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Abstract #2489

Probing Micro-Structural Information using the CHARMED Model in the Non-Myelinated Human Newborn Brain at 3T

Nicolas Kunz1, Hui Zhang2, Kieran R. O'brien3, Yaniv Assaf4, Daniel Alexander2, Franois Lazeyras5, Petra S. Hppi1,6

1Division of Development & Growth, Fepartment of Pediatrics, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland; 2Computer Science, University College London, United Kingdom; 3Advanced Clinical Imaging Technology, CIBM-Siemens Development group, University of Lausanne, University of Geneva & EPFL; 4Tel Aviv University, Neurobiology department; 5Department of Radiology-CIBM, Geneva University Hospitals; 6Department of Neurology, Childrens Hospital


DTI provides a unique insight of the cellular microstructure. However, the changes reported during brain development in diffusion tensor derived parameters (e.g. FA, MD) cannot be directly transposed on physical cellular process such as the myelination stage or axonal density. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the feasibility of a multi-shell q-ball acquisition in human newborns of 3 months old at 3T, and to validate the CHARMED reconstruction model in the non-myelinated brain. This study demonstrate that water experienced restricted diffusion in the CC and Cst at a b-value > 2000 s/mm2 in human newborn brain.

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