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Zhou M, Stobbe R, Szczepankiewicz F, Budde M, Buck B, Kate M, Lloret M, Fairall P, Butcher K, Shuaib A, Emery D, Nilsson M, Westin CF, Beaulieu C. Tensor-valued diffusion MRI of human acute stroke. Magn Reson Med 2024; 91:2126-2141. [PMID: 38156813 DOI: 10.1002/mrm.29975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2023] [Revised: 11/18/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE Tensor-valued diffusion encoding can disentangle orientation dispersion and subvoxel anisotropy, potentially offering insight into microstructural changes after cerebral ischemia. The purpose was to evaluate tensor-valued diffusion MRI in human acute ischemic stroke, assess potential confounders from diffusion time dependencies, and compare to Monte Carlo diffusion simulations of axon beading. METHODS Linear (LTE) and spherical (STE) b-tensor encoding with inherently different effective diffusion times were acquired in 21 acute ischemic stroke patients between 3 and 57 h post-onset at 3 T in 2.5 min. In an additional 10 patients, STE with 2 LTE yielding different effective diffusion times were acquired for comparison. Diffusional variance decomposition (DIVIDE) was used to estimate microscopic anisotropy (μFA), as well as anisotropic, isotropic, and total diffusional variance (MKA , MKI , MKT ). DIVIDE parameters, and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI)-derived mean diffusivity and fractional anisotropy (FA) were compared in lesion versus contralateral white matter. Monte Carlo diffusion simulations of various cylindrical geometries for all b-tensor protocols were used to interpret parameter measurements. RESULTS MD was ˜40% lower in lesions for all LTE/STE protocols. The DIVIDE parameters varied with effective diffusion time: higher μFA and MKA in lesion versus contralateral white matter for STE with longer effective diffusion time LTE, whereas the shorter effective diffusion time LTE protocol yielded lower μFA and MKA in lesions. Both protocols, regardless of diffusion time, were consistent with simulations of greater beading amplitude and intracellular volume fraction. CONCLUSION DIVIDE parameters depend on diffusion time in acute stroke but consistently indicate neurite beading and larger intracellular volume fraction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mi Zhou
- Biomedical Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Robert Stobbe
- Biomedical Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- Radiology and Diagnostic Imaging, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | | | - Matthew Budde
- Neurosurgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Brian Buck
- Neurology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Mahesh Kate
- Neurology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Mar Lloret
- Neurology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Paige Fairall
- Neurology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Ken Butcher
- School of Clinical Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Ashfaq Shuaib
- Neurology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Derek Emery
- Radiology and Diagnostic Imaging, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Markus Nilsson
- Clinical Sciences Lund, Lund University, Lund, Scania, Sweden
| | - Carl-Fredrik Westin
- Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Christian Beaulieu
- Biomedical Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- Radiology and Diagnostic Imaging, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
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Johnson JTE, Irfanoglu MO, Manninen E, Ross TJ, Yang Y, Laun FB, Martin J, Topgaard D, Benjamini D. In vivo disentanglement of diffusion frequency-dependence, tensor shape, and relaxation using multidimensional MRI. Hum Brain Mapp 2024; 45:e26697. [PMID: 38726888 PMCID: PMC11082920 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.26697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Revised: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Diffusion MRI with free gradient waveforms, combined with simultaneous relaxation encoding, referred to as multidimensional MRI (MD-MRI), offers microstructural specificity in complex biological tissue. This approach delivers intravoxel information about the microstructure, local chemical composition, and importantly, how these properties are coupled within heterogeneous tissue containing multiple microenvironments. Recent theoretical advances incorporated diffusion time dependency and integrated MD-MRI with concepts from oscillating gradients. This framework probes the diffusion frequency,ω $$ \omega $$ , in addition to the diffusion tensor,D $$ \mathbf{D} $$ , and relaxation,R 1 $$ {R}_1 $$ ,R 2 $$ {R}_2 $$ , correlations. AD ω - R 1 - R 2 $$ \mathbf{D}\left(\omega \right)-{R}_1-{R}_2 $$ clinical imaging protocol was then introduced, with limited brain coverage and 3 mm3 voxel size, which hinder brain segmentation and future cohort studies. In this study, we introduce an efficient, sparse in vivo MD-MRI acquisition protocol providing whole brain coverage at 2 mm3 voxel size. We demonstrate its feasibility and robustness using a well-defined phantom and repeated scans of five healthy individuals. Additionally, we test different denoising strategies to address the sparse nature of this protocol, and show that efficient MD-MRI encoding design demands a nuanced denoising approach. The MD-MRI framework provides rich information that allows resolving the diffusion frequency dependence into intravoxel components based on theirD ω - R 1 - R 2 $$ \mathbf{D}\left(\omega \right)-{R}_1-{R}_2 $$ distribution, enabling the creation of microstructure-specific maps in the human brain. Our results encourage the broader adoption and use of this new imaging approach for characterizing healthy and pathological tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica T. E. Johnson
- Multiscale Imaging and Integrative Biophysics Unit, National Institute on Aging, NIHBaltimoreMarylandUSA
| | - M. Okan Irfanoglu
- Quantitative Medical Imaging Section, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of HealthBethesdaMarylandUSA
| | - Eppu Manninen
- Multiscale Imaging and Integrative Biophysics Unit, National Institute on Aging, NIHBaltimoreMarylandUSA
| | - Thomas J. Ross
- Neuroimaging Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of HealthBaltimoreMarylandUSA
| | - Yihong Yang
- Neuroimaging Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of HealthBaltimoreMarylandUSA
| | - Frederik B. Laun
- Institute of Radiology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich‐Alexander‐Universität Erlangen‐Nürnberg (FAU)ErlangenGermany
| | - Jan Martin
- Department of ChemistryLund UniversityLundSweden
| | | | - Dan Benjamini
- Multiscale Imaging and Integrative Biophysics Unit, National Institute on Aging, NIHBaltimoreMarylandUSA
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Boito D, Eklund A, Tisell A, Levi R, Özarslan E, Blystad I. MRI with generalized diffusion encoding reveals damaged white matter in patients previously hospitalized for COVID-19 and with persisting symptoms at follow-up. Brain Commun 2023; 5:fcad284. [PMID: 37953843 PMCID: PMC10638510 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcad284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2023] [Revised: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023] Open
Abstract
There is mounting evidence of the long-term effects of COVID-19 on the central nervous system, with patients experiencing diverse symptoms, often suggesting brain involvement. Conventional brain MRI of these patients shows unspecific patterns, with no clear connection of the symptomatology to brain tissue abnormalities, whereas diffusion tensor studies and volumetric analyses detect measurable changes in the brain after COVID-19. Diffusion MRI exploits the random motion of water molecules to achieve unique sensitivity to structures at the microscopic level, and new sequences employing generalized diffusion encoding provide structural information which are sensitive to intravoxel features. In this observational study, a total of 32 persons were investigated: 16 patients previously hospitalized for COVID-19 with persisting symptoms of post-COVID condition (mean age 60 years: range 41-79, all male) at 7-month follow-up and 16 matched controls, not previously hospitalized for COVID-19, with no post-COVID symptoms (mean age 58 years, range 46-69, 11 males). Standard MRI and generalized diffusion encoding MRI were employed to examine the brain white matter of the subjects. To detect possible group differences, several tissue microstructure descriptors obtainable with the employed diffusion sequence, the fractional anisotropy, mean diffusivity, axial diffusivity, radial diffusivity, microscopic anisotropy, orientational coherence (Cc) and variance in compartment's size (CMD) were analysed using the tract-based spatial statistics framework. The tract-based spatial statistics analysis showed widespread statistically significant differences (P < 0.05, corrected for multiple comparisons using the familywise error rate) in all the considered metrics in the white matter of the patients compared to the controls. Fractional anisotropy, microscopic anisotropy and Cc were lower in the patient group, while axial diffusivity, radial diffusivity, mean diffusivity and CMD were higher. Significant changes in fractional anisotropy, microscopic anisotropy and CMD affected approximately half of the analysed white matter voxels located across all brain lobes, while changes in Cc were mainly found in the occipital parts of the brain. Given the predominant alteration in microscopic anisotropy compared to Cc, the observed changes in diffusion anisotropy are mostly due to loss of local anisotropy, possibly connected to axonal damage, rather than white matter fibre coherence disruption. The increase in radial diffusivity is indicative of demyelination, while the changes in mean diffusivity and CMD are compatible with vasogenic oedema. In summary, these widespread alterations of white matter microstructure are indicative of vasogenic oedema, demyelination and axonal damage. These changes might be a contributing factor to the diversity of central nervous system symptoms that many patients experience after COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deneb Boito
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Linköping University, S-58183 Linköping, Sweden
- Centre for Medical Image Science and Visualization (CMIV), Linköping University, S-58183 Linköping, Sweden
| | - Anders Eklund
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Linköping University, S-58183 Linköping, Sweden
- Centre for Medical Image Science and Visualization (CMIV), Linköping University, S-58183 Linköping, Sweden
- Division of Statistics and Machine learning, Department of Computer and Information Science, Linköping University, S-58183 Linköping, Sweden
| | - Anders Tisell
- Centre for Medical Image Science and Visualization (CMIV), Linköping University, S-58183 Linköping, Sweden
- Department of Radiation Physics, Linköping University, S-58185 Linköping, Sweden
- Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, S58183 Linköping, Sweden
| | - Richard Levi
- Centre for Medical Image Science and Visualization (CMIV), Linköping University, S-58183 Linköping, Sweden
- Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, S58183 Linköping, Sweden
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine in Linköping, Linköping University, S-58185 Linköping, Sweden
| | - Evren Özarslan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Linköping University, S-58183 Linköping, Sweden
- Centre for Medical Image Science and Visualization (CMIV), Linköping University, S-58183 Linköping, Sweden
| | - Ida Blystad
- Centre for Medical Image Science and Visualization (CMIV), Linköping University, S-58183 Linköping, Sweden
- Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, S58183 Linköping, Sweden
- Department of Radiology in Linköping, Linköping University, S-58185 Linköping, Sweden
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Morez J, Szczepankiewicz F, den Dekker AJ, Vanhevel F, Sijbers J, Jeurissen B. Optimal experimental design and estimation for q-space trajectory imaging. Hum Brain Mapp 2023; 44:1793-1809. [PMID: 36564927 PMCID: PMC9921251 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.26175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2022] [Revised: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Tensor-valued diffusion encoding facilitates data analysis by q-space trajectory imaging. By modeling the diffusion signal of heterogeneous tissues with a diffusion tensor distribution (DTD) and modulating the encoding tensor shape, this novel approach allows disentangling variations in diffusivity from microscopic anisotropy, orientation dispersion, and mixtures of multiple isotropic diffusivities. To facilitate the estimation of the DTD parameters, a parsimonious acquisition scheme coupled with an accurate and precise estimation of the DTD is needed. In this work, we create two precision-optimized acquisition schemes: one that maximizes the precision of the raw DTD parameters, and another that maximizes the precision of the scalar measures derived from the DTD. The improved precision of these schemes compared to a naïve sampling scheme is demonstrated in both simulations and real data. Furthermore, we show that the weighted linear least squares (WLLS) estimator that uses the squared reciprocal of the noisy signal as weights can be biased, whereas the iteratively WLLS estimator with the squared reciprocal of the predicted signal as weights outperforms the conventional unweighted linear LS and nonlinear LS estimators in terms of accuracy and precision. Finally, we show that the use of appropriate constraints can considerably increase the precision of the estimator with only a limited decrease in accuracy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Morez
- imec‐Vision Lab, Department of PhysicsUniversity of AntwerpAntwerpBelgium
- μNEURO Research Centre of ExcellenceUniversity of AntwerpAntwerpBelgium
| | | | - Arnold J. den Dekker
- imec‐Vision Lab, Department of PhysicsUniversity of AntwerpAntwerpBelgium
- μNEURO Research Centre of ExcellenceUniversity of AntwerpAntwerpBelgium
| | - Floris Vanhevel
- Department of RadiologyUniversity Hospital AntwerpAntwerpBelgium
| | - Jan Sijbers
- imec‐Vision Lab, Department of PhysicsUniversity of AntwerpAntwerpBelgium
- μNEURO Research Centre of ExcellenceUniversity of AntwerpAntwerpBelgium
| | - Ben Jeurissen
- imec‐Vision Lab, Department of PhysicsUniversity of AntwerpAntwerpBelgium
- μNEURO Research Centre of ExcellenceUniversity of AntwerpAntwerpBelgium
- Lab for Equilibrium Investigations and Aerospace, Department of PhysicsUniversity of AntwerpAntwerpBelgium
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5
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Jensen JH, Voltin J, Nie X, Dhiman S, McKinnon ET, Falangola MF. Comparison of two types of microscopic diffusion anisotropy in mouse brain. NMR IN BIOMEDICINE 2023; 36:e4816. [PMID: 35994169 PMCID: PMC9742172 DOI: 10.1002/nbm.4816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Revised: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Two distinct types of microscopic diffusion anisotropy (MA) are compared in brain for both normal control and transgenic (3xTg-AD) mice, which develop Alzheimer's disease pathology. The first type of MA is the commonly used microscopic fractional anisotropy (μFA), and the second is a new MA measure referred to as μFA'. These two MA parameters have different symmetry properties that are central to their physical interpretations. Specifically, μFA is invariant with respect to local rotations of compartmental diffusion tensors while μFA' is invariant with respect to global diffusion tensor deformations. A key distinction between μFA and μFA' is that μFA is affected by the same type of orientationally coherent diffusion anisotropy as the conventional fractional anisotropy (FA) while μFA' is not. Furthermore, μFA can be viewed as having independent contributions from FA and μFA', as is quantified by an equation relating all three anisotropies. The normal control and transgenic mice are studied at ages ranging from 2 to 15 months, with double diffusion encoding MRI being used to estimate μFA and μFA'. μFA and μFA' are nearly identical in low FA brain regions, but they show notable differences when FA is large. In particular, μFA and FA are found to be strongly correlated in the fimbria, but μFA' and FA are not. In addition, both μFA and μFA' are seen to increase with age in the corpus callosum and external capsule, and modest differences between normal control and transgenic mice are observed for μFA and μFA' in the corpus callosum and for μFA in the fimbria. The triad of FA, μFA, and μFA' is proposed as a useful combination of parameters for assessing diffusion anisotropy in brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jens H. Jensen
- Center for Biomedical Imaging, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
- Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Josh Voltin
- Center for Biomedical Imaging, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Xingju Nie
- Center for Biomedical Imaging, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Siddhartha Dhiman
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Emile T. McKinnon
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Maria F. Falangola
- Center for Biomedical Imaging, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
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6
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Arezza NJJ, Santini T, Omer M, Baron CA. Estimation of free water-corrected microscopic fractional anisotropy. Front Neurosci 2023; 17:1074730. [PMID: 36960165 PMCID: PMC10027922 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1074730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Water diffusion anisotropy MRI is sensitive to microstructural changes in the brain that are hallmarks of various neurological conditions. However, conventional metrics like fractional anisotropy are confounded by neuron fiber orientation dispersion, and the relatively low resolution of diffusion-weighted MRI gives rise to significant free water partial volume effects in many brain regions that are adjacent to cerebrospinal fluid. Microscopic fractional anisotropy is a recent metric that can report water diffusion anisotropy independent of neuron fiber orientation dispersion but is still susceptible to free water contamination. In this paper, we present a free water elimination (FWE) technique to estimate microscopic fractional anisotropy and other related diffusion indices by implementing a signal representation in which the MRI signal within a voxel is assumed to come from two distinct sources: a tissue compartment and a free water compartment. A two-part algorithm is proposed to rapidly fit a set of diffusion-weighted MRI volumes containing both linear- and spherical-tensor encoding acquisitions to the representation. Simulations and in vivo acquisitions with four healthy volunteers indicated that the FWE method may be a feasible technique for measuring microscopic fractional anisotropy and other indices with greater specificity to neural tissue characteristics than conventional methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nico J. J. Arezza
- Department of Medical Biophysics, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
- Centre for Functional and Metabolic Mapping (CFMM), Robarts Research Institute, Western University, London, ON, Canada
- *Correspondence: Nico J. J. Arezza,
| | - Tales Santini
- Department of Medical Biophysics, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
- Centre for Functional and Metabolic Mapping (CFMM), Robarts Research Institute, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Mohammad Omer
- Department of Medical Biophysics, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Corey A. Baron
- Department of Medical Biophysics, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
- Centre for Functional and Metabolic Mapping (CFMM), Robarts Research Institute, Western University, London, ON, Canada
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7
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Rosenberg JT, Grant SC, Topgaard D. Nonparametric 5D D-R 2 distribution imaging with single-shot EPI at 21.1 T: Initial results for in vivo rat brain. JOURNAL OF MAGNETIC RESONANCE (SAN DIEGO, CALIF. : 1997) 2022; 341:107256. [PMID: 35753184 PMCID: PMC9339475 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmr.2022.107256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2022] [Revised: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
In vivo human diffusion MRI is by default performed using single-shot EPI with greater than 50-ms echo times and associated signal loss from transverse relaxation. The individual benefits of the current trends of increasing B0 to boost SNR and employing more advanced signal preparation schemes to improve the specificity for selected microstructural properties eventually may be cancelled by increased relaxation rates at high B0 and echo times with advanced encoding. Here, initial attempts to translate state-of-the-art diffusion-relaxation correlation methods from 3 T to 21.1 T are made to identify hurdles that need to be overcome to fulfill the promises of both high SNR and readily interpretable microstructural information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jens T Rosenberg
- National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Florida State University, Tallahassee FL, United States.
| | - Samuel C Grant
- National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Florida State University, Tallahassee FL, United States; Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, United States.
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Ianuş A, Carvalho J, Fernandes FF, Cruz R, Chavarrias C, Palombo M, Shemesh N. Soma and Neurite Density MRI (SANDI) of the in-vivo mouse brain and comparison with the Allen Brain Atlas. Neuroimage 2022; 254:119135. [PMID: 35339686 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2022.119135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Revised: 02/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Diffusion MRI (dMRI) provides unique insights into the neural tissue milieu by probing interactions between diffusing molecules and tissue microstructure. Most dMRI techniques focus on white matter (WM) tissues, nevertheless, interest in gray matter characterizations is growing. The Soma and Neurite Density MRI (SANDI) methodology harnesses a model incorporating water diffusion in spherical objects (assumed to be associated with cell bodies) and in impermeable "sticks" (assumed to represent neurites), which potentially enables the characterization of cellular and neurite densities. Recognising the importance of rodents in animal models of development, aging, plasticity, and disease, we here employ SANDI for in-vivo preclinical imaging and provide a first validation of the methodology by comparing SANDI metrics with cellular density reflected by the Allen mouse brain atlas. SANDI was implemented on a 9.4T scanner equipped with a cryogenic coil, and in-vivo experiments were carried out on N = 6 mice. Pixelwise, ROI-based, and atlas comparisons were performed, magnitude vs. real-valued analyses were compared, and shorter acquisitions with reduced the number of b-value shells were investigated. Our findings reveal good reproducibility of the SANDI parameters, including the sphere and stick fractions, as well as sphere size (CoV < 7%, 12% and 3%, respectively). Additionally, we find a very good rank correlation between SANDI-driven sphere fraction and Allen mouse brain atlas contrast that represents cellular density. We conclude that SANDI is a viable preclinical MRI technique that can greatly contribute to research on brain tissue microstructure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrada Ianuş
- Champalimaud Research, Champalimaud Foundation, Av. Brasilia, Lisbon 1400-038, Portugal.
| | - Joana Carvalho
- Champalimaud Research, Champalimaud Foundation, Av. Brasilia, Lisbon 1400-038, Portugal
| | - Francisca F Fernandes
- Champalimaud Research, Champalimaud Foundation, Av. Brasilia, Lisbon 1400-038, Portugal
| | - Renata Cruz
- Champalimaud Research, Champalimaud Foundation, Av. Brasilia, Lisbon 1400-038, Portugal
| | - Cristina Chavarrias
- Champalimaud Research, Champalimaud Foundation, Av. Brasilia, Lisbon 1400-038, Portugal
| | - Marco Palombo
- Center for Medical Image Computing, Department of Computer Science, University College London, UK; Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre, School of Psychology, Cardiff University, UK; School of Computer Science and Informatics, Cardiff University, UK
| | - Noam Shemesh
- Champalimaud Research, Champalimaud Foundation, Av. Brasilia, Lisbon 1400-038, Portugal.
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