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Li CX, Patel S, Zhang X. Evaluation of multi-shell diffusion MRI acquisition strategy on quantitative analysis using multi-compartment models. Quant Imaging Med Surg 2020; 10:824-834. [PMID: 32355646 DOI: 10.21037/qims.2020.03.11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Background Multi-compartment diffusion models such as Neurite Orientation Dispersion and Density Imaging (NODDI) have been increasingly used for diffusion MRI (dMRI) data processing in biomedical research. However, those models usually require multiple HARDI shells that may increase scanning duration substantially, and their application can be hindered in uncooperative patients (like infants) accordingly. Also, it is highly expected that the same dataset can be explored with multiple diffusion models for retrieving complementary information. Methods Multiple gradient-encoding schemes which consisted of 4-6 shells, moderate b-values (bmax =1,500 or 2,000 s/mm2), and 32-80 gradient directions were explored. The corresponding time of acquisition (TA) for a single scan ranged from 3 to 8 minutes respectively. The dMRI protocols were tested on macaque monkeys using a 3T clinical setting. The data were analysed using both NODDI and diffusion basic spectrum imaging (DBSI) models. Results The maps of orientation dispersion index (ODI) and CSF were consistent across the 4-6 shell sampling schemes. However, the corresponding intra-cellular volume fraction (ICVF) maps showed reduced pixel counts [1,100±98 (80 directions) vs. 806±70 (32 directions), one slice] in white matter when fewer gradient directions or lower b-value was applied. The hindered diffusion and CSF ratio maps were comparable across these sampling schemes. The maps of restricted diffusion ratio varied across the schemes. However, its mean ratios (0.23±0.02 vs. 0.22±0.01) and pixel counts (1,540±70 vs. 1,510±38, one slice) between the schemes of 80 and 32 directions with b=2,000 s/mm2 were comparable. Conclusions The present study reports a fast multi-shell dMRI data acquisition and processing strategy which allows for obtaining complementary information about microstructural alteration and inflammation from a single dMRI data set with both NODDI and DBSI models. The proposed approach may be particularly useful for characterizing the neurodegenerative disorders in uncooperative patients like children or acute stroke patients in which brain injury is associated with inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun-Xia Li
- Yerkes Imaging Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Sudeep Patel
- Yerkes Imaging Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Xiaodong Zhang
- Yerkes Imaging Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.,Division of Neuropharmacology and Neurologic Diseases, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
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Mu J, Liu X, Ma S, Chen T, Ma X, Li P, Ding D, Liu J, Zhang M. The variation of motor-related brain structure and its relation to abnormal motor behaviors in end-stage renal disease patients with restless legs syndrome. Brain Imaging Behav 2018; 14:42-50. [DOI: 10.1007/s11682-018-9968-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
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Mu J, Chen T, Li P, Ding D, Ma X, Zhang M, Liu J. Altered white matter microstructure mediates the relationship between hemoglobin levels and cognitive control deficits in end-stage renal disease patients. Hum Brain Mapp 2018; 39:4766-4775. [PMID: 30062855 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.24321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2018] [Revised: 06/28/2018] [Accepted: 07/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The brain-kidney crosstalk theory suggested that the brain and kidneys may be considered end organs on parallel trajectories and subject to shared risk factors, which are receiving increasing attention. Cognitive control deficits were frequently presented in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Whether or not cognitive control impairment is concerned with brain-kidney crosstalk is in need of further research. To detect the relationship between ESRD and cognitive control impairment, diffusion tensor imaging was collected in 64 healthy controls (HCs) and 64 patients with ESRD. Tract-based spatial statistics and fixel-based analysis were used to detect the difference of white matter (WM) microstructure and morphology between ESRD patients and HCs in the whole brain. Tractography atlas-based analysis was also used to investigate the difference of diffusional characteristics along fiber bundles of interest between the two groups. For the whole-brain analysis, ESRD patients showed WM microstructural alteration and fiber density variation in the cingulum. In addition, ESRD patients exhibited higher MD and RD than HCs along the anterior cingulum. Among all of the blood biochemistry tests that represent kidney disease to a degree, the stepwise regression analysis showed that only hemoglobin significantly contributed to the cognitive control deficits in ESRD patients. Mediation analysis proved that the relationship between hemoglobin and cognitive control deficits of ESRD patients was mediated by WM microstructural alteration of the cingulum. Our results indicated that the anterior cingulum was correlated with cognitive control deficits and mediated the impact of hemoglobin on cognitive control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junya Mu
- Center for Brain Imaging, School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an, People's Republic of China.,Engineering Research Center of Molecular and Neuro Imaging, Ministry of Education, Xi'an, People's Republic of China
| | - Tao Chen
- Center for Brain Imaging, School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an, People's Republic of China.,Engineering Research Center of Molecular and Neuro Imaging, Ministry of Education, Xi'an, People's Republic of China
| | - Peng Li
- Department of Medical Imaging, First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, People's Republic of China
| | - Dun Ding
- Department of Medical Imaging, First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, People's Republic of China
| | - Xueying Ma
- Department of Medical Imaging, First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, People's Republic of China
| | - Ming Zhang
- Department of Medical Imaging, First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, People's Republic of China
| | - Jixin Liu
- Center for Brain Imaging, School of Life Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an, People's Republic of China.,Engineering Research Center of Molecular and Neuro Imaging, Ministry of Education, Xi'an, People's Republic of China
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Boujraf S. Diffusion Tensor Magnetic Resonance Imaging Strategies for Color Mapping of Human Brain Anatomy. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL SIGNALS AND SENSORS 2018; 8:73-80. [PMID: 29928631 PMCID: PMC5992900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND A color mapping of fiber tract orientation using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) can be prominent in clinical practice. The goal of this paper is to perform a comparative study of visualized diffusion anisotropy in the human brain anatomical entities using three different color-mapping techniques based on diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and DTI. METHODS The first technique is based on calculating a color map from DWIs measured in three perpendicular directions. The second technique is based on eigenvalues derived from the diffusion tensor. The last technique is based on three eigenvectors corresponding to sorted eigenvalues derived from the diffusion tensor. All magnetic resonance imaging measurements were achieved using a 1.5 Tesla Siemens Vision whole body imaging system. A single-shot DW echoplanar imaging sequence used a Stejskal-Tanner approach. Trapezoidal diffusion gradients are used. The slice orientation was transverse. The basic measurement yielded a set of 13 images. Each series consists of a single image without diffusion weighting, besides two DWIs for each of the next six noncollinear magnetic field gradient directions. RESULTS The three types of color maps were calculated consequently using the DWI obtained and the DTI. Indeed, we established an excellent similarity between the image data in the color maps and the fiber directions of known anatomical structures (e.g., corpus callosum and gray matter). CONCLUSIONS In the meantime, rotationally invariant quantities such as the eigenvectors of the diffusion tensor reflected better, the real orientation found in the studied tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saïd Boujraf
- Department of Biophysics and Clinical MRI Methods, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, University of Fez, Morocco,The Clinical Neuroscience Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, University of Fez, Morocco,Department Radiology and Clinical Imaging, University Hospital of Fez, Fez, Morocco,Address for correspondence: Dr. Saϊd Boujraf, Department of Biophysics and Clinical MRI Methods, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, University of Fez, BP. 1893; Km 2.200, Sidi Hrazem Road, Fez 30000, Morocco. E-mail:
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The effect of feature image on sensitivity of the statistical analysis in the pipeline of a tractography atlas-based analysis. Sci Rep 2017; 7:12669. [PMID: 28978950 PMCID: PMC5627283 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-12965-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2016] [Accepted: 09/18/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Tractography atlas-based analysis (TABS) is a new diffusion tensor image (DTI) statistical analysis method for detecting and understanding voxel-wise white matter properties along a fiber tract. An important requisite for accurate and sensitive TABS is the availability of a deformation field that is able to register DTI in native space to standard space. Here, three different feature images including the fractional anisotropy (FA) image, T1 weighted image, and the maximum eigenvalue of the Hessian of the FA (hFA) image were used to calculate the deformation fields between individual space and population space. Our results showed that when the FA image was a feature image, the tensor template had the highest consistency with each subject for scalar and vector information. Additionally, to demonstrate the sensitivity and specificity of the TABS method with different feature images, we detected a gender difference along the corpus callosum. A significant difference between the male and female group in diffusion measurement appeared predominantly in the right corpus callosum only when FA was the feature image. Our results demonstrated that the FA image as a feature image was more accurate with respect to the underlying tensor information and had more accurate analysis results with the TABS method.
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Zhang X, Li CX. Arterial spin labeling perfusion magnetic resonance imaging of non-human primates. Quant Imaging Med Surg 2016; 6:573-581. [PMID: 27942478 DOI: 10.21037/qims.2016.10.05] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Non-human primates (NHPs) resemble most aspects of humans in brain physiology and anatomy and are excellent animal models for translational research in neuroscience, biomedical research and pharmaceutical development. Cerebral blood flow (CBF) offers essential physiological information of the brain to examine the abnormal functionality in NHP models with cerebral vascular diseases and neurological disorders or dementia. Arterial spin labeling (ASL) perfusion MRI techniques allow for high temporal and spatial CBF measurement and are intensively used in studies of animals and humans. In this article, current high-resolution ASL perfusion MRI techniques for quantitative evaluation of brain physiology and function in NHPs are described and their applications and limitation are discussed as well.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaodong Zhang
- Yerkes Imaging Center, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA;; Division of Neuropharmacology and Neurologic Diseases, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA
| | - Chun-Xia Li
- Yerkes Imaging Center, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA
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Zhang X, Kirsch JE, Zhong X. Artifact correction in diffusion MRI of non-human primate brains on a clinical 3T scanner. J Med Primatol 2015; 45:21-7. [PMID: 26689605 DOI: 10.1111/jmp.12204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/02/2015] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Smearing artifacts were observed and investigated in diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) studies of macaque monkeys on a clinical whole-body 3T scanner. METHODS Four adult macaques were utilized to evaluate DTI artifacts. DTI images were acquired with a single-shot echo-planar imaging (EPI) sequence using a parallel imaging technique. RESULTS The smearing artifacts observed on the diffusion-weighted images and fractional anisotropy maps were caused by the incomplete fat suppression due to the irregular macaque frontal skull geometry and anatomy. The artifact can be reduced substantially using a novel three-dimensional (3D) shimming procedure. CONCLUSION The smearing artifacts observed on diffusion weighted images and fractional anisotropy (FA) maps of macaque brains can be reduced substantially using a robust 3D shimming approach. The DTI protocol combined with the shimming procedure could be a robust approach to examine brain connectivity and white matter integrity of non-human primates using a conventional clinical setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaodong Zhang
- Yerkes Imaging Center, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.,Division of Neuropharmacology and Neurologic Diseases, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | - Xiaodong Zhong
- MR R&D Collaborations, Siemens Healthcare, Atlanta, GA, USA
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Meng Y, Zhang X. Transcallosal connectivity changes from infancy to late adulthood: an ex vivo diffusion spectrum imaging study of macaque brains. Brain Connect 2014; 5:147-55. [PMID: 25389564 DOI: 10.1089/brain.2014.0285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Interhemispheric communication plays a critical role to ensure normal brain functions in cognition and behavior. Since non-human primate (NHP) brains resemble most aspects of the human brain, a thorough knowledge of interhemispheric cortical connectivity changes in NHP brains throughout the developmental and aging periods may provide valuable insights for translational and clinical research. In this study, formalin-fixed rhesus monkey brains aged from 1 to 24 years were utilized to examine transcallosal connectivity changes using diffusion spectrum imaging (DSI). It was found that the transcallosal connectivity for most frontal cortical areas, including dorso- and ventro-lateral prefrontal, premotor, and motor cortices, demonstrated pronounced age-related alterations. However, such a pattern was less obvious in temporal, posterior parietal, and visual cortices. The DSI results reveal the age-related evolution pattern of transcallosal connectivity in various cortical areas of macaque brains from infancy to late adulthood, and may have implications for assessing the functional defects or alterations in the associated cortical areas during brain development and aging in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuguang Meng
- 1 Yerkes Imaging Center, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University , Atlanta, Georgia
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Li CX, Zhang X, Komery A, Li Y, Mao H, Herndon JG, Novembre FJ. Longitudinal cerebral metabolic changes in pig-tailed macaques infected with the neurovirulent virus SIVsmmFGb. J Neurovirol 2014; 20:612-9. [PMID: 25377443 DOI: 10.1007/s13365-014-0286-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2014] [Revised: 08/20/2014] [Accepted: 08/27/2014] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Longitudinal cerebral metabolite changes in pig-tailed macaques inoculated with the simian immunodeficiency virus SIVsmmFGb were evaluated with in vivo proton MRS at 3 T. Blood sample collection, and MRS were carried out before and 2, 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, and 24 weeks after SIV inoculation. Significant reduction of N-acetylaspartate (NAA)/creatine (Cr) and choline (Cho)/Cr ratios in prefrontal gray matter (PGM) and glutamate/glutamine(Glx)/Cr ratio in striatum, and increase of myo-inositol (mI)/Cr in striatum were observed during acute SIV infection. The metabolite alterations during the SIVsmmFGb infection are largely in agreement with previous findings in other non-human primate models and HIV patients. Also, NAA/Cr in PGM and striatum and Glx/Cr in striatum are negatively correlated with the percentage of CD8+ T cells after the SIV infection, suggesting the interaction between brain metabolite and immune dysfunction. The present study complements previous studies by describing the time course of alterations of brain metabolites during SIVsmmFGb infection. The findings further demonstrate the efficacy of the SIVsmmFGb-infected macaque as a model to characterize central nervous system infection using novel neuroimaging approaches and also as a tool for exploration of novel and advanced neuroimaging techniques in HIV/AIDS studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun-Xia Li
- Yerkes Imaging Center, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, 954 Gatewood Rd, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA
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Ji JX, Zhang X. Parallel and sparse MR imaging: methods and instruments-Part 2. Quant Imaging Med Surg 2014; 4:68-70. [PMID: 24834417 DOI: 10.3978/j.issn.2223-4292.2014.04.16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2014] [Accepted: 04/29/2014] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jim X Ji
- 1 Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Texas A&M University, 309E WERC, College Station, TX, USA ; 2 Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA ; 3 UC Berkeley/UCSF Joint Bioengineering Program, Berkeley, CA, USA ; 4 California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences (QB3), Byers Hall 102D, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Xiaoliang Zhang
- 1 Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Texas A&M University, 309E WERC, College Station, TX, USA ; 2 Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA ; 3 UC Berkeley/UCSF Joint Bioengineering Program, Berkeley, CA, USA ; 4 California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences (QB3), Byers Hall 102D, San Francisco, CA, USA
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