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Hutchinson G, Thotland J, Pisharady PK, Garwood M, Lenglet C, Kauppinen RA. T1 relaxation and axon fibre configuration in human white matter. NMR IN BIOMEDICINE 2024:e5234. [PMID: 39097977 DOI: 10.1002/nbm.5234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2024] [Revised: 06/18/2024] [Accepted: 07/22/2024] [Indexed: 08/06/2024]
Abstract
Understanding the effects of white matter (WM) axon fibre microstructure on T1 relaxation is important for neuroimaging. Here, we have studied the interrelationship between T1 and axon fibre configurations at 3T and 7T. T1 and S0 (=signal intensity at zero TI) were computed from MP2RAGE images acquired with six inversion recovery times. Multishell diffusion MRI images were analysed for fractional anisotropy (FA); MD; V1; the volume fractions for the first (f1), second (f2) and third (f3) fibre configuration; and fibre density cross-section images for the first (fdc1), second (fdc2) and third (fdc3) fibres. T1 values were plotted as a function of FA, f1, f2, f3, fdc1, fdc2 and fdc3 to examine interrelationships between the longitudinal relaxation and the diffusion MRI microstructural measures. T1 values decreased with increasing FA, f1 and f2 in a nonlinear fashion. At low FA values (from 0.2 to 0.4), a steep shortening of T1 was followed by a shallow shortening by 6%-10% at both fields. The steep shortening was associated with decreasing S0 and MD. T1 also decreased with increasing fdc1 values in a nonlinear fashion. Instead, only a small T1 change as a function of either f3 or fdc3 was observed. In WM areas selected by fdc1 only masks, T1 was shorter than in those with fdc2/fdc3. In WM areas with high single fibre populations, as delineated by f1/fdc1 masks, T1 was shorter than in tissue with high complex fibre configurations, as segmented by f2/fdc2 or f3/fdc3 masks. T1 differences between these WM areas are attributable to combined effects by T1 anisotropy and lowered FA. The current data show strong interrelationships between T1, axon fibre configuration and orientation in healthy WM. It is concluded that diffusion MRI microstructural measures are essential in the effort to interpret quantitative T1 images in terms of tissue state in health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grace Hutchinson
- Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Jeromy Thotland
- Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Pramod K Pisharady
- Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Michael Garwood
- Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Christophe Lenglet
- Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Risto A Kauppinen
- Department of Electric and Electronic Engineering, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
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Midrigan-Ciochina L, Vodacek KP, Sewell C, Corina DP. A Comparison of White Matter Brain Differences in Monolingual and Highly Proficient Multilingual Speakers. NEUROBIOLOGY OF LANGUAGE (CAMBRIDGE, MASS.) 2024; 5:497-527. [PMID: 38911457 PMCID: PMC11192512 DOI: 10.1162/nol_a_00144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/25/2024]
Abstract
Language processing relies on the communication between brain regions that is achieved through several white matter tracts, part of the dorsal, ventral, and medial pathways involved in language processing and control (Coggins et al., 2004; Friederici & Gierhan, 2013; Hickok & Poeppel, 2007; Luk et al., 2011). While changes in white matter tract morphology have been reported as a function of second language learning in bilinguals, little is known about changes that may be present in multilanguage users. Here we investigate white matter morphometry in a group of highly proficient multilinguals, (individuals with proficiency in four or more languages), compared to a group of monolinguals. White matter morphometry was quantified using a fixel-based analysis (Raffelt et al., 2015; Raffelt et al., 2017; Tournier et al., 2007). Higher fiber cross-section and lower fiber density values were observed for the multilinguals, in the dorsal pathways (superior longitudinal fasciculus and arcuate fasciculus) and the ventral pathway, including the inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus, inferior longitudinal fasciculus, and the uncinate fasciculus. Segments of the corpus callosum, the fornix, and the cortico-spinal tract showed decreases in all three morphometry measures for multilinguals. The findings suggest differential efficiencies in neural communication between domain-specific language regions and domain-general cognitive processes underlying multilingual language use. We discuss the results in relation to the bilingual Anterior to Posterior and Subcortical Shift (BAPSS) hypothesis (Grundy et al., 2017) and the Dynamic Restructuring Model (Pliatsikas, 2020).
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Affiliation(s)
- Ludmila Midrigan-Ciochina
- Center for Mind and Brain, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
- Department of Linguistics and Human Ecology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Kayla P. Vodacek
- Center for Mind and Brain, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Cristina Sewell
- Center for Mind and Brain, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - David P. Corina
- Center for Mind and Brain, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
- Department of Linguistics and Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA
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3
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Nelson MC, Royer J, Lu WD, Leppert IR, Campbell JSW, Schiavi S, Jin H, Tavakol S, Vos de Wael R, Rodriguez-Cruces R, Pike GB, Bernhardt BC, Daducci A, Misic B, Tardif CL. The human brain connectome weighted by the myelin content and total intra-axonal cross-sectional area of white matter tracts. Netw Neurosci 2023; 7:1363-1388. [PMID: 38144691 PMCID: PMC10697181 DOI: 10.1162/netn_a_00330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023] Open
Abstract
A central goal in neuroscience is the development of a comprehensive mapping between structural and functional brain features, which facilitates mechanistic interpretation of brain function. However, the interpretability of structure-function brain models remains limited by a lack of biological detail. Here, we characterize human structural brain networks weighted by multiple white matter microstructural features including total intra-axonal cross-sectional area and myelin content. We report edge-weight-dependent spatial distributions, variance, small-worldness, rich club, hubs, as well as relationships with function, edge length, and myelin. Contrasting networks weighted by the total intra-axonal cross-sectional area and myelin content of white matter tracts, we find opposite relationships with functional connectivity, an edge-length-independent inverse relationship with each other, and the lack of a canonical rich club in myelin-weighted networks. When controlling for edge length, networks weighted by either fractional anisotropy, radial diffusivity, or neurite density show no relationship with whole-brain functional connectivity. We conclude that the co-utilization of structural networks weighted by total intra-axonal cross-sectional area and myelin content could improve our understanding of the mechanisms mediating the structure-function brain relationship.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark C. Nelson
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Jessica Royer
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Wen Da Lu
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Ilana R. Leppert
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Jennifer S. W. Campbell
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Simona Schiavi
- Department of Computer Science, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Hyerang Jin
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Shahin Tavakol
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Reinder Vos de Wael
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Raul Rodriguez-Cruces
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - G. Bruce Pike
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute and Departments of Radiology and Clinical Neuroscience, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Boris C. Bernhardt
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | | | - Bratislav Misic
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Christine L. Tardif
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
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4
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Kauppinen RA, Thothard J, Leskinen HPP, Pisharady PK, Manninen E, Kettunen M, Lenglet C, Gröhn OHJ, Garwood M, Nissi MJ. Axon fiber orientation as the source of T 1 relaxation anisotropy in white matter: A study on corpus callosum in vivo and ex vivo. Magn Reson Med 2023; 90:708-721. [PMID: 37145027 DOI: 10.1002/mrm.29667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2022] [Revised: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Recent studies indicate that T1 in white matter (WM) is influenced by fiber orientation in B0 . The purpose of the study was to investigate the interrelationships between axon fiber orientation in corpus callosum (CC) and T1 relaxation time in humans in vivo as well as in rat brain ex vivo. METHODS Volunteers were scanned for relaxometric and diffusion MRI at 3 T and 7 T. Angular T1 plots from WM were computed using fractional anisotropy and fiber-to-field-angle maps. T1 and fiber-to-field angle were measured in five sections of CC to estimate the effects of inherently varying fiber orientations on T1 within the same tracts in vivo. Ex vivo rat-brain preparation encompassing posterior CC was rotated in B0 and T1 , and diffusion MRI images acquired at 9.4 T. T1 angular plots were determined at several rotation angles in B0 . RESULTS Angular T1 plots from global WM provided reference for estimated fiber orientation-linked T1 changes within CC. In anterior midbody of CC in vivo, where small axons are dominantly present, a shift in axon orientation is accompanied by a change in T1 , matching that estimated from WM T1 data. In CC, where large and giant axons are numerous, the measured T1 change is about 2-fold greater than the estimated one. Ex vivo rotation of the same midsagittal CC region of interest produced angular T1 plots at 9.4 T, matching those observed at 7 T in vivo. CONCLUSION These data causally link axon fiber orientation in B0 to the T1 relaxation anisotropy in WM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Risto A Kauppinen
- Department of Electric and Electronic Engineering, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Jeromy Thothard
- Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Henri P P Leskinen
- Department of Technical Physics, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Pramod K Pisharady
- Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Eppu Manninen
- A.I. Virtanen Institute, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Mikko Kettunen
- A.I. Virtanen Institute, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Christophe Lenglet
- Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Olli H J Gröhn
- A.I. Virtanen Institute, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Michael Garwood
- Center for Magnetic Resonance Research, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Mikko J Nissi
- Department of Technical Physics, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
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5
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Sullivan EV, Pfefferbaum A. Alcohol use disorder: Neuroimaging evidence for accelerated aging of brain morphology and hypothesized contribution to age-related dementia. Alcohol 2023; 107:44-55. [PMID: 35781021 PMCID: PMC11424507 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2022.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2022] [Revised: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Excessive alcohol use curtails longevity by rendering intoxicated individuals vulnerable to heightened risk from accidents, violence, and alcohol poisoning, and makes chronically heavy drinkers vulnerable to acceleration of age-related medical and psychiatric conditions that can be life threatening (Yoon, Chen, Slater, Jung, & White, 2020). Thus, studies of factors influencing age-alcohol interactions must consider the potential that the alcohol use disorder (AUD) population may not represent the oldest ages of the unaffected population and may well have accrued comorbidities associated with both AUD and aging itself. Herein, we focus on the aging of the brains of men and women with AUD, keeping AUD contextual factors in mind. Knowledge of the potential influence of the AUD-associated co-factors on the condition of brain structure may lead to identifying modifiable risk factors to avert physical declines and may reverse or arrest further AUD-related degradation of the brain. In this narrative review, we 1) describe quantitative, controlled studies of brain macrostructure and microstructure of adults with AUD, 2) consider the possibility of recovery of brain integrity through harm reduction with sustained abstinence or reduced drinking, and 3) speculate on the ramifications of accelerated aging in AUD as contributing to age-related dementia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edith V Sullivan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States.
| | - Adolf Pfefferbaum
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States; Center for Health Sciences, SRI International, Menlo Park, CA, United States
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6
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Moinian S, Vegh V, Reutens D. Towards automated in vivo parcellation of the human cerebral cortex using supervised classification of magnetic resonance fingerprinting residuals. Cereb Cortex 2023; 33:1550-1565. [PMID: 35483706 PMCID: PMC9977388 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhac155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2021] [Revised: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Accurate parcellation of the cerebral cortex in an individual is a guide to its underlying organization. The most promising in vivo quantitative magnetic resonance (MR)-based microstructural cortical mapping methods are yet to achieve a level of parcellation accuracy comparable to quantitative histology. METHODS We scanned 6 participants using a 3D echo-planar imaging MR fingerprinting (EPI-MRF) sequence on a 7T Siemens scanner. After projecting MRF signals to the individual-specific inflated model of the cortical surface, normalized autocorrelations of MRF residuals of vertices of 8 microstructurally distinct areas (BA1, BA2, BA4a, BA6, BA44, BA45, BA17, and BA18) from 3 cortical regions were used as feature vector inputs into linear support vector machine (SVM), radial basis function SVM (RBF-SVM), random forest, and k-nearest neighbors supervised classification algorithms. The algorithms' prediction performance was compared using: (i) features from each vertex or (ii) features from neighboring vertices. RESULTS The neighborhood-based RBF-SVM classifier achieved the highest prediction score of 0.85 for classification of MRF residuals in the central region from a held-out participant. CONCLUSIONS We developed an automated method of cortical parcellation using a combination of MR fingerprinting residual analysis and machine learning classification. Our findings provide the basis for employing unsupervised learning algorithms for whole-cortex structural parcellation in individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shahrzad Moinian
- Centre for Advanced Imaging, The University of Queensland, Building 57, Research Road, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
- ARC Training Centre for Innovation in Biomedical Imaging Technology, The University of Queensland, Building 57, Research Road, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Viktor Vegh
- Centre for Advanced Imaging, The University of Queensland, Building 57, Research Road, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
- ARC Training Centre for Innovation in Biomedical Imaging Technology, The University of Queensland, Building 57, Research Road, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - David Reutens
- Centre for Advanced Imaging, The University of Queensland, Building 57, Research Road, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
- ARC Training Centre for Innovation in Biomedical Imaging Technology, The University of Queensland, Building 57, Research Road, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
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7
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Kauppinen RA, Thotland J, Pisharady PK, Lenglet C, Garwood M. White matter microstructure and longitudinal relaxation time anisotropy in human brain at 3 and 7 T. NMR IN BIOMEDICINE 2023; 36:e4815. [PMID: 35994269 PMCID: PMC9742158 DOI: 10.1002/nbm.4815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2022] [Revised: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/19/2022] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
A high degree of structural order by white matter (WM) fibre tracts creates a physicochemical environment where water relaxations are rendered anisotropic. Recently, angularly dependent longitudinal relaxation has been reported in human WM. We have characterised interrelationships between T1 relaxation and diffusion MRI microstructural indices at 3 and 7 T. Eleven volunteers consented to participate in the study. Multishell diffusion MR images were acquired with b-values of 0/1500/3000 and 0/1000/2000 s/mm2 at 1.5 and 1.05 mm3 isotropic resolutions at 3 and 7 T, respectively. DTIFIT was used to compute DTI indices; the fibre-to-field angle (θFB ) maps were obtained using the principal eigenvector images. The orientations and volume fractions of multiple fibre populations were estimated using BedpostX in FSL, and the orientation dispersion index (ODI) was estimated using the NODDI protocol. MP2RAGE was used to acquire images for T1 maps at 1.0 and 0.9 mm3 isotropic resolutions at 3 and 7 T, respectively. At 3 T, T1 as a function of θFB in WM with high fractional anisotropy and one-fibre orientation volume fraction or low ODI shows a broad peak centred at 50o , but a flat baseline at 0o and 90o . The broad peak amounted up to 7% of the mean T1. At 7 T, the broad peak appeared at 40o and T1 in fibres running parallel to B0 was longer by up to 75 ms (8.3% of the mean T1) than in those perpendicular to the field. The peak at 40o was approximately 5% of mean T1 (i.e., proportionally smaller than that at 54o at 3 T). The data demonstrate T1 anisotropy in WM with high microstructural order at both fields. The angular patterns are indicative of the B0-dependency of T1 anisotropy. Thus myelinated WM fibres influence T1 contrast both by acting as a T1 contrast agent and rendering T1 dependent on fibre orientation with B0.
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Affiliation(s)
- Risto A. Kauppinen
- Department of Electric and Electronic EngineeringUniversity of BristolBristolUK
| | - Jeromy Thotland
- Center for Magnetic Resonance ResearchUniversity of MinnesotaMinneapolisMinnesotaUSA
| | - Pramod K. Pisharady
- Center for Magnetic Resonance ResearchUniversity of MinnesotaMinneapolisMinnesotaUSA
| | - Christophe Lenglet
- Center for Magnetic Resonance ResearchUniversity of MinnesotaMinneapolisMinnesotaUSA
| | - Michael Garwood
- Center for Magnetic Resonance ResearchUniversity of MinnesotaMinneapolisMinnesotaUSA
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8
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Bogusz F, Pieciak T, Afzali M, Pizzolato M. Diffusion-relaxation scattered MR signal representation in a multi-parametric sequence. Magn Reson Imaging 2022; 91:52-61. [PMID: 35561868 DOI: 10.1016/j.mri.2022.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2021] [Revised: 05/03/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
This work focuses on obtaining a more general diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) signal representation that accounts for a longitudinal T1 and transverse T2⋆ relaxations while at the same time integrating directional diffusion in the context of scattered multi-parametric acquisitions, where only a few diffusion gradient directions and b-values are available for each pair of echo and inversion times. The method is based on the three-dimensional simple harmonic oscillator-based reconstruction and estimation (SHORE) representation of the diffusion signal, which enables the estimation of the orientation distribution function and the retrieval of various quantitative indices such as the generalized fractional anisotropy or the return-to-the-origin probability while simultaneously resolving for T1 and T2⋆ relaxation times. Our technique, the Relax-SHORE, has been tested on both in silico and in vivo diffusion-relaxation scattered MR data. The results show that Relax-SHORE is accurate in the context of scattered acquisitions while guaranteeing flexibility in the diffusion signal representation from multi-parametric sequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabian Bogusz
- AGH University of Science and Technology, Kraków, Poland.
| | - Tomasz Pieciak
- AGH University of Science and Technology, Kraków, Poland; LPI, ETSI Telecomunicación, Universidad de Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain
| | - Maryam Afzali
- Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine (LICAMM), Leeds, United Kingdom; Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Marco Pizzolato
- Department of applied mathematics and computer science, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark; Signal Processing Lab (LTS5), École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
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9
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Nonparametric D-R 1-R 2 distribution MRI of the living human brain. Neuroimage 2021; 245:118753. [PMID: 34852278 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Revised: 11/17/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Diffusion-relaxation correlation NMR can simultaneously characterize both the microstructure and the local chemical composition of complex samples that contain multiple populations of water. Recent developments on tensor-valued diffusion encoding and Monte Carlo inversion algorithms have made it possible to transfer diffusion-relaxation correlation NMR from small-bore scanners to clinical MRI systems. Initial studies on clinical MRI systems employed 5D D-R1 and D-R2 correlation to characterize healthy brain in vivo. However, these methods are subject to an inherent bias that originates from not including R2 or R1 in the analysis, respectively. This drawback can be remedied by extending the concept to 6D D-R1-R2 correlation. In this work, we present a sparse acquisition protocol that records all data necessary for in vivo 6D D-R1-R2 correlation MRI across 633 individual measurements within 25 min-a time frame comparable to previous lower-dimensional acquisition protocols. The data were processed with a Monte Carlo inversion algorithm to obtain nonparametric 6D D-R1-R2 distributions. We validated the reproducibility of the method in repeated measurements of healthy volunteers. For a post-therapy glioblastoma case featuring cysts, edema, and partially necrotic remains of tumor, we present representative single-voxel 6D distributions, parameter maps, and artificial contrasts over a wide range of diffusion-, R1-, and R2-weightings based on the rich information contained in the D-R1-R2 distributions.
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10
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Slator PJ, Palombo M, Miller KL, Westin C, Laun F, Kim D, Haldar JP, Benjamini D, Lemberskiy G, de Almeida Martins JP, Hutter J. Combined diffusion-relaxometry microstructure imaging: Current status and future prospects. Magn Reson Med 2021; 86:2987-3011. [PMID: 34411331 PMCID: PMC8568657 DOI: 10.1002/mrm.28963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2020] [Revised: 06/25/2021] [Accepted: 07/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Microstructure imaging seeks to noninvasively measure and map microscopic tissue features by pairing mathematical modeling with tailored MRI protocols. This article reviews an emerging paradigm that has the potential to provide a more detailed assessment of tissue microstructure-combined diffusion-relaxometry imaging. Combined diffusion-relaxometry acquisitions vary multiple MR contrast encodings-such as b-value, gradient direction, inversion time, and echo time-in a multidimensional acquisition space. When paired with suitable analysis techniques, this enables quantification of correlations and coupling between multiple MR parameters-such as diffusivity, T 1 , T 2 , and T 2 ∗ . This opens the possibility of disentangling multiple tissue compartments (within voxels) that are indistinguishable with single-contrast scans, enabling a new generation of microstructural maps with improved biological sensitivity and specificity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paddy J. Slator
- Centre for Medical Image ComputingDepartment of Computer ScienceUniversity College LondonLondonUK
| | - Marco Palombo
- Centre for Medical Image ComputingDepartment of Computer ScienceUniversity College LondonLondonUK
| | - Karla L. Miller
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Neuroimaging, FMRIB, Nuffield Department of Clinical NeurosciencesUniversity of OxfordOxfordUK
| | - Carl‐Fredrik Westin
- Department of RadiologyBrigham and Women’s HospitalHarvard Medical SchoolBostonMAUSA
| | - Frederik Laun
- Institute of RadiologyUniversity Hospital ErlangenFriedrich‐Alexander‐Universität Erlangen‐Nürnberg (FAU)ErlangenGermany
| | - Daeun Kim
- Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer EngineeringUniversity of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesCAUSA
- Signal and Image Processing InstituteUniversity of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesCAUSA
| | - Justin P. Haldar
- Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer EngineeringUniversity of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesCAUSA
- Signal and Image Processing InstituteUniversity of Southern CaliforniaLos AngelesCAUSA
| | - Dan Benjamini
- The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human DevelopmentBethesdaMDUSA
- The Center for Neuroscience and Regenerative MedicineUniformed Service University of the Health SciencesBethesdaMDUSA
| | | | - Joao P. de Almeida Martins
- Division of Physical Chemistry, Department of ChemistryLund UniversityLundSweden
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear MedicineSt. Olav’s University HospitalTrondheimNorway
| | - Jana Hutter
- Centre for Biomedical EngineeringSchool of Biomedical Engineering and ImagingKing’s College LondonLondonUK
- Centre for the Developing BrainSchool of Biomedical Engineering and ImagingKing’s College LondonLondonUK
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11
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Tax CMW, Kleban E, Chamberland M, Baraković M, Rudrapatna U, Jones DK. Measuring compartmental T 2-orientational dependence in human brain white matter using a tiltable RF coil and diffusion-T 2 correlation MRI. Neuroimage 2021; 236:117967. [PMID: 33845062 PMCID: PMC8270891 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.117967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2020] [Revised: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The anisotropy of brain white matter microstructure manifests itself in orientational-dependence of various MRI contrasts, and can result in significant quantification biases if ignored. Understanding the origins of this orientation-dependence could enhance the interpretation of MRI signal changes in development, ageing and disease and ultimately improve clinical diagnosis. Using a novel experimental setup, this work studies the contributions of the intra- and extra-axonal water to the orientation-dependence of one of the most clinically-studied parameters, apparent transverse relaxation T2. Specifically, a tiltable receive coil is interfaced with an ultra-strong gradient MRI scanner to acquire multidimensional MRI data with an unprecedented range of acquisition parameters. Using this setup, compartmental T2 can be disentangled based on differences in diffusional-anisotropy, and its orientation-dependence further elucidated by re-orienting the head with respect to the main magnetic field B→0. A dependence of (compartmental) T2 on the fibre orientation w.r.t. B→0 was observed, and further quantified using characteristic representations for susceptibility- and magic angle effects. Across white matter, anisotropy effects were dominated by the extra-axonal water signal, while the intra-axonal water signal decay varied less with fibre-orientation. Moreover, the results suggest that the stronger extra-axonal T2 orientation-dependence is dominated by magnetic susceptibility effects (presumably from the myelin sheath) while the weaker intra-axonal T2 orientation-dependence may be driven by a combination of microstructural effects. Even though the current design of the tiltable coil only offers a modest range of angles, the results demonstrate an overall effect of tilt and serve as a proof-of-concept motivating further hardware development to facilitate experiments that explore orientational anisotropy. These observations have the potential to lead to white matter microstructural models with increased compartmental sensitivity to disease, and can have direct consequences for longitudinal and group-wise T2- and diffusion-MRI data analysis, where the effect of head-orientation in the scanner is commonly ignored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chantal M W Tax
- Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), School of Physics and Astronomy, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK; University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
| | - Elena Kleban
- Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Maxime Chamberland
- Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Muhamed Baraković
- Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK; Signal Processing Laboratory 5, Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland; Translational Imaging in Neurology Basel, Department of Biomedical Engineering, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Umesh Rudrapatna
- Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK
| | - Derek K Jones
- Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Cardiff, UK; Mary MacKillop Institute for Health Research, Faculty of Health Sciences, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, Australia
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12
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Fritz FJ, Poser BA, Roebroeck A. MESMERISED: Super-accelerating T 1 relaxometry and diffusion MRI with STEAM at 7 T for quantitative multi-contrast and diffusion imaging. Neuroimage 2021; 239:118285. [PMID: 34147632 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2020] [Revised: 06/14/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
There is an increasing interest in quantitative imaging of T1, T2 and diffusion contrast in the brain due to greater robustness against bias fields and artifacts, as well as better biophysical interpretability in terms of microstructure. However, acquisition time constraints are a challenge, particularly when multiple quantitative contrasts are desired and when extensive sampling of diffusion directions, high b-values or long diffusion times are needed for multi-compartment microstructure modeling. Although ultra-high fields of 7 T and above have desirable properties for many MR modalities, the shortening T2 and the high specific absorption rate (SAR) of inversion and refocusing pulses bring great challenges to quantitative T1, T2 and diffusion imaging. Here, we present the MESMERISED sequence (Multiplexed Echo Shifted Multiband Excited and Recalled Imaging of STEAM Encoded Diffusion). MESMERISED removes the dead time in Stimulated Echo Acquisition Mode (STEAM) imaging by an echo-shifting mechanism. The echo-shift (ES) factor is independent of multiband (MB) acceleration and allows for very high multiplicative (ESxMB) acceleration factors, particularly under moderate and long mixing times. This results in super-acceleration and high time efficiency at 7 T for quantitative T1 and diffusion imaging, while also retaining the capacity to perform quantitative T2 and B1 mapping. We demonstrate the super-acceleration of MESMERISED for whole-brain T1 relaxometry with total acceleration factors up to 36 at 1.8 mm isotropic resolution, and up to 54 at 1.25 mm resolution qT1 imaging, corresponding to a 6x and 9x speedup, respectively, compared to MB-only accelerated acquisitions. We then demonstrate highly efficient diffusion MRI with high b-values and long diffusion times in two separate cases. First, we show that super-accelerated multi-shell diffusion acquisitions with 370 whole-brain diffusion volumes over 8 b-value shells up to b = 7000 s/mm2 can be generated at 2 mm isotropic in under 8 minutes, a data rate of almost a volume per second, or at 1.8 mm isotropic in under 11 minutes, achieving up to 3.4x speedup compared to MB-only. A comparison of b = 7000 s/mm2 MESMERISED against standard MB pulsed gradient spin echo (PGSE) diffusion imaging shows 70% higher SNR efficiency and greater effectiveness in supporting complex diffusion signal modeling. Second, we demonstrate time-efficient sampling of different diffusion times with 1.8 mm isotropic diffusion data acquired at four diffusion times up to 290 ms, which supports both Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) and Diffusion Kurtosis Imaging (DKI) at each diffusion time. Finally, we demonstrate how adding quantitative T2 and B1+ mapping to super-accelerated qT1 and diffusion imaging enables efficient quantitative multi-contrast mapping with the same MESMERISED sequence and the same readout train. MESMERISED extends possibilities to efficiently probe T1, T2 and diffusion contrast for multi-component modeling of tissue microstructure.
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Affiliation(s)
- F J Fritz
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands; Institut für Systemische Neurowissenschaften, Zentrum für Experimentelle Medizin, Universitätklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Hamburg, Deutschland
| | - B A Poser
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands
| | - A Roebroeck
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands.
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13
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Reymbaut A, Critchley J, Durighel G, Sprenger T, Sughrue M, Bryskhe K, Topgaard D. Toward nonparametric diffusion- T1 characterization of crossing fibers in the human brain. Magn Reson Med 2021; 85:2815-2827. [PMID: 33301195 PMCID: PMC7898694 DOI: 10.1002/mrm.28604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2020] [Revised: 10/26/2020] [Accepted: 10/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE To estimate T 1 for each distinct fiber population within voxels containing multiple brain tissue types. METHODS A diffusion- T 1 correlation experiment was carried out in an in vivo human brain using tensor-valued diffusion encoding and multiple repetition times. The acquired data were inverted using a Monte Carlo algorithm that retrieves nonparametric distributions P ( D , R 1 ) of diffusion tensors and longitudinal relaxation rates R 1 = 1 / T 1 . Orientation distribution functions (ODFs) of the highly anisotropic components of P ( D , R 1 ) were defined to visualize orientation-specific diffusion-relaxation properties. Finally, Monte Carlo density-peak clustering (MC-DPC) was performed to quantify fiber-specific features and investigate microstructural differences between white matter fiber bundles. RESULTS Parameter maps corresponding to P ( D , R 1 ) 's statistical descriptors were obtained, exhibiting the expected R 1 contrast between brain tissue types. Our ODFs recovered local orientations consistent with the known anatomy and indicated differences in R 1 between major crossing fiber bundles. These differences, confirmed by MC-DPC, were in qualitative agreement with previous model-based works but seem biased by the limitations of our current experimental setup. CONCLUSIONS Our Monte Carlo framework enables the nonparametric estimation of fiber-specific diffusion- T 1 features, thereby showing potential for characterizing developmental or pathological changes in T 1 within a given fiber bundle, and for investigating interbundle T 1 differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexis Reymbaut
- Department of Physical ChemistryLund UniversityLundSweden
- Random Walk Imaging ABLundSweden
| | | | | | - Tim Sprenger
- Karolinska InstituteStockholmSweden
- GE HealthcareStockholmSweden
| | | | | | - Daniel Topgaard
- Department of Physical ChemistryLund UniversityLundSweden
- Random Walk Imaging ABLundSweden
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14
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Boshkovski T, Kocarev L, Cohen-Adad J, Mišić B, Lehéricy S, Stikov N, Mancini M. The R1-weighted connectome: complementing brain networks with a myelin-sensitive measure. Netw Neurosci 2021; 5:358-372. [PMID: 34189369 PMCID: PMC8233108 DOI: 10.1162/netn_a_00179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2020] [Accepted: 11/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Myelin plays a crucial role in how well information travels between brain regions. Complementing the structural connectome, obtained with diffusion MRI tractography, with a myelin-sensitive measure could result in a more complete model of structural brain connectivity and give better insight into white-matter myeloarchitecture. In this work we weight the connectome by the longitudinal relaxation rate (R1), a measure sensitive to myelin, and then we assess its added value by comparing it with connectomes weighted by the number of streamlines (NOS). Our analysis reveals differences between the two connectomes both in the distribution of their weights and the modular organization. Additionally, the rank-based analysis shows that R1 can be used to separate transmodal regions (responsible for higher-order functions) from unimodal regions (responsible for low-order functions). Overall, the R1-weighted connectome provides a different perspective on structural connectivity taking into account white matter myeloarchitecture. In the present work, we show that by using a myelin-sensitive measure we can complement the diffusion MRI-based connectivity and provide a different picture of the brain organization. We show that the R1-weighted average distribution does not follow the same trend as the number of streamlines strength distribution, and the two connectomes exhibit different modular organization. We also show that unimodal cortical regions tend to be connected by more streamlines, but the connections exhibit a lower R1-weighted average, while the transmodal regions have higher R1-weighted average but fewer streamlines. This could imply that the unimodal regions require more connections with lower myelination, whereas the transmodal regions rely on connections with higher myelination.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ljupco Kocarev
- Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Skopje, Macedonia
| | | | | | - Stéphane Lehéricy
- Paris Brain Institute (ICM), Centre for NeuroImaging Research (CENIR), Inserm U 1127, CNRS UMR 7225, Sorbonne Université, F-75013, Paris, France
| | - Nikola Stikov
- NeuroPoly Lab, Polytechnique Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Matteo Mancini
- NeuroPoly Lab, Polytechnique Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada
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15
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Hodology of the superior longitudinal system of the human brain: a historical perspective, the current controversies, and a proposal. Brain Struct Funct 2021; 226:1363-1384. [PMID: 33881634 DOI: 10.1007/s00429-021-02265-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2020] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The description of human white matter pathways experienced a tremendous improvement, thanks to the advancement of neuroimaging and dissection techniques. The downside of this progress is the production of redundant and conflicting literature, bound by specific studies' methods and aims. The Superior Longitudinal System (SLS), encompassing the arcuate (AF) and the superior longitudinal fasciculi (SLF), becomes an illustrative example of this fundamental issue, being one of the most studied white matter association pathways of the brain. Herein, we provide a complete illustration of this white matter fiber system's current definition, from its early descriptions in the nineteenth century to its most recent characterizations. We propose a review of both in vivo diffusion magnetic resonance imaging-based tractography and anatomical dissection studies, enclosing all the information available up to date. Based on these findings, we reconstruct the wiring diagram of the SLS, highlighting a substantial variability in the description of its cortical sites of termination and the taxonomy and partonomy that characterize the system. We aim to level up discrepancies in the literature by proposing a parallel across the various nomenclature. Consistent with the topographical arrangement already documented for commissural and projection pathways, we suggest approaching the SLS organization as an orderly and continuous wiring diagram, respecting a medio-lateral palisading topography between the different frontal, parietal, occipital, and temporal gyri rather than in terms of individualized fascicles. A better and complete description of the fine organization of white matter association pathways' connectivity is fundamental for a better understanding of brain function and their clinical and neurosurgical applications.
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16
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Slator PJ, Hutter J, Marinescu RV, Palombo M, Jackson LH, Ho A, Chappell LC, Rutherford M, Hajnal JV, Alexander DC. Data-Driven multi-Contrast spectral microstructure imaging with InSpect: INtegrated SPECTral component estimation and mapping. Med Image Anal 2021; 71:102045. [PMID: 33934005 PMCID: PMC8543043 DOI: 10.1016/j.media.2021.102045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2020] [Revised: 02/08/2021] [Accepted: 03/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Unsupervised learning technique for spectroscopic analysis of quantitative MRI. Shares information across voxels to improve estimation of multi-dimensional or single-dimensional spectra. Spectral maps are dramatically improved compared to existing approaches. Can potentially identify and map tissue environments; in placental diffusion-relaxometry MRI we demonstrate that it identifies components that correspond to distinct tissue types.
We introduce and demonstrate an unsupervised machine learning technique for spectroscopic analysis of quantitative MRI experiments. Our algorithm supports estimation of one-dimensional spectra from single-contrast data, and multidimensional correlation spectra from simultaneous multi-contrast data. These spectrum-based approaches allow model-free investigation of tissue properties, but require regularised inversion of a Laplace transform or Fredholm integral, which is an ill-posed calculation. Here we present a method that addresses this limitation in a data-driven way. The algorithm simultaneously estimates a canonical basis of spectral components and voxelwise maps of their weightings, thereby pooling information across whole images to regularise the ill-posed problem. We show in simulations that our algorithm substantially outperforms current voxelwise spectral approaches. We demonstrate the method on multi-contrast diffusion-relaxometry placental MRI scans, revealing anatomically-relevant sub-structures, and identifying dysfunctional placentas. Our algorithm vastly reduces the data required to reliably estimate spectra, opening up the possibility of quantitative MRI spectroscopy in a wide range of new applications. Our InSpect code is available at github.com/paddyslator/inspect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paddy J Slator
- Centre for Medical Image Computing, Department of Computer Science, University College London, UK.
| | - Jana Hutter
- Centre for the Developing Brain, Kings College London, London, UK; Biomedical Engineering Department, Kings College London, London, UK
| | - Razvan V Marinescu
- Centre for Medical Image Computing, Department of Computer Science, University College London, UK
| | - Marco Palombo
- Centre for Medical Image Computing, Department of Computer Science, University College London, UK
| | - Laurence H Jackson
- Centre for the Developing Brain, Kings College London, London, UK; Biomedical Engineering Department, Kings College London, London, UK
| | - Alison Ho
- Women's Health Department, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Lucy C Chappell
- Women's Health Department, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Mary Rutherford
- Centre for the Developing Brain, Kings College London, London, UK
| | - Joseph V Hajnal
- Centre for the Developing Brain, Kings College London, London, UK; Biomedical Engineering Department, Kings College London, London, UK
| | - Daniel C Alexander
- Centre for Medical Image Computing, Department of Computer Science, University College London, UK
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17
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Leppert IR, Andrews DA, Campbell JSW, Park DJ, Pike GB, Polimeni JR, Tardif CL. Efficient whole-brain tract-specific T 1 mapping at 3T with slice-shuffled inversion-recovery diffusion-weighted imaging. Magn Reson Med 2021; 86:738-753. [PMID: 33749017 DOI: 10.1002/mrm.28734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2020] [Revised: 12/31/2020] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Most voxels in white matter contain multiple fiber populations with different orientations and levels of myelination. Conventional T1 mapping measures 1 T1 value per voxel, representing a weighted average of the multiple tract T1 times. Inversion-recovery diffusion-weighted imaging (IR-DWI) allows the T1 times of multiple tracts in a voxel to be disentangled, but the scan time is prohibitively long. Recently, slice-shuffled IR-DWI implementations have been proposed to significantly reduce scan time. In this work, we demonstrate that we can measure tract-specific T1 values in the whole brain using simultaneous multi-slice slice-shuffled IR-DWI at 3T. METHODS We perform simulations to evaluate the accuracy and precision of our crossing fiber IR-DWI signal model for various fiber parameters. The proposed sequence and signal model are tested in a phantom consisting of crossing asparagus pieces doped with gadolinium to vary T1 , and in 2 human subjects. RESULTS Our simulations show that tract-specific T1 times can be estimated within 5% of the nominal fiber T1 values. Tract-specific T1 values were resolved in subvoxel 2 fiber crossings in the asparagus phantom. Tract-specific T1 times were resolved in 2 different tract crossings in the human brain where myelination differences have previously been reported; the crossing of the cingulum and genu of the corpus callosum and the crossing of the corticospinal tract and pontine fibers. CONCLUSION Whole-brain tract-specific T1 mapping is feasible using slice-shuffled IR-DWI at 3T. This technique has the potential to improve the microstructural characterization of specific tracts implicated in neurodevelopment, aging, and demyelinating disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilana R Leppert
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Daniel A Andrews
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Jennifer S W Campbell
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Daniel J Park
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, Massachusetts, USA
| | - G Bruce Pike
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.,Department of Radiology and Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Jonathan R Polimeni
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, Massachusetts, USA.,Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.,Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Christine L Tardif
- McConnell Brain Imaging Centre, Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.,Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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18
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Amemiya K, Naito E, Takemura H. Age dependency and lateralization in the three branches of the human superior longitudinal fasciculus. Cortex 2021; 139:116-133. [PMID: 33852990 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2021.02.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2020] [Revised: 01/28/2021] [Accepted: 02/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
The superior longitudinal fascicle/fasciculus (SLF) is a major white matter tract connecting the frontal and parietal cortices in humans. Although the SLF has often been analyzed as a single entity, several studies have reported that the SLF is segregated into three distinct branches (SLF I, II, and III). They have also reported the right lateralization of the SLF III volume and discussed its relationship with lateralized cortical functions in the fronto-parietal network. However, to date, the homogeneity or heterogeneity of the age dependency and lateralization properties of SLF branches have not been fully clarified. Through this study, we aimed to clarify the age dependency and lateralization of SLF I-III by analyzing diffusion-weighted MRI (dMRI) and quantitative R1 (qR1) map datasets collected from a wide range of age groups, mostly comprising right-handed children, adolescents, adults, and seniors (6 to 81 years old). The age dependency in dMRI measurement (fractional anisotropy, FA) was heterogeneous among the three SLF branches, suggesting that these branches are regulated by distinct developmental and aging processes. Lateralization analysis on SLF branches revealed that the right SLF III was larger than the left SLF III in adults, replicating previous reports. FA measurement also suggested that, in addition to SLF III, SLF II was lateralized to the right hemisphere in adolescents and adults. We further found a left lateralization of SLF I in qR1 data, a microstructural measurement sensitive to myelin levels, in adults. These findings suggest that the SLF sub-bundles are distinct entities in terms of age dependency and lateralization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaoru Amemiya
- Center for Information and Neural Networks (CiNet), National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, Osaka University, Suita, Japan; Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
| | - Eiichi Naito
- Center for Information and Neural Networks (CiNet), National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, Osaka University, Suita, Japan; Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka University, Suita, Japan
| | - Hiromasa Takemura
- Center for Information and Neural Networks (CiNet), National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, Osaka University, Suita, Japan; Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka University, Suita, Japan.
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19
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Reymbaut A, Caron AV, Gilbert G, Szczepankiewicz F, Nilsson M, Warfield SK, Descoteaux M, Scherrer B. Magic DIAMOND: Multi-fascicle diffusion compartment imaging with tensor distribution modeling and tensor-valued diffusion encoding. Med Image Anal 2021; 70:101988. [PMID: 33611054 DOI: 10.1016/j.media.2021.101988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2020] [Revised: 01/25/2021] [Accepted: 01/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Diffusion tensor imaging provides increased sensitivity to microstructural tissue changes compared to conventional anatomical imaging but also presents limited specificity. To tackle this problem, the DIAMOND model subdivides the voxel content into diffusion compartments and draws from diffusion-weighted data to estimate compartmental non-central matrix-variate Gamma distributions of diffusion tensors. It models each sub-voxel fascicle separately, resolving crossing white-matter pathways and allowing for a fascicle-element (fixel) based analysis of microstructural features. Alternatively, specific features of the intra-voxel diffusion tensor distribution can be selectively measured using tensor-valued diffusion-weighted acquisition schemes. However, the impact of such schemes on estimating brain microstructural features has only been studied in a handful of parametric single-fascicle models. In this work, we derive a general Laplace transform for the non-central matrix-variate Gamma distribution, which enables the extension of DIAMOND to tensor-valued encoded data. We then evaluate this "Magic DIAMOND" model in silico and in vivo on various combinations of tensor-valued encoded data. Assessing uncertainty on parameter estimation via stratified bootstrap, we investigate both voxel-based and fixel-based metrics by carrying out multi-peak tractography. We demonstrate using in silico evaluations that tensor-valued diffusion encoding significantly improves Magic DIAMOND's accuracy. Most importantly, we show in vivo that our estimated metrics can be robustly mapped along tracks across regions of fiber crossing, which opens new perspectives for tractometry and microstructure mapping along specific white-matter tracts.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Guillaume Gilbert
- MR Clinical Science, Philips Healthcare Canada, Markham, ON L6C 2S3, Canada
| | - Filip Szczepankiewicz
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, 22184, Lund, Sweden; Random Walk Imaging AB, 22224, Lund, Sweden
| | - Markus Nilsson
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund University, 22184, Lund, Sweden
| | - Simon K Warfield
- Department of Radiology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, United States
| | | | - Benoit Scherrer
- Department of Radiology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, United States
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20
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de Almeida Martins JP, Tax CMW, Reymbaut A, Szczepankiewicz F, Chamberland M, Jones DK, Topgaard D. Computing and visualising intra-voxel orientation-specific relaxation-diffusion features in the human brain. Hum Brain Mapp 2021; 42:310-328. [PMID: 33022844 PMCID: PMC7776010 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.25224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2020] [Revised: 09/04/2020] [Accepted: 09/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Diffusion MRI techniques are used widely to study the characteristics of the human brain connectome in vivo. However, to resolve and characterise white matter (WM) fibres in heterogeneous MRI voxels remains a challenging problem typically approached with signal models that rely on prior information and constraints. We have recently introduced a 5D relaxation-diffusion correlation framework wherein multidimensional diffusion encoding strategies are used to acquire data at multiple echo-times to increase the amount of information encoded into the signal and ease the constraints needed for signal inversion. Nonparametric Monte Carlo inversion of the resulting datasets yields 5D relaxation-diffusion distributions where contributions from different sub-voxel tissue environments are separated with minimal assumptions on their microscopic properties. Here, we build on the 5D correlation approach to derive fibre-specific metrics that can be mapped throughout the imaged brain volume. Distribution components ascribed to fibrous tissues are resolved, and subsequently mapped to a dense mesh of overlapping orientation bins to define a smooth orientation distribution function (ODF). Moreover, relaxation and diffusion measures are correlated to each independent ODF coordinate, thereby allowing the estimation of orientation-specific relaxation rates and diffusivities. The proposed method is tested on a healthy volunteer, where the estimated ODFs were observed to capture major WM tracts, resolve fibre crossings, and, more importantly, inform on the relaxation and diffusion features along with distinct fibre bundles. If combined with fibre-tracking algorithms, the methodology presented in this work has potential for increasing the depth of characterisation of microstructural properties along individual WM pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- João P. de Almeida Martins
- Division of Physical Chemistry, Department of ChemistryLund UniversityLundSweden
- Random Walk Imaging ABLundSweden
| | - Chantal M. W. Tax
- Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), Cardiff UniversityCardiffUK
- University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht UniversityUtrechtThe Netherlands
| | - Alexis Reymbaut
- Division of Physical Chemistry, Department of ChemistryLund UniversityLundSweden
- Random Walk Imaging ABLundSweden
| | - Filip Szczepankiewicz
- Department of Clinical SciencesLund UniversityLundSweden
- Harvard Medical SchoolBostonMassachusettsUSA
- Radiology, Brigham and Women's HospitalBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Maxime Chamberland
- Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), Cardiff UniversityCardiffUK
| | - Derek K. Jones
- Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), Cardiff UniversityCardiffUK
- Mary MacKillop Institute for Health Research, Australian Catholic UniversityMelbourneAustralia
| | - Daniel Topgaard
- Division of Physical Chemistry, Department of ChemistryLund UniversityLundSweden
- Random Walk Imaging ABLundSweden
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21
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Song YQ, Xiao L. Optimization of multidimensional MR data acquisition for relaxation and diffusion. NMR IN BIOMEDICINE 2020; 33:e4238. [PMID: 32012371 DOI: 10.1002/nbm.4238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2019] [Revised: 10/17/2019] [Accepted: 11/07/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Multidimensional MR experiments of relaxation and diffusion have been successful for material characterization and have attracted attention recently for biomedical applications. However, such experiments typically require many scans of data acquisition and are time-consuming. This work discusses a method for systematic optimization of the pulse-sequence parameters to obtain optimal resolution within the experimental conditions, such as the number of acquisitions. Other optimization goals can also be incorporated in this framework.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Qiao Song
- Schlumberger-Doll Research, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Lizhi Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Petroleum Resources and Prospecting, China University of Petroleum, Beijing, China
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22
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Gong T, Tong Q, He H, Sun Y, Zhong J, Zhang H. MTE-NODDI: Multi-TE NODDI for disentangling non-T2-weighted signal fractions from compartment-specific T2 relaxation times. Neuroimage 2020; 217:116906. [PMID: 32387626 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.116906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2020] [Revised: 05/01/2020] [Accepted: 05/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging (NODDI) has become a popular diffusion MRI technique for investigating microstructural alternations during brain development, maturation and aging in health and disease. However, the NODDI model of diffusion does not explicitly account for compartment-specific T2 relaxation and its model parameters are usually estimated from data acquired with a single echo time (TE). Thus, the NODDI-derived measures, such as the intra-neurite signal fraction, also known as the neurite density index, could be T2-weighted and TE-dependent. This may confound the interpretation of studies as one cannot disentangle differences in diffusion from those in T2 relaxation. To address this challenge, we propose a multi-TE NODDI (MTE-NODDI) technique, inspired by recent studies exploiting the synergy between diffusion and T2 relaxation. MTE-NODDI could give robust estimates of the non-T2-weighted signal fractions and compartment-specific T2 values, as demonstrated by both simulation and in vivo data experiments. Results showed that the estimated non-T2 weighted intra-neurite fraction and compartment-specific T2 values in white matter were consistent with previous studies. The T2-weighted intra-neurite fractions from the original NODDI were found to be overestimated compared to their non-T2-weighted estimates; the overestimation increases with TE, consistent with the reported intra-neurite T2 being larger than extra-neurite T2. Finally, the inclusion of the free water compartment reduces the estimation error in intra-neurite T2 in the presence of cerebrospinal fluid contamination. With the ability to disentangle non-T2-weighted signal fractions from compartment-specific T2 relaxation, MTE-NODDI could help improve the interpretability of future neuroimaging studies, especially those in brain development, maturation and aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Gong
- Center for Brain Imaging Science and Technology, College of Biomedical Engineering and Instrumental Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China; Department of Computer Science & Centre for Medical Image Computing, University College London, UK
| | - Qiqi Tong
- Center for Brain Imaging Science and Technology, College of Biomedical Engineering and Instrumental Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Hongjian He
- Center for Brain Imaging Science and Technology, College of Biomedical Engineering and Instrumental Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
| | - Yi Sun
- MR Collaboration, Siemens Healthcare, Shanghai, China
| | - Jianhui Zhong
- Center for Brain Imaging Science and Technology, College of Biomedical Engineering and Instrumental Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China; Department of Imaging Sciences, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, United States.
| | - Hui Zhang
- Department of Computer Science & Centre for Medical Image Computing, University College London, UK
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Ning L, Gagoski B, Szczepankiewicz F, Westin CF, Rathi Y. Joint RElaxation-Diffusion Imaging Moments to Probe Neurite Microstructure. IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON MEDICAL IMAGING 2020; 39:668-677. [PMID: 31398113 PMCID: PMC7164590 DOI: 10.1109/tmi.2019.2933982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Joint relaxation-diffusion measurements can provide new insight about the tissue microstructural properties. Most recent methods have focused on inverting the Laplace transform to recover the joint distribution of relaxation-diffusion. However, as is well-known, this problem is notoriously ill-posed and numerically unstable. In this work, we address this issue by directly computing the joint moments of transverse relaxation rate and diffusivity, which can be robustly estimated. To zoom into different parts of the joint distribution, we further enhance our method by applying multiplicative filters to the joint probability density function of relaxation and diffusion and compute the corresponding moments. We propose an approach to use these moments to compute several novel scalar indices to characterize specific properties of the underlying tissue microstructure. Furthermore, for the first time, we propose an algorithm to estimate diffusion signals that are independent of echo time based on the moments of the marginal probability density function of diffusion. We demonstrate its utility in extracting tissue information not contaminated with multiple intra-voxel relaxation rates. We compare the performance of four types of filters that zoom into tissue components with different relaxation and diffusion properties and demonstrate it on an in-vivo human dataset. Experimental results show that these filters are able to characterize heterogeneous tissue microstructure. Moreover, the filtered diffusion signals are also able to distinguish fiber bundles with similar orientations but different relaxation rates. The proposed method thus allows to characterize the neural microstructure information in a robust and unique manner not possible using existing techniques.
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24
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Schurr R, Zelman A, Mezer AA. Subdividing the superior longitudinal fasciculus using local quantitative MRI. Neuroimage 2019; 208:116439. [PMID: 31821870 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2019.116439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2019] [Revised: 11/06/2019] [Accepted: 12/03/2019] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The association fibers of the superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF) connect parietal and frontal cortical regions in the human brain. The SLF comprises of three distinct sub-bundles, each presenting a different anatomical trajectory, and specific functional roles. Nevertheless, in vivo studies of the SLF often consider the entire SLF complex as a single entity. In this work, we suggest a data-driven approach that relies on microstructure measurements for separating SLF-III from the rest of the SLF. We apply the SLF-III separation procedure in three independent datasets using parameters of diffusion MRI (fractional anisotropy), as well as relaxometry-based parameters (T1, T2, T2* and T2-weighted/T1-weighted). We show that the proposed procedure is reproducible across datasets and tractography algorithms. Finally, we suggest that differential crossing with different white-matter tracts is the source of the distinct MRI signatures of SLF-II and SLF-III.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roey Schurr
- Edmond & Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel.
| | - Ady Zelman
- Edmond & Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Aviv A Mezer
- Edmond & Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
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25
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Radiomicrobiomics: Advancing Along the Gut-brain Axis Through Big Data Analysis. Neuroscience 2019; 403:145-149. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2017.11.055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2017] [Revised: 11/29/2017] [Accepted: 11/30/2017] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
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26
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Knight MJ, Damion RA, Kauppinen RA. Observation of Angular Dependence of T1 in the Human White Matter at 3T. BIOMEDICAL SPECTROSCOPY AND IMAGING 2019; 7:125-133. [PMID: 30931248 PMCID: PMC6436728 DOI: 10.3233/bsi-180183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE Multiple factors including chemical composition and microstructure influence relaxivity of tissue water in vivo. We have quantified T1 in the human white mater (WM) together with diffusion tensor imaging to study a possible relationship between water T1, diffusional fractional anisotropy (FA) and fibre-to-field angle. METHODS An inversion recovery (IR) pulse sequence with 6 inversion times for T1 and a multi-band diffusion tensor sequence with 60 diffusion sensitizing gradient directions for FA and the fibre-to-field angle θ (between the principal direction of diffusion and B0) were used at 3 Tesla in 40 healthy subjects. T1 was assessed using the method previously applied to anisotropy of coherence lifetime to provide a heuristic demonstration as a surface plot of T1 as a function of FA and the angle θ. RESULTS Our data show that in the WM voxels with FA > 0.3 T1 becomes longer (i.e. 1/T1 = R1 slower) when fibre-to-field angle is 50-60°, approximating the magic angle of 54.7°. The longer T1 around the magic angle was found in a number of WM tracts independent of anatomy. S0 signal intensity, computed from IR fits, mirrored that of T1 being greater in the WM voxels when the fibre-to-field angle was 50-60°. CONCLUSIONS The current data point to fibre-to-field-angle dependent T1 relaxation in WM as an indication of effects of microstructure on the longitudinal relaxation of water.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Knight
- School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TU, UK
| | - Robin A Damion
- School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TU, UK
| | - Risto A Kauppinen
- School of Psychological Science, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TU, UK
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27
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Jones DK, Alexander DC, Bowtell R, Cercignani M, Dell'Acqua F, McHugh DJ, Miller KL, Palombo M, Parker GJM, Rudrapatna US, Tax CMW. Microstructural imaging of the human brain with a 'super-scanner': 10 key advantages of ultra-strong gradients for diffusion MRI. Neuroimage 2018; 182:8-38. [PMID: 29793061 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2018.05.047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2017] [Revised: 05/17/2018] [Accepted: 05/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The key component of a microstructural diffusion MRI 'super-scanner' is a dedicated high-strength gradient system that enables stronger diffusion weightings per unit time compared to conventional gradient designs. This can, in turn, drastically shorten the time needed for diffusion encoding, increase the signal-to-noise ratio, and facilitate measurements at shorter diffusion times. This review, written from the perspective of the UK National Facility for In Vivo MR Imaging of Human Tissue Microstructure, an initiative to establish a shared 300 mT/m-gradient facility amongst the microstructural imaging community, describes ten advantages of ultra-strong gradients for microstructural imaging. Specifically, we will discuss how the increase of the accessible measurement space compared to a lower-gradient systems (in terms of Δ, b-value, and TE) can accelerate developments in the areas of 1) axon diameter distribution mapping; 2) microstructural parameter estimation; 3) mapping micro-vs macroscopic anisotropy features with gradient waveforms beyond a single pair of pulsed-gradients; 4) multi-contrast experiments, e.g. diffusion-relaxometry; 5) tractography and high-resolution imaging in vivo and 6) post mortem; 7) diffusion-weighted spectroscopy of metabolites other than water; 8) tumour characterisation; 9) functional diffusion MRI; and 10) quality enhancement of images acquired on lower-gradient systems. We finally discuss practical barriers in the use of ultra-strong gradients, and provide an outlook on the next generation of 'super-scanners'.
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Affiliation(s)
- D K Jones
- Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Maindy Road, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ, UK; School of Psychology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, Victoria, 3065, Australia.
| | - D C Alexander
- Centre for Medical Image Computing (CMIC), Department of Computer Science, UCL (University College London), Gower Street, London, UK; Clinical Imaging Research Centre, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - R Bowtell
- Sir Peter Mansfield Magnetic Resonance Centre, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, UK
| | - M Cercignani
- Department of Psychiatry, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Brighton, UK
| | - F Dell'Acqua
- Natbrainlab, Department of Neuroimaging, King's College London, London, UK
| | - D J McHugh
- Division of Informatics, Imaging and Data Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK; CRUK and EPSRC Cancer Imaging Centre in Cambridge and Manchester, Cambridge and Manchester, UK
| | - K L Miller
- Oxford Centre for Functional MRI of the Brain, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - M Palombo
- Centre for Medical Image Computing (CMIC), Department of Computer Science, UCL (University College London), Gower Street, London, UK
| | - G J M Parker
- Division of Informatics, Imaging and Data Sciences, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK; CRUK and EPSRC Cancer Imaging Centre in Cambridge and Manchester, Cambridge and Manchester, UK; Bioxydyn Ltd., Manchester, UK
| | - U S Rudrapatna
- Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Maindy Road, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ, UK
| | - C M W Tax
- Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC), School of Psychology, Cardiff University, Maindy Road, Cardiff, CF24 4HQ, UK
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28
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Schurr R, Duan Y, Norcia AM, Ogawa S, Yeatman JD, Mezer AA. Tractography optimization using quantitative T1 mapping in the human optic radiation. Neuroimage 2018; 181:645-658. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2018.06.060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2018] [Revised: 06/03/2018] [Accepted: 06/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
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29
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Molina‐Romero M, Gómez PA, Sperl JI, Czisch M, Sämann PG, Jones DK, Menzel MI, Menze BH. A diffusion model-free framework with echo time dependence for free-water elimination and brain tissue microstructure characterization. Magn Reson Med 2018; 80:2155-2172. [PMID: 29573009 PMCID: PMC6790970 DOI: 10.1002/mrm.27181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2017] [Revised: 01/18/2018] [Accepted: 02/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE The compartmental nature of brain tissue microstructure is typically studied by diffusion MRI, MR relaxometry or their correlation. Diffusion MRI relies on signal representations or biophysical models, while MR relaxometry and correlation studies are based on regularized inverse Laplace transforms (ILTs). Here we introduce a general framework for characterizing microstructure that does not depend on diffusion modeling and replaces ill-posed ILTs with blind source separation (BSS). This framework yields proton density, relaxation times, volume fractions, and signal disentanglement, allowing for separation of the free-water component. THEORY AND METHODS Diffusion experiments repeated for several different echo times, contain entangled diffusion and relaxation compartmental information. These can be disentangled by BSS using a physically constrained nonnegative matrix factorization. RESULTS Computer simulations, phantom studies, together with repeatability and reproducibility experiments demonstrated that BSS is capable of estimating proton density, compartmental volume fractions and transversal relaxations. In vivo results proved its potential to correct for free-water contamination and to estimate tissue parameters. CONCLUSION Formulation of the diffusion-relaxation dependence as a BSS problem introduces a new framework for studying microstructure compartmentalization, and a novel tool for free-water elimination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Molina‐Romero
- Department of Computer ScienceTechnical University of MunichGarchingGermany
- GE Global Research EuropeGarchingGermany
| | - Pedro A. Gómez
- Department of Computer ScienceTechnical University of MunichGarchingGermany
- GE Global Research EuropeGarchingGermany
| | | | | | | | - Derek K. Jones
- CUBRIC, Cardiff UniversityCardiffUK
- School of Psychology, Faculty of Health SciencesAustralian Catholic UniversityMelbourneAustralia
| | | | - Bjoern H. Menze
- Department of Computer ScienceTechnical University of MunichGarchingGermany
- Institute for Advanced StudyTechnical University of MunichGarchingGermany
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30
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Abstract
The emergence of multiparametric diffusion models combining diffusion and relaxometry measurements provides powerful new ways to explore tissue microstructure, with the potential to provide new insights into tissue structure and function. However, their ability to provide rich analyses and the potential for clinical translation critically depends on the availability of efficient, integrated, multi-dimensional acquisitions. We propose a fully integrated sequence simultaneously sampling the acquisition parameter spaces required for T1 and T2* relaxometry and diffusion MRI. Slice-level interleaved diffusion encoding, multiple spin/gradient echoes and slice-shuffling are combined for higher efficiency, sampling flexibility and enhanced internal consistency. In-vivo data was successfully acquired on healthy adult brains. Obtained parametric maps as well as clustering results demonstrate the potential of the technique to provide eloquent data with an acceleration of roughly 20 compared to conventionally used approaches. The proposed integrated acquisition, which we call ZEBRA, offers significant acceleration and flexibility compared to existing diffusion-relaxometry studies, and thus facilitates wider use of these techniques both for research-driven and clinical applications.
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31
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Eminian S, Hajdu SD, Meuli RA, Maeder P, Hagmann P. Rapid high resolution T1 mapping as a marker of brain development: Normative ranges in key regions of interest. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0198250. [PMID: 29902203 PMCID: PMC6002025 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0198250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2016] [Accepted: 05/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives We studied in a clinical setting the age dependent T1 relaxation time as a marker of normal late brain maturation and compared it to conventional techniques, namely the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC). Materials and methods Forty-two healthy subjects ranging from ages 1 year to 20 years were included in our study. T1 brain maps in which the intensity of each pixel corresponded to T1 relaxation times were generated based on MR imaging data acquired using a MP2RAGE sequence. During the same session, diffusion tensor imaging data was collected. T1 relaxation times and ADC in white matter and grey matter were measured in seven clinically relevant regions of interest and were correlated to subjects’ age. Results In the basal ganglia, there was a small, yet significant, decrease in T1 relaxation time (-0.45 ≤R≤-0.59, p<10−2) and ADC (-0.60≤R≤-0.65, p<10−4) as a function of age. In the frontal and parietal white matter, there was a significant decrease in T1 relaxation time (-0.62≤R≤-0.68, p<10−4) and ADC (-0.81≤R≤-0.85, p<10−4) as a function of age. T1 relaxation time changes in the corpus callosum and internal capsule were less relevant for this age range. There was no significant difference between the correlation of T1 relaxation time and ADC with respect to age (p-value = 0.39). The correlation between T1 relaxation and ADC is strong in the white matter but only moderate in basal ganglia over this age period. Conclusions T1 relaxation time is a marker of brain maturation or myelination during late brain development. Between the age of 1 and 20 years, T1 relaxation time decreases as a function of age in the white matter and basal ganglia. The greatest changes occur in frontal and parietal white matter. These regions are known to mature in the final stage of development and are mainly composed of association circuits. Age-correlation is not significantly different between T1 relaxation time and ADC. Therefore, T1 relaxation time does not appear to be a superior marker of brain maturation than ADC but may be considered as complementary owing the intrinsic differences in bio-physical sensitivity. This work may serve as normative ranges in clinical imaging routines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sylvain Eminian
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University of Lausanne and Lausanne University Hospital (UNIL-CHUV), Lausanne, Vaud, Switzerland
- * E-mail:
| | - Steven David Hajdu
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University of Lausanne and Lausanne University Hospital (UNIL-CHUV), Lausanne, Vaud, Switzerland
| | - Reto Antoine Meuli
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University of Lausanne and Lausanne University Hospital (UNIL-CHUV), Lausanne, Vaud, Switzerland
| | - Philippe Maeder
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University of Lausanne and Lausanne University Hospital (UNIL-CHUV), Lausanne, Vaud, Switzerland
| | - Patric Hagmann
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University of Lausanne and Lausanne University Hospital (UNIL-CHUV), Lausanne, Vaud, Switzerland
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32
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Kuehn E, Dinse J, Jakobsen E, Long X, Schäfer A, Bazin PL, Villringer A, Sereno MI, Margulies DS. Body Topography Parcellates Human Sensory and Motor Cortex. Cereb Cortex 2018; 27:3790-3805. [PMID: 28184419 PMCID: PMC6248394 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhx026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2016] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The cytoarchitectonic map as proposed by Brodmann currently dominates models of human sensorimotor cortical structure, function, and plasticity. According to this model, primary motor cortex, area 4, and primary somatosensory cortex, area 3b, are homogenous areas, with the major division lying between the two. Accumulating empirical and theoretical evidence, however, has begun to question the validity of the Brodmann map for various cortical areas. Here, we combined in vivo cortical myelin mapping with functional connectivity analyses and topographic mapping techniques to reassess the validity of the Brodmann map in human primary sensorimotor cortex. We provide empirical evidence that area 4 and area 3b are not homogenous, but are subdivided into distinct cortical fields, each representing a major body part (the hand and the face). Myelin reductions at the hand-face borders are cortical layer-specific, and coincide with intrinsic functional connectivity borders as defined using large-scale resting state analyses. Our data extend the Brodmann model in human sensorimotor cortex and suggest that body parts are an important organizing principle, similar to the distinction between sensory and motor processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esther Kuehn
- Department of Neurology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig 04103, Germany.,Department of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London, London WC1H 0DG, UK.,Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences Magdeburg, Magdeburg 39106, Germany.,Aging and Cognition Research Group, DZNE, Magdeburg 39106, Germany
| | - Juliane Dinse
- Department of Neurophysics, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig 04103, Germany.,Faculty of Computer Science, Otto-von-Guericke University, Magdeburg 39106, Germany
| | - Estrid Jakobsen
- Max Planck Research Group for Neuroanatomy & Connectivity, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig04103, Germany
| | - Xiangyu Long
- Department of Neurology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig04103, Germany
| | - Andreas Schäfer
- Department of Neurophysics, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig04103, Germany
| | - Pierre-Louis Bazin
- Department of Neurology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig 04103, Germany.,Department of Neurophysics, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig 04103, Germany
| | - Arno Villringer
- Department of Neurology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig04103, Germany
| | - Martin I Sereno
- Department of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London, LondonWC1H 0DG, UK
| | - Daniel S Margulies
- Max Planck Research Group for Neuroanatomy & Connectivity, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig04103, Germany
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Kim D, Doyle EK, Wisnowski JL, Kim JH, Haldar JP. Diffusion-relaxation correlation spectroscopic imaging: A multidimensional approach for probing microstructure. Magn Reson Med 2017; 78:2236-2249. [PMID: 28317261 PMCID: PMC5605406 DOI: 10.1002/mrm.26629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2016] [Revised: 12/19/2016] [Accepted: 01/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE To propose and evaluate a novel multidimensional approach for imaging subvoxel tissue compartments called Diffusion-Relaxation Correlation Spectroscopic Imaging. THEORY AND METHODS Multiexponential modeling of MR diffusion or relaxation data is commonly used to infer the many different microscopic tissue compartments that contribute signal to macroscopic MR imaging voxels. However, multiexponential estimation is known to be difficult and ill-posed. Observing that this ill-posedness is theoretically reduced in higher dimensions, diffusion-relaxation correlation spectroscopic imaging uses a novel multidimensional imaging experiment that jointly encodes diffusion and relaxation information, and then uses a novel constrained reconstruction technique to generate a multidimensional diffusion-relaxation correlation spectrum for every voxel. The peaks of the multidimensional spectrum are expected to correspond to the distinct tissue microenvironments that are present within each macroscopic imaging voxel. RESULTS Using numerical simulations, experiment data from a custom-built phantom, and experiment data from a mouse model of traumatic spinal cord injury, diffusion-relaxation correlation spectroscopic imaging is demonstrated to provide substantially better multicompartment resolving power compared to conventional diffusion- and relaxation-based methods. CONCLUSION The diffusion-relaxation correlation spectroscopic imaging approach provides powerful new capabilities for resolving the different components of multicompartment tissue models, and can be leveraged to significantly expand the insights provided by MRI in studies of tissue microstructure. Magn Reson Med 78:2236-2249, 2017. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daeun Kim
- Electrical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Eamon K. Doyle
- Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Cardiology, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | | | - Joong Hee Kim
- Neurology and Radiology, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Justin P. Haldar
- Electrical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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34
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Cercignani M, Bouyagoub S. Brain microstructure by multi-modal MRI: Is the whole greater than the sum of its parts? Neuroimage 2017; 182:117-127. [PMID: 29097317 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2017.10.052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2017] [Revised: 09/12/2017] [Accepted: 10/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The MRI signal is dependent upon a number of sub-voxel properties of tissue, which makes it potentially able to detect changes occurring at a scale much smaller than the image resolution. This "microstructural imaging" has become one of the main branches of quantitative MRI. Despite the exciting promise of unique insight beyond the resolution of the acquired images, its widespread application is limited by the relatively modest ability of each microstructural imaging technique to distinguish between differing microscopic substrates. This is mainly due to the fact that MRI provides a very indirect measure of the tissue properties in which we are interested. A strategy to overcome this limitation lies in the combination of more than one technique, to exploit the relative contributions of differing physiological and pathological substrates to selected MRI contrasts. This forms the basis of multi-modal MRI, a broad concept that refers to many different ways of effectively combining information from more than one MRI contrast. This paper will review a range of methods that have been proposed to maximise the output of this combination, primarily falling into one of two approaches. The first one relies on data-driven methods, exploiting multivariate analysis tools able to capture overlapping and complementary information. The second approach, which we call "model-driven", aims at combining parameters extracted by existing biophysical or signal models to obtain new parameters, which are believed to be more accurate or more specific than the original ones. This paper will attempt to provide an overview of the advantages and limitations of these two philosophies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mara Cercignani
- Clinical Imaging Sciences Centre, Department of Neuroscience, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, University of Sussex, Falmer, BN1 9RR, Brighton, East Sussex, UK; Neuroimaging Laboratory, Santa Lucia Foundation, Via Ardeatina 306, 00179, Rome, Italy.
| | - Samira Bouyagoub
- Clinical Imaging Sciences Centre, Department of Neuroscience, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, University of Sussex, Falmer, BN1 9RR, Brighton, East Sussex, UK
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35
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Jung W, Lee J, Shin HG, Nam Y, Zhang H, Oh SH, Lee J. Whole brain g-ratio mapping using myelin water imaging (MWI) and neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging (NODDI). Neuroimage 2017; 182:379-388. [PMID: 28962901 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2017.09.053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2017] [Revised: 08/23/2017] [Accepted: 09/24/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
Abstract
MR g-ratio, which measures the ratio of the aggregate volume of axons to that of fibers in a voxel, is a potential biomarker for white matter microstructures. In this study, a new approach for acquiring an in-vivo whole human brain g-ratio map is proposed. To estimate the g-ratio, myelin volume fraction and axonal volume fraction are acquired using multi-echo gradient echo myelin water imaging (GRE-MWI) and neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging (NODDI), respectively. In order to translate myelin water fraction measured in GRE-MWI into myelin volume fraction, a new scaling procedure is proposed and validated. This scaling approach utilizes geometric measures of myelin structure and, therefore, provides robustness over previous methods. The resulting g-ratio map reveals an expected range of g-ratios (0.71-0.85 in major fiber bundles) with a small inter-subject coefficient of variance (less than 2%). Additionally, a few fiber bundles (e.g. cortico-spinal tract and optic radiation) show different constituents of myelin volume fraction and axonal volume fraction, indicating potentials to utilize the measures for deciphering fiber tracking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Woojin Jung
- Laboratory for Imaging Science and Technology, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Jingu Lee
- Laboratory for Imaging Science and Technology, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Hyeong-Geol Shin
- Laboratory for Imaging Science and Technology, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Yoonho Nam
- Department of Radiology, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Hui Zhang
- Department of Computer Science & Centre for Medical Image Computing, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Se-Hong Oh
- Division of Biomedical Engineering, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, Yongin, South Korea
| | - Jongho Lee
- Laboratory for Imaging Science and Technology, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea.
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Abstract
The ability to map brain networks in living individuals is fundamental in efforts to chart the relation between human behavior, health and disease. Advances in network neuroscience may benefit from developing new frameworks for mapping brain connectomes. We present a framework to encode structural brain connectomes and diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance (dMRI) data using multidimensional arrays. The framework integrates the relation between connectome nodes, edges, white matter fascicles and diffusion data. We demonstrate the utility of the framework for in vivo white matter mapping and anatomical computing by evaluating 1,490 connectomes, thirteen tractography methods, and three data sets. The framework dramatically reduces storage requirements for connectome evaluation methods, with up to 40x compression factors. Evaluation of multiple, diverse datasets demonstrates the importance of spatial resolution in dMRI. We measured large increases in connectome resolution as function of data spatial resolution (up to 52%). Moreover, we demonstrate that the framework allows performing anatomical manipulations on white matter tracts for statistical inference and to study the white matter geometrical organization. Finally, we provide open-source software implementing the method and data to reproduce the results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cesar F Caiafa
- Department of Psychological and, Brain Sciences Indiana University Bloomington, IN, 47405, USA
- Instituto Argentino de Radioastronomía (IAR), CONICET CCT, La Plata Villa Elisa, 1894, Argentina
- Facultad de Ingeniería - Departamento de Computación, UBA Buenos Aires, C1063ACV, Argentina
| | - Franco Pestilli
- Department of Psychological and, Brain Sciences Indiana University Bloomington, IN, 47405, USA.
- Department of Intelligent Systems, Engineering Indiana University Bloomington, IN, 47405, USA.
- Department of Computer Science, Indiana University Bloomington, IN, 47405, USA.
- Program in Neuroscience Indiana University Bloomington, IN, 47405, USA.
- Program in Cognitive Science Indiana University Bloomington, IN, 47405, USA.
- School of Optometry Indiana University Bloomington, IN, 47405, USA.
- Indiana Network Science Institute Indiana University Bloomington, IN, 47405, USA.
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37
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Harms RL, Fritz FJ, Tobisch A, Goebel R, Roebroeck A. Robust and fast nonlinear optimization of diffusion MRI microstructure models. Neuroimage 2017; 155:82-96. [PMID: 28457975 PMCID: PMC5518773 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2017.04.064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2016] [Revised: 04/07/2017] [Accepted: 04/09/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Advances in biophysical multi-compartment modeling for diffusion MRI (dMRI) have gained popularity because of greater specificity than DTI in relating the dMRI signal to underlying cellular microstructure. A large range of these diffusion microstructure models have been developed and each of the popular models comes with its own, often different, optimization algorithm, noise model and initialization strategy to estimate its parameter maps. Since data fit, accuracy and precision is hard to verify, this creates additional challenges to comparability and generalization of results from diffusion microstructure models. In addition, non-linear optimization is computationally expensive leading to very long run times, which can be prohibitive in large group or population studies. In this technical note we investigate the performance of several optimization algorithms and initialization strategies over a few of the most popular diffusion microstructure models, including NODDI and CHARMED. We evaluate whether a single well performing optimization approach exists that could be applied to many models and would equate both run time and fit aspects. All models, algorithms and strategies were implemented on the Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) to remove run time constraints, with which we achieve whole brain dataset fits in seconds to minutes. We then evaluated fit, accuracy, precision and run time for different models of differing complexity against three common optimization algorithms and three parameter initialization strategies. Variability of the achieved quality of fit in actual data was evaluated on ten subjects of each of two population studies with a different acquisition protocol. We find that optimization algorithms and multi-step optimization approaches have a considerable influence on performance and stability over subjects and over acquisition protocols. The gradient-free Powell conjugate-direction algorithm was found to outperform other common algorithms in terms of run time, fit, accuracy and precision. Parameter initialization approaches were found to be relevant especially for more complex models, such as those involving several fiber orientations per voxel. For these, a fitting cascade initializing or fixing parameter values in a later optimization step from simpler models in an earlier optimization step further improved run time, fit, accuracy and precision compared to a single step fit. This establishes and makes available standards by which robust fit and accuracy can be achieved in shorter run times. This is especially relevant for the use of diffusion microstructure modeling in large group or population studies and in combining microstructure parameter maps with tractography results. Evaluate robustness of fit, accuracy, precision for diffusion microstructure models Test three optimization algorithms and three parameter initialization strategies GPU implementation removes run time constraints; whole brain fit within minutes Powell conjugate-direction algorithm has superior fit, accuracy, precision Initialization approaches are important for crossing fiber microstructure models
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Affiliation(s)
- R L Harms
- Dept. of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology & Neuroscience, Maastricht University, The Netherlands; Brain Innovation B.V., Maastricht, The Netherlands.
| | - F J Fritz
- Dept. of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology & Neuroscience, Maastricht University, The Netherlands
| | - A Tobisch
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany
| | - R Goebel
- Dept. of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology & Neuroscience, Maastricht University, The Netherlands
| | - A Roebroeck
- Dept. of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology & Neuroscience, Maastricht University, The Netherlands
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38
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Knight MJ, Dillon S, Jarutyte L, Kauppinen RA. Magnetic Resonance Relaxation Anisotropy: Physical Principles and Uses in Microstructure Imaging. Biophys J 2017; 112:1517-1528. [PMID: 28402893 PMCID: PMC5390049 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2017.02.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2016] [Revised: 02/15/2017] [Accepted: 02/21/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provides an excellent means of studying tissue microstructure noninvasively since the microscopic tissue environment is imprinted on the MRI signal even at macroscopic voxel level. Mesoscopic variations in magnetic field, created by microstructure, influence the transverse relaxation time (T2) in an orientation-dependent fashion (T2 is anisotropic). However, predicting the effects of microstructure upon MRI observables is challenging and requires theoretical insight. We provide a formalism for calculating the effects upon T2 of tissue microstructure, using a model of cylindrical magnetic field perturbers. In a cohort of clinically healthy adults, we show that the angular information in spin-echo T2 is consistent with this model. We show that T2 in brain white matter of nondemented volunteers follows a U-shaped trajectory with age, passing its minimum at an age of ∼30 but that this depends on the particular white matter tract. The anisotropy of T2 also interacts with age and declines with increasing age. Late-myelinating white matter is more susceptible to age-related change than early-myelinating white matter, consistent with the retrogenesis hypothesis. T2 mapping may therefore be incorporated into microstructural imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Knight
- School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom.
| | - Serena Dillon
- ReMemBr group, Institute for Clinical Neurosciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Lina Jarutyte
- School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Risto A Kauppinen
- School of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom; Clinical Research and Imaging Centre, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
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39
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Raffelt DA, Tournier JD, Smith RE, Vaughan DN, Jackson G, Ridgway GR, Connelly A. Investigating white matter fibre density and morphology using fixel-based analysis. Neuroimage 2016; 144:58-73. [PMID: 27639350 PMCID: PMC5182031 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2016.09.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 387] [Impact Index Per Article: 48.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2016] [Revised: 09/05/2016] [Accepted: 09/13/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Voxel-based analysis of diffusion MRI data is increasingly popular. However, most white matter voxels contain contributions from multiple fibre populations (often referred to as crossing fibres), and therefore voxel-averaged quantitative measures (e.g. fractional anisotropy) are not fibre-specific and have poor interpretability. Using higher-order diffusion models, parameters related to fibre density can be extracted for individual fibre populations within each voxel ('fixels'), and recent advances in statistics enable the multi-subject analysis of such data. However, investigating within-voxel microscopic fibre density alone does not account for macroscopic differences in the white matter morphology (e.g. the calibre of a fibre bundle). In this work, we introduce a novel method to investigate the latter, which we call fixel-based morphometry (FBM). To obtain a more complete measure related to the total number of white matter axons, information from both within-voxel microscopic fibre density and macroscopic morphology must be combined. We therefore present the FBM method as an integral piece within a comprehensive fixel-based analysis framework to investigate measures of fibre density, fibre-bundle morphology (cross-section), and a combined measure of fibre density and cross-section. We performed simulations to demonstrate the proposed measures using various transformations of a numerical fibre bundle phantom. Finally, we provide an example of such an analysis by comparing a clinical patient group to a healthy control group, which demonstrates that all three measures provide distinct and complementary information. By capturing information from both sources, the combined fibre density and cross-section measure is likely to be more sensitive to certain pathologies and more directly interpretable.
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Affiliation(s)
- David A Raffelt
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
| | - J-Donald Tournier
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Division of Imaging Sciences & Biomedical Engineering, King's College London, London, UK; Centre for the Developing Brain, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Robert E Smith
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - David N Vaughan
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Florey Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Department of Neurology, Austin Health and Northern Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Graeme Jackson
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Florey Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Department of Medicine, Austin Health and Northern Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Gerard R Ridgway
- FMRIB Centre, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, UK; Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging, UCL Institute of Neurology, London, UK
| | - Alan Connelly
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Florey Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Department of Neurology, Austin Health and Northern Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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