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Liu S, Zhang Y, Liu W, Yin T, Yuan J, Ran J, Li X. Simultaneous multi-slice technique for reducing acquisition times in diffusion tensor imaging of the knee: a feasibility study. Skeletal Radiol 2024:10.1007/s00256-024-04719-y. [PMID: 38913177 DOI: 10.1007/s00256-024-04719-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2024] [Revised: 05/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/25/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To explore the feasibility of simultaneous multi-slice (SMS) technique for reducing acquisition times in readout-segmented echo planar imaging (RESOLVE) for diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) of the knee. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 30 healthy volunteers and 23 patients with knee acute injury (12 cases with anterior ligament (ACL) tears and 16 cases with patellar cartilage (PC) injury) were enrolled in this prospective study. Three DTI protocols were used: conventional RESOLVE-DTI with 12 directions (protocol 1), SMS-RESOLVE-DTI with 12 directions (protocol 2) and 20 directions (protocol 3). DTI parameters of gastrocnemius, ACL and posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), and PC from three protocols were quantitatively assessed. RESULTS For volunteers, protocol 2 significantly reduced acquisition time by 38.6% and 34.2% compared to protocols 1 and 3 while maintaining similar high-quality images and similar diffusive parameters, except for the fractional anisotropy (FA) and axial diffusivity (AD) of the PC between protocols 2 and 1 (P < 0.05). For injured ACL and PC, protocols 1 and 2 showed similar accurate diffusive parameters (except for AD, P = 0.025) and similar diagnostic efficacy, which demonstrated significantly lower FA and higher radial diffusivity (RD) in protocols 1 and 2 compared to volunteers (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS The 12-direction SMS-RESOLVE-DTI demonstrated a favorable balance between acquisition time and image quality, making it a promising alternative to conventional DTI for evaluating ligament and cartilage injuries. ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE The SMS technique greatly reduces acquisition time while maintaining image quality, which signified the possibility of DTI's clinical application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simin Liu
- Department of Radiology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No.1095, Jiefang Road, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
| | - Yao Zhang
- Department of Radiology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No.1095, Jiefang Road, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
| | - Wei Liu
- MR Application Development, Siemens Shenzhen Magnetic Resonance Ltd., No. 32 Gaoxin C. Ave., 2nd, Shenzhen, China
| | - Ting Yin
- MR Collaborations, Siemens Healthineers Ltd., Chengdu, China
| | - Jie Yuan
- Department of Radiology, Zhongxiang People's Hospital, Zhongxiang City, China
| | - Jun Ran
- Department of Radiology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No.1095, Jiefang Road, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China.
| | - Xiaoming Li
- Department of Radiology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No.1095, Jiefang Road, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China.
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Casula V, Kajabi AW. Quantitative MRI methods for the assessment of structure, composition, and function of musculoskeletal tissues in basic research and preclinical applications. MAGMA (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2024:10.1007/s10334-024-01174-7. [PMID: 38904746 DOI: 10.1007/s10334-024-01174-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2023] [Revised: 05/04/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024]
Abstract
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a disabling chronic disease involving the gradual degradation of joint structures causing pain and dysfunction. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been widely used as a non-invasive tool for assessing OA-related changes. While anatomical MRI is limited to the morphological assessment of the joint structures, quantitative MRI (qMRI) allows for the measurement of biophysical properties of the tissues at the molecular level. Quantitative MRI techniques have been employed to characterize tissues' structural integrity, biochemical content, and mechanical properties. Their applications extend to studying degenerative alterations, early OA detection, and evaluating therapeutic intervention. This article is a review of qMRI techniques for musculoskeletal tissue evaluation, with a particular emphasis on articular cartilage. The goal is to describe the underlying mechanism and primary limitations of the qMRI parameters, their association with the tissue physiological properties and their potential in detecting tissue degeneration leading to the development of OA with a primary focus on basic and preclinical research studies. Additionally, the review highlights some clinical applications of qMRI, discussing the role of texture-based radiomics and machine learning in advancing OA research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor Casula
- Research Unit of Health Sciences and Technology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland.
| | - Abdul Wahed Kajabi
- Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
- Department of Radiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
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Pineda Guzman RA, Naughton N, Majumdar S, Damon B, Kersh ME. Assessment of Mechanically Induced Changes in Helical Fiber Microstructure Using Diffusion Tensor Imaging. Ann Biomed Eng 2024; 52:832-844. [PMID: 38151645 DOI: 10.1007/s10439-023-03420-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 12/29/2023]
Abstract
Noninvasive methods to detect microstructural changes in collagen-based fibrous tissues are necessary to differentiate healthy from damaged tissues in vivo but are sparse. Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) is a noninvasive imaging technique used to quantitatively infer tissue microstructure with previous work primarily focused in neuroimaging applications. Yet, it is still unclear how DTI metrics relate to fiber microstructure and function in musculoskeletal tissues such as ligament and tendon, in part because of the high heterogeneity inherent to such tissues. To address this limitation, we assessed the ability of DTI to detect microstructural changes caused by mechanical loading in tissue-mimicking helical fiber constructs of known structure. Using high-resolution optical and micro-computed tomography imaging, we found that static and fatigue loading resulted in decreased sample diameter and a re-alignment of the macro-scale fiber twist angle similar with the direction of loading. However, DTI and micro-computed tomography measurements suggest microstructural differences in the effect of static versus fatigue loading that were not apparent at the bulk level. Specifically, static load resulted in an increase in diffusion anisotropy and a decrease in radial diffusivity suggesting radially uniform fiber compaction. In contrast, fatigue loads resulted in increased diffusivity in all directions and a change in the alignment of the principal diffusion direction away from the constructs' main axis suggesting fiber compaction and microstructural disruptions in fiber architecture. These results provide quantitative evidence of the ability of DTI to detect mechanically induced changes in tissue microstructure that are not apparent at the bulk level, thus confirming its potential as a noninvasive measure of microstructure in helically architected collagen-based tissues, such as ligaments and tendons.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Noel Naughton
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science & Technology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Shreyan Majumdar
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science & Technology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Bruce Damon
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science & Technology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
- Carle Clinical Imaging Research Program, Stephens Family Clinical Research Institute, Carle Health, Urbana, IL, USA
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
- Vanderbilt University Institute of Imaging Science, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
- Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
- Carle Illinois College of Medicine, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Mariana E Kersh
- Department of Mechanical Science & Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science & Technology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.
- Carle Illinois College of Medicine, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA.
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Chianca V, Albano D, Rizzo S, Maas M, Sconfienza LM, Del Grande F. Inter-vendor and inter-observer reliability of diffusion tensor imaging in the musculoskeletal system: a multiscanner MR study. Insights Imaging 2023; 14:32. [PMID: 36757529 PMCID: PMC9911574 DOI: 10.1186/s13244-023-01374-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND To evaluate the inter-observer and inter-vendor reliability of diffusion tensor imaging parameters in the musculoskeletal system. METHODS This prospective study included six healthy volunteers three men (mean age: 42; range: 31-52 years) and three women (mean age: 36; range: 30-44 years). Each subject was scanned using different 3 Tesla magnetic resonance scanners from three different vendors at three different sites bilaterally. First, the intra-class correlation coefficient was used to determine between-observers agreement for overall measurements and clinical sites. Next, between-group comparisons were made through the nonparametric Friedman's test. Finally, the Bland-Altman method was used to determine agreement among the three scanner measurements, comparing them two by two. RESULTS A total of 792 measurement were calculated. ICC reported high levels of agreement between the two observers. ICC related to MD, FA, and RD measurements ranged from 0.88 (95% CI 0.85-0.90) to 0.95 (95% CI 0.94-0.96), from 0.85 (95% CI 0.81-0.88) to 0.95 (95% CI 0.93-0.96), and from 0.89 (0.85-0.90) to 0.92 (0.90-0.94). No statistically significant inter-vendor differences were observed. The Bland-Altmann method confirmed a high correlation between parameter values. CONCLUSION An excellent inter-observer and inter-vendor reliability was found in our study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vito Chianca
- Clinica di Radiologia EOC IIMSI, Lugano, Switzerland. .,Ospedale Evangelico Betania, Via Argine 604, 80147, Naples, Italy.
| | - Domenico Albano
- grid.417776.4IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Galeazzi, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Mario Maas
- grid.7177.60000000084992262Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Amsterdam University Medical Centres, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands ,Amsterdam Movement Sciences Research Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Luca Maria Sconfienza
- grid.417776.4IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Galeazzi, Milan, Italy ,grid.4708.b0000 0004 1757 2822Department of Biomedical Sciences for Health, University of Milano, Milan, Italy
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You T, Jiao F, Zhang W, Yang Q, Lu W, Luo Y. The ultrastructural and morphological characteristics of the anterior cruciate ligament of the pig: a study using 7.0-Tesla diffusion tensor imaging. J Int Med Res 2022; 50:3000605221121954. [PMID: 36324250 PMCID: PMC9634201 DOI: 10.1177/03000605221121954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Diffusion tensor imaging research on the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is limited, and no study has revealed the ACL fibrous microstructure by 7.0-Tesla magnetic resonance imaging. Therefore, we used magnetic resonance imaging to assess the ACL. METHODS Eight porcine ACLs were investigated by diffusion tensor imaging. Imaging was performed with a 7.0-Tesla scanner using a diffusion-weighted two-dimensional spin-echo echo-planar imaging pulse sequence optimised for muscle. The diffusion tensor eigenparameters, fractional anisotropy (FA), and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) were used for bones and muscles. Three-dimensional projection maps of the principal eigenvectors were plotted to visualise the microstructure. RESULTS The mean FA and ADC for the ACL were 0.27 ± 0.079 and 0.0012 ± 0.0005, respectively. There were no significant differences between the values in the proximal and distal portions . However, the ADC was smaller in the centre than on the sides (0.0015 ± 0.0007), and the mean FA was larger in the centre than on the sides (0.42 ± 0.23). The ACL fibres were parallel on the proximal and distal sides but interweaved in the centre. CONCLUSIONS These findings may be beneficial for artificial ligaments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tian You
- Sports Medicine Department, Peking
University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
- Wentao Zhang, Sports Medicine Department,
Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, 1120 Lianhua Road, Futian District,
Shenzhen, Guangdong Province 518036, China.
| | - Fujia Jiao
- School of Exercise and Health,
Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China
| | - Wentao Zhang
- Sports Medicine Department, Peking
University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Qingjun Yang
- Clinical Medical College, Weifang
Medical University, Weifang, China
| | - Wenqian Lu
- Health Science Center, Shenzhen
University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yong Luo
- Department of Clinical Medicine,
Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China
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Chu CR. Can we afford to ignore the biology of joint healing and graft incorporation after ACL reconstruction? J Orthop Res 2022; 40:55-64. [PMID: 34314066 DOI: 10.1002/jor.25145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Revised: 06/23/2021] [Accepted: 07/01/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction is successful at restoring stability to return ACL injured patients to high-demand work, sports, and recreational activities. The development of posttraumatic osteoarthritis (OA) in roughly half of patients just 10-15 years after ACLR highlight the need to improve clinical care pathways. Graft failure and reinjury rates, which further increase OA risk, also remain high for younger and more active patients. The biological components of joint recovery and graft incorporation, therefore, impact short- and long-term clinical outcomes. Biochemical and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data show substantial compromise of articular cartilage metabolism and matrix composition after ACL injury and reconstructive surgery suggesting a potential need for activity modulation in early recovery. Furthermore, joint recovery is variable with compositional MRI studies showing progressive cartilage degeneration 1 and 2 years after ACLR. Biopsy and MRI studies also show high variability in ACL graft characteristics within the 1st year after ACLR followed by continued graft maturation into the 2nd year and beyond. To improve the care of ACL injured patients, there is a critical need for clinical attention and scientific inquiry into timing the reintroduction of higher load activities in relationship to neuromuscular recovery, joint biology, and graft maturation. In addition to symptomatic and mechanical recovery, development and validation of biological markers for joint and cartilage homeostasis as well as ACL graft healing are needed for personalized decision making on rehabilitation needs, reduction of OA risk, and resumption of athletic, recreational, and vocational activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Constance R Chu
- Department Orthopaedic Surgery, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA.,Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Healthcare System, Livermore, California, USA
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