1
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Priovoulos N, de Oliveira IAF, Poser BA, Norris DG, van der Zwaag W. Combining arterial blood contrast with BOLD increases fMRI intracortical contrast. Hum Brain Mapp 2023; 44:2509-2522. [PMID: 36763562 PMCID: PMC10028680 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.26227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2022] [Revised: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
BOLD fMRI is widely applied in human neuroscience but is limited in its spatial specificity due to a cortical-depth-dependent venous bias. This reduces its localization specificity with respect to neuronal responses, a disadvantage for neuroscientific research. Here, we modified a submillimeter BOLD protocol to selectively reduce venous and tissue signal and increase cerebral blood volume weighting through a pulsed saturation scheme (dubbed Arterial Blood Contrast) at 7 T. Adding Arterial Blood Contrast on top of the existing BOLD contrast modulated the intracortical contrast. Isolating the Arterial Blood Contrast showed a response free of pial-surface bias. The results suggest that Arterial Blood Contrast can modulate the typical fMRI spatial specificity, with important applications in in-vivo neuroscience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikos Priovoulos
- Spinoza Center for Neuroimaging, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Computational Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Icaro Agenor Ferreira de Oliveira
- Spinoza Center for Neuroimaging, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Computational Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Experimental and Applied Psychology, VU University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Benedikt A Poser
- MR-Methods Group, Maastricht Brain Imaging Center, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - David G Norris
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Erwin L. Hahn Institute for MRI, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Wietske van der Zwaag
- Spinoza Center for Neuroimaging, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Computational Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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2
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Jacob M, Ford J, Deacon T. Cognition is entangled with metabolism: relevance for resting-state EEG-fMRI. Front Hum Neurosci 2023; 17:976036. [PMID: 37113322 PMCID: PMC10126302 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2023.976036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The brain is a living organ with distinct metabolic constraints. However, these constraints are typically considered as secondary or supportive of information processing which is primarily performed by neurons. The default operational definition of neural information processing is that (1) it is ultimately encoded as a change in individual neuronal firing rate as this correlates with the presentation of a peripheral stimulus, motor action or cognitive task. Two additional assumptions are associated with this default interpretation: (2) that the incessant background firing activity against which changes in activity are measured plays no role in assigning significance to the extrinsically evoked change in neural firing, and (3) that the metabolic energy that sustains this background activity and which correlates with differences in neuronal firing rate is merely a response to an evoked change in neuronal activity. These assumptions underlie the design, implementation, and interpretation of neuroimaging studies, particularly fMRI, which relies on changes in blood oxygen as an indirect measure of neural activity. In this article we reconsider all three of these assumptions in light of recent evidence. We suggest that by combining EEG with fMRI, new experimental work can reconcile emerging controversies in neurovascular coupling and the significance of ongoing, background activity during resting-state paradigms. A new conceptual framework for neuroimaging paradigms is developed to investigate how ongoing neural activity is "entangled" with metabolism. That is, in addition to being recruited to support locally evoked neuronal activity (the traditional hemodynamic response), changes in metabolic support may be independently "invoked" by non-local brain regions, yielding flexible neurovascular coupling dynamics that inform the cognitive context. This framework demonstrates how multimodal neuroimaging is necessary to probe the neurometabolic foundations of cognition, with implications for the study of neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Jacob
- Mental Health Service, San Francisco VA Healthcare System, San Francisco, CA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Judith Ford
- Mental Health Service, San Francisco VA Healthcare System, San Francisco, CA, United States
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Terrence Deacon
- Department of Anthropology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
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3
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Demirayak P, Deshpande G, Visscher K. Laminar functional magnetic resonance imaging in vision research. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:910443. [PMID: 36267240 PMCID: PMC9577024 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.910443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners at ultra-high magnetic fields have become available to use in humans, thus enabling researchers to investigate the human brain in detail. By increasing the spatial resolution, ultra-high field MR allows both structural and functional characterization of cortical layers. Techniques that can differentiate cortical layers, such as histological studies and electrode-based measurements have made critical contributions to the understanding of brain function, but these techniques are invasive and thus mainly available in animal models. There are likely to be differences in the organization of circuits between humans and even our closest evolutionary neighbors. Thus research on the human brain is essential. Ultra-high field MRI can observe differences between cortical layers, but is non-invasive and can be used in humans. Extensive previous literature has shown that neuronal connections between brain areas that transmit feedback and feedforward information terminate in different layers of the cortex. Layer-specific functional MRI (fMRI) allows the identification of layer-specific hemodynamic responses, distinguishing feedback and feedforward pathways. This capability has been particularly important for understanding visual processing, as it has allowed researchers to test hypotheses concerning feedback and feedforward information in visual cortical areas. In this review, we provide a general overview of successful ultra-high field MRI applications in vision research as examples of future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pinar Demirayak
- Civitan International Research Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
- *Correspondence: Pinar Demirayak,
| | - Gopikrishna Deshpande
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, AU MRI Research Center, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, United States
- Department of Psychological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, United States
- Alabama Advanced Imaging Consortium, Birmingham, AL, United States
- Center for Neuroscience, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, United States
- School of Psychology, Capital Normal University, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Learning and Cognition, Capital Normal University, Beijing, China
- Department of Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore, India
- Centre for Brain Research, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India
| | - Kristina Visscher
- Civitan International Research Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
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4
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Olivo G, Lövdén M, Manzouri A, Terlau L, Jenner B, Jafari A, Petersson S, Li TQ, Fischer H, Månsson KNT. Estimated Gray Matter Volume Rapidly Changes after a Short Motor Task. Cereb Cortex 2022; 32:4356-4369. [PMID: 35136959 PMCID: PMC9528898 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhab488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Revised: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 11/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Skill learning induces changes in estimates of gray matter volume (GMV) in the human brain, commonly detectable with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Rapid changes in GMV estimates while executing tasks may however confound between- and within-subject differences. Fluctuations in arterial blood flow are proposed to underlie this apparent task-related tissue plasticity. To test this hypothesis, we acquired multiple repetitions of structural T1-weighted and functional blood-oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) MRI measurements from 51 subjects performing a finger-tapping task (FTT; á 2 min) repeatedly for 30-60 min. Estimated GMV was decreased in motor regions during FTT compared with rest. Motor-related BOLD signal changes did not overlap nor correlate with GMV changes. Nearly simultaneous BOLD signals cannot fully explain task-induced changes in T1-weighted images. These sensitive and behavior-related GMV changes pose serious questions to reproducibility across studies, and morphological investigations during skill learning can also open new avenues on how to study rapid brain plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaia Olivo
- Department of Psychology, University of Gothenburg, SE-40530, Gothenburg, Sweden.,Aging Research Center (ARC), Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, SE-17177, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Martin Lövdén
- Department of Psychology, University of Gothenburg, SE-40530, Gothenburg, Sweden.,Aging Research Center (ARC), Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, SE-17177, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Amirhossein Manzouri
- Department of Psychology, Stockholm University, SE-10691, Stockholm, Sweden.,Centre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, SE-11364, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Laura Terlau
- Center for Lifespan Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, D-14195, Berlin, Germany.,Max Planck UCL Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research, D-14195, Berlin, London
| | - Bo Jenner
- Centre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, SE-11364, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Arian Jafari
- Centre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, SE-11364, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Sven Petersson
- Department of Medical Radiation and Nuclear Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Huddinge S-14186, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet, SE-14152, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Tie-Qiang Li
- Department of Medical Radiation and Nuclear Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital, Huddinge S-14186, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet, SE-14152, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Håkan Fischer
- Department of Psychology, Stockholm University, SE-10691, Stockholm, Sweden.,Stockholm University Brain Imaging Centre, SE-10691, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Kristoffer N T Månsson
- Department of Psychology, Stockholm University, SE-10691, Stockholm, Sweden.,Centre for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, SE-11364, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, US-03755, USA
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5
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Li L, Law C, Marrett S, Chai Y, Huber L, Jezzard P, Bandettini P. Quantification of cerebral blood volume changes caused by visual stimulation at 3 T using DANTE-prepared dual-echo EPI. Magn Reson Med 2021; 87:1846-1862. [PMID: 34817081 DOI: 10.1002/mrm.29099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2021] [Revised: 10/07/2021] [Accepted: 11/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE We investigate the influence of moving blood-attenuation effects when using "delay alternating with nutation for tailored excitation" (DANTE) pulses in conjunction with blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) of functional MRI (fMRI) at 3 T. Based on the effects of including DANTE pulses, we propose quantification of cerebral blood volume (CBV) changes following functional stimulation. METHODS Eighteen volunteers in total underwent fMRI scans at 3 T. Seven volunteers were scanned to investigate the effects of DANTE pulses on the fMRI signal. CBV changes in response to visual stimulation were quantified in 11 volunteers using a DANTE-prepared dual-echo EPI sequence. RESULTS The inflow effects from flowing blood in arteries and draining vein effects from flowing blood in large veins can be suppressed by use of a DANTE preparation module. Using DANTE-prepared dual-echo EPI, we quantitatively measured intravascular-weighted microvascular CBV changes of 25.4%, 29.8%, and 32.6% evoked by 1, 5, and 10 Hz visual stimulation, respectively. The extravascular fraction (∆S/S)extra at TE = 30 ms in total BOLD signal was determined to be 64.8 ± 3.4%, which is in line with previous extravascular component estimation at 3 T. Results show that the microvascular CBV changes are linearly dependent on total BOLD changes at TE = 30 ms with a slope of 0.113, and this relation is independent of stimulation frequency and subject. CONCLUSION The DANTE preparation pulses can be incorporated into a standard EPI fMRI sequence for the purpose of minimizing inflow effects and reducing draining veins effects in large vessels. Additionally, the DANTE-prepared dual-echo EPI sequence is a promising fast imaging tool for quantification of intravascular-weighted CBV change in the microvascular space at 3 T.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linqing Li
- National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Christine Law
- Systems Neuroscience and Pain Lab, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Sean Marrett
- National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Yuhui Chai
- National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Laurentius Huber
- MR-Methods Group, MBIC, FPN, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Peter Jezzard
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, FMRIB Division, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Peter Bandettini
- National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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6
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Yin Y, Shu S, Qin L, Shan Y, Gao JH, Lu J. Effects of mild hypoxia on oxygen extraction fraction responses to brain stimulation. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab 2021; 41:2216-2228. [PMID: 33563081 PMCID: PMC8393298 DOI: 10.1177/0271678x21992896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Characterizing the effect of limited oxygen availability on brain metabolism during brain activation is an essential step towards a better understanding of brain homeostasis and has obvious clinical implications. However, how the cerebral oxygen extraction fraction (OEF) depends on oxygen availability during brain activation remains unclear, which is mostly attributable to the scarcity and safety of measurement techniques. Recently, a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) method that enables noninvasive and dynamic measurement of the OEF has been developed and confirmed to be applicable to functional MRI studies. Using this novel method, the present study investigated the motor-evoked OEF response in both normoxia (21% O2) and hypoxia (12% O2). Our results showed that OEF activation decreased in the brain areas involved in motor task execution. Decreases in the motor-evoked OEF response were greater under hypoxia (-21.7% ± 5.5%) than under normoxia (-11.8% ± 3.7%) and showed a substantial decrease as a function of arterial oxygen saturation. These findings suggest a different relationship between oxygen delivery and consumption during hypoxia compared to normoxia. This methodology may provide a new perspective on the effects of mild hypoxia on brain function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yayan Yin
- Department of Radiology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.,Beijing Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Brain Informatics, Beijing, China
| | - Su Shu
- Beijing City Key Lab for Medical Physics and Engineering, Institute of Heavy Ion Physics, School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing, China.,Center for MRI Research, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Lang Qin
- Beijing City Key Lab for Medical Physics and Engineering, Institute of Heavy Ion Physics, School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing, China.,Center for MRI Research, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Yi Shan
- Department of Radiology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.,Beijing Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Brain Informatics, Beijing, China
| | - Jia-Hong Gao
- Beijing City Key Lab for Medical Physics and Engineering, Institute of Heavy Ion Physics, School of Physics, Peking University, Beijing, China.,Center for MRI Research, Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing, China.,McGovern Institution for Brain Research, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Jie Lu
- Department of Radiology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.,Beijing Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Brain Informatics, Beijing, China.,Department of Nuclear Medicine, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
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7
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Huber LR, Poser BA, Kaas AL, Fear EJ, Dresbach S, Berwick J, Goebel R, Turner R, Kennerley AJ. Validating layer-specific VASO across species. Neuroimage 2021; 237:118195. [PMID: 34038769 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2020] [Revised: 05/17/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Cerebral blood volume (CBV) has been shown to be a robust and important physiological parameter for quantitative interpretation of functional (f)MRI, capable of delivering highly localized mapping of neural activity. Indeed, with recent advances in ultra-high-field (≥7T) MRI hardware and associated sequence libraries, it has become possible to capture non-invasive CBV weighted fMRI signals across cortical layers. One of the most widely used approaches to achieve this (in humans) is through vascular-space-occupancy (VASO) fMRI. Unfortunately, the exact contrast mechanisms of layer-dependent VASO fMRI have not been validated for human fMRI and thus interpretation of such data is confounded. Here we validate the signal source of layer-dependent SS-SI VASO fMRI using multi-modal imaging in a rat model in response to neuronal activation (somatosensory cortex) and respiratory challenge (hypercapnia). In particular VASO derived CBV measures are directly compared to concurrent measures of total haemoglobin changes from high resolution intrinsic optical imaging spectroscopy (OIS). Quantified cortical layer profiling is demonstrated to be in agreement between VASO and contrast enhanced fMRI (using monocrystalline iron oxide nanoparticles, MION). Responses show high spatial localisation to layers of cortical processing independent of confounding large draining veins which can hamper BOLD fMRI studies, (depending on slice positioning). Thus, a cross species comparison is enabled using VASO as a common measure. We find increased VASO based CBV reactivity (3.1 ± 1.2 fold increase) in humans compared to rats. Together, our findings confirm that the VASO contrast is indeed a reliable estimate of layer-specific CBV changes. This validation study increases the neuronal interpretability of human layer-dependent VASO fMRI as an appropriate method in neuroscience application studies, in which the presence of large draining intracortical and pial veins limits neuroscientific inference with BOLD fMRI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurentius Renzo Huber
- MBIC, Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, the Netherlands.
| | - Benedikt A Poser
- MBIC, Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, the Netherlands
| | - Amanda L Kaas
- MBIC, Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, the Netherlands
| | - Elizabeth J Fear
- Hull-York-Medical-School (HYMS), University of York, York, United Kingdom
| | - Sebastian Dresbach
- MBIC, Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, the Netherlands
| | - Jason Berwick
- Department of Psychology, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Rainer Goebel
- MBIC, Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, the Netherlands
| | - Robert Turner
- Neurophysics Department Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany; Sir Peter Mansfield Imaging Centre, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
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8
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Weldon KB, Olman CA. Forging a path to mesoscopic imaging success with ultra-high field functional magnetic resonance imaging. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2020; 376:20200040. [PMID: 33190599 PMCID: PMC7741029 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies with ultra-high field (UHF, 7+ Tesla) technology enable the acquisition of high-resolution images. In this work, we discuss recent achievements in UHF fMRI at the mesoscopic scale, on the order of cortical columns and layers, and examine approaches to addressing common challenges. As researchers push to smaller and smaller voxel sizes, acquisition and analysis decisions have greater potential to degrade spatial accuracy, and UHF fMRI data must be carefully interpreted. We consider the impact of acquisition decisions on the spatial specificity of the MR signal with a representative dataset with 0.8 mm isotropic resolution. We illustrate the trade-offs in contrast with noise ratio and spatial specificity of different acquisition techniques and show that acquisition blurring can increase the effective voxel size by as much as 50% in some dimensions. We further describe how different sources of degradations to spatial resolution in functional data may be characterized. Finally, we emphasize that progress in UHF fMRI depends not only on scientific discovery and technical advancement, but also on informal discussions and documentation of challenges researchers face and overcome in pursuit of their goals. This article is part of the theme issue 'Key relationships between non-invasive functional neuroimaging and the underlying neuronal activity'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimberly B Weldon
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.,Center for Magnetic Resonance Imaging, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Cheryl A Olman
- Center for Magnetic Resonance Imaging, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.,Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
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9
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Sander CY, Hansen HD, Wey HY. Advances in simultaneous PET/MR for imaging neuroreceptor function. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab 2020; 40:1148-1166. [PMID: 32169011 PMCID: PMC7238372 DOI: 10.1177/0271678x20910038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Hybrid imaging using PET/MRI has emerged as a platform for elucidating novel neurobiology, molecular and functional changes in disease, and responses to physiological or pharmacological interventions. For the central nervous system, PET/MRI has provided insights into biochemical processes, linking selective molecular targets and distributed brain function. This review highlights several examples that leverage the strengths of simultaneous PET/MRI, which includes measuring the perturbation of multi-modal imaging signals on dynamic timescales during pharmacological challenges, physiological interventions or behavioral tasks. We discuss important considerations for the experimental design of dynamic PET/MRI studies and data analysis approaches for comparing and quantifying simultaneous PET/MRI data. The primary focus of this review is on functional PET/MRI studies of neurotransmitter and receptor systems, with an emphasis on the dopamine, opioid, serotonin and glutamate systems as molecular neuromodulators. In this context, we provide an overview of studies that employ interventions to alter the activity of neuroreceptors or the release of neurotransmitters. Overall, we emphasize how the synergistic use of simultaneous PET/MRI with appropriate study design and interventions has the potential to expand our knowledge about the molecular and functional dynamics of the living human brain. Finally, we give an outlook on the future opportunities for simultaneous PET/MRI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christin Y Sander
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, MA, USA
| | - Hanne D Hansen
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, MA, USA.,Neurobiology Research Unit and NeuroPharm, Copenhagen University Hospital (Rigshospitalet), Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Hsiao-Ying Wey
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, MA, USA
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10
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Ma YJ, Fan S, Shao H, Du J, Szeverenyi NM, Young IR, Bydder GM. Use of Multiplied, Added, Subtracted and/or FiTted Inversion Recovery (MASTIR) pulse sequences. Quant Imaging Med Surg 2020; 10:1334-1369. [PMID: 32550142 DOI: 10.21037/qims-20-568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
The group of Multiplied, Added, Subtracted and/or fiTted Inversion Recovery (MASTIR) pulse sequences in which usually two or more inversion recovery (IR) images of different types are combined is described, and uses for this type of sequence are outlined. IR sequences of different types can be multiplied, added, subtracted, and/or fitted together to produce variants of the MASTIR sequence. The sequences provide a range of options for increasing image contrast, demonstrating specific tissues and fluids of interest, and suppressing unwanted signals. A formalism using the concept of pulse sequences as tissue property filters is used to explain the signal, contrast and weighting of the pulse sequences with both univariate and multivariate filter models. Subtraction of one magnitude reconstructed IR image from another with a shorter TI can produce very high T1 dependent positive contrast from small increases in T1. The reverse subtracted IR sequence can provide high positive contrast enhancement with gadolinium chelates and iron deposition which decrease T1. Additional contrast to that arising from increases in T1 can be produced by supplementing this with contrast arising from concurrent increases in ρm and T2, as well as increases or decreases in diffusion using subtraction IR with echo subtraction and/or diffusion subtraction. Phase images may show 180º differences as a result of rotating into the transverse plane both positive and negative longitudinal magnetization. Phase images with contrast arising in this way, or other ways, can be multiplied by magnitude IR images to increase the contrast of the latter. Magnetization Transfer (MT) and susceptibility can be used with IR sequences to improve contrast. Selective images of white and brown adipose tissue lipid and water components can be produced using different TIs and in and out-of-phase TEs. Selective images of ultrashort and short T2 tissue components can be produced by nulling long T2 tissue components with an inversion pulse and subtraction of images with longer TEs from images with ultrashort TEs. The Double Echo Sliding IR (DESIRE) sequence provides images with a wide range of TIs from which it is possible to choose values of TI to achieve particular types of tissue and/or fluid contrast (e.g., for subtraction with different TIs, as described above, and for long T2 tissue signal nulling with UTE sequences). Unwanted tissue and fluid signals can be suppressed by addition and subtraction of phase-sensitive (ps) and magnitude reconstructed images. The sequence also offers options for synergistic use of the changes in blood and tissue ρm, T1, T2/T2*, D* and perfusion that can be seen with fMRI of the brain. In-vivo and ex-vivo illustrative examples of normal brain, cartilage, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, and peripheral nerve imaged with different forms of the MASTIR sequence are included.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya-Jun Ma
- Department of Radiology, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Shujuan Fan
- Department of Radiology, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Hongda Shao
- Department of Radiology, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Jiang Du
- Department of Radiology, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA
| | | | - Ian R Young
- Formerly Department of Electrical Engineering, Imperial College, London, UK
| | - Graeme M Bydder
- Department of Radiology, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA
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11
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Jafarian A, Litvak V, Cagnan H, Friston KJ, Zeidman P. Comparing dynamic causal models of neurovascular coupling with fMRI and EEG/MEG. Neuroimage 2020; 216:116734. [PMID: 32179105 PMCID: PMC7322559 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.116734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2019] [Revised: 03/06/2020] [Accepted: 03/10/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
This technical note presents a dynamic causal modelling (DCM) procedure for evaluating different models of neurovascular coupling in the human brain - using combined electromagnetic (M/EEG) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data. This procedure compares the evidence for biologically informed models of neurovascular coupling using Bayesian model comparison. First, fMRI data are used to localise regionally specific neuronal responses. The coordinates of these responses are then used as the location priors in a DCM of electrophysiological responses elicited by the same paradigm. The ensuing estimates of model parameters are then used to generate neuronal drive functions, which model pre- or post-synaptic activity for each experimental condition. These functions form the input to a model of neurovascular coupling, whose parameters are estimated from the fMRI data. Crucially, this enables one to evaluate different models of neurovascular coupling, using Bayesian model comparison - asking, for example, whether instantaneous or delayed, pre- or post-synaptic signals mediate haemodynamic responses. We provide an illustrative application of the procedure using a single-subject auditory fMRI and MEG dataset. The code and exemplar data accompanying this technical note are available through the statistical parametric mapping (SPM) software.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Vladimir Litvak
- The Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, University College London, UK
| | - Hayriye Cagnan
- MRC Brain Network Dynamics Unit (BNDU) at the University of Oxford, Oxford, UK; Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Karl J Friston
- The Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, University College London, UK
| | - Peter Zeidman
- The Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, University College London, UK
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12
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Albers F, Wachsmuth L, Schache D, Lambers H, Faber C. Functional MRI Readouts From BOLD and Diffusion Measurements Differentially Respond to Optogenetic Activation and Tissue Heating. Front Neurosci 2019; 13:1104. [PMID: 31708721 PMCID: PMC6821691 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2019.01104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2019] [Accepted: 10/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Functional blood-oxygenation-level-dependent (BOLD) MRI provides a brain-wide readout that depends on the hemodynamic response to neuronal activity. Diffusion fMRI has been proposed as an alternative to BOLD fMRI and has been postulated to directly rely on neuronal activity. These complementary functional readouts are versatile tools to be combined with optogenetic stimulation to investigate networks of the brain. The cell-specificity and temporal precision of optogenetic manipulations promise to enable further investigation of the origin of fMRI signals. The signal characteristics of the diffusion fMRI readout vice versa may better resolve network effects of optogenetic stimulation. However, the light application needed for optogenetic stimulation is accompanied by heat deposition within the tissue. As both diffusion and BOLD are sensitive to temperature changes, light application can lead to apparent activations confounding the interpretation of fMRI data. The degree of tissue heating, the appearance of apparent activation in different fMRI sequences and the origin of these phenomena are not well understood. Here, we disentangled apparent activations in BOLD and diffusion measurements in rats from physiological activation upon sensory or optogenetic stimulation. Both, BOLD and diffusion fMRI revealed similar signal shapes upon sensory stimulation that differed clearly from those upon heating. Apparent activations induced by high-intensity light application were dominated by T2∗-effects and resulted in mainly negative signal changes. We estimated that even low-intensity light application used for optogenetic stimulation reduces the BOLD response close to the fiber by up to 0.4%. The diffusion fMRI signal contained T2, T2∗ and diffusion components. The apparent diffusion coefficient, which reflects the isolated diffusion component, showed negative changes upon both optogenetic and electric forepaw stimulation. In contrast, positive changes were detected upon high-intensity light application and thus ruled out heating as a major contributor to the diffusion fMRI signal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franziska Albers
- Translational Research Imaging Center, Department of Clinical Radiology, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Lydia Wachsmuth
- Translational Research Imaging Center, Department of Clinical Radiology, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Daniel Schache
- Translational Research Imaging Center, Department of Clinical Radiology, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Henriette Lambers
- Translational Research Imaging Center, Department of Clinical Radiology, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Cornelius Faber
- Translational Research Imaging Center, Department of Clinical Radiology, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
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13
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Abstract
The authors selected some interesting current topics among many in the field of functional MRI (fMRI) of the brain. The selection was based on authours' immediate interests in exploring these aspects further; the topics are presented and discussed along with their perspectives. If progress can be made in these areas, it would be very advantageous to the field of brain research. The topics are (I) Detectable MRI signals in response to functional activity of the brain, including the current status of neurocurrent MRI; (II) Vascular-dependent and vascular-independent MRI signals, leading to the distinction of functional and structural MRI; (III) Functional specificity and functional connectivity of local sites, including differences between task-fMRI and resting state fMRI; (IV) Functional networks: an example of application to assessing the vocational aptitude test by fMRI; (V) Neural oscillation relevant to the formation of fMRI signals and of networks; (VI) Upgrading fMRI to "information-content-reflecting" fMRI, discussed as one of the prospects of near-future fMRI.
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14
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Roussel T, Frydman L, Le Bihan D, Ciobanu L. Brain sugar consumption during neuronal activation detected by CEST functional MRI at ultra-high magnetic fields. Sci Rep 2019; 9:4423. [PMID: 30872689 PMCID: PMC6418181 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-40986-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2018] [Accepted: 02/27/2019] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) indirectly measures brain activity based on neurovascular coupling, a reporter that limits both the spatial and temporal resolution of the technique as well as the cellular and metabolic specificity. Emerging methods using functional spectroscopy (fMRS) and diffusion-weighted fMRI suggest that metabolic and structural modifications are also taking place in the activated cells. This paper explores an alternative metabolic imaging approach based on Chemical Exchange Saturation Transfer (CEST) to assess potential metabolic changes induced by neuronal stimulation in rat brains at 17.2 T. An optimized CEST-fMRI data acquisition and processing protocol was developed and used to experimentally assess the feasibility of glucoCEST-based fMRI. Images acquired under glucose-sensitizing conditions showed a substantial negative contrast that highlighted the same brain regions as those activated with BOLD-fMRI. We ascribe this novel fMRI contrast to CEST's ability to monitor changes in the local concentration of glucose, a metabolite closely coupled to neuronal activity. Our findings are in good agreement with literature employing other modalities. The use of CEST-based techniques for fMRI is not limited to glucose detection; other metabolic pathways involved in neuronal activation could be potentially probed. Moreover, being non invasive, it is conceivable that the same approach can be used for human studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tangi Roussel
- NeuroSpin, Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, Univerisité Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Lucio Frydman
- Department of Chemical and Biological Physics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Denis Le Bihan
- NeuroSpin, Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, Univerisité Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Luisa Ciobanu
- NeuroSpin, Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique et aux Energies Alternatives, Univerisité Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France.
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15
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Hua J, Liu P, Kim T, Donahue M, Rane S, Chen JJ, Qin Q, Kim SG. MRI techniques to measure arterial and venous cerebral blood volume. Neuroimage 2019; 187:17-31. [PMID: 29458187 PMCID: PMC6095829 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2018.02.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2017] [Revised: 02/12/2018] [Accepted: 02/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The measurement of cerebral blood volume (CBV) has been the topic of numerous neuroimaging studies. To date, however, most in vivo imaging approaches can only measure CBV summed over all types of blood vessels, including arterial, capillary and venous vessels in the microvasculature (i.e. total CBV or CBVtot). As different types of blood vessels have intrinsically different anatomy, function and physiology, the ability to quantify CBV in different segments of the microvascular tree may furnish information that is not obtainable from CBVtot, and may provide a more sensitive and specific measure for the underlying physiology. This review attempts to summarize major efforts in the development of MRI techniques to measure arterial (CBVa) and venous CBV (CBVv) separately. Advantages and disadvantages of each type of method are discussed. Applications of some of the methods in the investigation of flow-volume coupling in healthy brains, and in the detection of pathophysiological abnormalities in brain diseases such as arterial steno-occlusive disease, brain tumors, schizophrenia, Huntington's disease, Alzheimer's disease, and hypertension are demonstrated. We believe that the continual development of MRI approaches for the measurement of compartment-specific CBV will likely provide essential imaging tools for the advancement and refinement of our knowledge on the exquisite details of the microvasculature in healthy and diseased brains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Hua
- Neurosection, Div. of MRI Research, Dept. of Radiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; F.M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA.
| | - Peiying Liu
- Neurosection, Div. of MRI Research, Dept. of Radiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; F.M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Tae Kim
- Department of Radiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Manus Donahue
- Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Neurology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Swati Rane
- Radiology, University of Washington Medical Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - J Jean Chen
- Rotman Research Institute, Baycrest Centre, Canada; Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Canada
| | - Qin Qin
- Neurosection, Div. of MRI Research, Dept. of Radiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA; F.M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Seong-Gi Kim
- Center for Neuroscience Imaging Research, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Suwon, South Korea; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, South Korea
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16
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BOLD signal physiology: Models and applications. Neuroimage 2019; 187:116-127. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2018.03.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2017] [Revised: 02/14/2018] [Accepted: 03/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
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17
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Zhang K, Huang D, Shah NJ. Comparison of Resting-State Brain Activation Detected by BOLD, Blood Volume and Blood Flow. Front Hum Neurosci 2018; 12:443. [PMID: 30467468 PMCID: PMC6235966 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2018.00443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2018] [Accepted: 10/15/2018] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Resting-state brain activity has been widely investigated using blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) contrast techniques. However, BOLD signal changes reflect a combination of the effects of cerebral blood flow (CBF), cerebral blood volume (CBV), as well as the cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen (CMRO2). In this study, resting-state brain activation was detected and compared using the following techniques: (a) BOLD, using a gradient-echo echo planar imaging (GE-EPI) sequence; (b) CBV-weighted signal, acquired using gradient and spin echo (GRASE) based vascular space occupancy (VASO); and (c) CBF, using pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling (pCASL). Reliable brain networks were detected using VASO and ASL, including sensorimotor, auditory, primary visual, higher visual, default mode, salience and left/right executive control networks. Differences between the resting-state activation detected with ASL, VASO and BOLD could potentially be due to the different temporal signal-to-noise ratio (tSNR) and the short post-labeling delay (PLD) in ASL, along with differences in the spin-echo readout of VASO. It is also possible that the dynamics of spontaneous fluctuations in BOLD, CBV and CBF could differ due to biological reasons, according to their location within the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ke Zhang
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine INM-4, Medical Imaging Physics, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Dengfeng Huang
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine INM-4, Medical Imaging Physics, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - N Jon Shah
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine INM-4, Medical Imaging Physics, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany.,Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, JARA, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
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18
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Walker-Samuel S, Roberts TA, Ramasawmy R, Burrell JS, Johnson SP, Siow BM, Richardson S, Gonçalves MR, Pendse D, Robinson SP, Pedley RB, Lythgoe MF. Investigating Low-Velocity Fluid Flow in Tumors with Convection-MRI. Cancer Res 2018; 78:1859-1872. [PMID: 29317434 PMCID: PMC6298581 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-17-1546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2017] [Revised: 08/18/2017] [Accepted: 01/05/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Several distinct fluid flow phenomena occur in solid tumors, including intravascular blood flow and interstitial convection. Interstitial fluid pressure is often raised in solid tumors, which can limit drug delivery. To probe low-velocity flow in tumors resulting from raised interstitial fluid pressure, we developed a novel MRI technique named convection-MRI, which uses a phase-contrast acquisition with a dual-inversion vascular nulling preparation to separate intra- and extravascular flow. Here, we report the results of experiments in flow phantoms, numerical simulations, and tumor xenograft models to investigate the technical feasibility of convection-MRI. We observed a significant correlation between estimates of effective fluid pressure from convection-MRI with gold-standard, invasive measurements of interstitial fluid pressure in mouse models of human colorectal carcinoma. Our results show how convection-MRI can provide insights into the growth and responsiveness to vascular-targeting therapy in colorectal cancers.Significance: A noninvasive method for measuring low-velocity fluid flow caused by raised fluid pressure can be used to assess changes caused by therapy. Cancer Res; 78(7); 1859-72. ©2018 AACR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Walker-Samuel
- UCL Centre for Advanced Biomedical Imaging, Division of Medicine, London, UK.
| | - Thomas A Roberts
- UCL Centre for Advanced Biomedical Imaging, Division of Medicine, London, UK
| | - Rajiv Ramasawmy
- UCL Centre for Advanced Biomedical Imaging, Division of Medicine, London, UK
| | - Jake S Burrell
- Division of Radiotherapy and Imaging, The Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton, Surrey, UK
| | | | - Bernard M Siow
- UCL Centre for Advanced Biomedical Imaging, Division of Medicine, London, UK
| | - Simon Richardson
- UCL Centre for Advanced Biomedical Imaging, Division of Medicine, London, UK
| | - Miguel R Gonçalves
- UCL Centre for Advanced Biomedical Imaging, Division of Medicine, London, UK
| | | | - Simon P Robinson
- Division of Radiotherapy and Imaging, The Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton, Surrey, UK
| | | | - Mark F Lythgoe
- UCL Centre for Advanced Biomedical Imaging, Division of Medicine, London, UK
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19
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Advances in MR angiography with 7T MRI: From microvascular imaging to functional angiography. Neuroimage 2018; 168:269-278. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2017.01.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2016] [Revised: 01/03/2017] [Accepted: 01/09/2017] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
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20
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Poser BA, Setsompop K. Pulse sequences and parallel imaging for high spatiotemporal resolution MRI at ultra-high field. Neuroimage 2018; 168:101-118. [PMID: 28392492 PMCID: PMC5630499 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2017.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2016] [Revised: 04/01/2017] [Accepted: 04/03/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The SNR and CNR benefits of ultra-high field (UHF) have helped push the envelope of achievable spatial resolution in MRI. For applications based on susceptibility contrast where there is a large CNR gain, high quality sub-millimeter resolution imaging is now being routinely performed, particularly in fMRI and phase imaging/QSM. This has enabled the study of structure and function of very fine-scale structures in the brain. UHF has also helped push the spatial resolution of many other MRI applications as will be outlined in this review. However, this push in resolution comes at a cost of a large encoding burden leading to very lengthy scans. Developments in parallel imaging with controlled aliasing and the move away from 2D slice-by-slice imaging to much more SNR-efficient simultaneous multi-slice (SMS) and 3D acquisitions have helped address this issue. In particular, these developments have revolutionized the efficiency of UHF MRI to enable high spatiotemporal resolution imaging at an order of magnitude faster acquisition. In addition to describing the main approaches to these techniques, this review will also outline important key practical considerations in using these methods in practice. Furthermore, new RF pulse design to tackle the B1+ and SAR issues of UHF and the increased SAR and power requirement of SMS RF pulses will also be touched upon. Finally, an outlook into new developments of smart encoding in more dimensions, particularly through using better temporal/across-contrast encoding and reconstruction will be described. Just as controlled aliasing fully exploits spatial encoding in parallel imaging to provide large multiplicative gains in accelerations, the complimentary use of these new approaches in temporal and across-contrast encoding are expected to provide exciting opportunities for further large gains in efficiency to further push the spatiotemporal resolution of MRI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benedikt A Poser
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands.
| | - Kawin Setsompop
- Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA
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21
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Huber L, Ivanov D, Handwerker DA, Marrett S, Guidi M, Uludağ K, Bandettini PA, Poser BA. Techniques for blood volume fMRI with VASO: From low-resolution mapping towards sub-millimeter layer-dependent applications. Neuroimage 2018; 164:131-143. [PMID: 27867088 PMCID: PMC5436958 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2016.11.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2016] [Revised: 10/24/2016] [Accepted: 11/14/2016] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Quantitative cerebral blood volume (CBV) fMRI has the potential to overcome several specific limitations of BOLD fMRI. It provides direct physiological interpretability and promises superior localization specificity in applications of sub-millimeter resolution fMRI applications at ultra-high magnetic fields (7T and higher). Non-invasive CBV fMRI using VASO (vascular space occupancy), however, is inherently limited with respect to its data acquisition efficiency, restricting its imaging coverage and achievable spatial and temporal resolution. This limitation may be reduced with recent advanced acceleration and reconstruction strategies that allow two-dimensional acceleration, such as in simultaneous multi-slice (SMS) 2D-EPI or 3D-EPI in combination with CAIPIRINHA field-of-view shifting. In this study, we sought to determine the functional sensitivity and specificity of these readout strategies with VASO over a broad range of spatial resolutions; spanning from low spatial resolution (3mm) whole-cortex to sub-millimeter (0.75mm) slab-of-cortex (for cortical layer-dependent applications). In the thermal-noise-dominated regime of sub-millimeter resolutions, 3D-EPI-VASO provides higher temporal stability and sensitivity to detect changes in CBV compared to 2D-EPI-VASO. In this regime, 3D-EPI-VASO unveils task activation located in the cortical laminae with little contamination from surface veins, in contrast to the cortical surface weighting of GE-BOLD fMRI. In the physiological-noise-dominated regime of lower resolutions, however, 2D-SMS-VASO shows superior performance compared to 3D-EPI-VASO. Due to its superior sensitivity at a layer-dependent level, 3D-EPI VASO promises to play an important role in future neuroscientific applications of layer-dependent fMRI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurentius Huber
- Section on Functional Imaging Methods, Laboratory of Brain and Cognition, NIMH, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA.
| | - Dimo Ivanov
- Maastricht Brain Imaging Centre, Faculty of Psychology and Neurosciencve, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Daniel A Handwerker
- Section on Functional Imaging Methods, Laboratory of Brain and Cognition, NIMH, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | | | - Maria Guidi
- Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Kâmil Uludağ
- Maastricht Brain Imaging Centre, Faculty of Psychology and Neurosciencve, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Peter A Bandettini
- Section on Functional Imaging Methods, Laboratory of Brain and Cognition, NIMH, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA; FMRIF, NIMH, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Benedikt A Poser
- Maastricht Brain Imaging Centre, Faculty of Psychology and Neurosciencve, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
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22
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Zwanenburg JJM, van Osch MJP. Targeting Cerebral Small Vessel Disease With MRI. Stroke 2017; 48:3175-3182. [PMID: 28970280 DOI: 10.1161/strokeaha.117.016996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2017] [Revised: 08/28/2017] [Accepted: 09/05/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jaco J M Zwanenburg
- From the Deptartment of Radiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, the Netherlands (J.J.M.Z.); and Department of Radiology, Leiden University Medical Center, the Netherlands (M.J.P.v.O.).
| | - Matthias J P van Osch
- From the Deptartment of Radiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, the Netherlands (J.J.M.Z.); and Department of Radiology, Leiden University Medical Center, the Netherlands (M.J.P.v.O.)
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23
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Rua C, Costagli M, Symms MR, Biagi L, Donatelli G, Cosottini M, Del Guerra A, Tosetti M. Characterization of high-resolution Gradient Echo and Spin Echo EPI for fMRI in the human visual cortex at 7 T. Magn Reson Imaging 2017; 40:98-108. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mri.2017.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2016] [Revised: 04/11/2017] [Accepted: 04/20/2017] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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24
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De Martino F, Yacoub E, Kemper V, Moerel M, Uludağ K, De Weerd P, Ugurbil K, Goebel R, Formisano E. The impact of ultra-high field MRI on cognitive and computational neuroimaging. Neuroimage 2017; 168:366-382. [PMID: 28396293 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2017.03.060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2016] [Revised: 03/20/2017] [Accepted: 03/29/2017] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The ability to measure functional brain responses non-invasively with ultra high field MRI (7 T and above) represents a unique opportunity in advancing our understanding of the human brain. Compared to lower fields (3 T and below), ultra high field MRI has an increased sensitivity, which can be used to acquire functional images with greater spatial resolution, and greater specificity of the blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) signal to the underlying neuronal responses. Together, increased resolution and specificity enable investigating brain functions at a submillimeter scale, which so far could only be done with invasive techniques. At this mesoscopic spatial scale, perception, cognition and behavior can be probed at the level of fundamental units of neural computations, such as cortical columns, cortical layers, and subcortical nuclei. This represents a unique and distinctive advantage that differentiates ultra high from lower field imaging and that can foster a tighter link between fMRI and computational modeling of neural networks. So far, functional brain mapping at submillimeter scale has focused on the processing of sensory information and on well-known systems for which extensive information is available from invasive recordings in animals. It remains an open challenge to extend this methodology to uniquely human functions and, more generally, to systems for which animal models may be problematic. To succeed, the possibility to acquire high-resolution functional data with large spatial coverage, the availability of computational models of neural processing as well as accurate biophysical modeling of neurovascular coupling at mesoscopic scale all appear necessary.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federico De Martino
- Department of Cognitive Neurosciences, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Oxfordlaan 55, 6229 ER Maastricht, The Netherlands; Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, Department of Radiology, University of Minnesota, 2021 sixth street SE, 55455 Minneapolis, MN, USA.
| | - Essa Yacoub
- Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, Department of Radiology, University of Minnesota, 2021 sixth street SE, 55455 Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Valentin Kemper
- Department of Cognitive Neurosciences, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Oxfordlaan 55, 6229 ER Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Michelle Moerel
- Department of Cognitive Neurosciences, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Oxfordlaan 55, 6229 ER Maastricht, The Netherlands; Maastricht Center for System Biology, Maastricht University, Universiteitssingel 60, 6229 ER Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Kâmil Uludağ
- Department of Cognitive Neurosciences, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Oxfordlaan 55, 6229 ER Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Peter De Weerd
- Department of Cognitive Neurosciences, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Oxfordlaan 55, 6229 ER Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Kamil Ugurbil
- Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, Department of Radiology, University of Minnesota, 2021 sixth street SE, 55455 Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Rainer Goebel
- Department of Cognitive Neurosciences, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Oxfordlaan 55, 6229 ER Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Elia Formisano
- Department of Cognitive Neurosciences, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Oxfordlaan 55, 6229 ER Maastricht, The Netherlands; Maastricht Center for System Biology, Maastricht University, Universiteitssingel 60, 6229 ER Maastricht, The Netherlands
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25
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Soares JM, Magalhães R, Moreira PS, Sousa A, Ganz E, Sampaio A, Alves V, Marques P, Sousa N. A Hitchhiker's Guide to Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging. Front Neurosci 2016; 10:515. [PMID: 27891073 PMCID: PMC5102908 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2016.00515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 112] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2016] [Accepted: 10/25/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) studies have become increasingly popular both with clinicians and researchers as they are capable of providing unique insights into brain functions. However, multiple technical considerations (ranging from specifics of paradigm design to imaging artifacts, complex protocol definition, and multitude of processing and methods of analysis, as well as intrinsic methodological limitations) must be considered and addressed in order to optimize fMRI analysis and to arrive at the most accurate and grounded interpretation of the data. In practice, the researcher/clinician must choose, from many available options, the most suitable software tool for each stage of the fMRI analysis pipeline. Herein we provide a straightforward guide designed to address, for each of the major stages, the techniques, and tools involved in the process. We have developed this guide both to help those new to the technique to overcome the most critical difficulties in its use, as well as to serve as a resource for the neuroimaging community.
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Affiliation(s)
- José M. Soares
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of MinhoBraga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate LaboratoryBraga, Portugal
| | - Ricardo Magalhães
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of MinhoBraga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate LaboratoryBraga, Portugal
| | - Pedro S. Moreira
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of MinhoBraga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate LaboratoryBraga, Portugal
| | - Alexandre Sousa
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of MinhoBraga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate LaboratoryBraga, Portugal
- Department of Informatics, University of MinhoBraga, Portugal
| | - Edward Ganz
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of MinhoBraga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate LaboratoryBraga, Portugal
| | - Adriana Sampaio
- Neuropsychophysiology Lab, CIPsi, School of Psychology, University of MinhoBraga, Portugal
| | - Victor Alves
- Department of Informatics, University of MinhoBraga, Portugal
| | - Paulo Marques
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of MinhoBraga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate LaboratoryBraga, Portugal
| | - Nuno Sousa
- Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Medicine, University of MinhoBraga, Portugal
- ICVS/3B's - PT Government Associate LaboratoryBraga, Portugal
- Clinical Academic Center – BragaBraga, Portugal
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26
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Donahue MJ, Juttukonda MR, Watchmaker JM. Noise concerns and post-processing procedures in cerebral blood flow (CBF) and cerebral blood volume (CBV) functional magnetic resonance imaging. Neuroimage 2016; 154:43-58. [PMID: 27622397 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2016.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2016] [Revised: 08/22/2016] [Accepted: 09/03/2016] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Functional neuroimaging with blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) contrast has emerged as the most popular method for evaluating qualitative changes in brain function in humans. At typical human field strengths (1.5-3.0T), BOLD contrast provides a measure of changes in transverse water relaxation rates in and around capillary and venous blood, and as such provides only a surrogate marker of brain function that depends on dynamic changes in hemodynamics (e.g., cerebral blood flow and volume) and metabolism (e.g., oxygen extraction fraction and the cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen consumption). Alternative functional neuroimaging methods that are specifically sensitive to these constituents of the BOLD signal are being developed and applied in a growing number of clinical and neuroscience applications of quantitative cerebral physiology. These methods require additional considerations for interpreting and quantifying their contrast responsibly. Here, an overview of two popular methods, arterial spin labeling and vascular space occupancy, is presented specifically in the context of functional neuroimaging. Appropriate post-processing and experimental acquisition strategies are summarized with the motivation of reducing sensitivity to noise and unintended signal sources and improving quantitative accuracy of cerebral hemodynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manus J Donahue
- Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA; Neurology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA; Psychiatry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA.
| | - Meher R Juttukonda
- Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Jennifer M Watchmaker
- Radiology and Radiological Sciences, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
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Thompkins AM, Deshpande G, Waggoner P, Katz JS. Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Domestic Dog: Research, Methodology, and Conceptual Issues. COMPARATIVE COGNITION & BEHAVIOR REVIEWS 2016; 11:63-82. [PMID: 29456781 DOI: 10.3819/ccbr.2016.110004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuroimaging of the domestic dog is a rapidly expanding research topic in terms of the cognitive domains being investigated. Because dogs have shared both a physical and social world with humans for thousands of years, they provide a unique and socially relevant means of investigating a variety of shared human and canine psychological phenomena. Additionally, their trainability allows for neuroimaging to be carried out noninvasively in an awake and unrestrained state. In this review, a brief overview of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is followed by an analysis of recent research with dogs using fMRI. Methodological and conceptual concerns found across multiple studies are raised, and solutions to these issues are suggested. With the research capabilities brought by canine functional imaging, findings may improve our understanding of canine cognitive processes, identify neural correlates of behavioral traits, and provide early-life selection measures for dogs in working roles.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gopikrishna Deshpande
- Dept. of Psychology, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA. AU MRI Research Center, Dept. of Electrical & Computer Engineering, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA. Alabama Advanced Imaging Consortium, Auburn University and University of Alabama Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Paul Waggoner
- Canine Performance Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA
| | - Jeffrey S Katz
- Dept. of Psychology, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA. AU MRI Research Center, Dept. of Electrical & Computer Engineering, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA. Alabama Advanced Imaging Consortium, Auburn University and University of Alabama Birmingham, AL, USA
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28
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Urban A, Mace E, Brunner C, Heidmann M, Rossier J, Montaldo G. Chronic assessment of cerebral hemodynamics during rat forepaw electrical stimulation using functional ultrasound imaging. Neuroimage 2014; 101:138-49. [PMID: 25008960 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2014.06.063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2014] [Revised: 06/10/2014] [Accepted: 06/27/2014] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Functional ultrasound imaging is a method recently developed to assess brain activity via hemodynamics in rodents. Doppler ultrasound signals allow the measurement of cerebral blood volume (CBV) and red blood cells' (RBCs') velocity in small vessels. However, this technique originally requires performing a large craniotomy that limits its use to acute experiments only. Moreover, a detailed description of the hemodynamic changes that underlie functional ultrasound imaging has not been described but is essential for a better interpretation of neuroimaging data. To overcome the limitation of the craniotomy, we developed a dedicated thinned skull surgery for chronic imaging. This procedure did not induce brain inflammation nor neuronal death as confirmed by immunostaining. We successfully acquired both high-resolution images of the microvasculature and functional movies of the brain hemodynamics on the same animal at 0, 2, and 7 days without loss of quality. Then, we investigated the spatiotemporal evolution of the CBV hemodynamic response function (HRF) in response to sensory-evoked electrical stimulus (1 mA) ranging from 1 (200 μs) to 25 pulses (5s). Our results indicate that CBV HRF parameters such as the peak amplitude, the time to peak, the full width at half-maximum and the spatial extent of the activated area increase with stimulus duration. Functional ultrasound imaging was sensitive enough to detect hemodynamic responses evoked by only a single pulse stimulus. We also observed that the RBC velocity during activation could be separated in two distinct speed ranges with the fastest velocities located in the upper part of the cortex and slower velocities in deeper layers. For the first time, functional ultrasound imaging demonstrates its potential to image brain activity chronically in small animals and offers new insights into the spatiotemporal evolution of cerebral hemodynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan Urban
- Université Paris Descartes Sorbonne Paris Cité, Centre de Psychiatrie et Neurosciences, INSERM S894, Centre Hospitalier Sainte-Anne, Paris, France.
| | - Emilie Mace
- 1A Allée des bois de Gagny, 93340 Le Raincy, France
| | - Clément Brunner
- Université Paris Descartes Sorbonne Paris Cité, Centre de Psychiatrie et Neurosciences, INSERM S894, Centre Hospitalier Sainte-Anne, Paris, France
| | - Marc Heidmann
- Université Paris Descartes Sorbonne Paris Cité, Centre de Psychiatrie et Neurosciences, INSERM S894, Centre Hospitalier Sainte-Anne, Paris, France
| | - Jean Rossier
- Université Paris Descartes Sorbonne Paris Cité, Centre de Psychiatrie et Neurosciences, INSERM S894, Centre Hospitalier Sainte-Anne, Paris, France
| | - Gabriel Montaldo
- Université Paris Descartes Sorbonne Paris Cité, Centre de Psychiatrie et Neurosciences, INSERM S894, Centre Hospitalier Sainte-Anne, Paris, France
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29
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Affiliation(s)
- Steffen N Krieger
- Monash Biomedical Imaging, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia ; Max-Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
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30
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Lu H, Hua J, van Zijl PCM. Noninvasive functional imaging of cerebral blood volume with vascular-space-occupancy (VASO) MRI. NMR IN BIOMEDICINE 2013; 26:932-948. [PMID: 23355392 PMCID: PMC3659207 DOI: 10.1002/nbm.2905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2012] [Revised: 10/29/2012] [Accepted: 11/18/2012] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Functional MRI (fMRI) based on changes in cerebral blood volume (CBV) can probe directly vasodilatation and vasoconstriction during brain activation or physiologic challenges, and can provide important insights into the mechanism of blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) signal changes. At present, the most widely used CBV fMRI technique in humans is called vascular-space-occupancy (VASO) MRI, and this article provides a technical review of this method. VASO MRI utilizes T1 differences between blood and tissue to distinguish between these two compartments within a voxel, and employs a blood-nulling inversion recovery sequence to yield an MR signal proportional to 1 - CBV. As such, vasodilatation will result in a VASO signal decrease and vasoconstriction will have the reverse effect. The VASO technique can be performed dynamically with a temporal resolution comparable with several other fMRI methods, such as BOLD or arterial spin labeling (ASL), and is particularly powerful when conducted in conjunction with these complementary techniques. The pulse sequence and imaging parameters of VASO can be optimized such that the signal change is predominantly of CBV origin, but careful considerations should be taken to minimize other contributions, such as those from the BOLD effect, cerebral blood flow (CBF) and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The sensitivity of the VASO technique is the primary disadvantage when compared with BOLD, but this technique is increasingly demonstrating its utility in neuroscientific and clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanzhang Lu
- Advanced Imaging Research Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.
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31
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van Zijl PCM, Hua J, Lu H. The BOLD post-stimulus undershoot, one of the most debated issues in fMRI. Neuroimage 2012; 62:1092-102. [PMID: 22248572 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2012.01.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2011] [Revised: 11/29/2011] [Accepted: 01/01/2012] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
This paper provides a brief overview of how we got involved in fMRI work and of our efforts to elucidate the mechanisms underlying BOLD signal changes. The phenomenon discussed here in particular is the post-stimulus undershoot (PSU), the interpretation of which has captivated many fMRI scientists and is still under debate to date. This controversy is caused both by the convoluted physiological origin of the BOLD effect, which allows many possible explanations, and the lack of comprehensive data in the early years. BOLD effects reflect changes in cerebral blood flow (CBF), volume (CBV), metabolic rate of oxygen (CMRO(2)), and hematocrit fraction (Hct). However, the size of such effects is modulated by vascular origin such as intravascular, extravascular, macro and microvascular, venular and capillary, the relative contributions of which depend not only on the spatial resolution of the measurements, but also on stimulus duration, on magnetic field strength and on whether spin echo (SE) or gradient echo (GRE) detection is used. The two most dominant explanations of the PSU have been delayed vascular compliance (first venular, later arteriolar, and recently capillary) and sustained increases in CMRO(2), while post-activation reduction in CBF is a distant third. MRI has the capability to independently measure CBF and arteriolar, venous, and total CBV contributions in humans and animals, which has been of great assistance in improving the understanding of BOLD phenomena. Using currently available MRI and optical data, we conclude that the predominant PSU origin is a sustained increase in CMRO(2). However, some contributions from delayed vascular compliance are likely, and small CBF undershoot contributions that are difficult to detect with current arterial spin labeling technology can also not be excluded. The relative contribution of these different processes, which are not mutually exclusive and can act together, is likely to vary with stimulus duration and type.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter C M van Zijl
- The Russell H Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Division of MR Research, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
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