±?0.5?ms?C7.2?±?1.6?ms). In the subcutis, the T _2eff was not affected.

Conclusion

In principle, NMR-MOUSE profiles are capable of detecting skin structure. However, precise measurements are jeopardised by poor reproducibility, long acquisition times, and incompatibility between the geometries of the sensitive area of the instrument and the non-planar structure of the skin. In the dermis, T _2eff contrast could be used to detect the changes in tissue composition caused by inflammatory reactions.     

Diffusion-weighted imaging of the liver: usefulness of ADC values in the differential diagnosis of focal lesions and effect of ROI methods on ADC measurements

Object

By measuring the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) of liver parenchyma and focal hepatic lesions (FHL) we proposed to investigate the utility of ADC in the differential diagnosis of hepatic disease and to determine the influence of region of interest (ROI) characteristics in those measurements.

Materials and methods

Ninety-three patients with at least one supracentimetric FHL, or parenchymal abnormality, were retrospectively evaluated. Diagnosis was based on histopathologic data or, alternatively, on a combination of consensus between imaging methods and 24 months of follow-up. Ninety lesions were evaluated with respiratory-triggered diffusion-weighted imaging (b values: 50 and 700 s/mm²): 14 hepatocellular carcinomas, 18 metastases, 10 focal nodular hyperplasias, four adenomas, 30 hemangiomas and 14 cysts. ADC of hepatic parenchyma was measured by placing ROIs in four different segments, and in FHLs by using three circular 1 cm² ROIs and one ROI encompassing the full lesion. Data was statistically analyzed (p < 0.05 considered significant), and a receiver operating characteristic curve was assessed to evaluate the accuracy for the diagnosis of malignancy.

Results

Our measurements showed that parenchyma ADC was significantly higher in segment II and that ADCs of malignant lesions were significantly lower than those of benign lesions (p < 0.001). There was significant overlap between benign solid lesions and malignant lesions and the area under the curve for malignancy was 0.939 (sensitivity 89.7 %, specificity 90.6 %), using a cutoff of 1.43 × 10^?3 mm²/s. No significant difference was found between ROIs of different characteristics.

Conclusion

ADC measurements can help to characterize FHLs and differentiate normal from pathological parenchyma. Any ROI above 1 cm² can provide accurate ADC measurements in homogenous lesions.     

Intravoxel incoherent motion analysis of abdominal organs: computation of reference parameters in a large cohort of C57Bl/6 mice and correlation to microvessel density

Objective

Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DW-MRI) combined with intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) analysis may be applied for assessment of organ lesions, diffuse parenchymal pathologies, and therapy monitoring. The aim of this study was to determine IVIM reference parameters of abdominal organs for translational research in a large cohort of C57Bl/6 laboratory mice.

Materials and methods

Anesthetized mice (n = 29) were measured in a 4.7 T small-animal MR scanner with a diffusion-weighted echo-planar imaging sequence at the \(b\)-values 0, 13, 24, 55, 107, 260, 514, 767, 1020 s/mm². IVIM analysis was conducted on the liver, spleen, renal medulla and cortex, pancreas, and small bowel with computation of the true tissue diffusion coefficient \(D_{\text{t}}\), the perfusion fraction \(f_{\text{p}}\), and the pseudodiffusion coefficient \(D_{\text{p}}\). Microvessel density (MVD) was assessed by immunohistochemistry (IHC) against panendothelial cell antigen CD31.

Results

Mean values of the different organs [\(D_{\text{t}}\) (10^?3 mm²/s); \(f_{\text{p}}\) (%); \(D_{\text{p}}\) (10^?3 mm²/s); MVD (MV/mm²)]: liver 1.15 ± 0.14; 14.77 ± 6.15; 50.28 ± 33.21, 2008.48 ± 419.43, spleen 0.55 ± 0.12; 9.89 ± 5.69; 24.46 ± 17.31; n.d., renal medulla 1.50 ± 0.20; 14.63 ± 4.07; 35.50 ± 18.01; 1231.88 ± 290.61, renal cortex 1.34 ± 0.18; 10.83 ± 3.70; 16.74 ± 6.74; 810.09 ± 193.50, pancreas 1.23 ± 0.22; 20.12 ± 7.46; 29.35 ± 17.82, 591.15 ± 86.25 and small bowel 1.06 ± 0.13; 16.48 ± 3.63; 15.31 ± 7.00; 420.50 ± 168.42. Unlike \(D_{\text{t}}\) and \(f_{\text{p}}\), \(D_{\text{p}}\) correlates significantly with MVD (r = 0.90, p = 0.037).

Conclusion

This systematic evaluation of murine abdominal organs with IVIM and MVD analysis allowed to establish reference parameters for future DW-MRI translational research studies on small-animal disease models.

     

Scan time minimization in hepatic diffusion-weighted imaging: evaluation of the simultaneous multislice acceleration technique with different acceleration factors and gradient preparation schemes

Objective

To evaluate simultaneous multislice (sms) accelerated diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) of the liver in comparison to conventional sequences.

Materials and methods

Ten volunteers underwent DWI of the liver at 1.5 T. Four different sms-accelerated sequences with monopolar and bipolar gradient preparation (MP, BP) and acceleration factors 2 and 3 (sms2-DWI, sms3-DWI) were compared to conventional DWI (c-DWI). Image quality criteria rated on a 5-point Likert scale (5 = excellent), image quality sum scores (maximum 120), and ADC were compared using Friedman test and Dunn-Bonferroni post hoc test. Bland–Altman plots were calculated for ADC comparison. p values <0.05 were considered significant.

Results

Sms2-DWI offered scan time minimization of 67 % without significant difference in image quality (sum score: sms2-DWI MP/BP: 97 ± 8/92 ± 9; c-DWI MP/BP: 99 ± 8/97 ± 8). Sms3-DWI offered slight additional scan time minimization with significantly inferior image quality (sum score: sms3-DWI MP/BP: 75 ± 14/69 ± 14; p < 0.001). MP preparation provided slightly higher image quality in sms-DWI without statistical significance. ADC in sms-DWI were significantly lower (sms2-DWI MP 1.01 × 10^?3 mm²/s; c-DWI MP 1.20 × 10^?3 mm²/s; p < 0.001).

Conclusion

Sms2-DWI provides considerable scan time minimization without significant shortcomings in image quality. Sms3-DWI provides significantly inferior image quality without further scan time minimization. Potentially lower ADC in sms-DWI should be considered in clinical routine.

     

Magnetic resonance imaging of solid dental restoration materials using 3D UTE sequences: visualization and relaxometry of various compounds

Object

Due to an increasing scientific interest in MR-imaging of carious lesions and teeth, an accurate signal characterization of dental restoration materials is necessary for optimization of MR sequence protocols and evaluation of material degradation. Therefore, signal yield and relaxation behavior of common dental restoration materials in comparison to those of dentine of extracted human teeth were assessed in vitro by ultrashort echo time (UTE) sequences.

Materials and methods

Eighteen material samples and dentine of two freshly extracted human teeth were investigated on a 3T whole-body clinical MR-scanner. Transverse (T2*) and longitudinal relaxation times (T1) were quantified using a recently published modified Ernst equation that takes relevant in-pulse relaxation effects into account.

Results

All investigated samples could be successfully visualized but maximum signal yield was highly variable between samples. T1-values of the investigated dental restoration materials ranged between 28 and 365 ms, whereas T2*-values ranged between 96 and 917 μs. In contrast, T1-values of dentine (T1 = 545 ms ± 299 ms) were higher, while T2*-values (T2* = 478 μs ± 271 μs) showed similar values.

Conclusions

Dental restoration materials and dentine of extracted human teeth can be visualized by UTE sequences and show a broad range of signal yield and relaxation times.     

In vivo chlorine and sodium MRI of rat brain at 21.1 T

Object

MR imaging of low-gamma nuclei at the ultrahigh magnetic field of 21.1 T provides a new opportunity for understanding a variety of biological processes. Among these, chlorine and sodium are attracting attention for their involvement in brain function and cancer development.

Materials and methods

MRI of ³⁵Cl and ²³Na were performed and relaxation times were measured in vivo in normal rat (n = 3) and in rat with glioma (n = 3) at 21.1 T. The concentrations of both nuclei were evaluated using the center-out back-projection method.

Results

T ₁ relaxation curve of chlorine in normal rat head was fitted by bi-exponential function (T _1a = 4.8 ms (0.7) T _1b = 24.4 ± 7 ms (0.3) and compared with sodium (T ₁ = 41.4 ms). Free induction decays (FID) of chlorine and sodium in vivo were bi-exponential with similar rapidly decaying components of $ T_{{2{\text{a}}}}^{*} = 0.4 $  ms and $ T_{{2{\text{a}}}}^{*} = 0.53 $  ms, respectively. Effects of small acquisition matrix and bi-exponential FIDs were assessed for quantification of chlorine (33.2 mM) and sodium (44.4 mM) in rat brain.

Conclusion

The study modeled a dramatic effect of the bi-exponential decay on MRI results. The revealed increased chlorine concentration in glioma (~1.5 times) relative to a normal brain correlates with the hypothesis asserting the importance of chlorine for tumor progression.     

Spatially resolved kinetics of skeletal muscle exercise response and recovery with multiple echo diffusion tensor imaging (MEDITI): a feasibility study

Objectives

We describe measurement of skeletal muscle kinetics with multiple echo diffusion tensor imaging (MEDITI). This approach allows characterization of the microstructural dynamics in healthy and pathologic muscle.

Materials and methods

In a Siemens 3-T Skyra scanner, MEDITI was used to collect dynamic DTI with a combination of rapid diffusion encoding, radial imaging, and compressed sensing reconstruction in a multi-compartment agarose gel rotation phantom and within in vivo calf muscle. An MR-compatible ergometer (Ergospect Trispect) was employed to enable in-scanner plantar flexion exercise. In a HIPAA-compliant study with written informed consent, post-exercise recovery of DTI metrics was quantified in eight volunteers. Exercise response of DTI metrics was compared with that of T2-weighted imaging and characterized by a gamma variate model.

Results

Phantom results show quantification of diffusivities in each compartment over its full dynamic rotation. In vivo calf imaging results indicate larger radial than axial exercise response and recovery in the plantar flexion-challenged gastrocnemius medialis (fractional response: nT2w?=?0.385?±?0.244, nMD?=?0.163?±?0.130, nλ₁?=?0.110?±?0.093, nλ_rad?=?0.303?±?0.185). Diffusion and T2-weighted response magnitudes were correlated (e.g., r?=?0.792, p?=?0.019 for nMD vs. nT2w).

Conclusion

We have demonstrated the feasibility of MEDITI for capturing spatially resolved diffusion tensor data in dynamic systems including post-exercise skeletal muscle recovery following in-scanner plantar flexion.

     

Amide proton transfer (APT) magnetic resonance imaging of prostate cancer: comparison with Gleason scores

Objective

To evaluate the utility of amide proton transfer (APT) imaging in estimating the Gleason score (GS) of prostate cancer (Pca).

Materials and methods

Sixty-six biopsy-proven cancers were categorized into four groups according to the GS: GS-6 (3 + 3); GS-7 (3 + 4/4 + 3); GS-8 (4 + 4) and GS-9 (4 + 5/5 + 4). APT signal intensities (APT SIs) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values of each GS group were compared by one-way analysis of variance with Tukey’s HSD post hoc test.

Results

The mean and standard deviation of the APT SIs (%) and ADC values (×10^?3 mm²/s) were as follows: GS-6, 2.48 ± 0.59 and 1.16 ± 0.26; GS-7, 5.17 ± 0.66 and 0.92 ± 0.18; GS-8, 2.56 ± 0.85 and 0.86 ± 0.17; GS-9, 1.96 ± 0.75 and 0.85 ± 0.18, respectively. The APT SI of the GS-7 group was highest, and there were significant differences between the GS-6 and GS-7 groups and the GS-7 and GS-9 groups (p < 0.05). The ADC value of the GS-6 group was significantly higher than each value of the GS-7, GS-8, and GS-9 groups (p < 0.05), but no significant differences were obtained among the GS-7, GS-8, and GS-9 groups.

Conclusion

The mean APT SI in Pca with a GS of 7 was higher than that for the other GS groups.

     

3T Renal 23Na-MRI: effects of desmopressin in patients with central diabetes insipidus

Purpose

The purpose of this prospective study was to assess physiologic changes in the renal corticomedullary ²³Na-concentration ([²³Na]) gradient with ²³Na-MRI at 3.0T in patients with central diabetes insipidus (CDI) before and after intranasal administration of 20 μg desmopressin (DDAVP).

Methods and materials

Four patients with CDI (all male, mean age 60.2 years) were included in this IRB-approved study. For ²³Na-imaging, a 3D density adapted, radial GRE-sequence (TE = 0.55 ms; TR = 120 ms; projections = 8,000; spatial resolution = 5 × 5 × 5 mm³) was used in combination with a dedicated ²³Na-coil and reference phantoms. The corticomedullary [²³Na] gradient (in mmol/L/mm) was calculated pixel-by-pixel along a linear region-of-interest (ROI) spanning from the renal cortex in the direction of the medulla. Mean ± SDs of [²³Na] were calculated for each patient as well as for the entire group.

Results

Mean [²³Na] increased along the corticomedullary gradient from the cortex (pre-DDAVP 38.0 ± 6.3 mmol/L vs. post-DDAVP 30.7 ± 3.5 mmol/L) to the medulla (pre-DDAVP 71.6 ± 14.8 mmol/L vs. post-DDAVP 59.7 ± 10.8 mmol/L). The overall mean decrease of [²³Na] after DDAVP administration was 17.1 ± 1.1 %.

Conclusion

²³Na-MRI with state-of-the-art techniques at 3T depicts the physiologic renal response to the administration of desmopressin in patients with central diabetes insipidus.     

Quantitative in vivo 23Na MR imaging of the healthy human kidney: determination of physiological ranges at 3.0T with comparison to DWI and BOLD

Objectives

The purpose of this prospective study was to assess the normal physiologic ranges of the renal corticomedullary ²³Na-concentration ([²³Na]) gradient at 3.0T in healthy volunteers. The corticomedullary [²³Na] gradient was correlated with other functional MR imaging parameters—blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI)—and to individual and physiologic parameters—age, gender, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), body mass index (BMI), and blood serum sodium concentration ([²³Na]_serum).

Methods and materials

50 healthy volunteers (30 m, 20 w; mean age: 29.2 years) were included in this IRB-approved study, without a specific a priori preparation in regard to water or food intake. For ²³Na-imaging a 3D density adapted, radial gradient echo (GRE)-sequence (spatial resolution = 5 × 5 × 5 mm³) was used in combination with a dedicated ²³Na-coil and ²³Na-reference phantoms. [²³Na] values of the corticomedullary [²³Na] gradient were measured by placement of a linear region of interest (20 × 1 mm²) from the renal cortex in the direction of the renal medulla. By using external standard reference phantoms, [²³Na] was calculated in mmol/L of wet tissue volume (mmol/l WTV). Axial diffusion-weighted images (spatial resolution = 1.7 × 1.7 × 5.0 mm³) and 2D GRE BOLD images (spatial resolution = 1.2 × 1.2 × 4.0 mm³) were acquired. Mean values ± standard deviations for [²³Na], apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values, and R2* values were computed for each volunteer. The corticomedullary ²³Na-concentration gradient (in mmol/l/mm) was calculated along the area of linear concentration increase from the cortex in the direction of the medulla. Correlations between the [²³Na] and DWI, BOLD, and the physiologic parameters were assessed with Pearson correlation coefficients.

Results

The mean corticomedullary [²³Na] for all healthy volunteers increased from the renal cortex (58 ± 17 mmol/l WTV) in the direction of the medulla (99 ± 18 mmol/l WTV). The inter-individual differences ranged from respective cortical and medullary values of 27 and 63 mmol/L WTV to 126 and 187 mmol/L WTV. No statistically significant differences in renal [²³Na] were found based on differences in individual or physiologic parameters (age, gender, [²³Na]_serum, BMI, GFR). No ADC or R2* gradients were identified, and [²³Na] did not correlate with these parameters.

Conclusion

Renal corticomedullary [²³Na] values increase from the cortex in the direction of the medullary pyramid, demonstrating wide inter-individual ranges and no significant correlations with age, gender, [²³Na]_serum, BMI, GFR, ADC, or R2* values. For future clinical evaluations, an approach relying on renal stimulation (e.g. pharmacologically induced diuresis) may be applicable to account for wide inter-individual ranges of normal [²³Na].     

An embedded optical tracking system for motion-corrected magnetic resonance imaging at 7T

Object

Prospective motion correction using data from optical tracking systems has been previously shown to reduce motion artifacts in MR imaging of the head. We evaluate a novel optical embedded tracking system.

Materials and methods

The home-built optical embedded tracking system performs image processing within a 7T scanner bore, enabling high speed tracking. Corrected and uncorrected in vivo MR volumes are acquired interleaved using a modified 3D FLASH sequence, and their image quality is assessed and compared.

Results

The latency between motion and correction of the slice position was measured to be (19?±?5)?ms, and the tracking noise has a standard deviation no greater than 10???m/0.005° during conventional MR scanning. Prospective motion correction improved the edge strength by 16?% on average, even though the volunteers were asked to remain motionless during the acquisitions.

Conclusion

Using a novel method for validating the effectiveness of in vivo prospective motion correction, we have demonstrated that prospective motion correction using motion data from the embedded tracking system considerably improved image quality.     

Chlorine and sodium chemical shift imaging during acute stroke in a rat model at 9.4 Tesla

Object

A triple-resonant coil setup with an ¹H linear resonator and a double-tuned ²³Na/³⁵Cl surface coil was used to study the evolution of T ₂ ^* and M ₀ for ³⁵Cl and ²³Na in a rat stroke model during the acute phase at 9.4 Tesla.

Materials and methods

In vivo measurements were performed 1.5–7 h after onset of stroke (n = 2), ten days after onset (n = 1) and on a healthy control rat by a chemical shift imaging sequence. Measurement times were 15 min (²³Na) and 57 min (³⁵Cl).

Results

The relaxation times ten days after onset [T ₂ ^*  = 14.3 ± 1.8 ms (²³Na) and 6.0 ± 1.3 ms (³⁵Cl)] are clearly prolonged in comparison to a healthy rat [T ₂ ^*  = 4.8 ± 0.6 ms (²³Na) and 2.1 ± 0.3 ms (³⁵Cl)] and the acute phase [T ₂ ^*  = 5.6 ± 0.2 ms (²³Na) and 1.9 ± 0.1 ms (³⁵Cl)].

Conclusion

M ₀ in the infarcted region clearly rises later and slower for chlorine than for sodium. To the best of our knowledge, these are the first combined proton, sodium, and chlorine measurements in an animal stroke model during the acute phase.     

Influence of spatial resolution and contrast agent dosage on myocardial T1 relaxation times

Objective

Our aim was to study the influence of small variations in spatial resolution and contrast agent dosage on myocardial T1 relaxation time.

Materials and methods

Twenty-nine healthy volunteers underwent cardiovascular magnetic resonance at 3T twice, including a modified look-locker inversion recovery (MOLLI) technique—3(3)3(3)5—for T1 mapping. Native T1 was assessed in three spatial resolutions (voxel size 1.4 × 1.4 × 6, 1.6 × 1.6 × 6, 1.7 × 1.7 × 6 mm³), and postcontrast T1 after 0.1 and 0.2 mmol/kg gadobutrol. Partition coefficient was calculated based on myocardial and blood T1. T1 analysis was done per segment, per slice, and for the whole heart.

Results

Native T1 values did not differ with varying spatial resolution per segment (p = 0.116–0.980), per slice (basal: p = 0.772; middle: p = 0.639; apex: p = 0.276), and globally (p = 0.191). Postcontrast T1 values were significantly lower with higher contrast agent dosage (p < 0.001). The global partition coefficient was 0.43 ± 0.3 for 0.2 and 0.1 mmol gadobutrol (p = 0.079).

Conclusion

Related to the tested MOLLI technique at 3T, very small variations in spatial resolution (voxel sizes between 1.4 × 1.4 × 6 and 1.7 × 1.7 × 6 mm³) remained without effect on the native T1 relaxation times. Postcontrast T1 values were naturally shorter with higher contrast agent dosage while the partition coefficient remained constant. Further studies are necessary to test whether these conclusions hold true for larger matrix sizes and in larger cohorts.

     

Relative enhanced diffusivity: noise sensitivity,protocol optimization,and the relation to intravoxel incoherent motion

Objective

To explore the relationship between relative enhanced diffusivity (RED) and intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM), as well as the impact of noise and the choice of intermediate diffusion weighting (b value) on the RED parameter.

Materials and methods

A mathematical derivation was performed to cast RED in terms of the IVIM parameters. Noise analysis and b value optimization was conducted by using Monte Carlo calculations to generate diffusion-weighted imaging data appropriate to breast and liver tissue at three different signal-to-noise ratios.

Results

RED was shown to be approximately linearly proportional to the IVIM parameter f, inversely proportional to D and to follow an inverse exponential decay with respect to D*. The choice of intermediate b value was shown to be important in minimizing the impact of noise on RED and in maximizing its discriminatory power. RED was shown to be essentially a reparameterization of the IVIM estimates for f and D obtained with three b values.

Conclusion

RED imaging in the breast and liver should be performed with intermediate b values of 100 and 50 s/mm², respectively. Future clinical studies involving RED should also estimate the IVIM parameters f and D using three b values for comparison.

     

Inferring diameters of spheres and cylinders using interstitial water

Object

Most early methods to infer axon diameter distributions using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) used single diffusion encoding sequences such as pulsed gradient spin echo (SE) and are thus sensitive to axons of diameters > 5 μm. We previously simulated oscillating gradient (OG) SE sequences for diffusion spectroscopy to study smaller axons including the majority constituting cortical connections. That study suggested the model of constant extra-axonal diffusion breaks down at OG accessible frequencies. In this study we present data from phantoms to test a time-varying interstitial apparent diffusion coefficient.

Materials and Methods

Diffusion spectra were measured in four samples from water packed around beads of diameters 3, 6 and 10 μm; and 151 μm diameter tubes. Surface-to-volume ratios, and diameters were inferred.

Results

The bead pore radii estimates were 0.60±0.08 μm, 0.54±0.06 μm and 1.0±0.1 μm corresponding to bead diameters ranging from 2.9±0.4 μm to 5.3±0.7 μm, 2.6±0.3 μm to 4.8±0.6 μm, and 4.9±0.7 μm to 9±1 μm. The tube surface-to-volume ratio estimate was 0.06±0.02 μm^?1 corresponding to a tube diameter of 180±70 μm.

Conclusion

Interstitial models with OG inferred 3-10 μm bead diameters from 0.54±0.06 μm to 1.0±0.1 μm pore radii and 151 μm tube diameters from 0.06±0.02 μm^?1 surface-to-volume ratios.

     

Oxygen incorporation in porous thin films of strontium doped lanthanum ferrite

Electrical conductivity relaxation measurements were carried out on thin films of (La_0.6Sr_0.4)_0.99 FeO_3????? deposited on MgO (100) substrates by pulsed laser deposition in order to determine the surface exchange coefficient, k _Ex, of the oxygen incorporation process in the temperature range 550?C700°C. The composition of the films was verified using wavelength dispersive x-ray and Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy. Scanning electron microscopy showed small triangular crystallites with the largest dimension 80 nm and the smallest dimension 10 nm. X-ray diffraction showed a cubic perovskite structure and significant texturing. At a constant temperature, k _Ex was found to be a function only of the final $p_{\mathrm{O_{2}}}$ of the $p_{\mathrm{O_{2}}}$ -changes the sample was subjected to during conductivity relaxation experiments, confirming that the magnitude of the exchange coefficient was not influenced by changes in ionic defect concentrations. The k _Ex-values determined for these thin films were significantly lower than for bulk samples. A value of 3.6 × 10^???6 cm s^???1 was obtained at 702°C and a final $p_{\mathrm{O_{2}}}$ of 0.048 atm, approximately a factor of six lower than that obtained for bulk samples. An activation energy of 282 ± 20 kJ mol^???1 was found for the surface exchange coefficient at $p_{\mathrm{O_{2}}}$ =?0.048 atm. Possible reasons for the reduced magnitude of k _Ex are discussed including the role of thermal history in influencing surface morphology and chemistry.     

Influence of the spinning rate in the HR-MAS pattern of mobile lipids in C6 glioma cells and in artificial oil bodies

Object

To evaluate how spinning rate affects mobile lipid (ML) resonances visibility in HR-MAS spectra of C6 glioma cells and artificial oil bodies (AOB), as models of cytosolic lipid droplets.

Materials and methods

Using C6 cells and AOB of two different sizes, 780?±?580 and 240?±?293?nm, as models, we acquired HR-MAS pulse and acquire spectra at different spinning rates between 500 and 15,000?Hz, all at 37?°C.

Results

Sample spinning at 15,000?Hz increased by 2.3 and 4.6-fold with respect to 500?Hz spinning the area of resonances corresponding to ML at 0.88 and 1.28?ppm, respectively, for log phase C6 cells. Furthermore, postconfluent C6 cells displayed an increase of 2.5-fold at 0.88?ppm and 4.2-fold at 1.28?ppm. These changes were reversible upon low speed spinning. AOBs did show much lower ML area increases (1.4?C1.5-fold) upon high-speed HR-MAS.

Conclusion

ML can be reversibly mobilized in C6 glioma cells by high-speed HR-MAS, partially unveiling the NMR ??invisible?? ML pool. A small part of the ML pool also shows reduced visibility in freely tumbling AOBs.