Abstract #0818

Comparison of Myelin Fraction Maps Acquired with mcUTE, T2 Relaxation and Magnetization Transfer

Nan Yin¹, Alexander Rau², Marco Reisert¹, Kian Tadjalli Mehr¹, Shuai Liu¹, Martin Helmstaedter³, Marius Schwabenland⁴, Uzay Emir⁵, Michael Bock¹, and Ali Caglar Özen¹

¹Division of Medical Physics, Department of Radiology, University Medical Center Freiburg, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany, ²Deparment of Neuroradiology, University Medical Center Freiburg, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany, ³Deparment of Nephrology, University Medical Center Freiburg, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany, ⁴University Medical Center Freiburg, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany, ⁵Department of Radiology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, United States

Synopsis

Keywords: Quantitative Imaging, Quantitative Imaging, Myelin, UTE

Motivation: Several neurological diseases are associated with impaired myelin development or demyelination. Current MRI methods for myelin quantification show high variability, and often do not align with pathology.

Goal(s): Optimization of a multi-contrast multi-resolution 3D-UTE sequence (mcUTE) for myelin mapping and comparison with other MRI approaches and histology.

Approach: Myelin fraction maps were acquired ex vivo in a sheep brain using an optimized mcUTE protocol, T2-relaxation measurements and magnetization transfer, and results were compared with electron-microscopy. All sequences were also tested on five healthy volunteers at 3T.

Results: While all approaches showed high consistency across human volunteers, mcUTE showed highest correlation with electron-microscopy results.

Impact: mcUTE reliably provides whole-brain myelin fraction maps and high-resolution water-excited anatomical image data in less than 15min at a clinical MRI system. Ex vivo results showed that myelin imaging using mcUTE is highly consistent with electron microscopy.

How to access this content:

For one year after publication, abstracts and videos are only open to registrants of this annual meeting. Registrants should use their existing login information. Non-registrant access can be purchased via the ISMRM E-Library.

After one year, current ISMRM & ISMRT members get free access to both the abstracts and videos. Non-members and non-registrants must purchase access via the ISMRM E-Library.

After two years, the meeting proceedings (abstracts) are opened to the public and require no login information. Videos remain behind password for access by members, registrants and E-Library customers.

Click here for more information on becoming a member.