Assessment of Brain Anatomy with Gradient-Echo Contrasts: A Comparison between Magnitude, Phase & R2* Imaging with Quantitative Susceptibility Mapping (QSM)

Andreas Deistung¹, Andreas Schfer², Ferdinand Schweser¹, Karsten Sommer¹, Robert Turner², Jrgen Rainer Reichenbach¹

This study compares quantitative susceptibility maps with conventional gradient-echo (GRE) imaging approaches (magnitude, phase, R2*) with respect to anatomic tissue contrast. The contrast-to-noise ratio analysis suggests that deep gray matter structures are delineated best on susceptibility images. Susceptibility images provide an excellent and local contrast between white matter and cortical grey matter that is superior to the other GRE contrasts. Susceptibility maps also reveal (sub-)structures of the midbrain, thalamus, and basal ganglia that are not observed on corresponding magnitude, phase, and R2* images.