The history of cerebral PET scanning: from physiology to cutting-edge technology.

PubMed

Portnow, Leah H; Vaillancourt, David E; Okun, Michael S

2013-03-05

To review the discoveries underpinning the introduction of cerebral PET scanning and highlight its modern applications. Important discoveries in neurophysiology, brain metabolism, and radiotracer development in the post-World War II period provided the necessary infrastructure for the first cerebral PET scan. A complete review of the literature was undertaken to search for primary and secondary sources on the history of PET imaging. Searches were performed in PubMed, Google Scholar, and select individual journal Web sites. Written autobiographies were obtained through the Society for Neuroscience Web site at www.sfn.org. A reference book on the history of radiology, Naked to the Bone, was reviewed to corroborate facts and to locate references. The references listed in all the articles and books obtained were reviewed. The neurophysiologic sciences required to build cerebral PET imaging date back to 1878. The last 60 years have produced an evolution of technological advancements in brain metabolism and radiotracer development. These advancements facilitated the development of modern cerebral PET imaging. Several key scientists were involved in critical discoveries and among them were Angelo Mosso, Charles Roy, Charles Sherrington, John Fulton, Seymour Kety, Louis Sokoloff, David E. Kuhl, Gordon L. Brownell, Michael Ter-Pogossian, Michael Phelps, and Edward Hoffman. Neurophysiology, metabolism, and radiotracer development in the postwar era synergized the development of the technology necessary for cerebral PET scanning. Continued use of PET in clinical trials and current developments in PET-CT/MRI hybrids has led to advancement in diagnosis, management, and treatment of neurologic disorders.

Biomarker-guided translation of brain imaging into disease pathway models

PubMed Central

Younesi, Erfan; Hofmann-Apitius, Martin

2013-01-01

The advent of state-of-the-art brain imaging technologies in recent years and the ability of such technologies to provide high-resolution information at both structural and functional levels has spawned large efforts to introduce novel non-invasive imaging biomarkers for early prediction and diagnosis of brain disorders; however, their utility in both clinic and drug development at their best resolution remains limited to visualizing and monitoring disease progression. Given the fact that efficient translation of valuable information embedded in brain scans into clinical application is of paramount scientific and public health importance, a strategy is needed to bridge the current gap between imaging and molecular biology, particularly in neurodegenerative diseases. As an attempt to address this issue, we present a novel computational method to link readouts of imaging biomarkers to their underlying molecular pathways with the aim of guiding clinical diagnosis, prognosis and even target identification in drug discovery for Alzheimer's disease. PMID:24287435

Neuroimaging Feature Terminology: A Controlled Terminology for the Annotation of Brain Imaging Features.

PubMed

Iyappan, Anandhi; Younesi, Erfan; Redolfi, Alberto; Vrooman, Henri; Khanna, Shashank; Frisoni, Giovanni B; Hofmann-Apitius, Martin

2017-01-01

Ontologies and terminologies are used for interoperability of knowledge and data in a standard manner among interdisciplinary research groups. Existing imaging ontologies capture general aspects of the imaging domain as a whole such as methodological concepts or calibrations of imaging instruments. However, none of the existing ontologies covers the diagnostic features measured by imaging technologies in the context of neurodegenerative diseases. Therefore, the Neuro-Imaging Feature Terminology (NIFT) was developed to organize the knowledge domain of measured brain features in association with neurodegenerative diseases by imaging technologies. The purpose is to identify quantitative imaging biomarkers that can be extracted from multi-modal brain imaging data. This terminology attempts to cover measured features and parameters in brain scans relevant to disease progression. In this paper, we demonstrate the systematic retrieval of measured indices from literature and how the extracted knowledge can be further used for disease modeling that integrates neuroimaging features with molecular processes.

Neuroimaging Feature Terminology: A Controlled Terminology for the Annotation of Brain Imaging Features

PubMed Central

Iyappan, Anandhi; Younesi, Erfan; Redolfi, Alberto; Vrooman, Henri; Khanna, Shashank; Frisoni, Giovanni B.; Hofmann-Apitius, Martin

2017-01-01

Ontologies and terminologies are used for interoperability of knowledge and data in a standard manner among interdisciplinary research groups. Existing imaging ontologies capture general aspects of the imaging domain as a whole such as methodological concepts or calibrations of imaging instruments. However, none of the existing ontologies covers the diagnostic features measured by imaging technologies in the context of neurodegenerative diseases. Therefore, the Neuro-Imaging Feature Terminology (NIFT) was developed to organize the knowledge domain of measured brain features in association with neurodegenerative diseases by imaging technologies. The purpose is to identify quantitative imaging biomarkers that can be extracted from multi-modal brain imaging data. This terminology attempts to cover measured features and parameters in brain scans relevant to disease progression. In this paper, we demonstrate the systematic retrieval of measured indices from literature and how the extracted knowledge can be further used for disease modeling that integrates neuroimaging features with molecular processes. PMID:28731430

The history of cerebral PET scanning

PubMed Central

Portnow, Leah H.; Vaillancourt, David E.; Okun, Michael S.

2013-01-01

Objective: To review the discoveries underpinning the introduction of cerebral PET scanning and highlight its modern applications. Background: Important discoveries in neurophysiology, brain metabolism, and radiotracer development in the post–World War II period provided the necessary infrastructure for the first cerebral PET scan. Methods: A complete review of the literature was undertaken to search for primary and secondary sources on the history of PET imaging. Searches were performed in PubMed, Google Scholar, and select individual journal Web sites. Written autobiographies were obtained through the Society for Neuroscience Web site at www.sfn.org. A reference book on the history of radiology, Naked to the Bone, was reviewed to corroborate facts and to locate references. The references listed in all the articles and books obtained were reviewed. Results: The neurophysiologic sciences required to build cerebral PET imaging date back to 1878. The last 60 years have produced an evolution of technological advancements in brain metabolism and radiotracer development. These advancements facilitated the development of modern cerebral PET imaging. Several key scientists were involved in critical discoveries and among them were Angelo Mosso, Charles Roy, Charles Sherrington, John Fulton, Seymour Kety, Louis Sokoloff, David E. Kuhl, Gordon L. Brownell, Michael Ter-Pogossian, Michael Phelps, and Edward Hoffman. Conclusions: Neurophysiology, metabolism, and radiotracer development in the postwar era synergized the development of the technology necessary for cerebral PET scanning. Continued use of PET in clinical trials and current developments in PET-CT/MRI hybrids has led to advancement in diagnosis, management, and treatment of neurologic disorders. PMID:23460618

Three-dimensional imaging of the brain cavities in human embryos.

PubMed

Blaas, H G; Eik-Nes, S H; Kiserud, T; Berg, S; Angelsen, B; Olstad, B

1995-04-01

A system for high-resolution three-dimensional imaging of small structures has been developed, based on the Vingmed CFM-800 annular array sector scanner with a 7.5-MHz transducer attached to a PC-based TomTec Echo-Scan unit. A stepper motor rotates the transducer 180 degrees and the complete three-dimensional scan consists of 132 two-dimensional images, video-grabbed and scan-converted into a regular volumetric data set by the TomTec unit. Three normal pregnancies with embryos of gestational age 7, 9 and 10 weeks received a transvaginal examination with special attention to the embryonic/fetal brain. In all three cases, it was possible to obtain high-resolution images of the brain cavities. At 7 weeks, both hemispheres and their connection to the third ventricle were delineated. The isthmus rhombencephali could be visualized. At 9 weeks, the continuous development of the brain cavities could be followed and at 11 weeks the dominating size of the hemispheres could be depicted. It is concluded that present ultrasound technology has reached a stage where structures of only a few millimeters can be imaged in vivo in three-dimensions with a quality that resembles the plaster figures used in embryonic laboratories. The method can become an important tool in future embryological research and also in the detection of early developmental disorders of the embryo.

Neuroimaging: A Window to the Neurological Foundations of Learning and Behavior in Children.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lyon, G. Reid, Ed.; Rumsey, Judith M., Ed.

This book presents 11 papers on the use of neuroimaging technology in brain-related disorders. The text contains full-color neuroimaging scans and provides both theoretical and methodological explanations of the various neuroimaging techniques and their application to developmental disorders in children. The papers are grouped into three sections,…

Trends of radiopharmaceutical use at Mayo Clinic Rochester.

PubMed

Mroczenski, Ashley A; Berent, Stephanie M; Hall, Alice A; Hung, Joseph C; Herold, Thomas J; Mullan, Brian P

2007-09-01

The field of radiology is continuously changing. The purpose of this study was to identify the effect of technologic advances on nuclear medicine during the past 15 y. The number of radiopharmaceutical doses dispensed at Mayo Clinic (Rochester, Minnesota) from 1990 through 2004 was tracked. The number of doses was equivalent to the number of scans performed. Since 1990, the number of bone scans decreased by 38%. Brain scans using (99m)Tc have increased by 166%. The number of cardiac doses dispensed increased 184% from 1990 through 1999 but decreased 3% between 2000 and 2004. The number of lung scans decreased 52% from 1992 through 1999 and increased 66% from 1999 through 2004. The number of kidney scans decreased 67% since 1990. Since its introduction in 1993, the use of (111)In-pentetreotide has increased 16-fold. PET data showed a 602% increase in the number of procedures from 2001 through 2004. The number of bone, lung, and kidney scans has decreased because of advances in other imaging modalities. Although the number of cardiac imaging scans increased during most of the study period, the recent rate of growth has declined, possibly because of the availability of alternative procedures such as stress echocardiography. The number of brain and lung scans performed has increased, partially because of the development of new protocols. PET and tumor imaging have shown a substantial increase because of increasing numbers of approved indications and Medicare reimbursement.

Does MRI scan acceleration affect power to track brain change?

PubMed

Ching, Christopher R K; Hua, Xue; Hibar, Derrek P; Ward, Chadwick P; Gunter, Jeffrey L; Bernstein, Matt A; Jack, Clifford R; Weiner, Michael W; Thompson, Paul M

2015-01-01

The Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative recently implemented accelerated T1-weighted structural imaging to reduce scan times. Faster scans may reduce study costs and patient attrition by accommodating people who cannot tolerate long scan sessions. However, little is known about how scan acceleration affects the power to detect longitudinal brain change. Using tensor-based morphometry, no significant difference was detected in numerical summaries of atrophy rates from accelerated and nonaccelerated scans in subgroups of patients with Alzheimer's disease, early or late mild cognitive impairment, or healthy controls over a 6- and 12-month scan interval. Whole-brain voxelwise mapping analyses revealed some apparent regional differences in 6-month atrophy rates when comparing all subjects irrespective of diagnosis (n = 345). No such whole-brain difference was detected for the 12-month scan interval (n = 156). Effect sizes for structural brain changes were not detectably different in accelerated versus nonaccelerated data. Scan acceleration may influence brain measures but has minimal effects on tensor-based morphometry-derived atrophy measures, at least over the 6- and 12-month intervals examined here. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Biofidelic white matter heterogeneity decreases computational model predictions of white matter strains during rapid head rotations.

PubMed

Maltese, Matthew R; Margulies, Susan S

2016-11-01

The finite element (FE) brain model is used increasingly as a design tool for developing technology to mitigate traumatic brain injury. We developed an ultra high-definition FE brain model (>4 million elements) from CT and MRI scans of a 2-month-old pre-adolescent piglet brain, and simulated rapid head rotations. Strain distributions in the thalamus, coronal radiata, corpus callosum, cerebral cortex gray matter, brainstem and cerebellum were evaluated to determine the influence of employing homogeneous brain moduli, or distinct experimentally derived gray and white matter property representations, where some white matter regions are stiffer and others less stiff than gray matter. We find that constitutive heterogeneity significantly lowers white matter deformations in all regions compared with homogeneous properties, and should be incorporated in FE model injury prediction.

HelioScan: a software framework for controlling in vivo microscopy setups with high hardware flexibility, functional diversity and extendibility.

PubMed

Langer, Dominik; van 't Hoff, Marcel; Keller, Andreas J; Nagaraja, Chetan; Pfäffli, Oliver A; Göldi, Maurice; Kasper, Hansjörg; Helmchen, Fritjof

2013-04-30

Intravital microscopy such as in vivo imaging of brain dynamics is often performed with custom-built microscope setups controlled by custom-written software to meet specific requirements. Continuous technological advancement in the field has created a need for new control software that is flexible enough to support the biological researcher with innovative imaging techniques and provide the developer with a solid platform for quickly and easily implementing new extensions. Here, we introduce HelioScan, a software package written in LabVIEW, as a platform serving this dual role. HelioScan is designed as a collection of components that can be flexibly assembled into microscope control software tailored to the particular hardware and functionality requirements. Moreover, HelioScan provides a software framework, within which new functionality can be implemented in a quick and structured manner. A specific HelioScan application assembles at run-time from individual software components, based on user-definable configuration files. Due to its component-based architecture, HelioScan can exploit synergies of multiple developers working in parallel on different components in a community effort. We exemplify the capabilities and versatility of HelioScan by demonstrating several in vivo brain imaging modes, including camera-based intrinsic optical signal imaging for functional mapping of cortical areas, standard two-photon laser-scanning microscopy using galvanometric mirrors, and high-speed in vivo two-photon calcium imaging using either acousto-optic deflectors or a resonant scanner. We recommend HelioScan as a convenient software framework for the in vivo imaging community. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Comparison of SPET brain perfusion and 18F-FDG brain metabolism in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

PubMed

Abu-Judeh, H H; Levine, S; Kumar, M; el-Zeftawy, H; Naddaf, S; Lou, J Q; Abdel-Dayem, H M

1998-11-01

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a clinically defined condition of uncertain aetiology. We compared 99Tcm-HMPAO single photon emission tomography (SPET) brain perfusion with dual-head 18F-FDG brain metabolism in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome. Eighteen patients (14 females, 4 males), who fulfilled the diagnostic criteria of the Centers for Disease Control for chronic fatigue syndrome, were investigated. Thirteen patients had abnormal SPET brain perfusion scans and five had normal scans. Fifteen patients had normal glucose brain metabolism scans and three had abnormal scans. We conclude that, in chronic fatigue syndrome patients, there is discordance between SPET brain perfusion and 18F-FDG brain uptake. It is possible to have brain perfusion abnormalities without corresponding changes in glucose uptake.

The Man behind the Curtain: What Cognitive Science Reveals about Drawing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kantrowitz, Andrea

2012-01-01

Over the past 10 to 15 years the twin fields of neuroscience and cognitive psychology have exploded. Through a number of new imaging technologies, such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and positron emission tomography (PET) scans, scientists have been able to look into the living brain in ways never before possible. What they have…

[Non-operation management of 12 cases with brain abscess demonstrated by CT scan].

PubMed

Long, J

1990-12-01

This paper reported 12 cases with brain abscess demonstrated by CT scan. Using antibiotic management without surgical intervention, in 10 cases the curative effects were satisfactory. The paper indicated that CT scan was very useful in prompt and correct diagnosis of brain abscess and with sequential CT scan medical therapy was feasible. It is significant in treatment of brain abscess especially for the patients who have a poor general condition, have the brain abscess located in important functional area or have multiple abscesses so that the operation is difficult for them.

The iconic memory skills of brain injury survivors and non-brain injured controls after visual scanning training.

PubMed

McClure, J T; Browning, R T; Vantrease, C M; Bittle, S T

1994-01-01

Previous research suggests that traumatic brain injury (TBI) results in impairment of iconic memory abilities.We would like to acknowledge the contribution of Jeffrey D. Vantrease, who wrote the software program for the Iconic Memory procedure and measurement. This raises serious implications for brain injury rehabilitation. Most cognitive rehabilitation programs do not include iconic memory training. Instead it is common for cognitive rehabilitation programs to focus on attention and concentration skills, memory skills, and visual scanning skills.This study compared the iconic memory skills of brain-injury survivors and control subjects who all reached criterion levels of visual scanning skills. This involved previous training for the brain-injury survivors using popular visual scanning programs that allowed them to visually scan with response time and accuracy within normal limits. Control subjects required only minimal training to reach normal limits criteria. This comparison allows for the dissociation of visual scanning skills and iconic memory skills.The results are discussed in terms of their implications for cognitive rehabilitation and the relationship between visual scanning training and iconic memory skills.

Evaluative studies in nuclear medicine research. Interim progress report, July 1, 1975--June 30, 1976. [Diagnostic value of brain scans

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Potchen, E.J.

Data relating to the determination of the efficacy of radionuclide brain scanning have been analyzed. The data were gathered at a teaching hospital by use of a prospective questionnaire followed by a retrospective study of the result of the brain scan examination. Data analysis was accomplished using a method of pattern discovery which relates selected outcomes such as normal and abnormal brain scans to patient attributes (signs, symptoms, history, and previous test results). The objective of the analysis was the identification of patterns or clusters of patient attributes which have a high probability of acting as predictors of the outcomemore » of the brain scan.« less

Infantile Autism and Computerized Tomography Brain-Scan Findings: Specific versus Nonspecific Abnormalities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Balottin, Umberto; And Others

1989-01-01

The study of computerized tomography brain-scan findings with 45 autistic and 19 control subjects concluded that autism is nonspecifically associated with brain-scan abnormalities, and that other nonorganic, as well as organic, factors should be taken into account. (Author/DB)

WINCS-BASED WIRELESS ELECTROCHEMICAL MONITORING OF SEROTONIN (5-HT) USING FAST-SCAN CYCLIC VOLTAMMETRY: PROOF OF PRINCIPLE

PubMed Central

Griessenauer, Christoph J.; Chang, Su-Youne; Tye, Susannah J.; Kimble, Christopher J.; Bennet, Kevin E.; Garris, Paul A.; Lee, Kendall H.

2010-01-01

Object We previously reported the development of a Wireless Instantaneous Neurotransmitter Concentration System (WINCS) for measuring dopamine and suggested that this technology may be useful for evaluating deep brain stimulation (DBS)-related neuromodulatory effects on neurotransmitter systems. WINCS supports fast-scan cyclic voltammetry (FSCV) at a carbon-fiber microelectrode (CFM) for real-time, spatially resolved neurotransmitter measurements. The FSCV parameters used to establish WINCS dopamine measurements are not suitable for serotonin, a neurotransmitter implicated in depression, because they lead to CFM fouling and a loss of sensitivity. Here, we incorporate into WINCS a previously described N-shaped waveform applied at a high scan rate to establish wireless serotonin monitoring. Methods FSCV optimized for the detection of serotonin consisted of an N-shaped waveform scanned linearly from a resting potential of, in V, +0.2 to +1.0, then to −0.1 and back to +0.2 at a rate of 1000 V/s. Proof of principle tests included flow injection analysis and electrically evoked serotonin release in the dorsal raphe nucleus of rat brain slices. Results Flow cell injection analysis demonstrated that the N waveform applied at a scan rate of 1000 V/s significantly reduced serotonin fouling of the CFM, relative to that observed with FSCV parameters for dopamine. In brain slices, WINCS reliably detected sub-second serotonin release in the dorsal raphe nucleus evoked by local high-frequency stimulation. Conclusion WINCS supported high-fidelity wireless serotonin monitoring by FSCV at a CFM. In the future such measurements of serotonin in large animal models and in humans may help to establish the mechanism of DBS for psychiatric disease. PMID:20415521

Automatic, accurate, and reproducible segmentation of the brain and cerebro-spinal fluid in T1-weighted volume MRI scans and its application to serial cerebral and intracranial volumetry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lemieux, Louis

2001-07-01

A new fully automatic algorithm for the segmentation of the brain and cerebro-spinal fluid (CSF) from T1-weighted volume MRI scans of the head was specifically developed in the context of serial intra-cranial volumetry. The method is an extension of a previously published brain extraction algorithm. The brain mask is used as a basis for CSF segmentation based on morphological operations, automatic histogram analysis and thresholding. Brain segmentation is then obtained by iterative tracking of the brain-CSF interface. Grey matter (GM), white matter (WM) and CSF volumes are calculated based on a model of intensity probability distribution that includes partial volume effects. Accuracy was assessed using a digital phantom scan. Reproducibility was assessed by segmenting pairs of scans from 20 normal subjects scanned 8 months apart and 11 patients with epilepsy scanned 3.5 years apart. Segmentation accuracy as measured by overlap was 98% for the brain and 96% for the intra-cranial tissues. The volume errors were: total brain (TBV): -1.0%, intra-cranial (ICV):0.1%, CSF: +4.8%. For repeated scans, matching resulted in improved reproducibility. In the controls, the coefficient of reliability (CR) was 1.5% for the TVB and 1.0% for the ICV. In the patients, the Cr for the ICV was 1.2%.

Value of brain scanning in the management of strokes

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Antunes, J.L.; Schlesinger, E.B.; Michelsen, W.J.

1975-01-01

The usefulness of brain scanning in the diagnosis and management of strokes was evaluated in 313 serial cases. Of 38 patients with transient ischemic attacks (TIAs), only one had a positive test. The optimal time for scanning completed strokes was between seven and 14 days after onset. The pattern of uptake was characteristic of a vascular lesion in 76.8 percent. When uptake was indistinguishable from tumor, follow-up scans were useful. Patients with negative scans in the second week have a significantly better prognosis than the ones with a positive study. Cerebral angiography and brain scan correlated well in 56 patientsmore » who had both tests performed. The postmortem findings in 12 cases again emphasize the importance of the correct timing of the study, and the fact that a brain scan does not usually demonstrate lesions smaller than 2 cm in diameter. It is concluded that the brain scan represents a useful tool in the diagnosis of strokes and helps in predicting the degree of recovery following a vascular insult.« less

Whole brain analysis of postmortem density changes of grey and white matter on computed tomography by statistical parametric mapping.

PubMed

Nishiyama, Yuichi; Kanayama, Hidekazu; Mori, Hiroshi; Tada, Keiji; Yamamoto, Yasushi; Katsube, Takashi; Takeshita, Haruo; Kawakami, Kazunori; Kitagaki, Hajime

2017-06-01

This study examined the usefulness of statistical parametric mapping (SPM) for investigating postmortem changes on brain computed tomography (CT). This retrospective study included 128 patients (23 - 100 years old) without cerebral abnormalities who underwent unenhanced brain CT before and after death. The antemortem CT (AMCT) scans and postmortem CT (PMCT) scans were spatially normalized using our original brain CT template, and postmortem changes of CT values (in Hounsfield units; HU) were analysed by the SPM technique. Compared with AMCT scans, 58.6 % and 98.4 % of PMCT scans showed loss of the cerebral sulci and an unclear grey matter (GM)-white matter (WM) interface, respectively. SPM analysis revealed a significant decrease in cortical GM density within 70 min after death on PMCT scans, suggesting cytotoxic brain oedema. Furthermore, there was a significant increase in the density of the WM, lenticular nucleus and thalamus more than 120 min after death. The SPM technique demonstrated typical postmortem changes on brain CT scans, and revealed that the unclear GM-WM interface on early PMCT scans is caused by a rapid decrease in cortical GM density combined with a delayed increase in WM density. SPM may be useful for assessment of whole brain postmortem changes. • The original brain CT template achieved successful normalization of brain morphology. • Postmortem changes in the brain were independent of sex. • Cortical GM density decreased rapidly after death. • WM and deep GM densities increased following cortical GM density change. • SPM could be useful for assessment of whole brain postmortem changes.

Does hydration status affect MRI measures of brain volume or water content?

PubMed

Meyers, Sandra M; Tam, Roger; Lee, Jimmy S; Kolind, Shannon H; Vavasour, Irene M; Mackie, Emilie; Zhao, Yinshan; Laule, Cornelia; Mädler, Burkhard; Li, David K B; MacKay, Alex L; Traboulsee, Anthony L

2016-08-01

To determine whether differences in hydration state, which could arise from routine clinical procedures such as overnight fasting, affect brain total water content (TWC) and brain volume measured with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Twenty healthy volunteers were scanned with a 3T MR scanner four times: day 1, baseline scan; day 2, hydrated scan after consuming 3L of water over 12 hours; day 3, dehydrated scan after overnight fasting of 9 hours, followed by another scan 1 hour later for reproducibility. The following MRI data were collected: T2 relaxation (for TWC measurement), inversion recovery (for T1 measurement), and 3D T1 -weighted (for brain volumes). Body weight and urine specific gravity were also measured. TWC was calculated by fitting the T2 relaxation data with a nonnegative least-squares algorithm, with corrections for T1 relaxation and image signal inhomogeneity and normalization to ventricular cerebrospinal fluid. Brain volume changes were measured using SIENA. TWC means were calculated within 14 tissue regions. Despite indications of dehydration as demonstrated by increases in urine specific gravity (P = 0.03) and decreases in body weight (P = 0.001) between hydrated and dehydrated scans, there was no measurable change in TWC (within any brain region) or brain volume between hydration states. We demonstrate that within a range of physiologic conditions commonly encountered in routine clinical scans (no pretreatment with hydration, well hydrated before MRI, and overnight fasting), brain TWC and brain volumes are not substantially affected in a healthy control cohort. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2016;44:296-304. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Brain anatomy alterations associated with Social Networking Site (SNS) addiction

PubMed Central

He, Qinghua; Turel, Ofir; Bechara, Antoine

2017-01-01

This study relies on knowledge regarding the neuroplasticity of dual-system components that govern addiction and excessive behavior and suggests that alterations in the grey matter volumes, i.e., brain morphology, of specific regions of interest are associated with technology-related addictions. Using voxel based morphometry (VBM) applied to structural Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scans of twenty social network site (SNS) users with varying degrees of SNS addiction, we show that SNS addiction is associated with a presumably more efficient impulsive brain system, manifested through reduced grey matter volumes in the amygdala bilaterally (but not with structural differences in the Nucleus Accumbens). In this regard, SNS addiction is similar in terms of brain anatomy alterations to other (substance, gambling etc.) addictions. We also show that in contrast to other addictions in which the anterior-/ mid- cingulate cortex is impaired and fails to support the needed inhibition, which manifests through reduced grey matter volumes, this region is presumed to be healthy in our sample and its grey matter volume is positively correlated with one’s level of SNS addiction. These findings portray an anatomical morphology model of SNS addiction and point to brain morphology similarities and differences between technology addictions and substance and gambling addictions. PMID:28332625

A correlative optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy approach to locating nanoparticles in brain tumors.

PubMed

Kempen, Paul J; Kircher, Moritz F; de la Zerda, Adam; Zavaleta, Cristina L; Jokerst, Jesse V; Mellinghoff, Ingo K; Gambhir, Sanjiv S; Sinclair, Robert

2015-01-01

The growing use of nanoparticles in biomedical applications, including cancer diagnosis and treatment, demands the capability to exactly locate them within complex biological systems. In this work a correlative optical and scanning electron microscopy technique was developed to locate and observe multi-modal gold core nanoparticle accumulation in brain tumor models. Entire brain sections from mice containing orthotopic brain tumors injected intravenously with nanoparticles were imaged using both optical microscopy to identify the brain tumor, and scanning electron microscopy to identify the individual nanoparticles. Gold-based nanoparticles were readily identified in the scanning electron microscope using backscattered electron imaging as bright spots against a darker background. This information was then correlated to determine the exact location of the nanoparticles within the brain tissue. The nanoparticles were located only in areas that contained tumor cells, and not in the surrounding healthy brain tissue. This correlative technique provides a powerful method to relate the macro- and micro-scale features visible in light microscopy with the nanoscale features resolvable in scanning electron microscopy. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Laser application in neurosurgery

PubMed Central

Belykh, Evgenii; Yagmurlu, Kaan; Martirosyan, Nikolay L.; Lei, Ting; Izadyyazdanabadi, Mohammadhassan; Malik, Kashif M.; Byvaltsev, Vadim A.; Nakaji, Peter; Preul, Mark C.

2017-01-01

Background: Technological innovations based on light amplification created by stimulated emission of radiation (LASER) have been used extensively in the field of neurosurgery. Methods: We reviewed the medical literature to identify current laser-based technological applications for surgical, diagnostic, and therapeutic uses in neurosurgery. Results: Surgical applications of laser technology reported in the literature include percutaneous laser ablation of brain tissue, the use of surgical lasers in open and endoscopic cranial surgeries, laser-assisted microanastomosis, and photodynamic therapy for brain tumors. Laser systems are also used for intervertebral disk degeneration treatment, therapeutic applications of laser energy for transcranial laser therapy and nerve regeneration, and novel diagnostic laser-based technologies (e.g., laser scanning endomicroscopy and Raman spectroscopy) that are used for interrogation of pathological tissue. Conclusion: Despite controversy over the use of lasers for treatment, the surgical application of lasers for minimally invasive procedures shows promising results and merits further investigation. Laser-based microscopy imaging devices have been developed and miniaturized to be used intraoperatively for rapid pathological diagnosis. The multitude of ways that lasers are used in neurosurgery and in related neuroclinical situations is a testament to the technological advancements and practicality of laser science. PMID:29204309

MO-F-CAMPUS-I-04: Patient Eye-Lens Dose Reduction in Routine Brain CT Examinations Using Organ-Based Tube Current Modulation and In-Plane Bismuth Shielding

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tsai, Hui-Yu; Liao, Ying-Lan; Chang Gung University / Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyun, Taiwan

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to assess eye-lens dose for patients who underwent brain CT examinations using two dose reduction Methods: organ-based tube current modulation (OBTCM) and in-plane bismuth shielding method. Methods: This study received institutional review board approval; written informed consent to participate was obtained from all patients. Ninety patients who underwent the routine brain CT examination were randomly assigned to three groups, ie. routine, OBTCM, and bismuth shield. The OBTCM technique reduced the tube current when the X-ray tube rotates in front of patients’ eye-lens region. The patients in the bismuth shield group were covered one-plymore » bismuth shield in the eyes’ region. Eye-lens doses were measured using TLD-100H chips and the total effective doses were calculated using CT-Expo according to the CT scanning parameters. The surface doses for patients at off-center positions were assessed to evaluate the off-centering effect. Results: Phantom measurements indicates that OBTCM technique could reduced by 26% to 28% of the surface dose to the eye lens, and increased by 25% of the surface dose at the opposed incident direction at the angle of 180°. Patients’ eye-lens doses were reduced 16.9% and 30.5% dose of bismuth shield scan and OBTCM scan, respectively compared to the routine scan. The eye-lens doses were apparently increased when the table position was lower than isocenter. Conclusion: Reducing the dose to the radiosensitive organs, such as eye lens, during routine brain CT examinations could lower the radiation risks. The OBTCM technique and in-plane bismuth shielding could be used to reduce the eye-lens dose. The eye-lens dose could be effectively reduced using OBTCM scan without interfering the diagnostic image quality. Patient position relative the CT gantry also affects the dose level of the eye lens. This study was supported by the grants from the Ministry of Science and Technology of Taiwan (MOST103-2314-B-182-009-MY2), and Chang Gung Memorial Hospital (CMRPD1C0682)« less

Childhood CT scans linked to leukemia and brain cancer later in life

Cancer.gov

Children and young adults scanned multiple times by computed tomography (CT), a commonly used diagnostic tool, have a small increased risk of leukemia and brain tumors in the decade following their first scan.

High-resolution digital brain atlases: a Hubble telescope for the brain.

PubMed

Jones, Edward G; Stone, James M; Karten, Harvey J

2011-05-01

We describe implementation of a method for digitizing at microscopic resolution brain tissue sections containing normal and experimental data and for making the content readily accessible online. Web-accessible brain atlases and virtual microscopes for online examination can be developed using existing computer and internet technologies. Resulting databases, made up of hierarchically organized, multiresolution images, enable rapid, seamless navigation through the vast image datasets generated by high-resolution scanning. Tools for visualization and annotation of virtual microscope slides enable remote and universal data sharing. Interactive visualization of a complete series of brain sections digitized at subneuronal levels of resolution offers fine grain and large-scale localization and quantification of many aspects of neural organization and structure. The method is straightforward and replicable; it can increase accessibility and facilitate sharing of neuroanatomical data. It provides an opportunity for capturing and preserving irreplaceable, archival neurohistological collections and making them available to all scientists in perpetuity, if resources could be obtained from hitherto uninterested agencies of scientific support. © 2011 New York Academy of Sciences.

[CT scans in children with head/brain injury: five years after the revision of the guideline on "mild traumatic head/brain injury"].

PubMed

Hageman, G Gerard

2015-01-01

In 2010 the guideline on mild traumatic head/ brain injury for both adults and children was revised under the supervision of the Dutch Neurology Society. The revised guideline endorsed rules for decisions on whether to carry out diagnostic imaging investigations (brain CT scanning) and formulates indications for admission. Unfortunately, 5 years after its introduction, it is clear that the guideline rules result in excessive brain CT scanning, in which no more serious head injury is diagnosed. Brain injury may be present in (small) children even if symptoms are absent at first presentation. Also, clinical signs do not predict intracranial complications. This was nicely demonstrated in a study by Tilma, Bekhof and Brand of 410 children with mTBI: no clinical symptom or sign reliably predicted the risk of intracranial bleeding. They advise hospitalisation for observation instead of brain CT scanning. It may be necessary to review part of the Dutch guideline on mTBI.

99mTc-HMPAO SPECT of the brain in mild to moderate traumatic brain injury patients: compared with CT--a prospective study.

PubMed

Nedd, K; Sfakianakis, G; Ganz, W; Uricchio, B; Vernberg, D; Villanueva, P; Jabir, A M; Bartlett, J; Keena, J

1993-01-01

Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) with Technetium-99m hexamethyl propylenamine oxime (Tc-99m-HMPAO) was used in 20 patients with mild to moderate traumatic brain injury (TBI) to evaluate the effects of brain trauma on regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF). SPECT scan was compared with CT scan in 16 patients. SPECT showed intraparenchymal differences in rCBF more often than lesions diagnosed with CT scans (87.5% vs. 37.5%). In five of six patients with lesions in both modalities, the area of involvement was relatively larger on SPECT scans than on CT scans. Contrecoup changes were seen in five patients on SPECT alone, two patients with CT alone and one patient had contrecoup lesions on CT and SPECT. Of the eight patients (50%) with skull fractures, seven (43.7%) had rCBF findings on SPECT scan and five (31.3%) demonstrated decrease in rCBF in brain underlying the fracture. All these patients with fractures had normal brain on CT scans. Conversely, extra-axial lesions and fractures evident on CT did not visualize on SPECT, but SPECT demonstrated associated changes in rCBF. Although there is still lack of clinical and pathological correlation, SPECT appears to be a promising method for a more sensitive evaluation of axial lesions in patients with mild to moderate TBI.

Scanning Fiber Endoscope Improves Detection of 5-Aminolevulinic Acid-Induced Protoporphyrin IX Fluorescence at the Boundary of Infiltrative Glioma.

PubMed

Belykh, Evgenii; Miller, Eric J; Hu, Danying; Martirosyan, Nikolay L; Woolf, Eric C; Scheck, Adrienne C; Byvaltsev, Vadim A; Nakaji, Peter; Nelson, Leonard Y; Seibel, Eric J; Preul, Mark C

2018-05-01

Fluorescence-guided surgery with protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) as a photodiagnostic marker is gaining acceptance for resection of malignant gliomas. Current wide-field imaging technologies do not have sufficient sensitivity to detect low PpIX concentrations. We evaluated a scanning fiber endoscope (SFE) for detection of PpIX fluorescence in gliomas and compared it to an operating microscope (OPMI) equipped with a fluorescence module and to a benchtop confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM). 5-Aminolevulinic acid-induced PpIX fluorescence was assessed in GL261-Luc2 cells in vitro and in vivo after implantation in mouse brains, at an invading glioma growth stage, simulating residual tumor. Intraoperative fluorescence of high and low PpIX concentrations in normal brain and tumor regions with SFE, OPMI, CLSM, and histopathology were compared. SFE imaging of PpIX correlated to CLSM at the cellular level. PpIX accumulated in normal brain cells but significantly less than in glioma cells. SFE was more sensitive to accumulated PpIX in fluorescent brain areas than OPMI (P < 0.01) and dramatically increased imaging time (>6×) before tumor-to-background contrast was diminished because of photobleaching. SFE provides new endoscopic capabilities to view PpIX-fluorescing tumor regions at cellular resolution. SFE may allow accurate imaging of 5-aminolevulinic acid labeling of gliomas and other tumor types when current detection techniques have failed to provide reliable visualization. SFE was significantly more sensitive than OPMI to low PpIX concentrations, which is relevant to identifying the leading edge or metastasizing cells of malignant glioma or to treating low-grade gliomas. This new application has the potential to benefit surgical outcomes. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Economic Evaluations in the Diagnosis and Management of Traumatic Brain Injury: A Systematic Review and Analysis of Quality.

PubMed

Alali, Aziz S; Burton, Kirsteen; Fowler, Robert A; Naimark, David M J; Scales, Damon C; Mainprize, Todd G; Nathens, Avery B

2015-07-01

Economic evaluations provide a unique opportunity to identify the optimal strategies for the diagnosis and management of traumatic brain injury (TBI), for which uncertainty is common and the economic burden is substantial. The objective of this study was to systematically review and examine the quality of contemporary economic evaluations in the diagnosis and management of TBI. Two reviewers independently searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, NHS Economic Evaluation Database, Health Technology Assessment Database, EconLit, and the Tufts CEA Registry for comparative economic evaluations published from 2000 onward (last updated on August 30, 2013). Data on methods, results, and quality were abstracted in duplicate. The results were summarized quantitatively and qualitatively. Of 3539 citations, 24 economic evaluations met our inclusion criteria. Nine were cost-utility, five were cost-effectiveness, three were cost-minimization, and seven were cost-consequences analyses. Only six studies were of high quality. Current evidence from high-quality studies suggests the economic attractiveness of the following strategies: a low medical threshold for computed tomography (CT) scanning of asymptomatic infants with possible inflicted TBI, selective CT scanning of adults with mild TBI as per the Canadian CT Head Rule, management of severe TBI according to the Brain Trauma Foundation guidelines, management of TBI in dedicated neurocritical care units, and early transfer of patients with TBI with nonsurgical lesions to neuroscience centers. Threshold-guided CT scanning, adherence to Brain Trauma Foundation guidelines, and care for patients with TBI, including those with nonsurgical lesions, in specialized settings appear to be economically attractive strategies. Copyright © 2015 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Gray Matter-White Matter De-Differentiation on Brain Computed Tomography Predicts Brain Death Occurrence.

PubMed

Vigneron, C; Labeye, V; Cour, M; Hannoun, S; Grember, A; Rampon, F; Cotton, F

2016-01-01

Previous studies have shown that a loss of distinction between gray matter (GM) and white matter (WM) on unenhanced CT scans was predictive of poor outcome after cardiac arrest. The aim of this study was to identify a marker/predictor of imminent brain death. In this retrospective study, 15 brain-dead patients after anoxia and cardiac arrest were included. Patients were paired (1:1) with normal control subjects. Only patients' unenhanced CT scans performed before brain death and during the 24 hours after initial signs were analyzed. WM and GM densities were measured in predefined regions of interest (basal ganglia level, centrum semi-ovale level, high convexity level, brainstem level). At each level, GM and WM density and GM/WM ratio for brain-dead patients and normal control subjects were compared using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. At each level, a lower GM/WM ratio and decreased GM and WM densities were observed in brain-dead patients' CT scans when compared with normal control subject CT scans. A cut-off value of 1.21 at the basal ganglia level was identified, below which brain death systematically occurred. GM/WM dedifferentiation on unenhanced CT scan is measurable before the occurrence of brain death, highlighting its importance in brain death prediction. The mechanism of GM/WM differentiation loss could be explained by the lack of oxygen caused by ischemia initially affecting the mitochondrial system. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Clinical 3T MR imaging: mastering the challenges.

PubMed

Tanenbaum, Lawrence N

2006-02-01

3T MRI is ready to meet the needs of clinical practice. SAR limitations are minimized by technical advances and surface coils are available for all core applications. With appropriate adjustments to scanning protocols, one can master the challenges of scanning at 3T; studies of the brain, spine, chest, abdomen, pelvis, vasculature, and extremities can be consistently higher in quality than are those obtained at 1.5T. The superior studies that are obtainable at 3T have great appeal to clinicians who are sophisticated about MR technology in areas, such as neurology, orthopedics, vascular surgery, and oncology,and encourage a shift in referrals toward practices that invest in higher field technology. The greater sensitivity to magnetic susceptibility offers unique benefits in functional neuroimaging, and available software/hardware packages enhance clinical setting feasibility, which adds a source of new referrals. The greater overall signal of 3T can be manipulated to make scanning more comfortable and with less motion artifact because scan times could be half as long. Spectacular anatomic delineation that is provided by high-definition scanning at true 1024 resolution can improve preoperative assessment and may improve sensitivity to smaller lesions. 3T provides practices with an advantage that is sought increasingly by high field strength purchasers in a competitive market. Only cost considerations stand in the way of the eventual domination of 3T systems in the high field strength market.

Incidence of Brain Metastases on Follow-up 18F-FDG PET/CT Scans of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients: Should We Include the Brain?

PubMed

Nia, Emily S; Garland, Linda L; Eshghi, Naghmehossadat; Nia, Benjamin B; Avery, Ryan J; Kuo, Phillip H

2017-09-01

The brain is the most common site of distant metastasis from lung cancer. Thus, MRI of the brain at initial staging is routinely performed, but if this examination is negative a follow-up examination is often not performed. This study evaluates the incidence of asymptomatic brain metastases in non-small cell lung cancer patients detected on follow-up 18 F-FDG PET/CT scans. Methods: In this Institutional Review Board-approved retrospective review, all vertex to thigh 18 F-FDG PET/CT scans in patients with all subtypes of lung cancer from August 2014 to August 2016 were reviewed. A total of 1,175 18 F-FDG PET/CT examinations in 363 patients were reviewed. Exclusion criteria included brain metastases on initial staging, histologic subtype of small-cell lung cancer, and no follow-up 18 F-FDG PET/CT examinations. After our exclusion criteria were applied, a total of 809 follow-up 18 F-FDG PET/CT scans in 227 patients were included in the final analysis. The original report of each 18 F-FDG PET/CT study was reviewed for the finding of brain metastasis. The finding of a new brain metastasis prompted a brain MRI, which was reviewed to determine the accuracy of the 18 F-FDG PET/CT. Results: Five of 227 patients with 809 follow-up 18 F-FDG PET/CT scans reviewed were found to have incidental brain metastases. The mean age of the patients with incidental brain metastasis was 68 y (range, 60-77 y). The mean time from initial diagnosis to time of detection of incidental brain metastasis was 36 mo (range, 15-66 mo). When MRI was used as the gold standard, our false-positive rate was zero. Conclusion: By including the entire head during follow-up 18 F-FDG PET/CT scans of patients with non-small cell lung cancer, brain metastases can be detected earlier while still asymptomatic. But, given the additional scan time, radiation, and low incidence of new brain metastases in asymptomatic patients, the cost-to-benefit ratio should be weighed by each institution. © 2017 by the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging.

EARLY VERSUS LATE MRI IN ASPHYXIATED NEWBORNS TREATED WITH HYPOTHERMIA

PubMed Central

Wintermark, Pia; Hansen, Anne; Soul, Janet; Labrecque, Michelle; Robertson, Richard L.; Warfield, Simon K.

2012-01-01

Objective The purposes of this feasibility study are to assess: (1) the potential utility of early brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in asphyxiated newborns treated with hypothermia; (2) whether early MRI predicts later brain injury observed in these newborns after hypothermia is completed; and (3) whether early MRI indicators of brain injury in these newborns represent reversible changes. Patients and Methods All consecutive asphyxiated term newborns meeting the criteria for therapeutic hypothermia were enrolled prospectively. Each of them underwent 1–2 “early” MRI scans while receiving hypothermia, on day of life (DOL) 1 and DOL 2–3, and also 1–2 “late” MRI scans on DOL 8–13 and at 1 month of age. Results Thirty-seven MRI scans were obtained in twelve asphyxiated neonates treated with induced hypothermia. Four newborns did develop MRI evidence of brain injury, already visible on early MRI scans. The remaining eight newborns did not develop significant MRI evidence of brain injury on any of the MRI scans. In addition, two patients displayed unexpected findings on early MRIs, leading to early termination of hypothermia treatment. Conclusions MRI scans obtained on DOL 2–3 during hypothermia seem to predict later brain injuries in asphyxiated newborns in this feasibility study. Brain injuries identified during this early time appear to represent irreversible changes. Early MRI scans might also be useful to demonstrate unexpected findings not related to hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, which could potentially be exacerbated by induced hypothermia. Additional studies with larger numbers of patients will be useful to more definitively confirm these results. PMID:20688865

The effects of handwriting experience on functional brain development in pre-literate children

PubMed Central

James, Karin H.; Engelhardt, Laura

2014-01-01

In an age of increasing technology, the possibility that typing on a keyboard will replace handwriting raises questions about the future usefulness of handwriting skills. Here we present evidence that brain activation during letter perception is influenced in different, important ways by previous handwriting of letters versus previous typing or tracing of those same letters. Preliterate, five-year old children printed, typed, or traced letters and shapes, then were shown images of these stimuli while undergoing functional MRI scanning. A previously documented “reading circuit” was recruited during letter perception only after handwriting—not after typing or tracing experience. These findings demonstrate that handwriting is important for the early recruitment in letter processing of brain regions known to underlie successful reading. Handwriting therefore may facilitate reading acquisition in young children. PMID:25541600

Identifying Lesions on Structural Brain Images-Validation of the Method and Application to Neuropsychological Patients

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stamatakis, E.A.; Tyler, L.K.

2005-01-01

The study of neuropsychological disorders has been greatly facilitated by the localization of brain lesions on MRI scans. Current popular approaches for the assessment of MRI brain scans mostly depend on the successful segmentation of the brain into grey and white matter. These methods cannot be used effectively with large lesions because lesions…

Onset of multiple sclerosis before adulthood leads to failure of age-expected brain growth

PubMed Central

Aubert-Broche, Bérengère; Fonov, Vladimir; Narayanan, Sridar; Arnold, Douglas L.; Araujo, David; Fetco, Dumitru; Till, Christine; Sled, John G.; Collins, D. Louis

2014-01-01

Objective: To determine the impact of pediatric-onset multiple sclerosis (MS) on age-expected brain growth. Methods: Whole brain and regional volumes of 36 patients with relapsing-remitting MS onset prior to 18 years of age were segmented in 185 longitudinal MRI scans (2–11 scans per participant, 3-month to 2-year scan intervals). MRI scans of 25 age- and sex-matched healthy normal controls (NC) were also acquired at baseline and 2 years later on the same scanner as the MS group. A total of 874 scans from 339 participants from the NIH-funded MRI study of normal brain development acquired at 2-year intervals were used as an age-expected healthy growth reference. All data were analyzed with an automatic image processing pipeline to estimate the volume of brain and brain substructures. Mixed-effect models were built using age, sex, and group as fixed effects. Results: Significant group and age interactions were found with the adjusted models fitting brain volumes and normalized thalamus volumes (p < 10−4). These findings indicate a failure of age-normative brain growth for the MS group, and an even greater failure of thalamic growth. In patients with MS, T2 lesion volume correlated with a greater reduction in age-expected thalamic volume. To exclude any scanner-related influence on our data, we confirmed no significant interaction of group in the adjusted models between the NC and NIH MRI Study of Normal Brain Development groups. Conclusions: Our results provide evidence that the onset of MS during childhood and adolescence limits age-expected primary brain growth and leads to subsequent brain atrophy, implicating an early onset of the neurodegenerative aspect of MS. PMID:25378667

Fast 3D magnetic resonance fingerprinting for a whole-brain coverage.

PubMed

Ma, Dan; Jiang, Yun; Chen, Yong; McGivney, Debra; Mehta, Bhairav; Gulani, Vikas; Griswold, Mark

2018-04-01

The purpose of this study was to accelerate the acquisition and reconstruction time of 3D magnetic resonance fingerprinting scans. A 3D magnetic resonance fingerprinting scan was accelerated by using a single-shot spiral trajectory with an undersampling factor of 48 in the x-y plane, and an interleaved sampling pattern with an undersampling factor of 3 through plane. Further acceleration came from reducing the waiting time between neighboring partitions. The reconstruction time was accelerated by applying singular value decomposition compression in k-space. Finally, a 3D premeasured B 1 map was used to correct for the B 1 inhomogeneity. The T 1 and T 2 values of the International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine/National Institute of Standards and Technology MRI phantom showed a good agreement with the standard values, with an average concordance correlation coefficient of 0.99, and coefficient of variation of 7% in the repeatability scans. The results from in vivo scans also showed high image quality in both transverse and coronal views. This study applied a fast acquisition scheme for a fully quantitative 3D magnetic resonance fingerprinting scan with a total acceleration factor of 144 as compared with the Nyquist rate, such that 3D T 1 , T 2 , and proton density maps can be acquired with whole-brain coverage at clinical resolution in less than 5 min. Magn Reson Med 79:2190-2197, 2018. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

Look again: effects of brain images and mind-brain dualism on lay evaluations of research.

PubMed

Hook, Cayce J; Farah, Martha J

2013-09-01

Brain scans have frequently been credited with uniquely seductive and persuasive qualities, leading to claims that fMRI research receives a disproportionate share of public attention and funding. It has been suggested that functional brain images are fascinating because they contradict dualist beliefs regarding the relationship between the body and the mind. Although previous research has indicated that brain images can increase judgments of an article's scientific reasoning, the hypotheses that brain scans make research appear more interesting, surprising, or worthy of funding have not been tested. Neither has the relation between the allure of brain imaging and dualism. In the following three studies, laypersons rated both fictional research descriptions and real science news articles accompanied by brain scans, bar charts, or photographs. Across 988 participants, we found little evidence of neuroimaging's seductive allure or of its relation to self-professed dualistic beliefs. These results, taken together with other recent null findings, suggest that brain images are less powerful than has been argued.

SU-F-J-139: Amplitude of Low Frequency Fluctuation(ALFF) and Regional Homogeneity (ReHo) Study of the Respiration Motion Control Byhypnosis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Liu, Y; Li, R; Xie, Y

Purpose: Respiration control by hypnosis is a method in reducing the detriment to the healthy organs or organizations for patients during radiotherapy, especially for lung and abdomen cancer (Fig.1). It’s hypothesized that there exists alterations neurological brain activity during the hypnosis state of respiratory motion control in comparison with resting state. Methods: Thirteen healthy volunteers were organized to participate in a hypnosis experiment that consisted of two sectional scans of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), rest state condition (RSC) scanning and hypnosis state condition (HSC) scanning. In addition, the coronal section of the lung was scanned during both conditions. Duringmore » the hypnosis scan, the volunteers were under the hypnotists’ guidance to keep peace and stable respiration. To evaluate the altered physiological performance of hypnosis in the respiratory control, three conventional indicators ALFF/fALFF (0.01–0.08Hz) and ReHo, were applied to identify the difference. Results: Compared with RSC, HSC showed significant (p<0.05) higher ReHo in superior temporal gyrus, middle temporal gyrus, frontal lobe, middle occipital gyrus, parietal lobe, cerebellum anterior Lobe and lingual gyrus, and left brainstem (Fig.2). While significant lower ReHo in middle frontal gyrus, superior frontal gyrus, inferior semi-lunar lobule, sub-lobar and limbic lobe (Fig.2). As for the ALFF results, significant higher value of HSC was observed in superior temporal gyrus, middle temporal gyrus, middle occipital gyrus, middle occipital gyrus, cerebellum anterior lobe, lingual gyrus, sub-lobar, limbic lobe, and lower in cerebellum posterior lobe, inferior semi-lunar lobule, inferior parietal lobule right middle frontal gyrus, cerebellar tonsil (Fig.3). The results of fALFF were similar to ALFF (Fig.4). The above results demonstrated that most significant regions of brain were uniform between ReHo and ALFF/fALFF. Conclusion: Hypnosis is a new psychological and helpful technology for respiration control. This study provides new insights of neurological brain activity during hypnosis of respiration control. This work is supported by grants from Guangdong Innovative Research Team Program of China (Grant No. 2011S013), National 863 Programs of China (Grant Nos. 2012AA02A604 and 2015AA043203), the National High-tech R&D Program for Young Scientists by the Ministry of Science and Technology of China (Grant No. 2015AA020917)« less

A comparison of sequential and spiral scanning techniques in brain CT.

PubMed

Pace, Ivana; Zarb, Francis

2015-01-01

To evaluate and compare image quality and radiation dose of sequential computed tomography (CT) examinations of the brain and spiral CT examinations of the brain imaged on a GE HiSpeed NX/I Dual Slice 2CT scanner. A random sample of 40 patients referred for CT examination of the brain was selected and divided into 2 groups. Half of the patients were scanned using the sequential technique; the other half were scanned using the spiral technique. Radiation dose data—both the computed tomography dose index (CTDI) and the dose length product (DLP)—were recorded on a checklist at the end of each examination. Using the European Guidelines on Quality Criteria for Computed Tomography, 4 radiologists conducted a visual grading analysis and rated the level of visibility of 6 anatomical structures considered necessary to produce images of high quality. The mean CTDI(vol) and DLP values were statistically significantly higher (P <.05) with the sequential scans (CTDI(vol): 22.06 mGy; DLP: 304.60 mGy • cm) than with the spiral scans (CTDI(vol): 14.94 mGy; DLP: 229.10 mGy • cm). The mean image quality rating scores for all criteria of the sequential scanning technique were statistically significantly higher (P <.05) in the visual grading analysis than those of the spiral scanning technique. In this local study, the sequential technique was preferred over the spiral technique for both overall image quality and differentiation between gray and white matter in brain CT scans. Other similar studies counter this finding. The radiation dose seen with the sequential CT scanning technique was significantly higher than that seen with the spiral CT scanning technique. However, image quality with the sequential technique was statistically significantly superior (P <.05).

Unenhanced 320-row multidetector computed tomography of the brain in children: comparison of image quality and radiation dose among wide-volume, one-shot volume, and helical scan modes.

PubMed

Jeon, Sun Kyung; Choi, Young Hun; Cheon, Jung-Eun; Kim, Woo Sun; Cho, Yeon Jin; Ha, Ji Young; Lee, Seung Hyun; Hyun, Hyejin; Kim, In-One

2018-04-01

The 320-row multidetector computed tomography (CT) scanner has multiple scan modes, including volumetric modes. To compare the image quality and radiation dose of 320-row CT in three acquisition modes - helical, one-shot volume, and wide-volume scan - at pediatric brain imaging. Fifty-seven children underwent unenhanced brain CT using one of three scan modes (helical scan, n=21; one-shot volume scan, n=17; wide-volume scan, n=19). For qualitative analysis, two reviewers evaluated overall image quality and image noise using a 5-point grading system. For quantitative analysis, signal-to-noise ratio, image noise and posterior fossa artifact index were calculated. To measure the radiation dose, adjusted CT dose index per unit volume (CTDI adj ) and dose length product (DLP) were compared. Qualitatively, the wide-volume scan showed significantly less image noise than the helical scan (P=0.009), and less streak artifact than the one-shot volume scan (P=0.001). The helical mode showed significantly lower signal-to-noise ratio, with a higher image noise level compared with the one-shot volume and wide-volume modes (all P<0.05). The CTDI adj and DLP were significantly lower in the one-shot volume and wide-volume modes compared with those in the helical scan mode (all P<0.05). For pediatric unenhanced brain CT, both the wide-volume and one-shot volume scans reduced radiation dose compared to the helical scan mode, while the wide-volume scan mode showed fewer streak artifacts in the skull vertex and posterior fossa than the one-shot volume scan.

MRI Evaluation and Safety in the Developing Brain

PubMed Central

Tocchio, Shannon; Kline-Fath, Beth; Kanal, Emanuel; Schmithorst, Vincent J.; Panigrahy, Ashok

2015-01-01

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) evaluation of the developing brain has dramatically increased over the last decade. Faster acquisitions and the development of advanced MRI sequences such as magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), perfusion imaging, functional MR imaging (fMRI), and susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI), as well as the use of higher magnetic field strengths has made MRI an invaluable tool for detailed evaluation of the developing brain. This article will provide an overview of the use and challenges associated with 1.5T and 3T static magnetic fields for evaluation of the developing brain. This review will also summarize the advantages, clinical challenges and safety concerns specifically related to MRI in the fetus and newborn, including the implications of increased magnetic field strength, logistics related to transporting and monitoring of neonates during scanning, sedation considerations and a discussion of current technologies such as MRI-conditional neonatal incubators and dedicated small-foot print neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) scanners. PMID:25743582

MRI evaluation and safety in the developing brain.

PubMed

Tocchio, Shannon; Kline-Fath, Beth; Kanal, Emanuel; Schmithorst, Vincent J; Panigrahy, Ashok

2015-03-01

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) evaluation of the developing brain has dramatically increased over the last decade. Faster acquisitions and the development of advanced MRI sequences, such as magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), perfusion imaging, functional MR imaging (fMRI), and susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI), as well as the use of higher magnetic field strengths has made MRI an invaluable tool for detailed evaluation of the developing brain. This article will provide an overview of the use and challenges associated with 1.5-T and 3-T static magnetic fields for evaluation of the developing brain. This review will also summarize the advantages, clinical challenges, and safety concerns specifically related to MRI in the fetus and newborn, including the implications of increased magnetic field strength, logistics related to transporting and monitoring of neonates during scanning, and sedation considerations, and a discussion of current technologies such as MRI conditional neonatal incubators and dedicated small-foot print neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) scanners. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Comparison of proton therapy techniques for treatment of the whole brain as a component of craniospinal radiation.

PubMed

Dinh, Jeffrey; Stoker, Joshua; Georges, Rola H; Sahoo, Narayan; Zhu, X Ronald; Rath, Smruti; Mahajan, Anita; Grosshans, David R

2013-12-17

For treatment of the entire cranium using passive scattering proton therapy (PSPT) compensators are often employed in order to reduce lens and cochlear exposure. We sought to assess the advantages and consequences of utilizing compensators for the treatment of the whole brain as a component of craniospinal radiation (CSI) with PSPT. Moreover, we evaluated the potential benefits of spot scanning beam delivery in comparison to PSPT. Planning computed tomography scans for 50 consecutive CSI patients were utilized to generate passive scattering proton therapy treatment plans with and without Lucite compensators (PSW and PSWO respectively). A subset of 10 patients was randomly chosen to generate scanning beam treatment plans for comparison. All plans were generated using an Eclipse treatment planning system and were prescribed to a dose of 36 Gy(RBE), delivered in 20 fractions, to the whole brain PTV. Plans were normalized to ensure equal whole brain target coverage. Dosimetric data was compiled and statistical analyses performed using a two-tailed Student's t-test with Bonferroni corrections to account for multiple comparisons. Whole brain target coverage was comparable between all methods. However, cribriform plate coverage was superior in PSWO plans in comparison to PSW (V95%; 92.9 ± 14 vs. 97.4 ± 5, p < 0.05). As predicted, PSWO plans had significantly higher lens exposure in comparison to PSW plans (max lens dose Gy(RBE): left; 24.8 ± 0.8 vs. 22.2 ± 0.7, p < 0.05, right; 25.2 ± 0.8 vs. 22.8 ± 0.7, p < 0.05). However, PSW plans demonstrated no significant cochlear sparing vs. PSWO (mean cochlea dose Gy(RBE): 36.4 ± 0.2 vs. 36.7 ± 0.1, p = NS). Moreover, dose homogeneity was inferior in PSW plans in comparison to PSWO plans as reflected by significant alterations in both whole brain and brainstem homogeneity index (HI) and inhomogeneity coefficient (IC). In comparison to both PSPT techniques, multi-field optimized intensity modulated (MFO-IMPT) spot scanning treatment plans displayed superior sparing of both lens and cochlea (max lens: 12.5 ± 0.6 and 12.9 ± 0.7 right and left respectively; mean cochlea 28.6 ± 0.5 and 27.4 ± 0.2), although heterogeneity within target volumes was comparable to PSW plans. For PSPT treatments, the addition of a compensator imparts little clinical advantage. In contrast, the incorporation of spot scanning technology as a component of CSI treatments, offers additional normal tissue sparing which is likely of clinical significance.

Brain SPECT scans in students with specific learning disability: Preliminary results.

PubMed

Karande, S; Deshmukh, N; Rangarajan, V; Agrawal, A; Sholapurwala, R

2018-06-08

Brain single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) assesses brain function through measurement of regional cerebral blood flow. This study was conducted to assess whether students with newly diagnosed specific learning disability (SpLD) show any abnormalities in cerebral cortex perfusion. Cross-sectional single-arm pilot study in two tertiary care hospitals. Nine students with SpLD were enrolled. Brain SPECT scan was done twice in each student. For the first or "baseline" scan, the student was first made to sit with eyes open in a quiet, dimly lit room for a period of 30-40 min and then injected intravenously with 20 mCi of 99mTc-ECD. An hour later, "baseline scan" was conducted. After a minimum gap of 4 days, a second or "test scan" was conducted, wherein the student performed an age-appropriate curriculum-based test for a period of 30-40 min to activate the areas in central nervous system related to learning before being injected with 20 mCi of 99mTc-ECD. Cerebral cortex perfusion at rest and after activation in each student was compared qualitatively by visual analysis and quantitatively using NeuroGam TM software. Visual analysis showed reduction in regional blood flow in temporoparietal areas in both "baseline" and "test" scans. However, when normalization was attempted and comparison done by Talairach analysis using NeuroGam software, no statistically significant change in regional perfusion in temporoparietal areas was appreciated. Brain SPECT scan may serve as a robust tool to identify changes in regional brain perfusion in students with SpLD.

Brain CT scan indexes in the normal pressure hydrocephalus: predictive value in the outcome of patients and correlation to the clinical symptoms.

PubMed

Chatzidakis, Emmanuel M; Barlas, George; Condilis, Nicolas; Bouramas, Dimos; Anagnostopoulos, Demetrios; Volikas, Zacharias; Simopoulos, Konstantinos

2008-01-01

The aim of this study is to find out the correlation of the ventricular size of the brain, as it is estimated using brain computed tomography (CT) scan indexes in patients with normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH), to: a) the clinical symptoms, and b) the results of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) shunting procedures. We looked for any predictive value in the estimation of brain CT scan indexes, in patients as above, in whom a shunt is going to be placed. It is well known that it is very difficult to decide who is going to improve after shunting. We studied 40 cases of patients with the diagnosis "NPH" in whom the ventricular shunts were placed. Every symptom (motor disturbance, deficit of memory, incontinence) was separately evaluated preoperatively. The outcome of shunting was also evaluated and the patients were graded. The following CT scan indexes were estimated from the preoperative CT scans of the brain in every case: the ventricle-brain ratio (VBR), the bi-caudate and bi-frontal ratios, the third ventricle-Sylvian fissure (3V-SF) ratio, and the four largest cortical gyri. The method we have used for statistics is "one way analysis of variance", correlating the CT scan indexes to the symptoms of the patients preoperatively, and the outcome of them postoperatively. The main conclusion is that the size of the lateral ventricles of the brain preoperatively is not correlated to the outcome after CSF shunting surgery, but it is correlated to the symptoms of NPH preoperatively.

Human-technology interaction for standoff IED detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Evan; Zou, Yiyang; Zachrich, Liping; Fulton, Jack

2011-03-01

IEDs kill our soldiers and innocent people every day. Lessons learned from Iraq and Afghanistan clearly indicated that IEDs cannot be detected/defeated by technology alone; human-technology interaction must be engaged. In most cases, eye is the best detector, brain is the best computer, and technologies are tools, they must be used by human being properly then can achieve full functionality. In this paper, a UV Raman/fluorescence, CCD and LWIR 3 sensor fusion system for standoff IED detection and a handheld fusion system for close range IED detection are developed and demonstrated. We must train solders using their eyes or CCD/LWIR cameras to do wide area search while on the move to find small suspected area first then use the spectrometer because the laser spot is too small, to scan a one-mile long and 2-meter wide road needs 185 days although our fusion system can detect the IED in 30m with 1s interrogating time. Even if the small suspected area (e.g., 0.5mx0.5m) is found, human eyes still cannot detect the IED, soldiers must use or interact with the technology - laser based spectrometer to scan the area then they are able to detect and identify the IED in 10 minutes not 185 days. Therefore, the human-technology interaction approach will be the best solution for IED detection.

ViRPET--combination of virtual reality and PET brain imaging

DOEpatents

Majewski, Stanislaw; Brefczynski-Lewis, Julie

2017-05-23

Various methods, systems and apparatus are provided for brain imaging during virtual reality stimulation. In one example, among others, a system for virtual ambulatory environment brain imaging includes a mobile brain imager configured to obtain positron emission tomography (PET) scans of a subject in motion, and a virtual reality (VR) system configured to provide one or more stimuli to the subject during the PET scans. In another example, a method for virtual ambulatory environment brain imaging includes providing stimulation to a subject through a virtual reality (VR) system; and obtaining a positron emission tomography (PET) scan of the subject while moving in response to the stimulation from the VR system. The mobile brain imager can be positioned on the subject with an array of imaging photodetector modules distributed about the head of the subject.

Fetal brain volumetry through MRI volumetric reconstruction and segmentation

PubMed Central

Estroff, Judy A.; Barnewolt, Carol E.; Connolly, Susan A.; Warfield, Simon K.

2013-01-01

Purpose Fetal MRI volumetry is a useful technique but it is limited by a dependency upon motion-free scans, tedious manual segmentation, and spatial inaccuracy due to thick-slice scans. An image processing pipeline that addresses these limitations was developed and tested. Materials and methods The principal sequences acquired in fetal MRI clinical practice are multiple orthogonal single-shot fast spin echo scans. State-of-the-art image processing techniques were used for inter-slice motion correction and super-resolution reconstruction of high-resolution volumetric images from these scans. The reconstructed volume images were processed with intensity non-uniformity correction and the fetal brain extracted by using supervised automated segmentation. Results Reconstruction, segmentation and volumetry of the fetal brains for a cohort of twenty-five clinically acquired fetal MRI scans was done. Performance metrics for volume reconstruction, segmentation and volumetry were determined by comparing to manual tracings in five randomly chosen cases. Finally, analysis of the fetal brain and parenchymal volumes was performed based on the gestational age of the fetuses. Conclusion The image processing pipeline developed in this study enables volume rendering and accurate fetal brain volumetry by addressing the limitations of current volumetry techniques, which include dependency on motion-free scans, manual segmentation, and inaccurate thick-slice interpolation. PMID:20625848

What difference do brain images make in US criminal trials?

PubMed

Hardcastle, Valerie Gray; Lamb, Edward

2018-05-09

One of the early concerns regarding the use of neuroscience data in criminal trials is that even if the brain images are ambiguous or inconclusive, they still might influence a jury in virtue of the fact that they appear easy to understand. By appearing visually simple, even though they are really statistically constructed maps with a host of assumptions built into them, a lay jury or a judge might take brain scans to be more reliable or relevant than they actually are. Should courts exclude brain scans for being more prejudicial than probative? Herein, we rehearse a brief history of brain scans admitted into criminal trials in the United States, then describe the results of a recent analysis of appellate court decisions that referenced 1 or more brain scans in the judicial decision. In particular, we aim to explain how courts use neuroscience imaging data: Do they interpret the data correctly? Does it seem that scans play an oversized role in judicial decision-making? And have they changed how criminal defendants are judged? It is our hope that in answering these questions, clinicians and defence attorneys will be able to make better informed decisions regarding about how to manage those incarcerated. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Computed tomography angiography reveals the crime instrument – case report

PubMed Central

Banaszek, Anna; Guziński, Maciej; Sąsiadek, Marek

2010-01-01

Summary Background: The development of multislice CT technology enabled imaging of post-traumatic brain lesions with isotropic resolution, which led to unexpected results in the presented case Case Report: An unconscious, 49-year-old male with a suspected trauma underwent a routine CT examination of the head, which revealed an unusual intracerebral bleeding and therefore was followed by CT angiography (CTA). The thorough analysis of CTA source scans led to the detection of the bleeding cause. Conclusions: The presented case showed that a careful analysis of a CT scan allows not only to define the extent of pathological lesions in the intracranial space but it also helps to detect the crime instrument, which is of medico-legal significance. PMID:22802784

CT Evolution of Hematoma and Surrounding Hypodensity in a Cadaveric Model of Intracerebral Hemorrhage.

PubMed

Majidi, Shahram; Rahim, Basit; Gilani, Sarwat I; Gilani, Waqas I; Adil, Malik M; Qureshi, Adnan I

2016-05-01

The evolution of intracerebral hematoma and perihematoma edema in the ultra-early period on computed tomographic (CT) scans in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is not well understood. We aimed to investigate hematoma and perihematoma changes in "neutral brain" models of ICH. One human and five goat cadaveric heads were used as "neutral brains" to provide physical properties of brain without any biological activity or new bleeding. ICH was induced by slow injection of 4 ml of fresh human blood into the right basal ganglia of the goat brains. Similarly, 20 ml of fresh blood was injected deep into the white matter of the human cadaver head in each hemisphere. Serial CT scans of the heads were obtained immediately after hematoma induction and then 1, 3, and 5 hours afterward. Analyze software (AnalyzeDirect, Overland Park, KS, USA) was used to measure hematoma and perihematoma hypodensity volumes in the baseline and follow-up CT scans. The initial hematoma volumes of 11.6 ml and 10.5 ml in the right and left hemispheres of the cadaver brains gradually decreased to 6.6 ml and 5.4 ml at 5 hours, showing 43% and 48% retraction of hematoma, respectively. The volume of the perihematoma hypodensity in the right and left hemisphere increased from 2.6 ml and 2.2 ml in the 1-hour follow-up CT scans to 4.9 ml and 4.4 ml in the 5-hour CT scan, respectively. Hematoma retraction was also observed in all five goat brains ICH models with the mean ICH volume decreasing from 1.49 ml at baseline scan to 1.01 ml at the 5-hour follow-up CT scan (29.6% hematoma retraction). Perihematoma hypodensity was visualized in 70% of ICH in goat brains, with an increasing mean hypodensity volume of 0.4 ml in the baseline CT scan to 0.8 ml in the 5-hour follow-up CT scan. Our study demonstrated that substantial hematoma retraction and perihematoma hypodensity occurs in ICH in the absence of any new bleeding or biological activity of surrounding brain. Such observations suggest that active bleeding is underestimated in patients with no or small hematoma expansion and our understanding of perihematoma hypodensity needs to be reconsidered. Copyright © 2015 by the American Society of Neuroimaging.

Brain MRI atrophy quantification in MS

PubMed Central

Rocca, Maria A.; Battaglini, Marco; Benedict, Ralph H.B.; De Stefano, Nicola; Geurts, Jeroen J.G.; Henry, Roland G.; Horsfield, Mark A.; Jenkinson, Mark; Pagani, Elisabetta

2017-01-01

Patients with the main clinical phenotypes of multiple sclerosis (MS) manifest varying degrees of brain atrophy beyond that of normal aging. Assessment of atrophy helps to distinguish clinically and cognitively deteriorating patients and predicts those who will have a less-favorable clinical outcome over the long term. Atrophy can be measured from brain MRI scans, and many technological improvements have been made over the last few years. Several software tools, with differing requirements on technical ability and levels of operator intervention, are currently available and have already been applied in research or clinical trial settings. Despite this, the measurement of atrophy in routine clinical practice remains an unmet need. After a short summary of the pathologic substrates of brain atrophy in MS, this review attempts to guide the clinician towards a better understanding of the methods currently used for quantifying brain atrophy in this condition. Important physiologic factors that affect brain volume measures are also considered. Finally, the most recent research on brain atrophy in MS is summarized, including whole brain and various compartments thereof (i.e., white matter, gray matter, selected CNS structures). Current methods provide sufficient precision for cohort studies, but are not adequate for confidently assessing changes in individual patients over the scale of months or a few years. PMID:27986875

Traumatic Brain Injury: A Guide for Caregivers of Service Members and Veterans. Caregivers Companion

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-04-01

legs , body, speech, or eye movements. Axons – Also known as nerve fibers, an axon is a long, slender projection of a nerve...excessively nasal; volume may be weak; drooling may occur. Dyskinesia – Involuntary movements most often seen in the arms or legs . Electroencephalograph, or...Tests may include: CT Scan, MRI, Angiogram, EEG, SPECT Scan, PET Scan, DTI Scan. Neurotransmitters – Chemicals found within the brain that

Neural imaginaries and clinical epistemology: Rhetorically mapping the adolescent brain in the clinical encounter.

PubMed

Buchbinder, Mara

2015-10-01

The social work of brain images has taken center stage in recent theorizing of the intersections between neuroscience and society. However, neuroimaging is only one of the discursive modes through which public representations of neurobiology travel. This article adopts an expanded view toward the social implications of neuroscientific thinking to examine how neural imaginaries are constructed in the absence of visual evidence. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork conducted over 18 months (2008-2009) in a United States multidisciplinary pediatric pain clinic, I examine the pragmatic clinical work undertaken to represent ambiguous symptoms in neurobiological form. Focusing on one physician, I illustrate how, by rhetorically mapping the brain as a therapeutic tool, she engaged in a distinctive form of representation that I call neural imagining. In shifting my focus away from the purely material dimensions of brain images, I juxtapose the cultural work of brain scanning technologies with clinical neural imaginaries in which the teenage brain becomes a space of possibility, not to map things as they are, but rather, things as we hope they might be. These neural imaginaries rely upon a distinctive clinical epistemology that privileges the creative work of the imagination over visualization technologies in revealing the truths of the body. By creating a therapeutic space for adolescents to exercise their imaginative faculties and a discursive template for doing so, neural imagining relocates adolescents' agency with respect to epistemologies of bodily knowledge and the role of visualization practices therein. In doing so, it provides a more hopeful alternative to the dominant popular and scientific representations of the teenage brain that view it primarily through the lens of pathology. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Non-invasive intraoperative optical coherence tomography of the resection cavity during surgery of intrinsic brain tumors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giese, A.; Böhringer, H. J.; Leppert, J.; Kantelhardt, S. R.; Lankenau, E.; Koch, P.; Birngruber, R.; Hüttmann, G.

2006-02-01

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a non-invasive imaging technique with a micrometer resolution. It allows non-contact / non-invasive analysis of central nervous system tissues with a penetration depth of 1-3,5 mm reaching a spatial resolution of approximately 4-15 μm. We have adapted spectral-domain OCT (SD-OCT) and time-domain OCT (TD-OCT) for intraoperative detection of residual tumor during brain tumor surgery. Human brain tumor tissue and areas of the resection cavity were analyzed during the resection of gliomas using this new technology. The site of analysis was registered using a neuronavigation system and biopsies were taken and submitted to routine histology. We have used post image acquisition processing to compensate for movements of the brain and to realign A-scan images for calculation of a light attenuation factor. OCT imaging of normal cortex and white matter showed a typical light attenuation profile. Tumor tissue depending on the cellularity of the specimen showed a loss of the normal light attenuation profile resulting in altered light attenuation coefficients compared to normal brain. Based on this parameter and the microstructure of the tumor tissue, which was entirely absent in normal tissue, OCT analysis allowed the discrimination of normal brain tissue, invaded brain, solid tumor tissue, and necrosis. Following macroscopically complete resections OCT analysis of the resection cavity displayed the typical microstructure and light attenuation profile of tumor tissue in some specimens, which in routine histology contained microscopic residual tumor tissue. We have demonstrated that this technology may be applied to the intraoperative detection of residual tumor during resection of human gliomas.

Neural Imaginaries and Clinical Epistemology: Rhetorically Mapping the Adolescent Brain in the Clinical Encounter

PubMed Central

Buchbinder, Mara

2014-01-01

The social work of brain images has taken center stage in recent theorizing of the intersections between neuroscience and society. However, neuroimaging is only one of the discursive modes through which public representations of neurobiology travel. This article adopts an expanded view toward the social implications of neuroscientific thinking to examine how neural imaginaries are constructed in the absence of visual evidence. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork conducted over 18 months (2008–2009) in a United States multidisciplinary pediatric pain clinic, I examine the pragmatic clinical work undertaken to represent ambiguous symptoms in neurobiological form. Focusing on one physician, I illustrate how, by rhetorically mapping the brain as a therapeutic tool, she engaged in a distinctive form of representation that I call neural imagining. In shifting my focus away from the purely material dimensions of brain images, I juxtapose the cultural work of brain scanning technologies with clinical neural imaginaries in which the teenage brain becomes a space of possibility, not to map things as they are, but rather, things as we hope they might be. These neural imaginaries rely upon a distinctive clinical epistemology that privileges the creative work of the imagination over visualization technologies in revealing the truths of the body. By creating a therapeutic space for adolescents to exercise their imaginative faculties and a discursive template for doing so, neural imagining relocates adolescents’ agency with respect to epistemologies of bodily knowledge and the role of visualization practices therein. In doing so, it provides a more hopeful alternative to the dominant popular and scientific representations of the teenage brain that view it primarily through the lens of pathology. PMID:24780561

Radiation exposure from CT scans in childhood and subsequent risk of leukaemia and brain tumours: a retrospective cohort study

PubMed Central

Pearce, Mark S; Salotti, Jane A; Little, Mark P; McHugh, Kieran; Lee, Choonsik; Kim, Kwang Pyo; Howe, Nicola L; Ronckers, Cecile M; Rajaraman, Preetha; Craft, Alan W; Parker, Louise; de González, Amy Berrington

2012-01-01

Summary Background Although CT scans are very useful clinically, potential cancer risks exist from associated ionising radiation, in particular for children who are more radiosensitive than adults. We aimed to assess the excess risk of leukaemia and brain tumours after CT scans in a cohort of children and young adults. Methods In our retrospective cohort study, we included patients without previous cancer diagnoses who were first examined with CT in National Health Service (NHS) centres in England, Wales, or Scotland (Great Britain) between 1985 and 2002, when they were younger than 22 years of age. We obtained data for cancer incidence, mortality, and loss to follow-up from the NHS Central Registry from Jan 1, 1985, to Dec 31, 2008. We estimated absorbed brain and red bone marrow doses per CT scan in mGy and assessed excess incidence of leukaemia and brain tumours cancer with Poisson relative risk models. To avoid inclusion of CT scans related to cancer diagnosis, follow-up for leukaemia began 2 years after the first CT and for brain tumours 5 years after the first CT. Findings During follow-up, 74 of 178 604 patients were diagnosed with leukaemia and 135 of 176 587 patients were diagnosed with brain tumours. We noted a positive association between radiation dose from CT scans and leukaemia (excess relative risk [ERR] per mGy 0·036, 95% CI 0·005–0·120; p=0·0097) and brain tumours (0·023, 0·010–0·049; p<0·0001). Compared with patients who received a dose of less than 5 mGy, the relative risk of leukaemia for patients who received a cumulative dose of at least 30 mGy (mean dose 51·13 mGy) was 3·18 (95% CI 1·46–6·94) and the relative risk of brain cancer for patients who received a cumulative dose of 50–74 mGy (mean dose 60·42 mGy) was 2·82 (1·33–6·03). Interpretation Use of CT scans in children to deliver cumulative doses of about 50 mGy might almost triple the risk of leukaemia and doses of about 60 mGy might triple the risk of brain cancer. Because these cancers are relatively rare, the cumulative absolute risks are small: in the 10 years after the first scan for patients younger than 10 years, one excess case of leukaemia and one excess case of brain tumour per 10 000 head CT scans is estimated to occur. Nevertheless, although clinical benefits should outweigh the small absolute risks, radiation doses from CT scans ought to be kept as low as possible and alternative procedures, which do not involve ionising radiation, should be considered if appropriate. Funding US National Cancer Institute and UK Department of Health. PMID:22681860

Radiation exposure from CT scans in childhood and subsequent risk of leukaemia and brain tumours: a retrospective cohort study.

PubMed

Pearce, Mark S; Salotti, Jane A; Little, Mark P; McHugh, Kieran; Lee, Choonsik; Kim, Kwang Pyo; Howe, Nicola L; Ronckers, Cecile M; Rajaraman, Preetha; Sir Craft, Alan W; Parker, Louise; Berrington de González, Amy

2012-08-04

Although CT scans are very useful clinically, potential cancer risks exist from associated ionising radiation, in particular for children who are more radiosensitive than adults. We aimed to assess the excess risk of leukaemia and brain tumours after CT scans in a cohort of children and young adults. In our retrospective cohort study, we included patients without previous cancer diagnoses who were first examined with CT in National Health Service (NHS) centres in England, Wales, or Scotland (Great Britain) between 1985 and 2002, when they were younger than 22 years of age. We obtained data for cancer incidence, mortality, and loss to follow-up from the NHS Central Registry from Jan 1, 1985, to Dec 31, 2008. We estimated absorbed brain and red bone marrow doses per CT scan in mGy and assessed excess incidence of leukaemia and brain tumours cancer with Poisson relative risk models. To avoid inclusion of CT scans related to cancer diagnosis, follow-up for leukaemia began 2 years after the first CT and for brain tumours 5 years after the first CT. During follow-up, 74 of 178,604 patients were diagnosed with leukaemia and 135 of 176,587 patients were diagnosed with brain tumours. We noted a positive association between radiation dose from CT scans and leukaemia (excess relative risk [ERR] per mGy 0·036, 95% CI 0·005-0·120; p=0·0097) and brain tumours (0·023, 0·010-0·049; p<0·0001). Compared with patients who received a dose of less than 5 mGy, the relative risk of leukaemia for patients who received a cumulative dose of at least 30 mGy (mean dose 51·13 mGy) was 3·18 (95% CI 1·46-6·94) and the relative risk of brain cancer for patients who received a cumulative dose of 50-74 mGy (mean dose 60·42 mGy) was 2·82 (1·33-6·03). Use of CT scans in children to deliver cumulative doses of about 50 mGy might almost triple the risk of leukaemia and doses of about 60 mGy might triple the risk of brain cancer. Because these cancers are relatively rare, the cumulative absolute risks are small: in the 10 years after the first scan for patients younger than 10 years, one excess case of leukaemia and one excess case of brain tumour per 10,000 head CT scans is estimated to occur. Nevertheless, although clinical benefits should outweigh the small absolute risks, radiation doses from CT scans ought to be kept as low as possible and alternative procedures, which do not involve ionising radiation, should be considered if appropriate. US National Cancer Institute and UK Department of Health. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Estimation of skull table thickness with clinical CT and validation with microCT.

PubMed

Lillie, Elizabeth M; Urban, Jillian E; Weaver, Ashley A; Powers, Alexander K; Stitzel, Joel D

2015-01-01

Brain injuries resulting from motor vehicle crashes (MVC) are extremely common yet the details of the mechanism of injury remain to be well characterized. Skull deformation is believed to be a contributing factor to some types of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Understanding biomechanical contributors to skull deformation would provide further insight into the mechanism of head injury resulting from blunt trauma. In particular, skull thickness is thought be a very important factor governing deformation of the skull and its propensity for fracture. Current computed tomography (CT) technology is limited in its ability to accurately measure cortical thickness using standard techniques. A method to evaluate cortical thickness using cortical density measured from CT data has been developed previously. This effort validates this technique for measurement of skull table thickness in clinical head CT scans using two postmortem human specimens. Bone samples were harvested from the skulls of two cadavers and scanned with microCT to evaluate the accuracy of the estimated cortical thickness measured from clinical CT. Clinical scans were collected at 0.488 and 0.625 mm in plane resolution with 0.625 mm thickness. The overall cortical thickness error was determined to be 0.078 ± 0.58 mm for cortical samples thinner than 4 mm. It was determined that 91.3% of these differences fell within the scanner resolution. Color maps of clinical CT thickness estimations are comparable to color maps of microCT thickness measurements, indicating good quantitative agreement. These data confirm that the cortical density algorithm successfully estimates skull table thickness from clinical CT scans. The application of this technique to clinical CT scans enables evaluation of cortical thickness in population-based studies. © 2014 Anatomical Society.

What is Aphasia? | NIH MedlinePlus the Magazine

MedlinePlus

... of aphasia while treating the patient for a brain injury. To diagnose aphasia, the clinician will usually order ... a computed tomography (CT) scan to locate a brain injury. In addition to the scans, the clinician usually ...

Dedicated mobile volumetric cone-beam computed tomography for human brain imaging: A phantom study.

PubMed

Ryu, Jong-Hyun; Kim, Tae-Hoon; Jeong, Chang-Won; Jun, Hong-Young; Heo, Dong-Woon; Lee, Jinseok; Kim, Kyong-Woo; Yoon, Kwon-Ha

2015-01-01

Mobile computed tomography (CT) with a cone-beam source is increasingly used in the clinical field. Mobile cone-beam CT (CBCT) has great merits; however, its clinical utility for brain imaging has been limited due to problems including scan time and image quality. The aim of this study was to develop a dedicated mobile volumetric CBCT for obtaining brain images, and to optimize the imaging protocol using a brain phantom. The mobile volumetric CBCT system was evaluated with regards to scan time and image quality, measured as signal-to-noise-ratio (SNR), contrast-to-noise-ratio (CNR), spatial resolution (10% MTF), and effective dose. Brain images were obtained using a CT phantom. The CT scan took 5.14 s at 360 projection views. SNR and CNR were 5.67 and 14.5 at 120 kV/10 mA. SNR and CNR values showed slight improvement as the x-ray voltage and current increased (p < 0.001). Effective dose and 10% MTF were 0.92 mSv and 360 μ m at 120 kV/10 mA. Various intracranial structures were clearly visible in the brain phantom images. Using this CBCT under optimal imaging acquisition conditions, it is possible to obtain human brain images with low radiation dose, reproducible image quality, and fast scan time.

High-resolution whole-brain DCE-MRI using constrained reconstruction: Prospective clinical evaluation in brain tumor patients.

PubMed

Guo, Yi; Lebel, R Marc; Zhu, Yinghua; Lingala, Sajan Goud; Shiroishi, Mark S; Law, Meng; Nayak, Krishna

2016-05-01

To clinically evaluate a highly accelerated T1-weighted dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) MRI technique that provides high spatial resolution and whole-brain coverage via undersampling and constrained reconstruction with multiple sparsity constraints. Conventional (rate-2 SENSE) and experimental DCE-MRI (rate-30) scans were performed 20 minutes apart in 15 brain tumor patients. The conventional clinical DCE-MRI had voxel dimensions 0.9 × 1.3 × 7.0 mm(3), FOV 22 × 22 × 4.2 cm(3), and the experimental DCE-MRI had voxel dimensions 0.9 × 0.9 × 1.9 mm(3), and broader coverage 22 × 22 × 19 cm(3). Temporal resolution was 5 s for both protocols. Time-resolved images and blood-brain barrier permeability maps were qualitatively evaluated by two radiologists. The experimental DCE-MRI scans showed no loss of qualitative information in any of the cases, while achieving substantially higher spatial resolution and whole-brain spatial coverage. Average qualitative scores (from 0 to 3) were 2.1 for the experimental scans and 1.1 for the conventional clinical scans. The proposed DCE-MRI approach provides clinically superior image quality with higher spatial resolution and coverage than currently available approaches. These advantages may allow comprehensive permeability mapping in the brain, which is especially valuable in the setting of large lesions or multiple lesions spread throughout the brain.

Advances in two photon scanning and scanless microscopy technologies for functional neural circuit imaging.

PubMed

Schultz, Simon R; Copeland, Caroline S; Foust, Amanda J; Quicke, Peter; Schuck, Renaud

2017-01-01

Recent years have seen substantial developments in technology for imaging neural circuits, raising the prospect of large scale imaging studies of neural populations involved in information processing, with the potential to lead to step changes in our understanding of brain function and dysfunction. In this article we will review some key recent advances: improved fluorophores for single cell resolution functional neuroimaging using a two photon microscope; improved approaches to the problem of scanning active circuits; and the prospect of scanless microscopes which overcome some of the bandwidth limitations of current imaging techniques. These advances in technology for experimental neuroscience have in themselves led to technical challenges, such as the need for the development of novel signal processing and data analysis tools in order to make the most of the new experimental tools. We review recent work in some active topics, such as region of interest segmentation algorithms capable of demixing overlapping signals, and new highly accurate algorithms for calcium transient detection. These advances motivate the development of new data analysis tools capable of dealing with spatial or spatiotemporal patterns of neural activity, that scale well with pattern size.

Advances in two photon scanning and scanless microscopy technologies for functional neural circuit imaging

PubMed Central

Schultz, Simon R.; Copeland, Caroline S.; Foust, Amanda J.; Quicke, Peter; Schuck, Renaud

2017-01-01

Recent years have seen substantial developments in technology for imaging neural circuits, raising the prospect of large scale imaging studies of neural populations involved in information processing, with the potential to lead to step changes in our understanding of brain function and dysfunction. In this article we will review some key recent advances: improved fluorophores for single cell resolution functional neuroimaging using a two photon microscope; improved approaches to the problem of scanning active circuits; and the prospect of scanless microscopes which overcome some of the bandwidth limitations of current imaging techniques. These advances in technology for experimental neuroscience have in themselves led to technical challenges, such as the need for the development of novel signal processing and data analysis tools in order to make the most of the new experimental tools. We review recent work in some active topics, such as region of interest segmentation algorithms capable of demixing overlapping signals, and new highly accurate algorithms for calcium transient detection. These advances motivate the development of new data analysis tools capable of dealing with spatial or spatiotemporal patterns of neural activity, that scale well with pattern size. PMID:28757657

Default network connectivity decodes brain states with simulated microgravity.

PubMed

Zeng, Ling-Li; Liao, Yang; Zhou, Zongtan; Shen, Hui; Liu, Yadong; Liu, Xufeng; Hu, Dewen

2016-04-01

With great progress of space navigation technology, it becomes possible to travel beyond Earth's gravity. So far, it remains unclear whether the human brain can function normally within an environment of microgravity and confinement. Particularly, it is a challenge to figure out some neuroimaging-based markers for rapid screening diagnosis of disrupted brain function in microgravity environment. In this study, a 7-day -6° head down tilt bed rest experiment was used to simulate the microgravity, and twenty healthy male participants underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging scans at baseline and after the simulated microgravity experiment. We used a multivariate pattern analysis approach to distinguish the brain states with simulated microgravity from normal gravity based on the functional connectivity within the default network, resulting in an accuracy of no less than 85 % via cross-validation. Moreover, most discriminative functional connections were mainly located between the limbic system and cortical areas and were enhanced after simulated microgravity, implying a self-adaption or compensatory enhancement to fulfill the need of complex demand in spatial navigation and motor control functions in microgravity environment. Overall, the findings suggest that the brain states in microgravity are likely different from those in normal gravity and that brain connectome could act as a biomarker to indicate the brain state in microgravity.

Study of the development of fetal baboon brain using magnetic resonance imaging at 3 Tesla

PubMed Central

Liu, Feng; Garland, Marianne; Duan, Yunsuo; Stark, Raymond I.; Xu, Dongrong; Dong, Zhengchao; Bansal, Ravi; Peterson, Bradley S.; Kangarlu, Alayar

2008-01-01

Direct observational data on the development of the brains of human and nonhuman primates is on remarkably scant, and most of our understanding of primate brain development is extrapolated from findings in rodent models. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a promising tool for the noninvasive, longitudinal study of the developing primate brain. We devised a protocol to scan pregnant baboons serially at 3 T for up to 3 h per session. Seven baboons were scanned 1–6 times, beginning as early as 56 days post-conceptional age, and as late as 185 days (term ~185 days). Successful scanning of the fetal baboon required careful animal preparation and anesthesia, in addition to optimization of the scanning protocol. We successfully acquired maps of relaxation times (T1 and T2) and high-resolution anatomical images of the brains of fetal baboons at multiple time points during the course of gestation. These images demonstrated the convergence of gray and white matter contrast near term, and furthermore demonstrated that the loss of contrast at that age is a consequence of the continuous change in relaxation times during fetal brain development. These data furthermore demonstrate that maps of relaxation times have clear advantages over the relaxation time weighted images for the tracking of the changes in brain structure during fetal development. This protocol for in utero MRI of fetal baboon brains will help to advance the use of nonhuman primate models to study fetal brain development longitudinally. PMID:18155925

Reflection imaging of China ink-perfused brain vasculature using confocal laser-scanning microscopy after clarification of brain tissue by the Spalteholz method.

PubMed

Gutierre, R C; Vannucci Campos, D; Mortara, R A; Coppi, A A; Arida, R M

2017-04-01

Confocal laser-scanning microscopy is a useful tool for visualizing neurons and glia in transparent preparations of brain tissue from laboratory animals. Currently, imaging capillaries and venules in transparent brain tissues requires the use of fluorescent proteins. Here, we show that vessels can be imaged by confocal laser-scanning microscopy in transparent cortical, hippocampal and cerebellar preparations after clarification of China ink-injected specimens by the Spalteholz method. This method may be suitable for global, three-dimensional, quantitative analyses of vessels, including stereological estimations of total volume and length and of surface area of vessels, which constitute indirect approaches to investigate angiogenesis. © 2017 Anatomical Society.

Clinical safety of 3-T brain magnetic resonance imaging in newborns.

PubMed

Fumagalli, Monica; Cinnante, Claudia Maria; Calloni, Sonia Francesca; Sorrentino, Gabriele; Gorla, Ilaria; Plevani, Laura; Pesenti, Nicola; Sirgiovanni, Ida; Mosca, Fabio; Triulzi, Fabio

2018-03-29

The effects and potential hazards of brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at 3 T in newborns are debated. Assess the impact of 3-T MRI in newborns on body temperature and physiological parameters. Forty-nine newborns, born preterm and at term, underwent 3-T brain MRI at term-corrected age. Rectal and skin temperature, oxygen saturation and heart rate were recorded before, during and after the scan. A statistically significant increase in skin temperature of 0.6 °C was observed at the end of the MRI scan (P<0.01). There was no significant changes in rectal temperature, heart rate or oxygen saturation. Core temperature, heart rate and oxygen saturation in newborns were not affected by 3-T brain MR scanning.

Improved outcomes using brain SPECT-guided treatment versus treatment-as-usual in community psychiatric outpatients: a retrospective case-control study.

PubMed

Thornton, John F; Schneider, Howard; McLean, Mary K; van Lierop, Muriel J; Tarzwell, Robert

2014-01-01

Brain single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) scans indirectly show functional activity via measurement of regional cerebral blood flow. Thirty patients at a community-based psychiatric clinic underwent brain SPECT scans. Changes in scoring of before-treatment and after-treatment scans correlated well with changes in patient Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) scores before treatment and after treatment. Patients were retrospectively matched with controls with similar diagnoses and pretreatment GAF scores, and those who underwent SPECT-guided treatment improved significantly more than the control patients.

Confounding of the association between radiation exposure from CT scans and risk of leukemia and brain tumors by cancer susceptibility syndromes.

PubMed

Meulepas, Johanna M; Ronckers, Cécile M; Merks, Johannes; Weijerman, Michel E; Lubin, Jay H; Hauptmann, Michael

2016-12-01

Recent studies linking radiation exposure from pediatric computed tomography (CT) to increased risks of leukemia and brain tumors lacked data to control for cancer susceptibility syndromes (CSS). These syndromes might be confounders because they are associated with an increased cancer risk and may increase the likelihood of pediatric CT scans. We identify CSS predisposing to leukemia and brain tumors through a systematic literature search and summarize prevalence and risk. Since empirical evidence is lacking in published literature on patterns of CT use for most types of CSS, we estimate confounding bias of relative risks (RR) for categories of radiation exposure based on expert opinion about patterns of CT scans among CSS patients. We estimate that radiation-related RRs for leukemia are not meaningfully confounded by Down syndrome, Noonan syndrome and other CSS. Moreover, tuberous sclerosis complex, von Hippel-Lindau disease, neurofibromatosis type 1 and other CSS do not meaningfully confound RRs for brain tumors. Empirical data on the use of CT scans among CSS patients is urgently needed. Our assessment indicates that associations with radiation exposure from pediatric CT scans and leukemia or brain tumors reported in previous studies are unlikely to be substantially confounded by unmeasured CSS.

Chinese Military Evaluation of a Portable Near-Infrared Detector of Traumatic Intracranial Hematomas.

PubMed

Liang, Chun-Yang; Yang, Yang; Shen, Chun-Sen; Wang, Hai-Jiang; Liu, Nai-Ming; Wang, Zhi-Wen; Zhu, Feng-Lei; Xu, Ru-Xiang

2018-02-06

Secondary brain injury is the main cause of mortality from traumatic brain injury (TBI). One hallmark of TBI is intracranial hemorrhage, which occurs in 40-50% of severe TBI cases. Early identification of intracranial hematomas in TBI patients allows early surgical evacuation and can reduce the case fatality rate of TBI. As pre-hospital care is the weakest part of Chinese emergency care, there is an urgent need for a capability to detect brain hematomas early. In China, in addition to preventing injuries and diseases in military staff and in enhancing the military armed forces during war, military medicine participates in actions such as emergency public health crises, natural disasters, emerging conflicts, and anti-terrorist campaigns during peacetime. The purpose of this observational study is to evaluate in the Chinese military general hospital the performance of a near-infrared (NIR)-based portable device, developed for US Military, in the detection of traumatic intracranial hematomas. The endpoint of the study was a description of the test characteristics (sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values [NPV]) of the portable NIR-based device in identification of hematomas within its detection limits (volume >3.5 mL and depth <2.5 cm) compared with computed tomography (CT) scans as the gold standard. The Infrascanner Model 2000 NIR device (InfraScan, Inc., Philadelphia, PA, USA) was used for hematoma detection in patients sustaining TBI. Data were collected in the People's Liberation Army General Hospital in Beijing using the NIR device at the time of CT scans, which were performed to evaluate suspected TBI. One hundred and twenty seven patients were screened, and 102 patients were included in the per protocol population. Of the 102 patients, 24 were determined by CT scan to have intracranial hemorrhage. The CT scans were read by an independent neuroradiologist who was blinded to the NIR measurements. The NIR device demonstrated sensitivity of 100% (95% confidence intervals [CI] 82.8-100%) and specificity of 93.6% (95%CI 85-97.6%) in detecting intracranial hematomas larger than 3.5 mL in volume and that were less than 2.5 cm from the surface of the brain. Blood contained within scalp hematomas was found to be a major cause of false-positive results with this technology. The study showed that the Infrascanner is a suitable portable device in Chinese population for detecting preoperative intracranial hematomas in remote locations, emergency rooms, and intensive care units. It could aid military medics, physicians, and hospital staff, permitting better triage decisions, earlier treatment, and reducing secondary brain injury caused by acute and delayed hematomas. © Association of Military Surgeons of the United States 2018. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

[MRI for brain structure and function in patients with first-episode panic disorder].

PubMed

Zhang, Yan; Duan, Lian; Liao, Mei; Yang, Fan; Liu, Jun; Shan, Baoci; Li, Lingjiang

2011-12-01

To determine the brain function and structure in patinets with first-episode panic disorder (PD). All subjects (24 PD patients and 24 healthy subjects) received MRI scan and emotional counting Stroop task during the functional magnetic resonance imaging. Blood oxygenation level dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging and voxel-based morphometric technology were used to detect the gray matter volume. Compared with the healthy controls, left thalamus, left medial frontal gyrus, left anterior cingulate gyrus, left inferior frontal gyrus, left insula (panic-related words vs. neutral words) lacked activation in PD patients, but the over-activation were found in right brain stem, right occipital lobe/lingual gyrus in PD patients. Compared with the healthy controls, the gray matter volume in the PD patients significantly decreased in the left superior temporal gyrus, right medial frontal gyrus, left medial occipital gyrus, dorsomedial nucleus of left thalamus and right anterior cingulate gyrus. There was no significantly increased gray matter volume in any brain area in PD patients. PD patients have selective attentional bias in processing threatening information due to the depression and weakening of the frontal cingulated gyrus.

High-resolution whole-brain DCE-MRI using constrained reconstruction: Prospective clinical evaluation in brain tumor patients

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Guo, Yi, E-mail: yiguo@usc.edu; Zhu, Yinghua; Lingala, Sajan Goud

Purpose: To clinically evaluate a highly accelerated T1-weighted dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) MRI technique that provides high spatial resolution and whole-brain coverage via undersampling and constrained reconstruction with multiple sparsity constraints. Methods: Conventional (rate-2 SENSE) and experimental DCE-MRI (rate-30) scans were performed 20 minutes apart in 15 brain tumor patients. The conventional clinical DCE-MRI had voxel dimensions 0.9 × 1.3 × 7.0 mm{sup 3}, FOV 22 × 22 × 4.2 cm{sup 3}, and the experimental DCE-MRI had voxel dimensions 0.9 × 0.9 × 1.9 mm{sup 3}, and broader coverage 22 × 22 × 19 cm{sup 3}. Temporal resolution was 5 smore » for both protocols. Time-resolved images and blood–brain barrier permeability maps were qualitatively evaluated by two radiologists. Results: The experimental DCE-MRI scans showed no loss of qualitative information in any of the cases, while achieving substantially higher spatial resolution and whole-brain spatial coverage. Average qualitative scores (from 0 to 3) were 2.1 for the experimental scans and 1.1 for the conventional clinical scans. Conclusions: The proposed DCE-MRI approach provides clinically superior image quality with higher spatial resolution and coverage than currently available approaches. These advantages may allow comprehensive permeability mapping in the brain, which is especially valuable in the setting of large lesions or multiple lesions spread throughout the brain.« less

A 1-minute full brain MR exam using a multicontrast EPI sequence.

PubMed

Skare, Stefan; Sprenger, Tim; Norbeck, Ola; Rydén, Henric; Blomberg, Lars; Avventi, Enrico; Engström, Mathias

2018-06-01

A new multicontrast echo-planar imaging (EPI)-based sequence is proposed for brain MRI, which can directly generate six MR contrasts (T 1 -FLAIR, T 2 -w, diffusion-weighted (DWI), apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), T2*-w, T 2 -FLAIR) in 1 min with full brain coverage. This could enable clinical MR clinical screening in similar time as a conventional CT exam but with more soft-tissue information. Eleven sequence modules were created as dynamic building blocks for the sequence. Two EPI readout modules were reused throughout the sequence and were prepended by other modules to form the desired MR contrasts. Two scan protocols were optimized with scan times of 55-75 s. Motion experiments were carried out on two volunteers to investigate the robustness against head motion. Scans on patients were carried out and compared to conventional clinical images. The pulse sequence is found to be robust against motion given its single-shot nature of each contrast. For excessive out-of-plane head motion, the T 1 -FLAIR and T 2 -FLAIR contrasts suffer from incomplete inversion. Despite lower signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and resolution, the 1-min multicontrast EPI data show promising correspondence with conventional diagnostic scans on patients. A 1 min multicontrast brain MRI scan based on EPI readouts has been presented in this feasibility study. Preliminary data show potential for clinical brain MRI use with minimal bore time for the patient. Such short examination time could be useful (e.g., for screening and acute stroke). The sequence may also help planning conventional brain MRI scans if run at the beginning of an examination. Magn Reson Med 79:3045-3054, 2018. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

Impact of spot size on plan quality of spot scanning proton radiosurgery for peripheral brain lesions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wang, Dongxu, E-mail: dongxu-wang@uiowa.edu; Dirksen, Blake; Hyer, Daniel E.

Purpose: To determine the plan quality of proton spot scanning (SS) radiosurgery as a function of spot size (in-air sigma) in comparison to x-ray radiosurgery for treating peripheral brain lesions. Methods: Single-field optimized (SFO) proton SS plans with sigma ranging from 1 to 8 mm, cone-based x-ray radiosurgery (Cone), and x-ray volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) plans were generated for 11 patients. Plans were evaluated using secondary cancer risk and brain necrosis normal tissue complication probability (NTCP). Results: For all patients, secondary cancer is a negligible risk compared to brain necrosis NTCP. Secondary cancer risk was lower in proton SSmore » plans than in photon plans regardless of spot size (p = 0.001). Brain necrosis NTCP increased monotonically from an average of 2.34/100 (range 0.42/100–4.49/100) to 6.05/100 (range 1.38/100–11.6/100) as sigma increased from 1 to 8 mm, compared to the average of 6.01/100 (range 0.82/100–11.5/100) for Cone and 5.22/100 (range 1.37/100–8.00/100) for VMAT. An in-air sigma less than 4.3 mm was required for proton SS plans to reduce NTCP over photon techniques for the cohort of patients studied with statistical significance (p = 0.0186). Proton SS plans with in-air sigma larger than 7.1 mm had significantly greater brain necrosis NTCP than photon techniques (p = 0.0322). Conclusions: For treating peripheral brain lesions—where proton therapy would be expected to have the greatest depth-dose advantage over photon therapy—the lateral penumbra strongly impacts the SS plan quality relative to photon techniques: proton beamlet sigma at patient surface must be small (<7.1 mm for three-beam single-field optimized SS plans) in order to achieve comparable or smaller brain necrosis NTCP relative to photon radiosurgery techniques. Achieving such small in-air sigma values at low energy (<70 MeV) is a major technological challenge in commercially available proton therapy systems.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Aita, J.F.; Keyes, J.W. Jr.

Two cases of acute infantile hemiplegia are presented. The first case is a patient with moyamoya disease with excellent correlation between the brain scan findings and her clinical signs and symptoms and the carotid arteriogram. The second patient had occlusive cerebrovascular disease secondary to thromboemboli with excellent correlation between the brain scan findings and his clinical state and the neuropathologic examination. In both cases the static brain scans and the radionuclide angiogram were comparable to those reported in adults with cerebrovascular disease both in appearance and in temporal sequence. Radionuclide studies can be an important and reliable diagnostic tool inmore » the evaluation of acute infantile hemiplegia. (auth)« less

The genesis of craniofacial biology as a health science discipline.

PubMed

Sperber, G H; Sperber, S M

2014-06-01

The craniofacial complex encapsulates the brain and contains the organs for key functions of the body, including sight, hearing and balance, smell, taste, respiration and mastication. All these systems are intimately integrated within the head. The combination of these diverse systems into a new field was dictated by the dental profession's desire for a research branch of basic science devoted and attuned to its specific needs. The traditional subjects of genetics, embryology, anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, dental materials, odontology, molecular biology and palaeoanthropology pertaining to dentistry have been drawn together by many newly emerging technologies. These new technologies include gene sequencing, CAT scanning, MRI imaging, laser scanning, image analysis, ultrasonography, spectroscopy and visualosonics. A vibrant unitary discipline of investigation, craniofacial biology, has emerged that builds on the original concept of 'oral biology' that began in the 1960s. This paper reviews some of the developments that have led to the genesis of craniofacial biology as a fully-fledged health science discipline of significance in the advancement of clinical dental practice. Some of the key figures and milestones in craniofacial biology are identified. © 2014 Australian Dental Association.

Functional brain MRI in patients complaining of electrohypersensitivity after long term exposure to electromagnetic fields.

PubMed

Heuser, Gunnar; Heuser, Sylvia A

2017-09-26

Ten adult patients with electromagnetic hypersensitivity underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) brain scans. All scans were abnormal with abnormalities which were consistent and similar. It is proposed that fMRI brain scans be used as a diagnostic aid for determining whether or not a patient has electromagnetic hypersensitivity. Over the years we have seen an increasing number of patients who had developed multi system complaints after long term repeated exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMFs). These complaints included headaches, intermittent cognitive and memory problems, intermittent disorientation, and also sensitivity to EMF exposure. Regular laboratory tests were within normal limits in these patients. The patients refused to be exposed to radioactivity. This of course ruled out positron emission tomography (PET) and single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) brain scanning. This is why we ordered fMRI brain scans on these patients. We hoped that we could document objective abnormalities in these patients who had often been labeled as psychiatric cases. Ten patients first underwent a regular magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) brain scan, using a 3 Tesla Siemens Verio MRI open system. A functional MRI study was then performed in the resting state using the following sequences: A three-dimensional, T1-weighted, gradient-echo (MPRAGE) Resting state network. The echo-planar imaging (EPI) sequences for this resting state blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) scan were then post processed on a 3D workstation and the independent component analysis was performed separating out the various networks. Arterial spin labeling. Tractography and fractional anisotropy. All ten patients had abnormal functional MRI brain scans. The abnormality was often described as hyper connectivity of the anterior component of the default mode in the medial orbitofrontal area. Other abnormalities were usually found. Regular MRI studies of the brain were mostly unremarkable in these patients. We propose that functional MRI studies should become a diagnostic aid when evaluating a patient who claims electrohypersensitivity (EHS) and has otherwise normal studies. Interestingly, the differential diagnosis for the abnormalities seen on the fMRI includes head injury. It turns out that many of our patients indeed had a history of head injury which was then followed sometime later by the development of EHS. Many of our patients also had a history of exposure to potentially neurotoxic chemicals, especially mold. Head injury and neurotoxic chemical exposure may make a patient more vulnerable to develop EHS.

The Necessity of Follow-Up Brain Computed-Tomography Scans: Is It the Pathology Itself Or Our Fear that We Should Overcome?

PubMed Central

Öğrenci, Ahmet; Koban, Orkun; Ekşi, Murat; Yaman, Onur; Dalbayrak, Sedat

2017-01-01

AIM: This study aimed to make a retrospective analysis of pediatric patients with head traumas that were admitted to one hospital setting and to make an analysis of the patients for whom follow-up CT scans were obtained. METHODS: Pediatric head trauma cases were retrospectively retrieved from the hospital’s electronic database. Patients’ charts, CT scans and surgical notes were evaluated by one of the authors. Repeat CT scans for operated patients were excluded from the total number of repeat CT scans. RESULTS: One thousand one hundred and thirty-eight pediatric patients were admitted to the clinic due to head traumas. Brain CT scan was requested in 863 patients (76%) in the cohort. Follow-up brain CT scans were obtained in 102 patients. Additional abnormal finding requiring surgical intervention was observed in only one patient (isolated 4th ventricle hematoma) on the control CTs (1% of repeat CT scans), who developed obstructive hydrocephalus. None of the patients with no more than 1 cm epidural hematoma in its widest dimension and repeat CT scans obtained 1.5 hours after the trauma necessitated surgery. CONCLUSION: Follow-up CT scans changed clinical approach in only one patient in the present series. When ordering CT scan in the follow-up of pediatric traumas, benefits and harms should be weighted based upon time interval from trauma onset to initial CT scan and underlying pathology. PMID:29104682

High success rates of sedation-free brain MRI scanning in young children using simple subject preparation protocols with and without a commercial mock scanner–the Diabetes Research in Children Network (DirecNet) experience

PubMed Central

Barnea-Goraly, Naama; Weinzimer, Stuart A.; Mauras, Nelly; Beck, Roy W.; Marzelli, Matt J.; Mazaika, Paul K.; Aye, Tandy; White, Neil H.; Tsalikian, Eva; Fox, Larry; Kollman, Craig; Cheng, Peiyao; Reiss, Allan L.

2013-01-01

Background The ability to lie still in an MRI scanner is essential for obtaining usable image data. To reduce motion, young children are often sedated, adding significant cost and risk. Objective We assessed the feasibility of using a simple and affordable behavioral desensitization program to yield high-quality brain MRI scans in sedation-free children. Materials and methods 222 children (4–9.9 years), 147 with type 1 diabetes and 75 age-matched non-diabetic controls, participated in a multi-site study focused on effects of type 1 diabetes on the developing brain. T1-weighted and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) MRI scans were performed. All children underwent behavioral training and practice MRI sessions using either a commercial MRI simulator or an inexpensive mock scanner consisting of a toy tunnel, vibrating mat, and video player to simulate the sounds and feel of the MRI scanner. Results 205 children (92.3%), mean age 7±1.7 years had high-quality T1-W scans and 174 (78.4%) had high-quality diffusion-weighted scans after the first scan session. With a second scan session, success rates were 100% and 92.5% for T1-and diffusion-weighted scans, respectively. Success rates did not differ between children with type 1 diabetes and children without diabetes, or between centers using a commercial MRI scan simulator and those using the inexpensive mock scanner. Conclusion Behavioral training can lead to a high success rate for obtaining high-quality T1-and diffusion-weighted brain images from a young population without sedation. PMID:24096802

Brain MRI volumetry in a single patient with mild traumatic brain injury.

PubMed

Ross, David E; Castelvecchi, Cody; Ochs, Alfred L

2013-01-01

This letter to the editor describes the case of a 42 year old man with mild traumatic brain injury and multiple neuropsychiatric symptoms which persisted for a few years after the injury. Initial CT scans and MRI scans of the brain showed no signs of atrophy. Brain volume was measured using NeuroQuant®, an FDA-approved, commercially available software method. Volumetric cross-sectional (one point in time) analysis also showed no atrophy. However, volumetric longitudinal (two points in time) analysis showed progressive atrophy in several brain regions. This case illustrated in a single patient the principle discovered in multiple previous group studies, namely that the longitudinal design is more powerful than the cross-sectional design for finding atrophy in patients with traumatic brain injury.

Confounding of the Association between Radiation Exposure from CT Scans and Risk of Leukemia and Brain Tumors by Cancer Susceptibility Syndromes.

PubMed

Meulepas, Johanna M; Ronckers, Cécile M; Merks, Johannes; Weijerman, Michel E; Lubin, Jay H; Hauptmann, Michael

2016-01-01

Recent studies linking radiation exposure from pediatric computed tomography (CT) to increased risks of leukemia and brain tumors lacked data to control for cancer susceptibility syndromes (CSS). These syndromes might be confounders because they are associated with an increased cancer risk and may increase the likelihood of CT scans performed in children. We identify CSS predisposing to leukemia and brain tumors through a systematic literature search and summarize prevalence and risk estimates. Because there is virtually no empirical evidence in published literature on patterns of CT use for most types of CSS, we estimate confounding bias of relative risks (RR) for categories of radiation exposure based on expert opinion about the current and previous patterns of CT scans among CSS patients. We estimate that radiation-related RRs for leukemia are not meaningfully confounded by Down syndrome, Noonan syndrome, or other CSS. In contrast, RRs for brain tumors may be overestimated due to confounding by tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) while von Hippel-Lindau disease, neurofibromatosis type 1, or other CSS do not meaningfully confound. Empirical data on the use of CT scans among CSS patients are urgently needed. Our assessment indicates that associations with leukemia reported in previous studies are unlikely to be substantially confounded by unmeasured CSS, whereas brain tumor risks might have been overestimated due to confounding by TSC. Future studies should identify TSC patients in order to avoid overestimation of brain tumor risks due to radiation exposure from CT scans. ©2015 American Association for Cancer Research.

Low plasma magnesium is associated with impaired brain metabolism in neonates with hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy.

PubMed

Chakkarapani, Elavazhagan; Chau, Vann; Poskitt, Kenneth J; Synnes, Anne; Kwan, Eddie; Roland, Elke; Miller, Steven P

2016-09-01

To determine the association between lowest plasma magnesium concentration and brain metabolism, and whether magnetic resonance imaging brain injury patterns moderated the association in hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. In 131 early (day-of-life 3) and 65 late (day-of-life 10) scans of term encephalopathic infants born between 2004 and 2012, we examined the association of lowest plasma magnesium (until day-of-life 3) on basal ganglia and white matter peak metabolite ratios on magnetic resonance spectroscopy independent of covariates, stratified by the predominant patterns of injury (normal, basal nuclei/total, watershed, multifocal) using multiple linear regression. Lowest plasma magnesium was associated with lower white matter N-acetyl-aspartate/choline in the multifocal pattern on early scan (regression-coefficient, β: 0.13; 95% CI: 0.04, 0.22) and in the basal nuclei/total pattern on late scan (β: 0.08; 95% CI: 0.02, 0.15), and was negatively associated with basal ganglia lactate/N-acetyl-aspartate (β: -0.16; 95% CI: -0.05, -0.28) and lactate/choline (β: -0.1; 95% CI: -0.03, -0.17) ratio in the basal nuclei/total pattern on late scan independent of hypomagnesaemia correction, cooling and postmenstrual age at scan. Lowest plasma magnesium was not associated with metabolite ratios in other brain injury patterns. In infants with hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy, predominant patterns of brain injury moderated the association between lowest plasma magnesium in the first three days of life and impaired brain metabolism. ©2016 Foundation Acta Paediatrica. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Brain injury following trial of hypothermia for neonatal hypoxic–ischaemic encephalopathy

PubMed Central

Shankaran, Seetha; Barnes, Patrick D; Hintz, Susan R; Laptook, Abbott R; Zaterka-Baxter, Kristin M; McDonald, Scott A; Ehrenkranz, Richard A; Walsh, Michele C; Tyson, Jon E; Donovan, Edward F; Goldberg, Ronald N; Bara, Rebecca; Das, Abhik; Finer, Neil N; Sanchez, Pablo J; Poindexter, Brenda B; Van Meurs, Krisa P; Carlo, Waldemar A; Stoll, Barbara J; Duara, Shahnaz; Guillet, Ronnie; Higgins, Rosemary D

2013-01-01

Objective The objective of our study was to examine the relationship between brain injury and outcome following neonatal hypoxic–ischaemic encephalopathy treated with hypothermia. Design and patients Neonatal MRI scans were evaluated in the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) randomised controlled trial of whole-body hypothermia and each infant was categorised based upon the pattern of brain injury on the MRI findings. Brain injury patterns were assessed as a marker of death or disability at 18–22 months of age. Results Scans were obtained on 136 of 208 trial participants (65%); 73 in the hypothermia and 63 in the control group. Normal scans were noted in 38 of 73 infants (52%) in the hypothermia group and 22 of 63 infants (35%) in the control group. Infants in the hypothermia group had fewer areas of infarction (12%) compared to infants in the control group (22%). Fifty-one of the 136 infants died or had moderate or severe disability at 18 months. The brain injury pattern correlated with outcome of death or disability and with disability among survivors. Each point increase in the severity of the pattern of brain injury was independently associated with a twofold increase in the odds of death or disability. Conclusions Fewer areas of infarction and a trend towards more normal scans were noted in brain MRI following whole-body hypothermia. Presence of the NICHD pattern of brain injury is a marker of death or moderate or severe disability at 18–22 months following hypothermia for neonatal encephalopathy. PMID:23080477

A Novel Application for the Cavalieri Principle: A Stereological and Methodological Study

PubMed Central

Altunkaynak, Berrin Zuhal; Altunkaynak, Eyup; Unal, Deniz; Unal, Bunyamin

2009-01-01

Objective The Cavalieri principle was applied to consecutive pathology sections that were photographed at the same magnification and used to estimate tissue volumes via superimposing a point counting grid on these images. The goal of this study was to perform the Cavalieri method quickly and practically. Materials and Methods In this study, 10 adult female Sprague Dawley rats were used. Brain tissue was removed and sampled both systematically and randomly. Brain volumes were estimated using two different methods. First, all brain slices were scanned with an HP ScanJet 3400C scanner, and their images were shown on a PC monitor. Brain volume was then calculated based on these images. Second, all brain slices were photographed in 10× magnification with a microscope camera, and brain volumes were estimated based on these micrographs. Results There was no statistically significant difference between the volume measurements of the two techniques (P>0.05; Paired Samples t Test). Conclusion This study demonstrates that personal computer scanning of serial tissue sections allows for easy and reliable volume determination based on the Cavalieri method. PMID:25610077

A novel application for the cavalieri principle: a stereological and methodological study.

PubMed

Altunkaynak, Berrin Zuhal; Altunkaynak, Eyup; Unal, Deniz; Unal, Bunyamin

2009-08-01

The Cavalieri principle was applied to consecutive pathology sections that were photographed at the same magnification and used to estimate tissue volumes via superimposing a point counting grid on these images. The goal of this study was to perform the Cavalieri method quickly and practically. In this study, 10 adult female Sprague Dawley rats were used. Brain tissue was removed and sampled both systematically and randomly. Brain volumes were estimated using two different methods. First, all brain slices were scanned with an HP ScanJet 3400C scanner, and their images were shown on a PC monitor. Brain volume was then calculated based on these images. Second, all brain slices were photographed in 10× magnification with a microscope camera, and brain volumes were estimated based on these micrographs. There was no statistically significant difference between the volume measurements of the two techniques (P>0.05; Paired Samples t Test). This study demonstrates that personal computer scanning of serial tissue sections allows for easy and reliable volume determination based on the Cavalieri method.

Computer tomographic imaging and anatomic correlation of the human brain: A comparative atlas of thin CT-scan sections and correlated neuro-anatomic preparations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Plets, C.; Baert, A.L.; Nijs, G.L.

1986-01-01

It is of the greatest importance to the radiologist, the neurologist and the neurosurgeon to be able to localize topographically a pathological brain process on the CT scan as precisely as possible. For that purpose, the identification of as many anatomical structures as possible on the CT scan image are necessary and indispensable. In this atlas a great number of detailed anatomical data on frontal horizontal CT scan sections, each being only 2 mm thick, are indicated, e.g. the cortical gyri, the basal ganglia, details of the white matter, extracranial muscles and blood vessels, parts of the base and themore » vault of the skull, etc. The very precise topographical description of the numerous CT scan images was realized by the author by confrontation of these images with the corresponding anatomical sections of the same brain specimen, performed by an original technique.« less

Forthergillian Lecture. Imaging human brain function.

PubMed

Frackowiak, R S

The non-invasive brain scanning techniques introduced a quarter of a century ago have become crucial for diagnosis in clinical neurology. They have also been used to investigate brain function and have provided information about normal activity and pathogenesis. They have been used to investigate functional specialization in the brain and how specialized areas communicate to generate complex integrated functions such as speech, memory, the emotions and so on. The phenomenon of brain plasticity is poorly understood and yet clinical neurologists are aware, from everyday observations, that spontaneous recovery from brain lesions is common. An improved understanding of the mechanisms of recovery may generate new therapeutic strategies and indicate ways of modulating mechanisms that promote plastic compensation for loss of function. The main methods used to investigate these issues are positron emission tomography and magnetic resonance imaging (M.R.I.). M.R.I. is also used to map brain structure. The techniques of functional brain mapping and computational morphometrics depend on high performance scanners and a validated set of analytic statistical procedures that generate reproducible data and meaningful inferences from brain scanning data. The motor system presents a good paradigm to illustrate advances made by scanning towards an understanding of plasticity at the level of brain areas. The normal motor system is organized in a nested hierarchy. Recovery from paralysis caused by internal capsule strokes involves functional reorganization manifesting itself as changed patterns of activity in the component brain areas of the normal motor system. The pattern of plastic modification depends in part on patterns of residual or disturbed connectivity after brain injury. Therapeutic manipulations in patients with Parkinson's disease using deep brain stimulation, dopaminergic agents or fetal mesencephalic transplantation provide a means to examine mechanisms underpinning plastic change. Other models of plastic change, such as normal visuospatial learning or re-establishing speech comprehension after cochlear implantation in the deaf illustrate how patterns of brain function adapt over time. Limitations of the scanning techniques and prospects for the future are discussed in relation to new developments in the neuroimaging field.

Split My Brain: A Case Study of Seizure Disorder and Brain Function

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Omarzu, Julia

2004-01-01

This case involves a couple deciding whether or not their son should undergo brain surgery to treat a severe seizure disorder. In examining this dilemma, students apply knowledge of brain anatomy and function. They also learn about brain scanning techniques and discuss the plasticity of the brain.

Feasibility study: real-time 3-D ultrasound imaging of the brain.

PubMed

Smith, Stephen W; Chu, Kengyeh; Idriss, Salim F; Ivancevich, Nikolas M; Light, Edward D; Wolf, Patrick D

2004-10-01

We tested the feasibility of real-time, 3-D ultrasound (US) imaging in the brain. The 3-D scanner uses a matrix phased-array transducer of 512 transmit channels and 256 receive channels operating at 2.5 MHz with a 15-mm diameter footprint. The real-time system scans a 65 degrees pyramid, producing up to 30 volumetric scans per second, and features up to five image planes as well as 3-D rendering, 3-D pulsed-wave and color Doppler. In a human subject, the real-time 3-D scans produced simultaneous transcranial horizontal (axial), coronal and sagittal image planes and real-time volume-rendered images of the gross anatomy of the brain. In a transcranial sheep model, we obtained real-time 3-D color flow Doppler scans and perfusion images using bolus injection of contrast agents into the internal carotid artery.

Clinical comparison of 99mTc exametazime and 123I Ioflupane SPECT in patients with chronic mild traumatic brain injury.

PubMed

Newberg, Andrew B; Serruya, Mijail; Gepty, Andrew; Intenzo, Charles; Lewis, Todd; Amen, Daniel; Russell, David S; Wintering, Nancy

2014-01-01

This study evaluated the clinical interpretations of single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) using a cerebral blood flow and a dopamine transporter tracer in patients with chronic mild traumatic brain injury (TBI). The goal was to determine how these two different scan might be used and compared to each other in this patient population. Twenty-five patients with persistent symptoms after a mild TBI underwent SPECT with both (99m)Tc exametazime to measure cerebral blood flow (CBF) and (123)I ioflupane to measure dopamine transporter (DAT) binding. The scans were interpreted by two expert readers blinded to any case information and were assessed for abnormal findings in comparison to 10 controls for each type of scan. Qualitative CBF scores for each cortical and subcortical region along with DAT binding scores for the striatum were compared to each other across subjects and to controls. In addition, symptoms were compared to brain scan findings. TBI patients had an average of 6 brain regions with abnormal perfusion compared to controls who had an average of 2 abnormal regions (p<0.001). Patient with headaches had lower CBF in the right frontal lobe, and higher CBF in the left parietal lobe compared to patients without headaches. Lower CBF in the right temporal lobe correlated with poorer reported physical health. Higher DAT binding was associated with more depressive symptoms and overall poorer reported mental health. There was no clear association between CBF and DAT binding in these patients. Overall, both scans detected abnormalities in brain function, but appear to reflect different types of physiological processes associated with chronic mild TBI symptoms. Both types of scans might have distinct uses in the evaluation of chronic TBI patients depending on the clinical scenario.

Photoacoustic imaging to detect rat brain activation after cocaine hydrochloride injection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jo, Janggun; Yang, Xinmai

2011-03-01

Photoacoustic imaging (PAI) was employed to detect small animal brain activation after the administration of cocaine hydrochloride. Sprague Dawley rats were injected with different concentrations (2.5, 3.0, and 5.0 mg per kg body) of cocaine hydrochloride in saline solution through tail veins. The brain functional response to the injection was monitored by photoacoustic tomography (PAT) system with horizontal scanning of cerebral cortex of rat brain. Photoacoustic microscopy (PAM) was also used for coronal view images. The modified PAT system used multiple ultrasonic detectors to reduce the scanning time and maintain a good signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). The measured photoacoustic signal changes confirmed that cocaine hydrochloride injection excited high blood volume in brain. This result shows PAI can be used to monitor drug abuse-induced brain activation.

Optimization of scan initiation timing after 11C-methionine administration for the diagnosis of suspected recurrent brain tumors.

PubMed

Nakajima, Reiko; Abe, Koichiro; Momose, Mitsuru; Fukushima, Kenji; Matsuo, Yuka; Kimura, Ken; Kondo, Chisato; Sakai, Shuji

2017-02-01

11 C-Methionine (MET) positron emission tomography (PET) imaging is a valuable technique for the evaluation of primary and recurrent brain tumors. Many studies have used MET-PET for data acquisition starting at 20 min after the tracer injection, while others have used scan initiation times at 5-15 min postinjection. No previous studies have identified the best acquisition timing during MET-PET imaging for suspected recurrent brain tumors. Here we sought to determine the optimal scan initiating timing after MET administration for the detection of recurrent brain tumors. Twenty-three consecutive patients with suspected recurrent brain tumors underwent MET-PET examinations. Brain PET images were reconstructed from the four serial data sets (10-15, 15-20, 20-25, and 25-30 min postinjection) that were obtained using the list-mode acquisition technique. We determined the maximal standardized uptake values (SUVmax) of the target lesions and the target-to-normal-tissue ratios (TNRs), calculated as the SUVmax to the SUVmean of a region of interest placed on the normal contralateral frontal cortex. Target lesions without significant MET uptake were excluded. Thirty-one lesions from 23 patients were enrolled. There were no significant differences in MET SUVmax or TNR values among the PET images that were reconstructed with the data extracted from the four phases postinjection. The MET uptake in the suspected recurrent brain tumors was comparable among all data extraction time phases from 10 to 30 min postinjection. The scan initiation time of MET-PET at 10 min after the injection is allowable for the detection of recurrent brain tumors. The registration identification number of the original study is 1002.

Validated Automatic Brain Extraction of Head CT Images

PubMed Central

Muschelli, John; Ullman, Natalie L.; Mould, W. Andrew; Vespa, Paul; Hanley, Daniel F.; Crainiceanu, Ciprian M.

2015-01-01

Background X-ray Computed Tomography (CT) imaging of the brain is commonly used in diagnostic settings. Although CT scans are primarily used in clinical practice, they are increasingly used in research. A fundamental processing step in brain imaging research is brain extraction – the process of separating the brain tissue from all other tissues. Methods for brain extraction have either been 1) validated but not fully automated, or 2) fully automated and informally proposed, but never formally validated. Aim To systematically analyze and validate the performance of FSL's brain extraction tool (BET) on head CT images of patients with intracranial hemorrhage. This was done by comparing the manual gold standard with the results of several versions of automatic brain extraction and by estimating the reliability of automated segmentation of longitudinal scans. The effects of the choice of BET parameters and data smoothing is studied and reported. Methods All images were thresholded using a 0 – 100 Hounsfield units (HU) range. In one variant of the pipeline, data were smoothed using a 3-dimensional Gaussian kernel (σ = 1mm3) and re-thresholded to 0 – 100 HU; in the other, data were not smoothed. BET was applied using 1 of 3 fractional intensity (FI) thresholds: 0.01, 0.1, or 0.35 and any holes in the brain mask were filled. For validation against a manual segmentation, 36 images from patients with intracranial hemorrhage were selected from 19 different centers from the MISTIE (Minimally Invasive Surgery plus recombinant-tissue plasminogen activator for Intracerebral Evacuation) stroke trial. Intracranial masks of the brain were manually created by one expert CT reader. The resulting brain tissue masks were quantitatively compared to the manual segmentations using sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and the Dice Similarity Index (DSI). Brain extraction performance across smoothing and FI thresholds was compared using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. The intracranial volume (ICV) of each scan was estimated by multiplying the number of voxels in the brain mask by the dimensions of each voxel for that scan. From this, we calculated the ICV ratio comparing manual and automated segmentation: ICVautomatedICVmanual. To estimate the performance in a large number of scans, brain masks were generated from the 6 BET pipelines for 1095 longitudinal scans from 129 patients. Failure rates were estimated from visual inspection. ICV of each scan was estimated and and an intraclass correlation (ICC) was estimated using a one-way ANOVA. Results Smoothing images improves brain extraction results using BET for all measures except specificity (all p < 0.01, uncorrected), irrespective of the FI threshold. Using an FI of 0.01 or 0.1 performed better than 0.35. Thus, all reported results refer only to smoothed data using an FI of 0.01 or 0.1. Using an FI of 0.01 had a higher median sensitivity (0.9901) than an FI of 0.1 (0.9884, median difference: 0.0014, p < 0.001), accuracy (0.9971 vs. 0.9971; median difference: 0.0001, p < 0.001), and DSI (0.9895 vs. 0.9894; median difference: 0.0004, p < 0.001) and lower specificity (0.9981 vs. 0.9982; median difference: −0.0001, p < 0.001). These measures are all very high indicating that a range of FI values may produce visually indistinguishable brain extractions. Using smoothed data and an FI of 0.01, the mean (SD) ICV ratio was 1.002 (0.008); the mean being close to 1 indicates the ICV estimates are similar for automated and manual segmentation. In the 1095 longitudinal scans, this pipeline had a low failure rate (5.2%) and the ICC estimate was high (0.929, 95% CI: 0.91, 0.945) for successfully extracted brains. Conclusion BET performs well at brain extraction on thresholded, 1mm3 smoothed CT images with an FI of 0.01 or 0.1. Smoothing before applying BET is an important step not previously discussed in the literature. Analysis code is provided. PMID:25862260

In Vivo Visualization of Active Polysynaptic Circuits With Longitudinal Manganese-Enhanced MRI (MEMRI).

PubMed

Almeida-Corrêa, Suellen; Czisch, Michael; Wotjak, Carsten T

2018-01-01

Manganese-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MEMRI) is a powerful tool for in vivo non-invasive whole-brain mapping of neuronal activity. Mn 2+ enters active neurons via voltage-gated calcium channels and increases local contrast in T 1 -weighted images. Given the property of Mn 2+ of axonal transport, this technique can also be used for tract tracing after local administration of the contrast agent. However, MEMRI is still not widely employed in basic research due to the lack of a complete description of the Mn 2+ dynamics in the brain. Here, we sought to investigate how the activity state of neurons modulates interneuronal Mn 2+ transport. To this end, we injected mice with low dose MnCl 2 2. (i.p., 20 mg/kg; repeatedly for 8 days) followed by two MEMRI scans at an interval of 1 week without further MnCl 2 injections. We assessed changes in T 1 contrast intensity before (scan 1) and after (scan 2) partial sensory deprivation (unilateral whisker trimming), while keeping the animals in a sensory enriched environment. After correcting for the general decay in Mn 2+ content, whole brain analysis revealed a single cluster with higher signal in scan 1 compared to scan 2: the left barrel cortex corresponding to the right untrimmed whiskers. In the inverse contrast (scan 2 > scan 1), a number of brain structures, including many efferents of the left barrel cortex were observed. These results suggest that continuous neuronal activity elicited by ongoing sensory stimulation accelerates Mn 2+ transport from the uptake site to its projection terminals, while the blockage of sensory-input and the resulting decrease in neuronal activity attenuates Mn 2+ transport. The description of this critical property of Mn 2+ dynamics in the brain allows a better understanding of MEMRI functional mechanisms, which will lead to more carefully designed experiments and clearer interpretation of the results.

Common MRI acquisition non-idealities significantly impact the output of the boundary shift integral method of measuring brain atrophy on serial MRI.

PubMed

Preboske, Gregory M; Gunter, Jeff L; Ward, Chadwick P; Jack, Clifford R

2006-05-01

Measuring rates of brain atrophy from serial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies is an attractive way to assess disease progression in neurodegenerative disorders, particularly Alzheimer's disease (AD). A widely recognized approach is the boundary shift integral (BSI). The objective of this study was to evaluate how several common scan non-idealities affect the output of the BSI algorithm. We created three types of image non-idealities between the image volumes in a serial pair used to measure between-scan change: inconsistent image contrast between serial scans, head motion, and poor signal-to-noise (SNR). In theory the BSI volume difference measured between each pair of images should be zero and any deviation from zero should represent corruption of the BSI measurement by some non-ideality intentionally introduced into the second scan in the pair. Two different BSI measures were evaluated, whole brain and ventricle. As the severity of motion, noise, and non-congruent image contrast increased in the second scan, the calculated BSI values deviated progressively more from the expected value of zero. This study illustrates the magnitude of the error in measures of change in brain and ventricle volume across serial MRI scans that can result from commonly encountered deviations from ideal image quality. The magnitudes of some of the measurement errors seen in this study exceed the disease effect in AD shown in various publications, which range from 1% to 2.78% per year for whole brain atrophy and 5.4% to 13.8% per year for ventricle expansion (Table 1). For example, measurement error may exceed 100% if image contrast properties dramatically differ between the two scans in a measurement pair. Methods to maximize consistency of image quality over time are an essential component of any quantitative serial MRI study.

Systemic, Local, and Imaging Biomarkers of Brain Injury: More Needed, and Better Use of Those Already Established?

PubMed Central

Carpenter, Keri L. H.; Czosnyka, Marek; Jalloh, Ibrahim; Newcombe, Virginia F. J.; Helmy, Adel; Shannon, Richard J.; Budohoski, Karol P.; Kolias, Angelos G.; Kirkpatrick, Peter J.; Carpenter, Thomas Adrian; Menon, David K.; Hutchinson, Peter J.

2015-01-01

Much progress has been made over the past two decades in the treatment of severe acute brain injury, including traumatic brain injury and subarachnoid hemorrhage, resulting in a higher proportion of patients surviving with better outcomes. This has arisen from a combination of factors. These include improvements in procedures at the scene (pre-hospital) and in the hospital emergency department, advances in neuromonitoring in the intensive care unit, both continuously at the bedside and intermittently in scans, evolution and refinement of protocol-driven therapy for better management of patients, and advances in surgical procedures and rehabilitation. Nevertheless, many patients still experience varying degrees of long-term disabilities post-injury with consequent demands on carers and resources, and there is room for improvement. Biomarkers are a key aspect of neuromonitoring. A broad definition of a biomarker is any observable feature that can be used to inform on the state of the patient, e.g., a molecular species, a feature on a scan, or a monitoring characteristic, e.g., cerebrovascular pressure reactivity index. Biomarkers are usually quantitative measures, which can be utilized in diagnosis and monitoring of response to treatment. They are thus crucial to the development of therapies and may be utilized as surrogate endpoints in Phase II clinical trials. To date, there is no specific drug treatment for acute brain injury, and many seemingly promising agents emerging from pre-clinical animal models have failed in clinical trials. Large Phase III studies of clinical outcomes are costly, consuming time and resources. It is therefore important that adequate Phase II clinical studies with informative surrogate endpoints are performed employing appropriate biomarkers. In this article, we review some of the available systemic, local, and imaging biomarkers and technologies relevant in acute brain injury patients, and highlight gaps in the current state of knowledge. PMID:25741315

Diagnostic Value of 68Ga PSMA-11 PET/CT Imaging of Brain Tumors-Preliminary Analysis.

PubMed

Sasikumar, Arun; Joy, Ajith; Pillai, M R A; Nanabala, Raviteja; Anees K, Muhammed; Jayaprakash, P G; Madhavan, Jayaprakash; Nair, Suresh

2017-01-01

To evaluate the feasibility of using Ga PSMA-11 PET/CT for imaging brain lesions and its comparison with F-FDG. Ten patients with brain lesions were included in the study. Five patients were treated cases of glioblastoma with suspected recurrence. F-FDG and Ga PSMA-11 brain scans were done for these patients. Five patients were sent for assessing the nature (primary lesion/metastasis) of space occupying lesion in brain. They underwent whole body F-FDG PET/CT scan and a primary site elsewhere in the body was ruled out. Subsequently they underwent Ga PSMA-11 brain PET/CT imaging. Target to background ratios (TBR) for the brain lesions were calculated using contralateral cerebellar uptake as background. In five treated cases of glioblastoma with suspected recurrence the findings of Ga PSMA-11 PET/CT showed good correlation with that of F-FDG PET/CT scan. Compared to the F-FDG, Ga PSMA-11 PET/CT showed better visualization of the recurrent lesion (presence/absence) owing to its significantly high TBR. Among the five cases evaluated for lesion characterization glioma and atypical meningioma patients showed higher SUVmax in the lesion with Ga PSMA-11 than with F-FDG and converse in cases of lymphoma. TBR was better with Ga PSMA PET/CT in all cases. Ga PSMA-11 PET/CT brain imaging is a potentially useful imaging tool in the evaluation of brain lesions. Absence of physiological uptake of Ga PSMA-11 in the normal brain parenchyma results in high TBR values and consequently better visualization of metabolically active disease in brain.

The brain of René Descartes (1650): A neuro-anatomical analysis.

PubMed

Philippe, Charlier; Isabelle, Huynh-Charlier; Philippe, Froesch; Russell, Shorto; Nadia, Benmoussa; Alain, Froment; Dominique, Grimaud-Hervé; Saudamini, Deo; Anaïs, Augias; Lou, Albessard; Antoine, Balzeau

2017-07-15

The skull of René Descartes is held in the National Museum of Natural History since the 19th c. Up to date, only anthropological examinations were carried out, focusing on the cranial capacity and phrenological interpretation of the skull morphology. Using CT-scan based 3D technology, a reconstruction of the endocast was performed, allowing for its first complete description and inter-disciplinary analysis: assessment of metrical and non-metrical features, retrospective diagnosis of anatomical anomalies, and confrontation with neuro-psychological abilities of this well-identified individual. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Brain Genomics Superstruct Project initial data release with structural, functional, and behavioral measures

PubMed Central

Holmes, Avram J.; Hollinshead, Marisa O.; O’Keefe, Timothy M.; Petrov, Victor I.; Fariello, Gabriele R.; Wald, Lawrence L.; Fischl, Bruce; Rosen, Bruce R.; Mair, Ross W.; Roffman, Joshua L.; Smoller, Jordan W.; Buckner, Randy L.

2015-01-01

The goal of the Brain Genomics Superstruct Project (GSP) is to enable large-scale exploration of the links between brain function, behavior, and ultimately genetic variation. To provide the broader scientific community data to probe these associations, a repository of structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans linked to genetic information was constructed from a sample of healthy individuals. The initial release, detailed in the present manuscript, encompasses quality screened cross-sectional data from 1,570 participants ages 18 to 35 years who were scanned with MRI and completed demographic and health questionnaires. Personality and cognitive measures were obtained on a subset of participants. Each dataset contains a T1-weighted structural MRI scan and either one (n=1,570) or two (n=1,139) resting state functional MRI scans. Test-retest reliability datasets are included from 69 participants scanned within six months of their initial visit. For the majority of participants self-report behavioral and cognitive measures are included (n=926 and n=892 respectively). Analyses of data quality, structure, function, personality, and cognition are presented to demonstrate the dataset’s utility. PMID:26175908

Brain Genomics Superstruct Project initial data release with structural, functional, and behavioral measures.

PubMed

Holmes, Avram J; Hollinshead, Marisa O; O'Keefe, Timothy M; Petrov, Victor I; Fariello, Gabriele R; Wald, Lawrence L; Fischl, Bruce; Rosen, Bruce R; Mair, Ross W; Roffman, Joshua L; Smoller, Jordan W; Buckner, Randy L

2015-01-01

The goal of the Brain Genomics Superstruct Project (GSP) is to enable large-scale exploration of the links between brain function, behavior, and ultimately genetic variation. To provide the broader scientific community data to probe these associations, a repository of structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans linked to genetic information was constructed from a sample of healthy individuals. The initial release, detailed in the present manuscript, encompasses quality screened cross-sectional data from 1,570 participants ages 18 to 35 years who were scanned with MRI and completed demographic and health questionnaires. Personality and cognitive measures were obtained on a subset of participants. Each dataset contains a T1-weighted structural MRI scan and either one (n=1,570) or two (n=1,139) resting state functional MRI scans. Test-retest reliability datasets are included from 69 participants scanned within six months of their initial visit. For the majority of participants self-report behavioral and cognitive measures are included (n=926 and n=892 respectively). Analyses of data quality, structure, function, personality, and cognition are presented to demonstrate the dataset's utility.

Non-invasive evaluation of neuroprotective drug candidates for cerebral infarction by PET imaging of mitochondrial complex-I activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fukuta, Tatsuya; Asai, Tomohiro; Ishii, Takayuki; Koide, Hiroyuki; Kiyokawa, Chiaki; Hashimoto, Masahiro; Kikuchi, Takashi; Shimizu, Kosuke; Harada, Norihiro; Tsukada, Hideo; Oku, Naoto

2016-07-01

The development of a diagnostic technology that can accurately determine the pathological progression of ischemic stroke and evaluate the therapeutic effects of cerebroprotective agents has been desired. We previously developed a novel PET probe, 2-tert-butyl-4-chloro-5-{6-[2-(2-18F-fluoroethoxy)-ethoxy]-pyridin-3-ylmethoxy}-2H-pyridazin-3-one ([18F]BCPP-EF) for detecting activity of mitochondrial complex I (MC-I). This probe was shown to visualize neuronal damage in the living brain of rodent and primate models of neurodegenerative diseases. In the present study, [18F]BCPP-EF was applied to evaluate the therapeutic effects of a neuroprotectant, liposomal FK506 (FK506-liposomes), on cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury in transient middle cerebral artery occlusion rats. The PET imaging using [18F]BCPP-EF showed a prominent reduction in the MC-I activity in the ischemic brain hemisphere. Treatment with FK506-liposomes remarkably increased the uptake of [18F]BCPP-EF in the ischemic side corresponding to the improvement of blood flow disorders and motor function deficits throughout the 7 days after I/R. Additionally, the PET scan could diagnose the extent of the brain damage accurately and showed the neuroprotective effect of FK506-liposomes at Day 7, at which 2, 3, 5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining couldn’t visualize them. Our study demonstrated that the PET technology using [18F]BCPP-EF has a potent capacity to evaluate the therapeutic effect of drug candidates in living brain.

Rapid brain MRI acquisition techniques at ultra-high fields

PubMed Central

Setsompop, Kawin; Feinberg, David A.; Polimeni, Jonathan R.

2017-01-01

Ultra-high-field MRI provides large increases in signal-to-noise ratio as well as enhancement of several contrast mechanisms in both structural and functional imaging. Combined, these gains result in a substantial boost in contrast-to-noise ratio that can be exploited for higher spatial resolution imaging to extract finer-scale information about the brain. With increased spatial resolution, however, is a concurrent increased image encoding burden that can cause unacceptably long scan times for structural imaging and slow temporal sampling of the hemodynamic response in functional MRI—particularly when whole-brain imaging is desired. To address this issue, new directions of imaging technology development—such as the move from conventional 2D slice-by-slice imaging to more efficient Simultaneous MultiSlice (SMS) or MultiBand imaging (which can be viewed as “pseudo-3D” encoding) as well as full 3D imaging—have provided dramatic improvements in acquisition speed. Such imaging paradigms provide higher SNR efficiency as well as improved encoding efficiency. Moreover, SMS and 3D imaging can make better use of coil sensitivity information in multi-channel receiver arrays used for parallel imaging acquisitions through controlled aliasing in multiple spatial directions. This has enabled unprecedented acceleration factors of an order of magnitude or higher in these imaging acquisition schemes, with low image artifact levels and high SNR. Here we review the latest developments of SMS and 3D imaging methods and related technologies at ultra-high field for rapid high-resolution functional and structural imaging of the brain. PMID:26835884

Automatic Brain Portion Segmentation From Magnetic Resonance Images of Head Scans Using Gray Scale Transformation and Morphological Operations.

PubMed

Somasundaram, Karuppanagounder; Ezhilarasan, Kamalanathan

2015-01-01

To develop an automatic skull stripping method for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of human head scans. The proposed method is based on gray scale transformation and morphological operations. The proposed method has been tested with 20 volumes of normal T1-weighted images taken from Internet Brain Segmentation Repository. Experimental results show that the proposed method gives better results than the popular skull stripping methods Brain Extraction Tool and Brain Surface Extractor. The average value of Jaccard and Dice coefficients are 0.93 and 0.962 respectively. In this article, we have proposed a novel skull stripping method using intensity transformation and morphological operations. This is a low computational complexity method but gives competitive or better results than that of the popular skull stripping methods Brain Surface Extractor and Brain Extraction Tool.

Changes in functional brain organization and behavioral correlations after rehabilitative therapy using a brain-computer interface.

PubMed

Young, Brittany M; Nigogosyan, Zack; Walton, Léo M; Song, Jie; Nair, Veena A; Grogan, Scott W; Tyler, Mitchell E; Edwards, Dorothy F; Caldera, Kristin; Sattin, Justin A; Williams, Justin C; Prabhakaran, Vivek

2014-01-01

This study aims to examine the changes in task-related brain activity induced by rehabilitative therapy using brain-computer interface (BCI) technologies and whether these changes are relevant to functional gains achieved through the use of these therapies. Stroke patients with persistent upper-extremity motor deficits received interventional rehabilitation therapy using a closed-loop neurofeedback BCI device (n = 8) or no therapy (n = 6). Behavioral assessments using the Stroke Impact Scale, the Action Research Arm Test (ARAT), and the Nine-Hole Peg Test (9-HPT) as well as task-based fMRI scans were conducted before, during, after, and 1 month after therapy administration or at analogous intervals in the absence of therapy. Laterality Index (LI) values during finger tapping of each hand were calculated for each time point and assessed for correlation with behavioral outcomes. Brain activity during finger tapping of each hand shifted over the course of BCI therapy, but not in the absence of therapy, to greater involvement of the non-lesioned hemisphere (and lesser involvement of the stroke-lesioned hemisphere) as measured by LI. Moreover, changes from baseline LI values during finger tapping of the impaired hand were correlated with gains in both objective and subjective behavioral measures. These findings suggest that the administration of interventional BCI therapy can induce differential changes in brain activity patterns between the lesioned and non-lesioned hemispheres and that these brain changes are associated with changes in specific motor functions.

The pros and cons of intraoperative CT scan in evaluation of deep brain stimulation lead implantation: A retrospective study

PubMed Central

Servello, Domenico; Zekaj, Edvin; Saleh, Christian; Pacchetti, Claudio; Porta, Mauro

2016-01-01

Background: Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is an established therapy for movement disorders, such as Parkinson's disease (PD), dystonia, and tremor. The efficacy of DBS depends on the correct lead positioning. The commonly adopted postoperative radiological evaluation is performed with computed tomography (CT) scan and/or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Methods: We conducted a retrospective study on 202 patients who underwent DBS from January 2009 to October 2013. DBS indications were PD, progressive supranuclear palsy, tremor, dystonia, Tourette syndrome, obsessive compulsive disorder, depression, and Huntington's disease. Preoperatively, all patients underwent brain MRI and brain CT scan with the stereotactic frame positioned. The lead location was confirmed intraoperatively with CT. The CT images were subsequently transferred to the Stealth Station Medtronic and merged with the preoperative planning. On the first or second day after, implantation we performed a brain MRI to confirm the correct position of the lead. Results: In 14 patients, leads were in suboptimal position after intraoperative CT scan positioning. The cases with alteration in the Z-axis were corrected immediately under fluoroscopic guidance. In all the 14 patients, an immediate repositioning was done. Conclusions: Based on our data, intraoperative CT scan is fast, safe, and a useful tool in the evaluation of the position of the implanted lead. It also reduces the patient's discomfort derived from the transfer of the patient from the operating room to the radiological department. However, intraoperative CT should not be considered as a substitute for postoperative MRI. PMID:27583182

Modeling Early Postnatal Brain Growth and Development with CT: Changes in the Brain Radiodensity Histogram from Birth to 2 Years.

PubMed

Cauley, K A; Hu, Y; Och, J; Yorks, P J; Fielden, S W

2018-04-01

The majority of brain growth and development occur in the first 2 years of life. This study investigated these changes by analysis of the brain radiodensity histogram of head CT scans from the clinical population, 0-2 years of age. One hundred twenty consecutive head CTs with normal findings meeting the inclusion criteria from children from birth to 2 years were retrospectively identified from 3 different CT scan platforms. Histogram analysis was performed on brain-extracted images, and histogram mean, mode, full width at half maximum, skewness, kurtosis, and SD were correlated with subject age. The effects of scan platform were investigated. Normative curves were fitted by polynomial regression analysis. Average total brain volume was 360 cm 3 at birth, 948 cm 3 at 1 year, and 1072 cm 3 at 2 years. Total brain tissue density showed an 11% increase in mean density at 1 year and 19% at 2 years. Brain radiodensity histogram skewness was positive at birth, declining logarithmically in the first 200 days of life. The histogram kurtosis also decreased in the first 200 days to approach a normal distribution. Direct segmentation of CT images showed that changes in brain radiodensity histogram skewness correlated with, and can be explained by, a relative increase in gray matter volume and an increase in gray and white matter tissue density that occurs during this period of brain maturation. Normative metrics of the brain radiodensity histogram derived from routine clinical head CT images can be used to develop a model of normal brain development. © 2018 by American Journal of Neuroradiology.

Brain and Language.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Damasio, Antonio R., Damasio, Hanna

1992-01-01

Discusses the advances made in understanding the brain structures responsible for language. Presents findings made using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomographic (PET) scans to study brain activity. These findings map the structures in the brain that manipulate concepts and those that turn concepts into words. (MCO)

Near-Infrared Spectroscopy: A Promising Prehospital Tool for Management of Traumatic Brain Injury.

PubMed

Peters, Joost; Van Wageningen, Bas; Hoogerwerf, Nico; Tan, Edward

2017-08-01

Introduction Early identification of traumatic brain injury (TBI) is essential. Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) can be used in prehospital settings for non-invasive monitoring and the diagnosis of patients who may require surgical intervention. The handheld NIRS Infrascanner (InfraScan Inc.; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA) uses eight symmetrical scan points to detect intracranial bleeding. A scanner was tested in a physician-staffed helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS). The results were compared with those obtained using in-hospital computed tomography (CT) scans. Scan time, ease-of-use, and change in treatment were scored. A total of 25 patients were included. Complete scans were performed in 60% of patients. In 15 patients, the scan was abnormal, and in one patient, the scan resulted in a treatment change. Compared with the results of CT scanning, the Infrascanner obtained a sensitivity of 93.3% and a specificity of 78.6%. Most patients had severe TBI with indication for transport to a trauma center prior to scanning. In one patient, the scan resulted in a treatment change. Evaluation of patients with less severe TBI is needed to support the usefulness of the Infrascanner as a prehospital triage tool. Promising results were obtained using the InfraScan NIRS device in prehospital screening for intracranial hematomas in TBI patients. High sensitivity and good specificity were found. Further research is necessary to determine the beneficial effects of enhanced prehospital screening on triage, survival, and quality of life in TBI patients. Peters J , Van Wageningen B , Hoogerwerf N , Tan E . Near-infrared spectroscopy: a promising prehospital tool for management of traumatic brain injury. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2017;32(4):414-418.

Automated extraction of subdural electrode grid from post-implant MRI scans for epilepsy surgery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pozdin, Maksym A.; Skrinjar, Oskar

2005-04-01

This paper presents an automated algorithm for extraction of Subdural Electrode Grid (SEG) from post-implant MRI scans for epilepsy surgery. Post-implant MRI scans are corrupted by the image artifacts caused by implanted electrodes. The artifacts appear as dark spherical voids and given that the cerebrospinal fluid is also dark in T1-weigthed MRI scans, it is a difficult and time-consuming task to manually locate SEG position relative to brain structures of interest. The proposed algorithm reliably and accurately extracts SEG from post-implant MRI scan, i.e. finds its shape and position relative to brain structures of interest. The algorithm was validated against manually determined electrode locations, and the average error was 1.6mm for the three tested subjects.

Transverse section radionuclide scanning system

DOEpatents

Kuhl, David E.; Edwards, Roy Q.

1976-01-01

This invention provides a transverse section radionuclide scanning system for high-sensitivity quantification of brain radioactivity in cross-section picture format in order to permit accurate assessment of regional brain function localized in three-dimensions. High sensitivity crucially depends on overcoming the heretofore known raster type scanning, which requires back and forth detector movement involving dead-time or partial enclosure of the scan field. Accordingly, this invention provides a detector array having no back and forth movement by interlaced detectors that enclose the scan field and rotate as an integral unit around one axis of rotation in a slip ring that continuously transmits the detector data by means of laser emitting diodes, with the advantages that increased amounts of data can be continuously collected, processed and displayed with increased sensitivity according to a suitable computer program.

Disrupted modular organization of resting-state cortical functional connectivity in U.S. military personnel following concussive ‘mild’ blast-related traumatic brain injury†

PubMed Central

Han, Kihwan; Mac Donald, Christine L.; Johnson, Ann M.; Barnes, Yolanda; Wierzechowski, Linda; Zonies, David; Oh, John; Flaherty, Stephen; Fang, Raymond; Raichle, Marcus E.; Brody, David L.

2013-01-01

Blast-related traumatic brain injury (TBI) has been one of the “signature injuries” of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. However, neuroimaging studies in concussive ‘mild’ blast-related TBI have been challenging due to the absence of abnormalities in computed tomography or conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and the heterogeneity of the blast-related injury mechanisms. The goal of this study was to address these challenges utilizing single-subject, module-based graph theoretic analysis of resting-state functional MRI (fMRI) data. We acquired 20 minutes of resting-state fMRI in 63 U.S. military personnel clinically diagnosed with concussive blast-related TBI and 21 U.S. military controls who had blast exposures but no diagnosis of TBI. All subjects underwent an initial scan within 90 days post-injury and 65 subjects underwent a follow-up scan 6 to 12 months later. A second independent cohort of 40 U.S. military personnel with concussive blast-related TBI patients served as a validation dataset. The second independent cohort underwent an initial scan within 30 days post-injury. 75% of scans were of good quality, with exclusions primarily due to excessive subject motion. Network analysis of the subset of these subjects in the first cohort with good quality scans revealed spatially localized reductions in participation coefficient, a measure of between-module connectivity, in the TBI patients relative to the controls at the time of the initial scan. These group differences were less prominent on the follow-up scans. The 15 brain areas with the most prominent reductions in participation coefficient were next used as regions of interest (ROIs) for single-subject analyses. In the first TBI cohort, more subjects than would be expected by chance (27/47 versus 2/47 expected, p < 0.0001) had 3 or more brain regions with abnormally low between-module connectivity relative to the controls on the initial scans. On the follow-up scans, more subjects than expected by chance (5/37, p = 0.044) but fewer subjects than on the initial scans had 3 or more brain regions with abnormally low between-module connectivity. Analysis of the second TBI cohort validation dataset with no free parameters provided a partial replication; again more subjects than expected by chance (8/31, p = 0.006) had 3 or more brain regions with abnormally low between-module connectivity on the initial scans, but the numbers were not significant (2/27, p = 0.276) on the follow-up scans. A single-subject, multivariate analysis by probabilistic principal component analysis of the between-module connectivity in the 15 identified ROIs, showed that 31/47 subjects in the first TBI cohort were found to be abnormal relative to the controls on the initial scans. In the second TBI cohort, 9/31 patients were found to be abnormal in identical multivariate analysis with no free parameters. Again, there were not substantial differences on the follow-up scans. Taken together, these results indicate that single-subject, module-based graph theoretic analysis of resting-state fMRI provides potentially useful information for concussive blast-related TBI if high quality scans can be obtained. The underlying biological mechanisms and consequences of disrupted between-module connectivity are unknown, thus further studies are required. PMID:23968735

Horizon scanning of new and emerging medical technology in Australia: its relevance to Medical Services Advisory Committee health technology assessments and public funding.

PubMed

O'Malley, Sue P; Jordan, Ernest

2009-07-01

In 1998, a formal process using full health technology assessments (HTAs) was implemented to determine the suitability for public subsidy of new and emerging medical technologies in the Australian private healthcare sector. This process is overseen by the Medical Services Advisory Committee (MSAC). In 2004, horizon scanning was introduced in Australia with the stated objective of identifying new and emerging medical technologies into the public healthcare sector, with consideration to the publicly subsidized private healthcare sector. How well horizon scanning works in identifying new and emerging technologies suitable for government subsidized funding in the private healthcare sector is examined in this study. A descriptive evaluation of the impact of horizon scanning as an early alert and awareness system identifying new and emerging technologies before these technologies are submitted to MSAC for a full HTA. All MSAC HTAs commenced after the introduction of horizon scanning in 2004 were cross-checked with the list of Prioritizing Summaries or Horizon Scanning Reports to determine whether a prior Prioritizing Summary or Horizon Scanning Report had been carried out. Of the forty-three technologies that were the subject of a full MSAC HTAs in the time period examined, only eleven had been the subject of either a Prioritizing Summary or Horizon Scanning Report. As a result of a full MSAC HTA, twelve of the technologies that were not the subject of a Prioritizing Summary or Horizon Scanning Report were given positive recommendations for public funding. Horizon scanning was set up to scan the introduction of new and emerging medical technologies into the public healthcare sector, with consideration to the publicly subsidized private healthcare sector. Based on the number of new and emerging technologies that have been the subject of a full MSAC HTA without first being subjected to either a Prioritizing Summary or Horizon Scanning Report, horizon scanning in Australia does not function as an "early alert and awareness system" for funding in the publicly subsidized private healthcare sector in Australia.

Feasibility of 4D flow MR imaging of the brain with either Cartesian y-z radial sampling or k-t SENSE: comparison with 4D Flow MR imaging using SENSE.

PubMed

Sekine, Tetsuro; Amano, Yasuo; Takagi, Ryo; Matsumura, Yoshio; Murai, Yasuo; Kumita, Shinichiro

2014-01-01

A drawback of time-resolved 3-dimensional phase contrast magnetic resonance (4D Flow MR) imaging is its lengthy scan time for clinical application in the brain. We assessed the feasibility for flow measurement and visualization of 4D Flow MR imaging using Cartesian y-z radial sampling and that using k-t sensitivity encoding (k-t SENSE) by comparison with the standard scan using SENSE. Sixteen volunteers underwent 3 types of 4D Flow MR imaging of the brain using a 3.0-tesla scanner. As the standard scan, 4D Flow MR imaging with SENSE was performed first and then followed by 2 types of acceleration scan-with Cartesian y-z radial sampling and with k-t SENSE. We measured peak systolic velocity (PSV) and blood flow volume (BFV) in 9 arteries, and the percentage of particles arriving from the emitter plane at the target plane in 3 arteries, visually graded image quality in 9 arteries, and compared these quantitative and visual data between the standard scan and each acceleration scan. 4D Flow MR imaging examinations were completed in all but one volunteer, who did not undergo the last examination because of headache. Each acceleration scan reduced scan time by 50% compared with the standard scan. The k-t SENSE imaging underestimated PSV and BFV (P < 0.05). There were significant correlations for PSV and BFV between the standard scan and each acceleration scan (P < 0.01). The percentage of particles reaching the target plane did not differ between the standard scan and each acceleration scan. For visual assessment, y-z radial sampling deteriorated the image quality of the 3 arteries. Cartesian y-z radial sampling is feasible for measuring flow, and k-t SENSE offers sufficient flow visualization; both allow acquisition of 4D Flow MR imaging with shorter scan time.

Image formation of brain function in patients suffering from knee osteoarthritis treated with moxibustion.

PubMed

Xie, Hongwu; Xu, Fangming; Chen, Rixin; Luo, Tianyou; Chen, Mingren; Fang, Weidong; Lü, Fajin; Wu, Fei; Song, Yune; Xiong, Jun

2013-04-01

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) technology was used to study changes to the resting state blood flow in the brains of patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA) before and after treatment with moxibustion at the acupoint of the left Dubi (ST 35) and to probe the cerebral mechanism underlying the effect of moxibustion. The resting state brain function of 30 patients with left KOA was scanned with fMRI before and after treatment with moxibustion. The analytic methods of fractional amplitude of low frequency fluctuation (fALFF) and regional homogeneity (ReHo) were used to observe changes in resting state brain function. The fALFF values of the right cerebrum, extra-nucleus, left cerebellum, left cerebrum and white matter of patients after moxibustion treatment were higher than before treatment, and the fALFF values of the precentral gyrus, frontal lobe and occipital lobe were lower than before treatment (P < 0.05, K > or = 85). The ReHo values of the thalamus, extra-nucleus and parietal lobe of patients were much higher than those before moxibustion treatment, and the ReHo values of the right cerebrum, left cerebrum and frontal lobe were lower than before treatment (P < 0.05, K > or = 85). The influence of moxibustion on obvious changes in brain regions basically conforms to the way that pain and warmth is transmitted in the body, and the activation of sensitive systems in the body may be objective evidence of channel transmission. The regulation of brain function by moxibustion is not in a single brain region but rather in a network of many brain regions.

A new metric for detecting change in slowly evolving brain tumors: validation in meningioma patients.

PubMed

Pohl, Kilian M; Konukoglu, Ender; Novellas, Sebastian; Ayache, Nicholas; Fedorov, Andriy; Talos, Ion-Florin; Golby, Alexandra; Wells, William M; Kikinis, Ron; Black, Peter M

2011-03-01

Change detection is a critical component in the diagnosis and monitoring of many slowly evolving pathologies. This article describes a semiautomatic monitoring approach using longitudinal medical images. We test the method on brain scans of patients with meningioma, which experts have found difficult to monitor because the tumor evolution is very slow and may be obscured by artifacts related to image acquisition. We describe a semiautomatic procedure targeted toward identifying difficult-to-detect changes in brain tumor imaging. The tool combines input from a medical expert with state-of-the-art technology. The software is easy to calibrate and, in less than 5 minutes, returns the total volume of tumor change in mm. We test the method on postgadolinium, T1-weighted magnetic resonance images of 10 patients with meningioma and compare our results with experts' findings. We also perform benchmark testing with synthetic data. Our experiments indicated that experts' visual inspections are not sensitive enough to detect subtle growth. Measurements based on experts' manual segmentations were highly accurate but also labor intensive. The accuracy of our approach was comparable to the experts' results. However, our approach required far less user input and generated more consistent measurements. The sensitivity of experts' visual inspection is often too low to detect subtle growth of meningiomas from longitudinal scans. Measurements based on experts' segmentation are highly accurate but generally too labor intensive for standard clinical settings. We described an alternative metric that provides accurate and robust measurements of subtle tumor changes while requiring a minimal amount of user input.

High-resolution whole-brain diffusion MRI at 7T using radiofrequency parallel transmission.

PubMed

Wu, Xiaoping; Auerbach, Edward J; Vu, An T; Moeller, Steen; Lenglet, Christophe; Schmitter, Sebastian; Van de Moortele, Pierre-François; Yacoub, Essa; Uğurbil, Kâmil

2018-03-30

Investigating the utility of RF parallel transmission (pTx) for Human Connectome Project (HCP)-style whole-brain diffusion MRI (dMRI) data at 7 Tesla (7T). Healthy subjects were scanned in pTx and single-transmit (1Tx) modes. Multiband (MB), single-spoke pTx pulses were designed to image sagittal slices. HCP-style dMRI data (i.e., 1.05-mm resolutions, MB2, b-values = 1000/2000 s/mm 2 , 286 images and 40-min scan) and data with higher accelerations (MB3 and MB4) were acquired with pTx. pTx significantly improved flip-angle detected signal uniformity across the brain, yielding ∼19% increase in temporal SNR (tSNR) averaged over the brain relative to 1Tx. This allowed significantly enhanced estimation of multiple fiber orientations (with ∼21% decrease in dispersion) in HCP-style 7T dMRI datasets. Additionally, pTx pulses achieved substantially lower power deposition, permitting higher accelerations, enabling collection of the same data in 2/3 and 1/2 the scan time or of more data in the same scan time. pTx provides a solution to two major limitations for slice-accelerated high-resolution whole-brain dMRI at 7T; it improves flip-angle uniformity, and enables higher slice acceleration relative to current state-of-the-art. As such, pTx provides significant advantages for rapid acquisition of high-quality, high-resolution truly whole-brain dMRI data. © 2018 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

Radioisotope scanning of brain, liver, lung and bone with a note on tumour localizing agents

PubMed Central

Lavender, J. P.

1973-01-01

Radioisotopic scanning of brain, liver, lungs and the skeleton is briefly reviewed with a survey of recent developments of clinical significance. In brain scanning neoplasm detection rates of greater than 90% are claimed. The true figure is probably 70-80%. Autopsy data shows a number of false negatives, particularly with vascular lesions. Attempts to make scanning more specific in differentiating neoplasm from vascular lesions by rapid sequence blood flow studies are reviewed. In liver scanning by means of colloids again high success rate is claimed but small metastases are frequently missed and the false negative scan rate is probably quite high. Lung scanning still has its main place in investigating pulmonary embolic disease. Ventilation studies using Xenon 133 are useful, particularly combined with perfusion studies. The various radiopharmaceuticals for use in bone scanning are reviewed. The appearance of technetium labelled phosphate compounds will probably allow much wider use of total skeletal scanning. Research into tumour localizing agents continues, the most recent and interesting being Gallium citrate and labelled bleomycin. Neither agent is predictable however although Gallium may have a place in Hodgkins disease and bronchogenic neoplasm and both may have a place in the detection of cerebral tumours. ImagesFig. 1Fig. 2Fig. 3p452-bFig. 3bFig. 4Fig. 5Fig. 5bFig. 6Fig. 7Fig. 8Fig. 9Fig. 10Fig. 11Fig. 12Fig. 12c & 12dFig. 13Fig. 13 b,c,dFig. 14Fig. 14bFig. 15Fig. 15bFig. 16Fig. 17Fig. 18 PMID:4602127

Minor head injury in children.

PubMed

Klig, Jean E; Kaplan, Carl P

2010-06-01

This review will examine mild closed head injury (CHI) and the current evidence on head computed tomography (CT) imaging risks in children, prediction rules to guide decisions on CT scan use, and issues of concussion after initial evaluation. The current literature offers preliminary evidence on the risks of radiation exposure from CT scans in children. A recent study introduces a validated prediction rule for use in mild CHI, to limit the number of CT scans performed. Concurrent with this progress, fast (or short sequence) MRI represents an emerging technology that may prove to be a viable alternative to CT scan use in certain cases of mild CHI where imaging is desired. The initial emergency department evaluation for mild CHI is the start point for a sequence of follow-up to assure that postconcussive symptoms fully resolve. The literature on sports-related concussion offers some information that may be used for patients with non-sports-related concussion. It is clear that CT scan use should be as safe and limited in scope as possible for children. Common decisions on the use of CT imaging for mild head injury can now be guided by a prediction rule for clinically important traumatic brain injury. Parameters for the follow-up care of patients with mild CHI after emergency department discharge are needed in the future to assure that postconcussive symptoms are adequately screened for full resolution.

Effect of Resting-State fNIRS Scanning Duration on Functional Brain Connectivity and Graph Theory Metrics of Brain Network.

PubMed

Geng, Shujie; Liu, Xiangyu; Biswal, Bharat B; Niu, Haijing

2017-01-01

As an emerging brain imaging technique, functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) has attracted widespread attention for advancing resting-state functional connectivity (FC) and graph theoretical analyses of brain networks. However, it remains largely unknown how the duration of the fNIRS signal scanning is related to stable and reproducible functional brain network features. To answer this question, we collected resting-state fNIRS signals (10-min duration, two runs) from 18 participants and then truncated the hemodynamic time series into 30-s time bins that ranged from 1 to 10 min. Measures of nodal efficiency, nodal betweenness, network local efficiency, global efficiency, and clustering coefficient were computed for each subject at each fNIRS signal acquisition duration. Analyses of the stability and between-run reproducibility were performed to identify optimal time length for each measure. We found that the FC, nodal efficiency and nodal betweenness stabilized and were reproducible after 1 min of fNIRS signal acquisition, whereas network clustering coefficient, local and global efficiencies stabilized after 1 min and were reproducible after 5 min of fNIRS signal acquisition for only local and global efficiencies. These quantitative results provide direct evidence regarding the choice of the resting-state fNIRS scanning duration for functional brain connectivity and topological metric stability of brain network connectivity.

Accelerated Brain Aging in Schizophrenia: A Longitudinal Pattern Recognition Study.

PubMed

Schnack, Hugo G; van Haren, Neeltje E M; Nieuwenhuis, Mireille; Hulshoff Pol, Hilleke E; Cahn, Wiepke; Kahn, René S

2016-06-01

Despite the multitude of longitudinal neuroimaging studies that have been published, a basic question on the progressive brain loss in schizophrenia remains unaddressed: Does it reflect accelerated aging of the brain, or is it caused by a fundamentally different process? The authors used support vector regression, a supervised machine learning technique, to address this question. In a longitudinal sample of 341 schizophrenia patients and 386 healthy subjects with one or more structural MRI scans (1,197 in total), machine learning algorithms were used to build models to predict the age of the brain and the presence of schizophrenia ("schizophrenia score"), based on the gray matter density maps. Age at baseline ranged from 16 to 67 years, and follow-up scans were acquired between 1 and 13 years after the baseline scan. Differences between brain age and chronological age ("brain age gap") and between schizophrenia score and healthy reference score ("schizophrenia gap") were calculated. Accelerated brain aging was calculated from changes in brain age gap between two consecutive measurements. The age prediction model was validated in an independent sample. In schizophrenia patients, brain age was significantly greater than chronological age at baseline (+3.36 years) and progressively increased during follow-up (+1.24 years in addition to the baseline gap). The acceleration of brain aging was not constant: it decreased from 2.5 years/year just after illness onset to about the normal rate (1 year/year) approximately 5 years after illness onset. The schizophrenia gap also increased during follow-up, but more pronounced variability in brain abnormalities at follow-up rendered this increase nonsignificant. The progressive brain loss in schizophrenia appears to reflect two different processes: one relatively homogeneous, reflecting accelerated aging of the brain and related to various measures of outcome, and a more variable one, possibly reflecting individual variation and medication use. Differentiating between these two processes may not only elucidate the various factors influencing brain loss in schizophrenia, but also assist in individualizing treatment.

Severe brain atrophy after long-term survival seen in siblings with familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and a mutation in the optineurin gene: a case series.

PubMed

Ueno, Hiroki; Kobatake, Keitaro; Matsumoto, Masayasu; Morino, Hiroyuki; Maruyama, Hirofumi; Kawakami, Hideshi

2011-12-12

Previous studies have shown widespread multisystem degeneration in patients with sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis who develop a total locked-in state and survive under mechanical ventilation for a prolonged period of time. However, the disease progressions reported in these studies were several years after disease onset. There have been no reports of long-term follow-up with brain imaging of patients with familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis at an advanced stage of the disease. We report the cases of siblings with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis with homozygous deletions of the exon 5 mutation of the gene encoding optineurin, in whom brain computed tomography scans were followed up for more than 20 years. The patients were a Japanese brother and sister. The elder sister was 33 years of age at the onset of disease, which began with muscle weakness of her left lower limb. Two years later she required mechanical ventilation. She became bedridden at the age of 34, and died at the age of 57. A computed tomography scan of her brain at the age of 36 revealed no abnormality. Atrophy of her brain gradually progressed. Ten years after the onset of mechanical ventilation, atrophy of her whole brain, including the cerebral cortex, brain stem and cerebellum, markedly progressed. Her younger brother was 36 years of age at the onset of disease, which presented as muscle weakness of his left upper limb. One year later, he showed dysphagia and dysarthria, and tracheostomy ventilation was performed. He became bedridden at the age of 37 and died at the age of 55. There were no abnormal intracranial findings on brain computed tomography scans obtained at the age of 37 years. At the age of 48 years, computed tomography scans showed marked brain atrophy with ventricular dilatation. Subsequently, atrophy of the whole brain rapidly progressed as in his elder sister. We conclude that a homozygous deletion-type mutation in the optineurin gene may be associated with widespread multisystem degeneration in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Patient dose estimation from CT scans at the Mexican National Neurology and Neurosurgery Institute

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Alva-Sánchez, Héctor, E-mail: halva@ciencias.unam.mx; Reynoso-Mejía, Alberto; Casares-Cruz, Katiuzka

In the radiology department of the Mexican National Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery, a dedicated institute in Mexico City, on average 19.3 computed tomography (CT) examinations are performed daily on hospitalized patients for neurological disease diagnosis, control scans and follow-up imaging. The purpose of this work was to estimate the effective dose received by hospitalized patients who underwent a diagnostic CT scan using typical effective dose values for all CT types and to obtain the estimated effective dose distributions received by surgical and non-surgical patients. Effective patient doses were estimated from values per study type reported in the applications guidemore » provided by the scanner manufacturer. This retrospective study included all hospitalized patients who underwent a diagnostic CT scan between 1 January 2011 and 31 December 2012. A total of 8777 CT scans were performed in this two-year period. Simple brain scan was the CT type performed the most (74.3%) followed by contrasted brain scan (6.1%) and head angiotomography (5.7%). The average number of CT scans per patient was 2.83; the average effective dose per patient was 7.9 mSv; the mean estimated radiation dose was significantly higher for surgical (9.1 mSv) than non-surgical patients (6.0 mSv). Three percent of the patients had 10 or more brain CT scans and exceeded the organ radiation dose threshold set by the International Commission on Radiological Protection for deterministic effects of the eye-lens. Although radiation patient doses from CT scans were in general relatively low, 187 patients received a high effective dose (>20 mSv) and 3% might develop cataract from cumulative doses to the eye lens.« less

Patient dose estimation from CT scans at the Mexican National Neurology and Neurosurgery Institute

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alva-Sánchez, Héctor; Reynoso-Mejía, Alberto; Casares-Cruz, Katiuzka; Taboada-Barajas, Jesús

2014-11-01

In the radiology department of the Mexican National Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery, a dedicated institute in Mexico City, on average 19.3 computed tomography (CT) examinations are performed daily on hospitalized patients for neurological disease diagnosis, control scans and follow-up imaging. The purpose of this work was to estimate the effective dose received by hospitalized patients who underwent a diagnostic CT scan using typical effective dose values for all CT types and to obtain the estimated effective dose distributions received by surgical and non-surgical patients. Effective patient doses were estimated from values per study type reported in the applications guide provided by the scanner manufacturer. This retrospective study included all hospitalized patients who underwent a diagnostic CT scan between 1 January 2011 and 31 December 2012. A total of 8777 CT scans were performed in this two-year period. Simple brain scan was the CT type performed the most (74.3%) followed by contrasted brain scan (6.1%) and head angiotomography (5.7%). The average number of CT scans per patient was 2.83; the average effective dose per patient was 7.9 mSv; the mean estimated radiation dose was significantly higher for surgical (9.1 mSv) than non-surgical patients (6.0 mSv). Three percent of the patients had 10 or more brain CT scans and exceeded the organ radiation dose threshold set by the International Commission on Radiological Protection for deterministic effects of the eye-lens. Although radiation patient doses from CT scans were in general relatively low, 187 patients received a high effective dose (>20 mSv) and 3% might develop cataract from cumulative doses to the eye lens.

High prevalence of brain pathology in violent prisoners: a qualitative CT and MRI scan study.

PubMed

Schiltz, Kolja; Witzel, Joachim G; Bausch-Hölterhoff, Josef; Bogerts, Bernhard

2013-10-01

The aim of this study was to determine the frequency and extent of brain anomalies in a large sample of incarcerated violent offenders not previously considered neuropsychiatrically ill, in comparison with non-violent offenders and non-offending controls. MRI and CT brain scans from 287 male prison inmates (162 violent and 125 non-violent) not diagnosed as mentally ill before that were obtained due to headache, vertigo or psychological complaints during imprisonment were assessed and compared to 52 non-criminal controls. Brain scans were rated qualitatively with respect to evidence of structural brain damage. Each case received a semiquantitative rating of "normal" (=0), "questionably abnormal" (=1) or "definitely abnormal" (=2) for the lateral ventricles, frontal/parietal cortex and medial temporal structures bilaterally as well as third ventricle. Overall, offenders displayed a significantly higher rate of morphological abnormality, with the violent offenders scoring significantly higher than non-violent offenders and controls. This difference was statistically detectable for frontal/parietal cortex, medial temporal structures, third ventricle and the left but not the right lateral ventricle. The remarkable prevalence of brain pathology in convicted violent prisoners detectable by neuroradiological routine assessment not only highlights the importance of frontal and temporal structures in the control of social, and specifically of violent behaviour, but also raises questions on the legal culpability of violent offenders with brain abnormalities. The high proportion of undetected presence of structural brain damage emphasizes the need that in violent criminals, the comprehensive routine neuropsychiatric assessment usually performed in routine forensic psychiatric expertises should be complemented with brain imaging.

Clinical Comparison of 99mTc Exametazime and 123I Ioflupane SPECT in Patients with Chronic Mild Traumatic Brain Injury

PubMed Central

Newberg, Andrew B.; Serruya, Mijail; Gepty, Andrew; Intenzo, Charles; Lewis, Todd; Amen, Daniel; Russell, David S.; Wintering, Nancy

2014-01-01

Background This study evaluated the clinical interpretations of single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) using a cerebral blood flow and a dopamine transporter tracer in patients with chronic mild traumatic brain injury (TBI). The goal was to determine how these two different scan might be used and compared to each other in this patient population. Methods and Findings Twenty-five patients with persistent symptoms after a mild TBI underwent SPECT with both 99mTc exametazime to measure cerebral blood flow (CBF) and 123I ioflupane to measure dopamine transporter (DAT) binding. The scans were interpreted by two expert readers blinded to any case information and were assessed for abnormal findings in comparison to 10 controls for each type of scan. Qualitative CBF scores for each cortical and subcortical region along with DAT binding scores for the striatum were compared to each other across subjects and to controls. In addition, symptoms were compared to brain scan findings. TBI patients had an average of 6 brain regions with abnormal perfusion compared to controls who had an average of 2 abnormal regions (p<0.001). Patient with headaches had lower CBF in the right frontal lobe, and higher CBF in the left parietal lobe compared to patients without headaches. Lower CBF in the right temporal lobe correlated with poorer reported physical health. Higher DAT binding was associated with more depressive symptoms and overall poorer reported mental health. There was no clear association between CBF and DAT binding in these patients. Conclusions Overall, both scans detected abnormalities in brain function, but appear to reflect different types of physiological processes associated with chronic mild TBI symptoms. Both types of scans might have distinct uses in the evaluation of chronic TBI patients depending on the clinical scenario. PMID:24475210

Prospective multi-centre Voxel Based Morphometry study employing scanner specific segmentations: Procedure development using CaliBrain structural MRI data

PubMed Central

2009-01-01

Background Structural Magnetic Resonance Imaging (sMRI) of the brain is employed in the assessment of a wide range of neuropsychiatric disorders. In order to improve statistical power in such studies it is desirable to pool scanning resources from multiple centres. The CaliBrain project was designed to provide for an assessment of scanner differences at three centres in Scotland, and to assess the practicality of pooling scans from multiple-centres. Methods We scanned healthy subjects twice on each of the 3 scanners in the CaliBrain project with T1-weighted sequences. The tissue classifier supplied within the Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM5) application was used to map the grey and white tissue for each scan. We were thus able to assess within scanner variability and between scanner differences. We have sought to correct for between scanner differences by adjusting the probability mappings of tissue occupancy (tissue priors) used in SPM5 for tissue classification. The adjustment procedure resulted in separate sets of tissue priors being developed for each scanner and we refer to these as scanner specific priors. Results Voxel Based Morphometry (VBM) analyses and metric tests indicated that the use of scanner specific priors reduced tissue classification differences between scanners. However, the metric results also demonstrated that the between scanner differences were not reduced to the level of within scanner variability, the ideal for scanner harmonisation. Conclusion Our results indicate the development of scanner specific priors for SPM can assist in pooling of scan resources from different research centres. This can facilitate improvements in the statistical power of quantitative brain imaging studies. PMID:19445668

Detection of Blast-Related Traumatic Brain Injury in U.S. Military Personnel

PubMed Central

Mac Donald, Christine L.; Johnson, Ann M.; Cooper, Dana; Nelson, Elliot C.; Werner, Nicole J.; Shimony, Joshua S.; Snyder, Abraham Z.; Raichle, Marcus E.; Witherow, John R.; Fang, Raymond; Flaherty, Stephen F.; Brody, David L.

2011-01-01

BACKGROUND Blast-related traumatic brain injuries have been common in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, but fundamental questions about the nature of these injuries remain unanswered. METHODS We tested the hypothesis that blast-related traumatic brain injury causes traumatic axonal injury, using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), an advanced form of magnetic resonance imaging that is sensitive to axonal injury. The subjects were 63 U.S. military personnel who had a clinical diagnosis of mild, uncomplicated traumatic brain injury. They were evacuated from the field to the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Landstuhl, Germany, where they underwent DTI scanning within 90 days after the injury. All the subjects had primary blast exposure plus another, blast-related mechanism of injury (e.g., being struck by a blunt object or injured in a fall or motor vehicle crash). Controls consisted of 21 military personnel who had blast exposure and other injuries but no clinical diagnosis of traumatic brain injury. RESULTS Abnormalities revealed on DTI were consistent with traumatic axonal injury in many of the subjects with traumatic brain injury. None had detectible intracranial injury on computed tomography. As compared with DTI scans in controls, the scans in the subjects with traumatic brain injury showed marked abnormalities in the middle cerebellar peduncles (P<0.001), in cingulum bundles (P = 0.002), and in the right orbitofrontal white matter (P = 0.007). In 18 of the 63 subjects with traumatic brain injury, a significantly greater number of abnormalities were found on DTI than would be expected by chance (P<0.001). Follow-up DTI scans in 47 subjects with traumatic brain injury 6 to 12 months after enrollment showed persistent abnormalities that were consistent with evolving injuries. CONCLUSIONS DTI findings in U.S. military personnel support the hypothesis that blast-related mild traumatic brain injury can involve axonal injury. However, the contribution of primary blast exposure as compared with that of other types of injury could not be determined directly, since none of the subjects with traumatic brain injury had isolated primary blast injury. Furthermore, many of these subjects did not have abnormalities on DTI. Thus, traumatic brain injury remains a clinical diagnosis. (Funded by the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program and the National Institutes of Health; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00785304.) PMID:21631321

A combination of lipidomics, MS imaging, and PET scan imaging reveals differences in cerebral activity in rat pups according to the lipid quality of infant formulas.

PubMed

Aidoud, Nacima; Delplanque, Bernadette; Baudry, Charlotte; Garcia, Cyrielle; Moyon, Anais; Balasse, Laure; Guillet, Benjamin; Antona, Claudine; Darmaun, Dominique; Fraser, Karl; Ndiaye, Sega; Leruyet, Pascale; Martin, Jean-Charles

2018-03-22

We evaluated the effect of adding docosahexaenoic:arachidonic acids (3:2) (DHA+ARA) to 2 representative commercial infant formulas on brain activity and brain and eye lipids in an artificially reared rat pup model. The formula lipid background was either a pure plant oil blend, or dairy fat with a plant oil blend (1:1). Results at weaning were compared to breast milk-fed pups. Brain functional activity was determined by positron emission tomography scan imaging, the brain and eye fatty acid and lipid composition by targeted and untargeted lipidomics, and DHA brain regional location by mass-spectrometry imaging. The brain functional activity was normalized to controls with DHA+ARA added to the formulas. DHA in both brain and eyes was influenced by formula intake, but more than two-thirds of tissue DHA-glycerolipids remained insensitive to the dietary challenge. However, the DHA lipidome correlated better with brain function than sole DHA content ( r = 0.70 vs. r = 0.48; P < 0.05). Brain DHA regional distribution was more affected by the formula lipid background than the provision of PUFAs. Adding DHA+ARA to formulas alters the DHA content and lipidome of nervous tissue in the neonate, making it closer to dam milk-fed controls, and normalizes brain functional activity.-Aidoud, N., Delplanque, B., Baudry, C., Garcia, C., Moyon, A., Balasse, L., Guillet, B., Antona, C., Darmaun, D., Fraser, K., Ndiaye, S., Leruyet, P., Martin, J.-C. A combination of lipidomics, MS imaging, and PET scan imaging reveals differences in cerebral activity in rat pups according to the lipid quality of infant formulas.

A regularized clustering approach to brain parcellation from functional MRI data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dillon, Keith; Wang, Yu-Ping

2017-08-01

We consider a data-driven approach for the subdivision of an individual subject's functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) scan into regions of interest, i.e., brain parcellation. The approach is based on a computational technique for calculating resolution from inverse problem theory, which we apply to neighborhood selection for brain connectivity networks. This can be efficiently calculated even for very large images, and explicitly incorporates regularization in the form of spatial smoothing and a noise cutoff. We demonstrate the reproducibility of the method on multiple scans of the same subjects, as well as the variations between subjects.

MR images of mouse brain using clinical 3T MR scanner and 4CH-Mouse coil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lim, Soo Mee; Park, Eun Mi; Lyoo, In Kyoon; Lee, Junghyun; Han, Bo Mi; Lee, Jeong Kyong; Lee, Su Bin

2015-07-01

Objectives: Although small-bore high-field magnets are useful for research in small rodent models,this technology, however, has not been easily accessible to most researchers. This current study, thus,tried to evaluate the usability of 4CH-Mouse coil (Philips Healthcare, Best, the Netherlands) forpreclinical investigations in clinical 3T MR scan environment. We evaluated the effects of ischemicpreconditioning (IP) in the mouse stroke model with clinical 3T MR scanner and 4CH-Mouse coil. Materials and Methods: Experiments were performed on male C57BL/6 mice that either received the IP or sham operation (control). Three different MR sequences including diffusion weighted images (DWI), T2-weighted images (T2WI), and fluid attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) were performed on the mouse brains following 24, 72 hours of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) and analyzed for infarct lesions. Results: The images showed that the IP-treated mouse brains had significantly smaller infarct volumes compared to the control group. Of the MR sequences employed, the T2WI showed the highest level of correlations with postmortem infarct volume measurements. Conclusions: The clinical 3T MR scanner turned out to have a solid potential as a practical tool for imaging small animal brains. MR sequences including DWI, T2WI, FLAIR were obtained with acceptable resolution and in a reasonable time constraint in evaluating a mouse stroke model brain.

Final Technical Report for DOE Grant DE-FG02-08CH11515

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bernstein, Dr. Ira Mark

2012-12-31

The year 2008 resulted in 99 scans that were funded through NIH agencies. An additional 43 MRI scans were funded by industry. Over 250 scans were acquired by various investigators as pilot data to be used for future grant applications. While these numbers are modest in comparison to most busy research MRI Centers, they are in line with that of a newly established MRI research facility. The initial 12-18 months of operation were primarily dedicated to establishing new IRB approved research studies, and acquiring pilot data for future grant applications. During the year 2009 the MRI Center continued to showmore » positive growth with respect to funded studies and the number of scan sessions. The number of NIH sponsored scans increased to 242 and the number of industry funded studies climbed to 81. This more than doubled our numbers of funded scans over the previous year. In addition, 398 scans were acquired as pilot data; most of which were fMRI's. The MRI Center continued to expand with additional researchers who were interested in probing the brain's response to chronic pain. Other studies looked at regions of brain activation in patients with impulsivity disorders; including smokers. A large majority of the imaging studies were focused on the brain; however, the MRI Center continued to accommodate the needs of various types of investigators, who studied various types of human pathology. Studies of porcine cardiac function and myocardial perfusion were performed. Another study of ultra-fast acute abdominal MRI in children was underway; eventually leading to publication in AJR. These non-neuro type research projects allowed the MRI Center to expand upon the depth and breadth of service that has now become available to researchers at UVM. The UVM MRI Center became the first clinical/research site in North America to install dual radio frequency (RF) amplifiers on a 3T MRI system. The use of dual RF amplifiers helps to eliminate standing wave artifacts that are prevalent at 3T. Standing wave artifacts often rendered spine or abdominal 3T MR images to be poor quality or unreadable prior to the availability of multi-transmit. A research collaboration agreement with Philips Healthcare, Best, Netherlands allowed our site to have first use of the technology; while at the same time giving us the opportunity to provide critical feedback to Philips Healthcare about our experiences with multi-transmit. This dramatically improved image quality for 3T MRI sites across the US and the world. Philips has stationed an onsite MRI physicist at UVM to work collaboratively with researchers at the University of Vermont on various MRI related projects. He has worked collaboratively with UVM investigators toward the design and publication of several journal articles and abstracts during his time at UVM. As the MRI Center advanced through the year 2010, an additional MRI technologist and a MRI physicist were hired to accommodate the increased demand for MRI scanning and data processing expertise. This enabled us to not only expand our hours of operation; it also helped to augment our MRI pulse programming and data processing capabilities. Studies that used state-of-the-art MRI techniques like pseudo continuous arterial spin labeling (pCASL) allowed researchers from the Department of Obstetrics and Reproductive Services to obtain non-contrast brain perfusion values of women to help them to better understand the effects of preeclampsia. At year-end 2010 the MRI Center completed 303 NIH funded and 198 industry funded scans. The number of no charge pilot scans decreased to 189.« less

Association between brain activation (fMRI), cognition and school performance in extremely preterm and term born children.

PubMed

Griffiths, Silja Torvik; Aukland, Stein Magnus; Markestad, Trond; Eide, Geir Egil; Elgen, Irene; Craven, Alexander R; Hugdahl, Kenneth

2014-10-01

The purpose of the study was to investigate a possible association between brain activation in functional magnetic resonance imaging scans, cognition and school performance in extremely preterm children and term born controls. Twenty eight preterm and 28 term born children were scanned while performing a working memory/selective attention task, and school results from national standardized tests were collected. Brain activation maps reflected difference in cognitive skills but not in school performance. Differences in brain activation were found between children born preterm and at term, and between high and low performers in cognitive tests. However, the differences were located in different brain areas. The implication may be that lack of cognitive skills does not alone explain low performance due to prematurity. © 2014 Scandinavian Psychological Associations and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Ruptured intracranial dermoid: an unusual cause of headache in an older patient.

PubMed

Rajapakse, Anoja; Diack, Alison

2008-02-01

A 76-year-old woman with a history of migraine presented with worsening headache. Computerized tomography brain scan and magnetic resonance imaging brain scan showed the presence of fat globules in the cerebrospinal fluid space. This appearance was suggestive of ruptured intracranial dermoid. She recovered spontaneously. While headache is a known presentation of ruptured intracranial dermoid, the condition is unusual to present in older people.

Approaching complete inhibition of P-glycoprotein at the human blood-brain barrier: an (R)-[11C]verapamil PET study.

PubMed

Bauer, Martin; Karch, Rudolf; Zeitlinger, Markus; Philippe, Cécile; Römermann, Kerstin; Stanek, Johann; Maier-Salamon, Alexandra; Wadsak, Wolfgang; Jäger, Walter; Hacker, Marcus; Müller, Markus; Langer, Oliver

2015-05-01

As P-glycoprotein (Pgp) inhibition at the blood-brain barrier (BBB) after administration of a single dose of tariquidar is transient, we performed positron emission tomography (PET) scans with the Pgp substrate (R)-[(11)C]verapamil in five healthy volunteers during continuous intravenous tariquidar infusion. Total distribution volume (VT) of (R)-[(11)C]verapamil in whole-brain gray matter increased by 273 ± 78% relative to baseline scans without tariquidar, which was higher than previously reported VT increases. During tariquidar infusion whole-brain VT was comparable to VT in the pituitary gland, a region not protected by the BBB, which suggested that we were approaching complete Pgp inhibition at the human BBB.

FIB/SEM technology and Alzheimer's disease: three-dimensional analysis of human cortical synapses.

PubMed

Blazquez-Llorca, Lidia; Merchán-Pérez, Ángel; Rodríguez, José-Rodrigo; Gascón, Jorge; DeFelipe, Javier

2013-01-01

The quantification and measurement of synapses is a major goal in the study of brain organization in both health and disease. Serial section electron microscopy (EM) is the ideal method since it permits the direct quantification of crucial features such as the number of synapses per unit volume or the distribution and size of synapses. However, a major limitation is that obtaining long series of ultrathin sections is extremely time-consuming and difficult. Consequently, quantitative EM studies are scarce and the most common method employed to estimate synaptic density in the human brain is indirect, by counting at the light microscopic level immunoreactive puncta using synaptic markers. The recent development of automatic EM methods in experimental animals, such as the combination of focused ion beam milling and scanning electron microscopy (FIB/SEM), are opening new avenues. Here we explored the utility of FIB/SEM to examine the cerebral cortex of Alzheimer's disease patients. We found that FIB/SEM is an excellent tool to study in detail the ultrastructure and alterations of the synaptic organization of the human brain. Using this technology, it is possible to reconstruct different types of plaques and the surrounding neuropil to find new aspects of the pathological process associated with the disease, namely; to count the exact number and types of synapses in different regions of the plaques, to study the spatial distribution of synapses, and to analyze the morphology and nature of the various types of dystrophic neurites and amyloid deposits.

Brain-Based Learning. Research Brief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walker, Karen

2005-01-01

What does brain-based research say about how adolescents learn? The 1990s was declared as the Decade of the Brain by President Bush and Congress. With the advancement of MRIs (Magnetic Resonance Imagining) and PET (positron emission tomography) scans, it has become much easier to study live healthy brains. As a result, the concept of…

Management of brain metastasis in a patient with advanced epithelial ovarian carcinoma by gamma-knife radiosurgery.

PubMed

Nikolaoul, Marinos; Stamenković, Srdjan; Stergiou, Christos; Skarleas, Christos; Torrens, Michael

2015-01-01

Brain metastases from epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) are rare events. We present a rare case of single ovarian cancer metastasis to the brain treated with gamma-knife radiosurgery (GKRS). A 65-year-old woman with advanced EOC presented with severe neurologic symptoms. A single brain metastasis of 3.2 cm with surrounding edema in the left parietal lobe was detected by brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan during the work-up. The decision to perform GKRS was due to a surgical inaccessibility of intracranial lesion. Twelve weeks after the procedure, the MRI scan showed reduction in the diameter of brain metastasis and surrounding edema and the patient returned to good mental and motor performance.The patient survived for 22 months following treatment and died from a progressive intra-abdominal disease. Prognosis of ovarian cancer patients with brain metastases is generally poor regardless of treatment. Our case shows that GKRS as primary treatment modality for the control of ovarian cancer metastases to the brain was effective and can be considered as a treatment of choice if international selection criteria are followed.

Use of Video Goggles to Distract Patients During PET/CT Studies of School-Aged Children.

PubMed

Gelfand, Michael J; Harris, Jennifer M; Rich, Amanda C; Kist, Chelsea S

2016-12-01

This study was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of video goggles in distracting children undergoing PET/CT and to determine whether the goggles create CT and PET artifacts. Video goggles with small amounts of internal radioopaque material were used. During whole-body PET/CT imaging, 30 nonsedated patients aged 4-13 y watched videos of their choice using the goggles. Fifteen of the PET/CT studies were performed on a scanner installed in 2006, and the other 15 were performed on a scanner installed in 2013. The fused scans were reviewed for evidence of head movement, and the individual PET and CT scans of the head were reviewed for the presence and severity of streak artifact. The CT exposure settings were recorded for each scan at the anatomic level at which the goggles were worn. Only one of the 30 scans had evidence of significant head motion. Two of the 30 had minor coregistration problems due to motion, and 27 of the 30 had very good to excellent coregistration. For the 2006 scanner, 2 of the 14 evaluable localization CT scans of the head demonstrated no streak artifact in brain tissue, 6 of the 14 had mild streak artifact in brain tissue, and 6 of the 14 had moderate streak artifact in brain tissue. Mild streak artifact in bone was noted in 2 of the 14 studies. For the 2013 scanner, 7 of 15 studies had mild streak artifact in brain tissue and 8 of 15 had no streak artifact in brain tissue, whereas none of the 15 had streak artifact in bone. There were no artifacts attributable to the goggles on the 18 F-FDG PET brain images of any of the 29 evaluable studies. The average CT exposure parameters at the level of the orbits were 36% lower on the 2013 scanner than on the 2006 scanner. Video goggles may be used successfully to distract children undergoing PET with localization CT. The goggles cause no significant degradation of the PET brain images or the CT skull images. The degree of artifact on brain tissue images varies from none to moderate and depends on the CT equipment used. © 2016 by the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Inc.

The Healthy Brain Network Serial Scanning Initiative: a resource for evaluating inter-individual differences and their reliabilities across scan conditions and sessions

PubMed Central

O’Connor, David; Potler, Natan Vega; Kovacs, Meagan; Xu, Ting; Ai, Lei; Pellman, John; Vanderwal, Tamara; Parra, Lucas C.; Cohen, Samantha; Ghosh, Satrajit; Escalera, Jasmine; Grant-Villegas, Natalie; Osman, Yael; Bui, Anastasia; Craddock, R. Cameron

2017-01-01

Abstract Background: Although typically measured during the resting state, a growing literature is illustrating the ability to map intrinsic connectivity with functional MRI during task and naturalistic viewing conditions. These paradigms are drawing excitement due to their greater tolerability in clinical and developing populations and because they enable a wider range of analyses (e.g., inter-subject correlations). To be clinically useful, the test-retest reliability of connectivity measured during these paradigms needs to be established. This resource provides data for evaluating test-retest reliability for full-brain connectivity patterns detected during each of four scan conditions that differ with respect to level of engagement (rest, abstract animations, movie clips, flanker task). Data are provided for 13 participants, each scanned in 12 sessions with 10 minutes for each scan of the four conditions. Diffusion kurtosis imaging data was also obtained at each session. Findings: Technical validation and demonstrative reliability analyses were carried out at the connection-level using the Intraclass Correlation Coefficient and at network-level representations of the data using the Image Intraclass Correlation Coefficient. Variation in intrinsic functional connectivity across sessions was generally found to be greater than that attributable to scan condition. Between-condition reliability was generally high, particularly for the frontoparietal and default networks. Between-session reliabilities obtained separately for the different scan conditions were comparable, though notably lower than between-condition reliabilities. Conclusions: This resource provides a test-bed for quantifying the reliability of connectivity indices across subjects, conditions and time. The resource can be used to compare and optimize different frameworks for measuring connectivity and data collection parameters such as scan length. Additionally, investigators can explore the unique perspectives of the brain's functional architecture offered by each of the scan conditions. PMID:28369458

First trimester size charts of embryonic brain structures.

PubMed

Gijtenbeek, M; Bogers, H; Groenenberg, I A L; Exalto, N; Willemsen, S P; Steegers, E A P; Eilers, P H C; Steegers-Theunissen, R P M

2014-02-01

Can reliable size charts of human embryonic brain structures be created from three-dimensional ultrasound (3D-US) visualizations? Reliable size charts of human embryonic brain structures can be created from high-quality images. Previous studies on the visualization of both the cavities and the walls of the brain compartments were performed using 2D-US, 3D-US or invasive intrauterine sonography. However, the walls of the diencephalon, mesencephalon and telencephalon have not been measured non-invasively before. Last-decade improvements in transvaginal ultrasound techniques allow a better visualization and offer the tools to measure these human embryonic brain structures with precision. This study is embedded in a prospective periconceptional cohort study. A total of 141 pregnancies were included before the sixth week of gestation and were monitored until delivery to assess complications and adverse outcomes. For the analysis of embryonic growth, 596 3D-US scans encompassing the entire embryo were obtained from 106 singleton non-malformed live birth pregnancies between 7(+0) and 12(+6) weeks' gestational age (GA). Using 4D View (3D software) the measured embryonic brain structures comprised thickness of the diencephalon, mesencephalon and telencephalon, and the total diameter of the diencephalon and mesencephalon. Of 596 3D scans, 161 (27%) high-quality scans of 79 pregnancies were eligible for analysis. The reliability of all embryonic brain structure measurements, based on the intra-class correlation coefficients (ICCs) (all above 0.98), was excellent. Bland-Altman plots showed moderate agreement for measurements of the telencephalon, but for all other measurements the agreement was good. Size charts were constructed according to crown-rump length (CRL). The percentage of high-quality scans suitable for analysis of these brain structures was low (27%).  The size charts of human embryonic brain structures can be used to study normal and abnormal development of brain development in future. Also, the effects of periconceptional maternal exposures, such as folic acid supplement use and smoking, on human embryonic brain development can be a topic of future research. This study was supported by the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of the Erasmus University Medical Center. M.G. was supported by an additional grant from the Sophia Foundation for Medical Research (SSWO grant number 644). No competing interests are declared.

Increased frequency of brain pathology in inmates of a high-security forensic institution: a qualitative CT and MRI scan study.

PubMed

Witzel, Joachim G; Bogerts, Bernhard; Schiltz, Kolja

2016-09-01

This study aimed to assess whether brain pathology might be more abundant in forensic inpatients in a high-security setting than in non-criminal individuals. By using a previously used reliable approach, we explored the frequency and extent of brain pathology in a large group of institutionalized offenders who had not previously been considered to be suffering from structural brain damage and compare it to healthy, non-offending subjects. MRI and CT brain scans from 148 male inpatients of a high-security mental health institution (offense type: 51 sex, 80 violent, 9 arson, and 8 nonviolent) that were obtained due to headache, vertigo, or psychological complaints during imprisonment were assessed and compared to 52 non-criminal healthy controls. Brain scans were assessed qualitatively with respect to evidence of structural brain damage. Each case received a semiquantitative rating of "normal" (=0), "questionably abnormal" (=1), or "definitely abnormal" (=2) for the lateral ventricles, frontal/parietal cortex, and medial temporal structures bilaterally as well as third ventricle. Forensic inpatients displayed signs of brain damage to a significantly higher degree than healthy controls (p < 0.001). Even after adjustment for age, in the patients, being younger than the controls (p < 0.05), every offender type group displayed a higher proportion of subjects with brain regions categorized as definitely abnormal than the non-criminal controls. Within the forensic inpatients, offense type groups did not significantly differ in brain pathology. The astonishingly high prevalence of brain pathology in institutionalized inmates of a high-security mental health institution who previously had not been considered to be suffering from an organic brain syndrome raises questions on whether such neuroradiological assessment might be considered as a routine procedure in newly admitted patients. Furthermore, it highlights that organic changes, detectable under clinical routine conditions, may play a role in the development of legally relevant behavioral disturbances which might be underestimated.

A preliminary study into the sensitivity of disease activity detection by serial weekly magnetic resonance imaging in multiple sclerosis.

PubMed Central

Lai, M; Hodgson, T; Gawne-Cain, M; Webb, S; MacManus, D; McDonald, W I; Thompson, A J; Miller, D H

1996-01-01

Long TR and gadolinium enhanced spin echo brain MRI was performed weekly for three months in three patients with relapsing-remitting or secondary progressive multiple sclerosis. During the study, 38 new enhancing lesions were seen; 11 showed enhancement for less than four weeks, and two enhanced on only one scan. All 16 new lesions seen on long TR scans showed initial enhancement. When only every fourth (monthly) scan was analysed, a total of 33 new enhancing lesions were seen. Subject to confirmation in a larger cohort, the results suggest: (a) that blood brain barrier leakage is an invariable event in new lesion development in relapsing-remitting and secondary progressive multiple sclerosis; (b) the small increase in sensitivity of weekly scanning does not justify its use in preference to monthly scanning when monitoring treatments. Images PMID:8609517

Density Resolution Artifacts Encountered When Scanning Infant Heads With X-Ray Computed Tomography (CT)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thompson, Joseph R.; M oore, Robert J.; Hinshaw, David B.; Hasso, Anton N.

1982-12-01

Density resolution the accuracy of CT numbers) is generally recognized by radiologists w'ao interpret Children's, CT to be very poor. A CT scanning phantom was made. in order to document the brain attenuation inaccuracies which do occur and also to derive normal brain attenuation values for varying sized heads, given. the skull diameters and thicknesses. In scanning' this phantom, other factors, some of equal importance, to small head size, were found to affect the Hounsfield numbers of brain. The phantom was scanned in order to determine the magnitude of these specific factors, using the GE 8800 model scanner. After head size (412 to 25, H), the variables of the head support (up to 15 H) and centering within the field of view (6-23 H) were of similar importance, for small heads. Kilovoltage, software, and machine drift were less, important, although only kVp settings, of 105 and 120 were employed. Manufacturers may improve CT number accuracy if they recognize the relative, magnitude of the various factors which alter measured attenuation.

Regional CBF in chronic stable TBI treated with hyperbaric oxygen.

PubMed

Barrett, K F; Masel, B; Patterson, J; Scheibel, R S; Corson, K P; Mader, J T

2004-01-01

To investigate whether Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBO2) could improve neurologic deficits and regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in chronic traumatic brain injuries (TBI), the authors employed a nonrandomized control pilot trial. Five subjects, at least three years post head injury, received HBO2. Five head injured controls (HIC) were matched for age, sex, and type of injury. Five healthy subjects served as normal controls. Sixty-eight normal volunteers comprised a reference data bank against which to compare SPECT brain scans. HBO2 subjects received 120 HBO2 in blocks of 80 and 40 treatments with an interval five-month break. Normal controls underwent a single SPECT brain scan, HBO2, and repeat SPECT battery. TBI subjects were evaluated by neurologic, neuropsychometric, exercise testing, and pre and post study MRIs, or CT scans if MRI was contraindicated. Statistical Parametric Mapping was applied to SPECT scans for rCBF analysis. There were no significant objective changes in neurologic, neuropsychometric, exercise testing, MRIs, or rCBF. In this small pilot study, HBO2 did not effect clinical or regional cerebral blood flow improvement in TBI subjects.

Indications of Brain Computed Tomography Scan in Children Younger Than 3 Years of Age with Minor Head Trauma

PubMed Central

Gülşen, İsmail; Ak, Hakan; Karadaş, Sevdegül; Demır, İsmail; Bulut, Mehmet Deniz; Yaycioğlu, Soner

2014-01-01

Objective. To investigate the indications to receive brain computed tomography (CT) scan and to define the pathological findings in children younger than three years of age with minor head trauma in emergency departments. Methods. In this study, hospital case notes of 1350 children attending the emergency department of Bitlis State Hospital between January 2011 and June 2013 were retrospectively reviewed. 508 children under 3 years of age with minor head trauma were included in this study. We also asked 37 physicians about the indications for requiring CT in these children. Results. This study included 508 children, 233 (45,9%) of whom were female and 275 were male. In 476 (93,7%) children, the brain CT was completely normal. 89,2% of physicians asked in the emergency department during that time interval reported that they requested CT scan to protect themselves against malpractice litigation. Conclusion. In infants and children with minor head trauma, most CT scans were unnecessary and the fear of malpractice litigation of physicians was the most common reason for requesting a CT. PMID:24724031

Gestational Age and Neonatal Brain Microstructure in Term Born Infants: A Birth Cohort Study

PubMed Central

Broekman, Birit F. P.; Wang, Changqing; Li, Yue; Rifkin-Graboi, Anne; Saw, Seang Mei; Chong, Yap-Seng; Kwek, Kenneth; Gluckman, Peter D.; Fortier, Marielle V.; Meaney, Michael J.; Qiu, Anqi

2014-01-01

Objective Understanding healthy brain development in utero is crucial in order to detect abnormal developmental trajectories due to developmental disorders. However, in most studies neuroimaging was done after a significant postnatal period, and in those studies that performed neuroimaging on fetuses, the quality of data has been affected due to complications of scanning during pregnancy. To understand healthy brain development between 37–41 weeks of gestational age, our study assessed the in utero growth of the brain in healthy term born babies with DTI scanning soon after birth. Methods A cohort of 93 infants recruited from maternity hospitals in Singapore underwent diffusion tensor imaging between 5 to 17 days after birth. We did a cross-sectional examination of white matter microstructure of the brain among healthy term infants as a function of gestational age via voxel-based analysis on fractional anisotropy. Results Greater gestational age at birth in term infants was associated with larger fractional anisotropy values in early developing brain regions, when corrected for age at scan. Specifically, it was associated with a cluster located at the corpus callosum (corrected p<0.001), as well as another cluster spanning areas of the anterior corona radiata, anterior limb of internal capsule, and external capsule (corrected p<0.001). Conclusions Our findings show variation in brain maturation associated with gestational age amongst ‘term’ infants, with increased brain maturation when born with a relatively higher gestational age in comparison to those infants born with a relatively younger gestational age. Future studies should explore if these differences in brain maturation between 37 and 41 weeks of gestational age will persist over time due to development outside the womb. PMID:25535959

Genome-wide scan of healthy human connectome discovers SPON1 gene variant influencing dementia severity.

PubMed

Jahanshad, Neda; Rajagopalan, Priya; Hua, Xue; Hibar, Derrek P; Nir, Talia M; Toga, Arthur W; Jack, Clifford R; Saykin, Andrew J; Green, Robert C; Weiner, Michael W; Medland, Sarah E; Montgomery, Grant W; Hansell, Narelle K; McMahon, Katie L; de Zubicaray, Greig I; Martin, Nicholas G; Wright, Margaret J; Thompson, Paul M

2013-03-19

Aberrant connectivity is implicated in many neurological and psychiatric disorders, including Alzheimer's disease and schizophrenia. However, other than a few disease-associated candidate genes, we know little about the degree to which genetics play a role in the brain networks; we know even less about specific genes that influence brain connections. Twin and family-based studies can generate estimates of overall genetic influences on a trait, but genome-wide association scans (GWASs) can screen the genome for specific variants influencing the brain or risk for disease. To identify the heritability of various brain connections, we scanned healthy young adult twins with high-field, high-angular resolution diffusion MRI. We adapted GWASs to screen the brain's connectivity pattern, allowing us to discover genetic variants that affect the human brain's wiring. The association of connectivity with the SPON1 variant at rs2618516 on chromosome 11 (11p15.2) reached connectome-wide, genome-wide significance after stringent statistical corrections were enforced, and it was replicated in an independent subsample. rs2618516 was shown to affect brain structure in an elderly population with varying degrees of dementia. Older people who carried the connectivity variant had significantly milder clinical dementia scores and lower risk of Alzheimer's disease. As a posthoc analysis, we conducted GWASs on several organizational and topological network measures derived from the matrices to discover variants in and around genes associated with autism (MACROD2), development (NEDD4), and mental retardation (UBE2A) significantly associated with connectivity. Connectome-wide, genome-wide screening offers substantial promise to discover genes affecting brain connectivity and risk for brain diseases.

Cognition and the Brain

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-05-25

by a by the distinctions between short-term and long-term sensory event. As evidence they shom that %khen the ISI memory ’. episodic , semantic and...Patterson. J.V. and Starr. A. I 19S9a) ams .1 function of variations in semantic citaceori,’itions. In: D. Brain potentials in a memory scanning task. 1...number) FIELD GROUP SUB-GROUP L ocalization of cognitive processes; alpha-band suppression; memory scanning for tones; silent speech; visual image

Brain abnormalities detected on magnetic resonance imaging of amphetamine users presenting to an emergency department: a pilot study.

PubMed

Fatovich, Daniel M; McCoubrie, David L; Song, Swithin J; Rosen, David M; Lawn, Nick D; Daly, Frank F

2010-09-06

To determine the prevalence of occult brain abnormalities in magnetic resonance imaging of active amphetamine users. Prospective convenience study in a tertiary hospital emergency department (ED). Patients presenting to the ED for an amphetamine-related reason were eligible for inclusion. We collected demographic data, drug use data, and performed a mini-mental state examination (MMSE). The proportion of patients with an abnormality on their MRI scan. Of 38 patients enrolled, 30 had MRI scans. Nineteen were male and their mean age was 26.7 +/- 5.4 years (range 19-41 years). The mean age of first amphetamine use was 18 years (range 13-26 years). Sixteen patients used crystal methamphetamine (mean amount 2.5 g/week), nine used amphetamine ("speed") (mean amount 2.9 g/week), and 23 used ecstasy (mean amount 2.3 tablets/week). Marijuana was smoked by 26 (mean amount 5.9 g/week), and 28 drank alcohol (mean amount 207 g/week). The median MMSE score was 27/30 (interquartile range, 26-29). Abnormalities on brain MRI scans were identified in six patients, most commonly an unidentified bright object (n = 4). In this pilot study of brain MRI of young people attending the ED with an amphetamine-related presentation, one in five had an occult brain lesion. While the significance of this is uncertain, it is congruent with evidence that amphetamines cause brain injury.

TH-A-BRF-09: Integration of High-Resolution MRSI Into Glioblastoma Treatment Planning

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schreibmann, E; Cordova, J; Shu, H

2014-06-15

Purpose: Identification of a metabolite signature that shows significant tumor cell infiltration into normal brain in regions that do not appear abnormal on standard MRI scans would be extremely useful for radiation oncologists to choose optimal regions of brain to treat, and to quantify response beyond the MacDonald criteria. We report on integration of high-resolution magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (HR-MRSI) with radiation dose escalation treatment planning to define and target regions at high risk for recurrence. Methods: We propose to supplement standard MRI with a special technique performed on an MRI scanner to measure the metabolite levels within defined volumes.more » Metabolite imaging was acquired using an advanced MRSI technique combining 3D echo-planar spectroscopic imaging (EPSI) with parallel acquisition (GRAPPA) using a multichannel head coil that allows acquisition of whole brain metabolite maps with 108 μl resolution in 12 minutes implemented on a 3T MR scanner. Elevation in the ratio of two metabolites, choline (Cho, elevated in proliferating high-grade gliomas) and N-acetyl aspartate (NAA, a normal neuronal metabolite), was used to image infiltrating high-grade glioma cells in vivo. Results: The metabolite images were co-registered with standard contrast-enhanced T1-weighted MR images using in-house registration software and imported into the treatment-planning system. Regions with tumor infiltration are identified on the metabolic images and used to create adaptive IMRT plans that deliver a standard dose of 60 Gy to the standard target volume and an escalated dose of 75 Gy (or higher) to the most suspicious regions, identified as areas with elevated Cho/NAA ratio. Conclusion: We have implemented a state-of-the-art HR-MRSI technology that can generate metabolite maps of the entire brain in a clinically acceptable scan time, coupled with introduction of an imaging co-registration/ analysis program that combines MRSI data with standard imaging studies in a clinically useful fashion.« less

Use of radiologic modalities in coccidioidal meningitis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Stadalnik, R.C.; Goldstein, E.; Hoeprich, P.D.

1981-01-01

The diagnostic utility of pentetate indium trisodium CSF studies, technetium Tc 99m brain scans, and computerized tomographic (CT) scans was evaluated in eight patients in whom coccidioidal meningitis developed following a dust storm in the Central Valley of California. The 111In flow studies and the CT scans demonstrated hydrocephalus in five patients with clinical findings suggesting this complication. Ventriculitis has not previously been diagnosed before death in patients with coccidioidal meningitis; however, it was demonstrated in two patients by the technetium Tc 99m brain scan. The finding that communicating hydrocephalus occurs early in meningitis and interferes with CSF flow intomore » infected basilar regions has important therapeutic implications in that antifungal agents injected into the lumbar subarachnoid space may not reach these regions.« less

Investigating the Intersession Reliability of Dynamic Brain-State Properties.

PubMed

Smith, Derek M; Zhao, Yrian; Keilholz, Shella D; Schumacher, Eric H

2018-06-01

Dynamic functional connectivity metrics have much to offer to the neuroscience of individual differences of cognition. Yet, despite the recent expansion in dynamic connectivity research, limited resources have been devoted to the study of the reliability of these connectivity measures. To address this, resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data from 100 Human Connectome Project subjects were compared across 2 scan days. Brain states (i.e., patterns of coactivity across regions) were identified by classifying each time frame using k means clustering. This was done with and without global signal regression (GSR). Multiple gauges of reliability indicated consistency in the brain-state properties across days and GSR attenuated the reliability of the brain states. Changes in the brain-state properties across the course of the scan were investigated as well. The results demonstrate that summary metrics describing the clustering of individual time frames have adequate test/retest reliability, and thus, these patterns of brain activation may hold promise for individual-difference research.

Mobile 3D laser scanning technology application in the surveying of urban underground rail transit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Youmei; Yang, Bogang; Zhen, Yinan

2016-11-01

Mobile 3D laser scanning technology is one hot kind of digital earth technology. 3D completion surveying is relative new concept in surveying and mapping. A kind of mobile 3D laser scanning system was developed for the urban underground rail 3D completion surveying. According to the characteristics of underground rail environment and the characters of the mobile laser scanning system, it designed a suitable test scheme to improving the accuracy of this kind of mobile laser scanning system when it worked under no GPS signal environment. Then it completed the application of this technology in the No.15 rail 3D completion surveying. Meanwhile a set of production process was made for the 3D completion surveying based on this kind of mobile 3D laser scanning technology. These products were also proved the efficiency of the new technology in the rail 3D completion surveying. Using mobile 3D laser scanning technology to complete underground rail completion surveying has been the first time in China until now. It can provide a reference for 3D measurement of rail completion surveying or the 3D completion surveying of other areas.

Quiet PROPELLER MRI techniques match the quality of conventional PROPELLER brain imaging techniques.

PubMed

Corcuera-Solano, I; Doshi, A; Pawha, P S; Gui, D; Gaddipati, A; Tanenbaum, L

2015-06-01

Switching of magnetic field gradients is the primary source of acoustic noise in MR imaging. Sound pressure levels can run as high as 120 dB, capable of producing physical discomfort and at least temporary hearing loss, mandating hearing protection. New technology has made quieter techniques feasible, which range from as low as 80 dB to nearly silent. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the image quality of new commercially available quiet T2 and quiet FLAIR fast spin-echo PROPELLER acquisitions in comparison with equivalent conventional PROPELLER techniques in current day-to-day practice in imaging of the brain. Thirty-four consecutive patients were prospectively scanned with quiet T2 and quiet T2 FLAIR PROPELLER, in addition to spatial resolution-matched conventional T2 and T2 FLAIR PROPELLER imaging sequences on a clinical 1.5T MR imaging scanner. Measurement of sound pressure levels and qualitative evaluation of relative image quality was performed. Quiet T2 and quiet T2 FLAIR were comparable in image quality with conventional acquisitions, with sound levels of approximately 75 dB, a reduction in average sound pressure levels of up to 28.5 dB, with no significant trade-offs aside from longer scan times. Quiet FSE provides equivalent image quality at comfortable sound pressure levels at the cost of slightly longer scan times. The significant reduction in potentially injurious noise is particularly important in vulnerable populations such as children, the elderly, and the debilitated. Quiet techniques should be considered in these special situations for routine use in clinical practice. © 2015 by American Journal of Neuroradiology.

Detecting brain tumor in computed tomography images using Markov random fields and fuzzy C-means clustering techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdulbaqi, Hayder Saad; Jafri, Mohd Zubir Mat; Omar, Ahmad Fairuz; Mustafa, Iskandar Shahrim Bin; Abood, Loay Kadom

2015-04-01

Brain tumors, are an abnormal growth of tissues in the brain. They may arise in people of any age. They must be detected early, diagnosed accurately, monitored carefully, and treated effectively in order to optimize patient outcomes regarding both survival and quality of life. Manual segmentation of brain tumors from CT scan images is a challenging and time consuming task. Size and location accurate detection of brain tumor plays a vital role in the successful diagnosis and treatment of tumors. Brain tumor detection is considered a challenging mission in medical image processing. The aim of this paper is to introduce a scheme for tumor detection in CT scan images using two different techniques Hidden Markov Random Fields (HMRF) and Fuzzy C-means (FCM). The proposed method has been developed in this research in order to construct hybrid method between (HMRF) and threshold. These methods have been applied on 4 different patient data sets. The result of comparison among these methods shows that the proposed method gives good results for brain tissue detection, and is more robust and effective compared with (FCM) techniques.

Brain tissue volumes in the general elderly population. The Rotterdam Scan Study.

PubMed

Ikram, M Arfan; Vrooman, Henri A; Vernooij, Meike W; van der Lijn, Fedde; Hofman, Albert; van der Lugt, Aad; Niessen, Wiro J; Breteler, Monique M B

2008-06-01

We investigated how volumes of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), grey matter (GM) and white matter (WM) varied with age, sex, small vessel disease and cardiovascular risk factors in the Rotterdam Scan Study. Participants (n=490; 60-90 years) were non-demented and 51.0% had hypertension, 4.9% had diabetes mellitus, 17.8% were current smoker and 54.0% were former smoker. We segmented brain MR-images into GM, normal WM, white matter lesion (WML) and CSF. Brain infarcts were rated visually. Volumes were expressed as percentage of intra-cranial volume. With increasing age, volumes of total brain, normal WM and total WM decreased; that of GM remained unchanged; and that of WML increased, in both men and women. Excluding persons with infarcts did not alter these results. Persons with larger load of small vessel disease had smaller brain volume, especially normal WM volume. Diastolic blood pressure, diabetes mellitus and current smoking were also related to smaller brain volume. In the elderly, higher age, small vessel disease and cardiovascular risk factors are associated with smaller brain volume, especially WM volume.

The relation between persistent coma and brain ischemia after severe brain injury.

PubMed

Cheng, Quan; Jiang, Bing; Xi, Jian; Li, Zhen Yan; Liu, Jin Fang; Wang, Jun Yu

2013-12-01

To investigate the relation between brain ischemia and persistent vegetative state after severe traumatic brain injury. The 66 patients with severe brain injury were divided into two groups: The persistent coma group (coma duration ≥10 d) included 51 patients who had an admission Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) of 5-8 and were unconscious for more than 10 d. There were 15 patients in the control group, their admission GCS was 5-8, and were unconscious for less than 10 d. The brain areas, including frontal, parietal, temporal, occipital lobes and thalamus, were measured by Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT). In the first SPECT scan, multiple areas of cerebral ischemia were documented in all patients in both groups, whereas bilateral thalamic ischemia were presented in all patients in the persistent coma group and were absented in the control group. In the second SPECT scan taken during the period of analepsia, with an indication that unilateral thalamic ischemia were persisted in 28 of 41 patients in persistent coma group(28/41,68.29%). Persistent coma after severe brain injury is associated with bilateral thalamic ischemia.

Real-time landmark-based unrestrained animal tracking system for motion-corrected PET/SPECT imaging

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

J.S. Goddard; S.S. Gleason; M.J. Paulus

2003-08-01

Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and Jefferson Lab and are collaborating to develop a new high-resolution single photon emission tomography (SPECT) instrument to image unrestrained laboratory animals. This technology development will allow functional imaging studies to be performed on the animals without the use of anesthetic agents. This technology development could have eventual clinical applications for performing functional imaging studies on patients that cannot remain still (Parkinson's patients, Alzheimer's patients, small children, etc.) during a PET or SPECT scan. A key component of this new device is the position tracking apparatus. The tracking apparatus is an integral part of themore » gantry and designed to measure the spatial position of the animal at a rate of 10-15 frames per second with sub-millimeter accuracy. Initial work focuses on brain studies where anesthetic agents or physical restraint can significantly impact physiologic processes.« less

LSD-induced entropic brain activity predicts subsequent personality change.

PubMed

Lebedev, A V; Kaelen, M; Lövdén, M; Nilsson, J; Feilding, A; Nutt, D J; Carhart-Harris, R L

2016-09-01

Personality is known to be relatively stable throughout adulthood. Nevertheless, it has been shown that major life events with high personal significance, including experiences engendered by psychedelic drugs, can have an enduring impact on some core facets of personality. In the present, balanced-order, placebo-controlled study, we investigated biological predictors of post-lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) changes in personality. Nineteen healthy adults underwent resting state functional MRI scans under LSD (75µg, I.V.) and placebo (saline I.V.). The Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI-R) was completed at screening and 2 weeks after LSD/placebo. Scanning sessions consisted of three 7.5-min eyes-closed resting-state scans, one of which involved music listening. A standardized preprocessing pipeline was used to extract measures of sample entropy, which characterizes the predictability of an fMRI time-series. Mixed-effects models were used to evaluate drug-induced shifts in brain entropy and their relationship with the observed increases in the personality trait openness at the 2-week follow-up. Overall, LSD had a pronounced global effect on brain entropy, increasing it in both sensory and hierarchically higher networks across multiple time scales. These shifts predicted enduring increases in trait openness. Moreover, the predictive power of the entropy increases was greatest for the music-listening scans and when "ego-dissolution" was reported during the acute experience. These results shed new light on how LSD-induced shifts in brain dynamics and concomitant subjective experience can be predictive of lasting changes in personality. Hum Brain Mapp 37:3203-3213, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Motion‐related artifacts in structural brain images revealed with independent estimates of in‐scanner head motion

PubMed Central

Savalia, Neil K.; Agres, Phillip F.; Chan, Micaela Y.; Feczko, Eric J.; Kennedy, Kristen M.

2016-01-01

Abstract Motion‐contaminated T1‐weighted (T1w) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) results in misestimates of brain structure. Because conventional T1w scans are not collected with direct measures of head motion, a practical alternative is needed to identify potential motion‐induced bias in measures of brain anatomy. Head movements during functional MRI (fMRI) scanning of 266 healthy adults (20–89 years) were analyzed to reveal stable features of in‐scanner head motion. The magnitude of head motion increased with age and exhibited within‐participant stability across different fMRI scans. fMRI head motion was then related to measurements of both quality control (QC) and brain anatomy derived from a T1w structural image from the same scan session. A procedure was adopted to “flag” individuals exhibiting excessive head movement during fMRI or poor T1w quality rating. The flagging procedure reliably reduced the influence of head motion on estimates of gray matter thickness across the cortical surface. Moreover, T1w images from flagged participants exhibited reduced estimates of gray matter thickness and volume in comparison to age‐ and gender‐matched samples, resulting in inflated effect sizes in the relationships between regional anatomical measures and age. Gray matter thickness differences were noted in numerous regions previously reported to undergo prominent atrophy with age. Recommendations are provided for mitigating this potential confound, and highlight how the procedure may lead to more accurate measurement and comparison of anatomical features. Hum Brain Mapp 38:472–492, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. PMID:27634551

Computer aided detection of brain micro-bleeds in traumatic brain injury

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van den Heuvel, T. L. A.; Ghafoorian, M.; van der Eerden, A. W.; Goraj, B. M.; Andriessen, T. M. J. C.; ter Haar Romeny, B. M.; Platel, B.

2015-03-01

Brain micro-bleeds (BMBs) are used as surrogate markers for detecting diffuse axonal injury in traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients. The location and number of BMBs have been shown to influence the long-term outcome of TBI. To further study the importance of BMBs for prognosis, accurate localization and quantification are required. The task of annotating BMBs is laborious, complex and prone to error, resulting in a high inter- and intra-reader variability. In this paper we propose a computer-aided detection (CAD) system to automatically detect BMBs in MRI scans of moderate to severe neuro-trauma patients. Our method consists of four steps. Step one: preprocessing of the data. Both susceptibility (SWI) and T1 weighted MRI scans are used. The images are co-registered, a brain-mask is generated, the bias field is corrected, and the image intensities are normalized. Step two: initial candidates for BMBs are selected as local minima in the processed SWI scans. Step three: feature extraction. BMBs appear as round or ovoid signal hypo-intensities on SWI. Twelve features are computed to capture these properties of a BMB. Step four: Classification. To identify BMBs from the set of local minima using their features, different classifiers are trained on a database of 33 expert annotated scans and 18 healthy subjects with no BMBs. Our system uses a leave-one-out strategy to analyze its performance. With a sensitivity of 90% and 1.3 false positives per BMB, our CAD system shows superior results compared to state-of-the-art BMB detection algorithms (developed for non-trauma patients).

Restraint training for awake functional brain scanning of rodents can cause long-lasting changes in pain and stress responses

PubMed Central

Low, Lucie A.; Bauer, Lucy C.; Pitcher, Mark H.; Bushnell, M. Catherine

2016-01-01

Abstract With the increased interest in longitudinal brain imaging of awake rodents, it is important to understand both the short-term and long-term effects of restraint on sensory and emotional processing in the brain. To understand the effects of repeated restraint on pain behaviors and stress responses, we modeled a restraint protocol similar to those used to habituate rodents for magnetic resonance imaging scanning, and studied sensory sensitivity and stress hormone responses over 5 days. To uncover lasting effects of training, we also looked at responses to the formalin pain test 2 weeks later. We found that while restraint causes acute increases in the stress hormone corticosterone, it can also cause lasting reductions in nociceptive behavior in the formalin test, coupled with heightened corticosterone levels and increased activation of the “nociceptive” central nucleus of the amygdala, as seen by Fos protein expression. These results suggest that short-term repeated restraint, similar to that used to habituate rats for awake functional brain scanning, could potentially cause long-lasting changes in physiological and brain responses to pain stimuli that are stress-related, and therefore could potentially confound the functional activation patterns seen in awake rodents in response to pain stimuli. PMID:27058679

Restraint training for awake functional brain scanning of rodents can cause long-lasting changes in pain and stress responses.

PubMed

Low, Lucie A; Bauer, Lucy C; Pitcher, Mark H; Bushnell, M Catherine

2016-08-01

With the increased interest in longitudinal brain imaging of awake rodents, it is important to understand both the short-term and long-term effects of restraint on sensory and emotional processing in the brain. To understand the effects of repeated restraint on pain behaviors and stress responses, we modeled a restraint protocol similar to those used to habituate rodents for magnetic resonance imaging scanning, and studied sensory sensitivity and stress hormone responses over 5 days. To uncover lasting effects of training, we also looked at responses to the formalin pain test 2 weeks later. We found that while restraint causes acute increases in the stress hormone corticosterone, it can also cause lasting reductions in nociceptive behavior in the formalin test, coupled with heightened corticosterone levels and increased activation of the "nociceptive" central nucleus of the amygdala, as seen by Fos protein expression. These results suggest that short-term repeated restraint, similar to that used to habituate rats for awake functional brain scanning, could potentially cause long-lasting changes in physiological and brain responses to pain stimuli that are stress-related, and therefore could potentially confound the functional activation patterns seen in awake rodents in response to pain stimuli.

Brain early infarct detection using gamma correction extreme-level eliminating with weighting distribution.

PubMed

Teh, V; Sim, K S; Wong, E K

2016-11-01

According to the statistic from World Health Organization (WHO), stroke is one of the major causes of death globally. Computed tomography (CT) scan is one of the main medical diagnosis system used for diagnosis of ischemic stroke. CT scan provides brain images in Digital Imaging and Communication in Medicine (DICOM) format. The presentation of CT brain images is mainly relied on the window setting (window center and window width), which converts an image from DICOM format into normal grayscale format. Nevertheless, the ordinary window parameter could not deliver a proper contrast on CT brain images for ischemic stroke detection. In this paper, a new proposed method namely gamma correction extreme-level eliminating with weighting distribution (GCELEWD) is implemented to improve the contrast on CT brain images. GCELEWD is capable of highlighting the hypodense region for diagnosis of ischemic stroke. The performance of this new proposed technique, GCELEWD, is compared with four of the existing contrast enhancement technique such as brightness preserving bi-histogram equalization (BBHE), dualistic sub-image histogram equalization (DSIHE), extreme-level eliminating histogram equalization (ELEHE), and adaptive gamma correction with weighting distribution (AGCWD). GCELEWD shows better visualization for ischemic stroke detection and higher values with image quality assessment (IQA) module. SCANNING 38:842-856, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

MRI brain imaging.

PubMed

Skinner, Sarah

2013-11-01

General practitioners (GPs) are expected to be allowed to request MRI scans for adults for selected clinically appropriate indications from November 2013 as part of the expansion of Medicare-funded MRI services announced by the Federal Government in 2011. This article aims to give a brief overview of MRI brain imaging relevant to GPs, which will facilitate explanation of scan findings and management planning with their patients. Basic imaging techniques, common findings and terminology are presented using some illustrative case examples.

Gallium scanning in cerebral and cranial infections. [/sup 67/Ga, /sup 99m/Tc tracer techniques

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Waxman, A.D.; Siemsen, J.K.

1976-08-01

Eighteen patients with cranial or intracranial infections were studied with technetium and gallium brain scans. Seven of 18 lesions were noted with gallium and not with pertechnetate, while the reverse pattern was not seen. Brain abscesses were visualized with gallium but not with pertechnetate in two of five cases. Osteomyelitis of the skull and mastoiditis showed intense gallium uptake in all cases, while meningitis or cerebritis gave inconsistent results.

Gray matter volume is associated with rate of subsequent skill learning after a long term training intervention

PubMed Central

Sampaio-Baptista, Cassandra; Scholz, Jan; Jenkinson, Mark; Thomas, Adam G.; Filippini, Nicola; Smit, Gabrielle; Douaud, Gwenaëlle; Johansen-Berg, Heidi

2014-01-01

The ability to predict learning performance from brain imaging data has implications for selecting individuals for training or rehabilitation interventions. Here, we used structural MRI to test whether baseline variations in gray matter (GM) volume correlated with subsequent performance after a long-term training of a complex whole-body task. 44 naïve participants were scanned before undertaking daily juggling practice for 6 weeks, following either a high intensity or a low intensity training regime. To assess performance across the training period participants' practice sessions were filmed. Greater GM volume in medial occipito-parietal areas at baseline correlated with steeper learning slopes. We also tested whether practice time or performance outcomes modulated the degree of structural brain change detected between the baseline scan and additional scans performed immediately after training and following a further 4 weeks without training. Participants with better performance had higher increases in GM volume during the period following training (i.e., between scans 2 and 3) in dorsal parietal cortex and M1. When contrasting brain changes between the practice intensity groups, we did not find any straightforward effects of practice time though practice modulated the relationship between performance and GM volume change in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. These results suggest that practice time and performance modulate the degree of structural brain change evoked by long-term training regimes. PMID:24680712

Significant Artifact Reduction at 1.5T and 3T MRI by the Use of a Cochlear Implant with Removable Magnet: An Experimental Human Cadaver Study

PubMed Central

Wagner, Franca; Wimmer, Wilhelm; Leidolt, Lars; Vischer, Mattheus; Weder, Stefan; Wiest, Roland; Mantokoudis, Georgios; Caversaccio, Marco D.

2015-01-01

Objective Cochlear implants (CIs) are standard treatment for postlingually deafened individuals and prelingually deafened children. This human cadaver study evaluated diagnostic usefulness, image quality and artifacts in 1.5T and 3T magnetic resonance (MR) brain scans after CI with a removable magnet. Methods Three criteria (diagnostic usefulness, image quality, artifacts) were assessed at 1.5T and 3T in five cadaver heads with CI. The brain magnetic resonance scans were performed with and without the magnet in situ. The criteria were analyzed by two blinded neuroradiologists, with focus on image distortion and limitation of the diagnostic value of the acquired MR images. Results MR images with the magnet in situ were all compromised by artifacts caused by the CI. After removal of the magnet, MR scans showed an unequivocal artifact reduction with significant improvement of the image quality and diagnostic usefulness, both at 1.5T and 3T. Visibility of the brain stem, cerebellopontine angle, and parieto-occipital lobe ipsilateral to the CI increased significantly after magnet removal. Conclusions The results indicate the possible advantages for 1.5T and 3T MR scanning of the brain in CI carriers with removable magnets. Our findings support use of CIs with removable magnets, especially in patients with chronic intracranial pathologies. PMID:26200775

Significant Artifact Reduction at 1.5T and 3T MRI by the Use of a Cochlear Implant with Removable Magnet: An Experimental Human Cadaver Study.

PubMed

Wagner, Franca; Wimmer, Wilhelm; Leidolt, Lars; Vischer, Mattheus; Weder, Stefan; Wiest, Roland; Mantokoudis, Georgios; Caversaccio, Marco D

2015-01-01

Cochlear implants (CIs) are standard treatment for postlingually deafened individuals and prelingually deafened children. This human cadaver study evaluated diagnostic usefulness, image quality and artifacts in 1.5T and 3T magnetic resonance (MR) brain scans after CI with a removable magnet. Three criteria (diagnostic usefulness, image quality, artifacts) were assessed at 1.5T and 3T in five cadaver heads with CI. The brain magnetic resonance scans were performed with and without the magnet in situ. The criteria were analyzed by two blinded neuroradiologists, with focus on image distortion and limitation of the diagnostic value of the acquired MR images. MR images with the magnet in situ were all compromised by artifacts caused by the CI. After removal of the magnet, MR scans showed an unequivocal artifact reduction with significant improvement of the image quality and diagnostic usefulness, both at 1.5T and 3T. Visibility of the brain stem, cerebellopontine angle, and parieto-occipital lobe ipsilateral to the CI increased significantly after magnet removal. The results indicate the possible advantages for 1.5T and 3T MR scanning of the brain in CI carriers with removable magnets. Our findings support use of CIs with removable magnets, especially in patients with chronic intracranial pathologies.

Celestial and terrestrial tele-ophthalmology: a health monitoring helmet for astronaut/cosmonaut and general public use

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ansari, Rafat R.; Rovati, Luigi; Sebag, Jerry

2001-06-01

A goggles-like head-mounted device equipped with several non-invasive techniques for quantitative medical evaluation of the eye, skin, and brain is envisioned for monitoring the health of astronauts and cosmonauts during long-term space travel and exploration. Real-time non-invasive evaluation of the different structures within these organs will provide indices of the health of these organs, as well as the entire body. The techniques such as dynamic light scattering (for the early detection of cataracts to evaluate effects of cosmic radiation), corneal autofluorescence (to assess extracellular matrix biology (e.g., diabetes), optical polarization (of aqueous fluid to evaluate serum chemistry), laser Doppler velocimetry (of retinal, optic nerve, and choroidal blood flow to assess ocular as well as central nervous system blood flow), reflectometry/oximetry (for oxygen metabolism), optical coherence tomography (for retinal microstructure), and possibility scanning laser technology for intraocular imaging and scanning will be integrated into this compact device.

The Puzzle of Neuroimaging and Psychiatric Diagnosis: Technology and Nosology in an Evolving Discipline

PubMed Central

Farah, Martha J.; Gillihan, Seth J.

2013-01-01

Brain imaging provides ever more sensitive measures of structure and function relevant to human psychology and has revealed correlates for virtually every psychiatric disorder. Yet it plays no accepted role in psychiatric diagnosis beyond ruling out medical factors such as tumors or traumatic brain injuries. Why is brain imaging not used in the diagnosis of primary psychiatric disorders, such as depression, bipolar disease, schizophrenia, and ADHD? The present article addresses this question. It reviews the state of the art in psychiatric imaging, including diagnostic and other applications, and explains the nonutility of diagnostic imaging in terms of aspects of both the current state of imaging and the current nature of psychiatric nosology. The likely future path by which imaging-based diagnoses will be incorporated into psychiatry is also discussed. By reviewing one well-known attempt to use SPECT-scanning in psychiatric diagnosis, the article examines a real-world practice that illustrates several related points: the appeal of the idea of image-assisted diagnosis for physicians, patients and families, despite a lack of proven effectiveness, and the mismatch between the categories and dimensions of current nosology and those suggested by imaging. PMID:23505613

SBIR Technology Applications to Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liebrecht, Phil; Eblen, Pat; Rush, John; Tzinis, Irene

2010-01-01

This slide presentation reviews the mission of the Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) Office with particular emphasis on opportunities for technology development with SBIR companies. The SCaN office manages NASA's space communications and navigation networks: the Near Earth Network (NEN), the Space Network (SN), and the Deep Space Network (DSN). The SCaN networks nodes are shown on a world wide map and the networks are described. Two types of technologies are described: Pull technology, and Push technologies. A listing of technology themes is presented, with a discussion on Software defined Radios, Optical Communications Technology, and Lunar Lasercom Space Terminal (LLST). Other technologies that are being investigated are some Game Changing Technologies (GCT) i.e., technologies that offer the potential for improving comm. or nav. performance to the point that radical new mission objectives are possible, such as Superconducting Quantum Interference Filters, Silicon Nanowire Optical Detectors, and Auto-Configuring Cognitive Communications

Diurnal fluctuations in brain volume: Statistical analyses of MRI from large populations.

PubMed

Nakamura, Kunio; Brown, Robert A; Narayanan, Sridar; Collins, D Louis; Arnold, Douglas L

2015-09-01

We investigated fluctuations in brain volume throughout the day using statistical modeling of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) from large populations. We applied fully automated image analysis software to measure the brain parenchymal fraction (BPF), defined as the ratio of the brain parenchymal volume and intracranial volume, thus accounting for variations in head size. The MRI data came from serial scans of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients in clinical trials (n=755, 3269 scans) and from subjects participating in the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI, n=834, 6114 scans). The percent change in BPF was modeled with a linear mixed effect (LME) model, and the model was applied separately to the MS and ADNI datasets. The LME model for the MS datasets included random subject effects (intercept and slope over time) and fixed effects for the time-of-day, time from the baseline scan, and trial, which accounted for trial-related effects (for example, different inclusion criteria and imaging protocol). The model for ADNI additionally included the demographics (baseline age, sex, subject type [normal, mild cognitive impairment, or Alzheimer's disease], and interaction between subject type and time from baseline). There was a statistically significant effect of time-of-day on the BPF change in MS clinical trial datasets (-0.180 per day, that is, 0.180% of intracranial volume, p=0.019) as well as the ADNI dataset (-0.438 per day, that is, 0.438% of intracranial volume, p<0.0001), showing that the brain volume is greater in the morning. Linearly correcting the BPF values with the time-of-day reduced the required sample size to detect a 25% treatment effect (80% power and 0.05 significance level) on change in brain volume from 2 time-points over a period of 1year by 2.6%. Our results have significant implications for future brain volumetric studies, suggesting that there is a potential acquisition time bias that should be randomized or statistically controlled to account for the day-to-day brain volume fluctuations. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Larger Brains in Medication Naive High-Functioning Subjects with Pervasive Developmental Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Palmen, Saskia J. M. C.; Pol, Hilleke E. Hulshoff; Kemner, Chantal; Schnack, Hugo G.; Janssen, Joost; Kahn, Rene S.; van Engeland, Herman

2004-01-01

Background: Are brain volumes of individuals with Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) still enlarged in adolescence and adulthood, and if so, is this enlargement confined to the gray and/or the white matter and is it global or more prominent in specific brain regions. Methods: Brain MRI scans were made of 21 adolescents with PDD and 21 closely…

A Virtual Reality Visualization Tool for Neuron Tracing

PubMed Central

Usher, Will; Klacansky, Pavol; Federer, Frederick; Bremer, Peer-Timo; Knoll, Aaron; Angelucci, Alessandra; Pascucci, Valerio

2017-01-01

Tracing neurons in large-scale microscopy data is crucial to establishing a wiring diagram of the brain, which is needed to understand how neural circuits in the brain process information and generate behavior. Automatic techniques often fail for large and complex datasets, and connectomics researchers may spend weeks or months manually tracing neurons using 2D image stacks. We present a design study of a new virtual reality (VR) system, developed in collaboration with trained neuroanatomists, to trace neurons in microscope scans of the visual cortex of primates. We hypothesize that using consumer-grade VR technology to interact with neurons directly in 3D will help neuroscientists better resolve complex cases and enable them to trace neurons faster and with less physical and mental strain. We discuss both the design process and technical challenges in developing an interactive system to navigate and manipulate terabyte-sized image volumes in VR. Using a number of different datasets, we demonstrate that, compared to widely used commercial software, consumer-grade VR presents a promising alternative for scientists. PMID:28866520

Neuroimaging in mental health care: voices in translation

PubMed Central

Borgelt, Emily L.; Buchman, Daniel Z.; Illes, Judy

2012-01-01

Images of brain function, popularly called “neuroimages,” have become a mainstay of contemporary communication about neuroscience and mental health. Paralleling media coverage of neuroimaging research and the high visibility of clinics selling scans is pressure from sponsors to move basic research about brain function along the translational pathway. Indeed, neuroimaging may offer benefits to mental health care: early or tailored intervention, opportunities for education and planning, and access to resources afforded by objectification of disorder. However, risks of premature technology transfer, such as misinterpretation, misrepresentation, and increased stigmatization, could compromise patient care. The insights of stakeholder groups about neuroimaging for mental health care are a largely untapped resource of information and guidance for translational efforts. We argue that the insights of key stakeholders—including researchers, healthcare providers, patients, and families—have an essential role to play upstream in professional, critical, and ethical discourse surrounding neuroimaging in mental health. Here we integrate previously orthogonal lines of inquiry involving stakeholder research to describe the translational landscape as well as challenges on its horizon. PMID:23097640

A Virtual Radial Arm Maze for the Study of Multiple Memory Systems in a Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Environment

PubMed Central

Xu, Dongrong; Hao, Xuejun; Wang, Zhishun; Duan, Yunsuo; Liu, Feng; Marsh, Rachel; Yu, Shan; Peterson, Bradley S.

2015-01-01

An increasing number of functional brain imaging studies are employing computer-based virtual reality (VR) to study changes in brain activity during the performance of high-level psychological and cognitive tasks. We report the development of a VR radial arm maze that adapts for human use in a scanning environment with the same general experimental design of behavioral tasks as that has been used with remarkable effectiveness for the study of multiple memory systems in rodents. The software platform is independent of specific computer hardware and operating systems, as we aim to provide shared access to this technology by the research community. We hope that doing so will provide greater standardization of software platform and study paradigm that will reduce variability and improve the comparability of findings across studies. We report the details of the design and implementation of this platform and provide information for downloading of the system for demonstration and research applications. PMID:26366052

A Virtual Reality Visualization Tool for Neuron Tracing.

PubMed

Usher, Will; Klacansky, Pavol; Federer, Frederick; Bremer, Peer-Timo; Knoll, Aaron; Yarch, Jeff; Angelucci, Alessandra; Pascucci, Valerio

2018-01-01

Tracing neurons in large-scale microscopy data is crucial to establishing a wiring diagram of the brain, which is needed to understand how neural circuits in the brain process information and generate behavior. Automatic techniques often fail for large and complex datasets, and connectomics researchers may spend weeks or months manually tracing neurons using 2D image stacks. We present a design study of a new virtual reality (VR) system, developed in collaboration with trained neuroanatomists, to trace neurons in microscope scans of the visual cortex of primates. We hypothesize that using consumer-grade VR technology to interact with neurons directly in 3D will help neuroscientists better resolve complex cases and enable them to trace neurons faster and with less physical and mental strain. We discuss both the design process and technical challenges in developing an interactive system to navigate and manipulate terabyte-sized image volumes in VR. Using a number of different datasets, we demonstrate that, compared to widely used commercial software, consumer-grade VR presents a promising alternative for scientists.

Scanning fast and slow: current limitations of 3 Tesla functional MRI and future potential

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boubela, Roland N.; Kalcher, Klaudius; Nasel, Christian; Moser, Ewald

2014-02-01

Functional MRI at 3T has become a workhorse for the neurosciences, e.g., neurology, psychology, and psychiatry, enabling non-invasive investigation of brain function and connectivity. However, BOLD-based fMRI is a rather indirect measure of brain function, confounded by fluctuation related signals, e.g. head or brain motion, brain pulsation, blood flow, intermixed with susceptibility differences close or distant to the region of neuronal activity. Even though a plethora of preprocessing strategies have been published to address these confounds, their efficiency is still under discussion. In particular, physiological signal fluctuations closely related to brain supply may mask BOLD signal changes related to "true" neuronal activation. Here we explore recent technical and methodological advancements aimed at disentangling the various components, employing fast multiband vs. standard EPI, in combination with fast temporal ICA.Our preliminary results indicate that fast (TR< 0.5s) scanning may help to identify and eliminate physiologic components, increasing tSNR and functional contrast. In addition, biological variability can be studied and task performance better correlated to other measures. This should increase specificity and reliability in fMRI studies. Furthermore, physiological signal changes during scanning may then be recognized as a source of information rather than a nuisance. As we are currently still undersampling the complexity of the brain, even at a rather coarse macroscopic level, we should be very cautious in the interpretation of neuroscientific findings, in particular when comparing different groups (e.g., age, sex, medication, pathology, etc.). From a technical point of view our goal should be to sample brain activity at layer specific resolution with low TR, covering as much of the brain as possible without violating SAR limits. We hope to stimulate discussion towards a better understanding and a more quantitative use of fMRI.

Midsagittal Brain Shape Correlation with Intelligence and Cognitive Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bruner, Emiliano; Martin-Loeches, Manuel; Burgaleta, Miguel; Colom, Roberto

2011-01-01

Brain shape might influence cognitive performance because of the relationships between functions, spatial organization, and differential volumetric development of cortical areas. Here we analyze the relationships between midsagittal brain shape variation and a set of basic psychological measures. Coordinates in 2D from 102 MRI-scanned young adult…

Recent Advancement of the Molecular Diagnosis in Pediatric Brain Tumor.

PubMed

Bae, Jeong-Mo; Won, Jae-Kyung; Park, Sung-Hye

2018-05-01

Recent discoveries of brain tumor-related genes and fast advances in genomic testing technologies have led to the era of molecular diagnosis of brain tumor. Molecular profiling of brain tumor became the significant step in the diagnosis, the prediction of prognosis and the treatment of brain tumor. Because traditional molecular testing methods have limitations in time and cost for multiple gene tests, next-generation sequencing technologies are rapidly introduced into clinical practice. Targeted sequencing panels using these technologies have been developed for brain tumors. In this article, focused on pediatric brain tumor, key discoveries of brain tumor-related genes are reviewed and cancer panels used in the molecular profiling of brain tumor are discussed.

Recent Advancement of the Molecular Diagnosis in Pediatric Brain Tumor

PubMed Central

Bae, Jeong-Mo; Won, Jae-Kyung; Park, Sung-Hye

2018-01-01

Recent discoveries of brain tumor-related genes and fast advances in genomic testing technologies have led to the era of molecular diagnosis of brain tumor. Molecular profiling of brain tumor became the significant step in the diagnosis, the prediction of prognosis and the treatment of brain tumor. Because traditional molecular testing methods have limitations in time and cost for multiple gene tests, next-generation sequencing technologies are rapidly introduced into clinical practice. Targeted sequencing panels using these technologies have been developed for brain tumors. In this article, focused on pediatric brain tumor, key discoveries of brain tumor-related genes are reviewed and cancer panels used in the molecular profiling of brain tumor are discussed. PMID:29742887

Preclinical Evaluation of 18F-JNJ64349311, a Novel PET Tracer for Tau Imaging.

PubMed

Declercq, Lieven; Rombouts, Frederik; Koole, Michel; Fierens, Katleen; Mariën, Jonas; Langlois, Xavier; Andrés, José Ignacio; Schmidt, Mark; Macdonald, Gregor; Moechars, Diederik; Vanduffel, Wim; Tousseyn, Thomas; Vandenberghe, Rik; Van Laere, Koen; Verbruggen, Alfons; Bormans, Guy

2017-06-01

In this study, we have synthesized and evaluated 18 F-JNJ64349311, a tracer with high affinity for aggregated tau (inhibition constant value, 8 nM) and high (≥500×) in vitro selectivity for tau over β-amyloid, in comparison with the benchmark compound 18 F-AV1451 ( 18 F-T807) in mice, rats, and a rhesus monkey. Methods: In vitro binding characteristics were determined for Alzheimer's disease, progressive supranuclear palsy, and corticobasal degeneration patient brain tissue slices using autoradiography studies. Ex vivo biodistribution studies were performed in mice. Radiometabolites were quantified in the brain and plasma of mice and in the plasma of a rhesus monkey using high-performance liquid chromatography. Dynamic small-animal PET studies were performed in rats and a rhesus monkey to evaluate tracer pharmacokinetics in the brain. Results: Mouse biodistribution studies showed moderate initial brain uptake and rapid brain washout. Radiometabolite analyses after injection of 18 F-JNJ64349311 in mice showed the presence of a polar radiometabolite in plasma, but not in the brain. Semiquantitative autoradiography studies on postmortem tissue sections of human Alzheimer's disease brains showed highly displaceable binding to tau-rich regions. No specific binding was, however, found on human progressive supranuclear palsy and corticobasal degeneration brain slices. Small-animal PET scans of Wistar rats revealed moderate initial brain uptake (SUV, ∼1.5 at 1 min after injection) and rapid brain washout. Gradual bone uptake was, however, also observed. Blocking and displacement did not affect brain time-activity curves, suggesting no off-target specific binding of the tracer in the healthy rat brain. A small-animal PET scan of a rhesus monkey revealed moderate initial brain uptake (SUV, 1.9 at 1 min after injection) with a rapid washout. In the monkey, no bone uptake was detected during the 120-min scan. Conclusion: This biologic evaluation suggests that 18 F-JNJ64349311 is a promising tau PET tracer candidate, with a favorable pharmacokinetic profile, as compared with 18 F-AV1451. © 2017 by the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging.

Alcohol-related hospitalisations of trauma patients in Southern Taiwan: a cross-sectional study based on a trauma registry system

PubMed Central

Rau, Cheng-Shyuan; Liu, Hang-Tsung; Hsu, Shiun-Yuan; Cho, Tzu-Yu; Hsieh, Ching-Hua

2014-01-01

Objectives To provide an overview of the demographic characteristics of patients with positive blood alcohol concentration (BAC) and to investigate the performance of brain CT scans in these patients. Design Cross-sectional study. Setting Taiwan. Participants 2192 patients who had undergone a test for blood alcohol of 13 233 patients registered in the Trauma Registry System between 1 January 2009 and 31 December 2012. A BAC level of 50 mg/dL was defined as the cut-off value. Detailed information was retrieved from the patients with positive BAC (n=793) and was compared with information from those with a negative BAC (n=1399). Main outcome measures Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) and Injury Severity Score (ISS) as well as the performance and findings of obtained brain CT scans. Results Patients with positive BAC had a higher rate of face injury, but a lower GCS score, a lower rate of head and neck injury, a lower ISS and New Injury Severity Score. Alcohol use was associated with a shorter length of hospital stay (8.6 vs 11.4 days, p=0.000) in patients with an ISS of <16. Of 496 patients with positive BAC who underwent brain CT, 164 (33.1%) showed positive findings on CT scan. In contrast, of 891 patients with negative BAC who underwent brain CT, 389 (43.7%) had positive findings on CT scan. The lower percentage of positive CT scan findings in patients with positive BAC was particularly evident in patients with an ISS <16 (18.0% vs 28.8%, p=0.001). Conclusions Patients who consumed alcohol tended to have a low GCS score and injuries that were less severe. However, given the significantly low percentage of positive findings, brain CT might be overused in these patients with less severe injuries. PMID:25361838

Field Demonstration of Electro-Scan Defect Location Technology for Condition Assessment of Wastewater Collection Systems - Paper

EPA Science Inventory

A USEPA-sponsored field demonstration program was conducted to gather technically reliable cost and performance information on the electro-scan (FELL -41) pipeline condition assessment technology. Electro-scan technology can be used to estimate the magnitude and location of pote...

The Appropriate Use of Neuroimaging in the Diagnostic Work-Up of Dementia

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Diagnosis of dementia is challenging and requires both ruling out potentially treatable underlying causes and ruling in a diagnosis of dementia subtype to manage patients and suitably plan for the future. Objectives This analysis sought to determine the appropriate use of neuroimaging during the diagnostic work-up of dementia, including indications for neuroimaging and comparative accuracy of alternative technologies. Data Sources A literature search was performed using Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid MEDLINE In-Process and Other Non-Indexed Citations, Ovid Embase, the Wiley Cochrane Library, and the Centre for Reviews and Dissemination database, for studies published between 2000 and 2013. Review Methods Data on diagnostic accuracy and impact on clinical decision making were abstracted from included studies. Quality of evidence was assessed using GRADE. Results The search yielded 5,374 citations and 15 studies were included. Approximately 10% of dementia cases are potentially treatable, though less than 1% reverse partially or fully. Neither prediction rules nor clinical indications reliably select the subset of patients who will likely benefit from neuroimaging. Clinical utility is highest in ambiguous cases or where dementia may be mixed, and lowest for clinically diagnosed Alzheimer disease or clinically excluded vascular dementia. There is a lack of evidence that MRI is superior to CT in detecting a vascular component to dementia. Accuracy of structural imaging is moderate to high for discriminating different types of dementia. Limitations There was significant heterogeneity in estimates of diagnostic accuracy, which often prohibited a statistical summary of findings. The quality of data reported by studies prohibited calculation of likelihood ratios in the present analysis. No studies from primary care were found; thus, generalizability beyond tertiary care settings may be limited. Conclusions A diagnosis of reversible dementia is rare. Imaging has the most clinical utility in cases where there is potentially mixed dementia or ambiguity as to the type of dementia despite prolonged follow-up (e.g., 2 years or more). Both CT and MRI are useful for detecting a vascular component of dementia. Plain Language Summary Dementia is a devastating condition of memory loss and behaviour change that affects many Canadians, especially older adults. Diagnosis is complex because symptoms can be caused by different brain diseases, such as Alzheimer disease, and in some cases by other causes such a tumour or cerebrovascular disease. Although dementia rarely improves much, an accurate diagnosis is important because it determines the treatment a patient should receive and helps patients and families understand what the future holds. Brain imaging, using computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, may help in the diagnosis by allowing doctors to see changes in brain structure or function that explain the dementia. Unfortunately, it is not well understood which patients will most likely benefit from a brain scan and which type of scan works best to diagnose dementia. This study reviewed the published evidence about these questions. The study found that relying on specific symptoms to decide who should have a brain scan, rather than imaging all dementia patients, is unreliable and can miss some potentially treatable conditions. The study also found that scans have most value when doctors are uncertain as to the type of dementia despite monitoring the patient for a while (e.g., 2 years) or when the patient may have a combination of dementia types. Brain scans are often less helpful in the diagnosis of Alzheimer disease, and doctors can often use clinical assessment to rule out vascular dementia (another common type of dementia, related to cerebrovascular disease). The evidence also shows that MRI is not better than CT in detecting vascular dementia as a contributing cause. For Alzheimer disease, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, and clinically ambiguous dementias, both CT and MRI are highly accurate in correctly ruling out these diagnoses, but both types of scans have only low to moderate ability to correctly identify patients with any of these conditions. Importantly, the quality of the evidence available for this study was limited by considerable differences in research and analysis methods. PMID:24592296

Validation of model-based brain shift correction in neurosurgery via intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging: preliminary results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luo, Ma; Frisken, Sarah F.; Weis, Jared A.; Clements, Logan W.; Unadkat, Prashin; Thompson, Reid C.; Golby, Alexandra J.; Miga, Michael I.

2017-03-01

The quality of brain tumor resection surgery is dependent on the spatial agreement between preoperative image and intraoperative anatomy. However, brain shift compromises the aforementioned alignment. Currently, the clinical standard to monitor brain shift is intraoperative magnetic resonance (iMR). While iMR provides better understanding of brain shift, its cost and encumbrance is a consideration for medical centers. Hence, we are developing a model-based method that can be a complementary technology to address brain shift in standard resections, with resource-intensive cases as referrals for iMR facilities. Our strategy constructs a deformation `atlas' containing potential deformation solutions derived from a biomechanical model that account for variables such as cerebrospinal fluid drainage and mannitol effects. Volumetric deformation is estimated with an inverse approach that determines the optimal combinatory `atlas' solution fit to best match measured surface deformation. Accordingly, preoperative image is updated based on the computed deformation field. This study is the latest development to validate our methodology with iMR. Briefly, preoperative and intraoperative MR images of 2 patients were acquired. Homologous surface points were selected on preoperative and intraoperative scans as measurement of surface deformation and used to drive the inverse problem. To assess the model accuracy, subsurface shift of targets between preoperative and intraoperative states was measured and compared to model prediction. Considering subsurface shift above 3 mm, the proposed strategy provides an average shift correction of 59% across 2 cases. While further improvements in both the model and ability to validate with iMR are desired, the results reported are encouraging.

NASA Robotic Neurosurgery Testbed

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mah, Robert

1997-01-01

The detection of tissue interface (e.g., normal tissue, cancer, tumor) has been limited clinically to tactile feedback, temperature monitoring, and the use of a miniature ultrasound probe for tissue differentiation during surgical operations, In neurosurgery, the needle used in the standard stereotactic CT or MRI guided brain biopsy provides no information about the tissue being sampled. The tissue sampled depends entirely upon the accuracy with which the localization provided by the preoperative CT or MRI scan is translated to the intracranial biopsy site. In addition, no information about the tissue being traversed by the needle (e.g., a blood vessel) is provided. Hemorrhage due to the biopsy needle tearing a blood vessel within the brain is the most devastating complication of stereotactic CT/MRI guided brain biopsy. A robotic neurosurgery testbed has been developed at NASA Ames Research Center as a spin-off of technologies from space, aeronautics and medical programs. The invention entitled "Robotic Neurosurgery Leading to Multimodality Devices for Tissue Identification" is nearing a state ready for commercialization. The devices will: 1) improve diagnostic accuracy and precision of general surgery, with near term emphasis on stereotactic brain biopsy, 2) automate tissue identification, with near term emphasis on stereotactic brain biopsy, to permit remote control of the procedure, and 3) reduce morbidity for stereotactic brain biopsy. The commercial impact from this work is the potential development of a whole new generation of smart surgical tools to increase the safety, accuracy and efficiency of surgical procedures. Other potential markets include smart surgical tools for tumor ablation in neurosurgery, general exploratory surgery, prostate cancer surgery, and breast cancer surgery.

NASA Robotic Neurosurgery Testbed

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mah, Robert

1997-01-01

The detection of tissue interface (e.g., normal tissue, cancer, tumor) has been limited clinically to tactile feedback, temperature monitoring, and the use of a miniature ultrasound probe for tissue differentiation during surgical operations. In neurosurgery, the needle used in the standard stereotactic CT (Computational Tomography) or MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) guided brain biopsy provides no information about the tissue being sampled. The tissue sampled depends entirely upon the accuracy with which the localization provided by the preoperative CT or MRI scan is translated to the intracranial biopsy site. In addition, no information about the tissue being traversed by the needle (e.g., a blood vessel) is provided. Hemorrhage due to the biopsy needle tearing a blood vessel within the brain is the most devastating complication of stereotactic CT/MRI guided brain biopsy. A robotic neurosurgery testbed has been developed at NASA Ames Research Center as a spin-off of technologies from space, aeronautics and medical programs. The invention entitled 'Robotic Neurosurgery Leading to Multimodality Devices for Tissue Identification' is nearing a state ready for commercialization. The devices will: 1) improve diagnostic accuracy and precision of general surgery, with near term emphasis on stereotactic brain biopsy, 2) automate tissue identification, with near term emphasis on stereotactic brain biopsy, to permit remote control of the procedure, and 3) reduce morbidity for stereotactic brain biopsy. The commercial impact from this work is the potential development of a whole new generation of smart surgical tools to increase the safety, accuracy and efficiency of surgical procedures. Other potential markets include smart surgical tools for tumor ablation in neurosurgery, general exploratory surgery, prostate cancer surgery, and breast cancer surgery.

Defect scanning technology in the works

Treesearch

Philip A. Araman; R. Conners

1994-01-01

This article describes the defect scanning technology being developed by Virginia Tech and U.S. Forest Service scientists in Blacksburg, Virginia to scan full sized hardwood lumber at industrial speeds.

A high-definition fiber tracking report for patients with traumatic brain injury and their doctors.

PubMed

Chmura, Jon; Presson, Nora; Benso, Steven; Puccio, Ava M; Fissel, Katherine; Hachey, Rebecca; Braun, Emily; Okonkwo, David O; Schneider, Walter

2015-03-01

We have developed a tablet-based application, the High-Definition Fiber Tracking Report App, to enable clinicians and patients in research studies to see and understand damage from Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) by viewing 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional images of their brain, with a focus on white matter tracts with quantitative metrics. The goal is to visualize white matter fiber tract injury like bone fractures; that is, to make the "invisible wounds of TBI" understandable for patients. Using mobile computing technology (iPad), imaging data for individual patients can be downloaded remotely within hours of a magnetic resonance imaging brain scan. Clinicians and patients can view the data in the form of images of each tract, rotating animations of the tracts, 3-dimensional models, and graphics. A growing number of tracts can be examined for asymmetry, gaps in streamline coverage, reduced arborization (branching), streamline volume, and standard quantitative metrics (e.g., Fractional Anisotropy (FA)). Novice users can learn to effectively navigate and interact with the application (explain the figures and graphs representing normal and injured brain tracts) within 15 minutes of simple orientation with high accuracy (96%). The architecture supports extensive graphics, configurable reports, provides an easy-to-use, attractive interface with a smooth user experience, and allows for securely serving cases from a database. Patients and clinicians have described the application as providing dramatic benefits in understanding their TBI and improving their lives. Reprint & Copyright © 2015 Association of Military Surgeons of the U.S.

Longitudinal Regional Brain Development and Clinical Risk Factors in Extremely Preterm Infants.

PubMed

Kersbergen, Karina J; Makropoulos, Antonios; Aljabar, Paul; Groenendaal, Floris; de Vries, Linda S; Counsell, Serena J; Benders, Manon J N L

2016-11-01

To investigate third-trimester extrauterine brain growth and correlate this with clinical risk factors in the neonatal period, using serially acquired brain tissue volumes in a large, unselected cohort of extremely preterm born infants. Preterm infants (gestational age <28 weeks) underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at around 30 weeks postmenstrual age and again around term equivalent age. MRIs were segmented in 50 different regions covering the entire brain. Multivariable regression analysis was used to determine the influence of clinical variables on volumes at both scans, as well as on volumetric growth. MRIs at term equivalent age were available for 210 infants and serial data were available for 131 infants. Growth over these 10 weeks was greatest for the cerebellum, with an increase of 258%. Sex, birth weight z-score, and prolonged mechanical ventilation showed global effects on brain volumes on both scans. The effect of brain injury on ventricular size was already visible at 30 weeks, whereas growth data and volumes at term-equivalent age revealed the effect of brain injury on the cerebellum. This study provides data about third-trimester extrauterine volumetric brain growth in preterm infants. Both global and local effects of several common clinical risk factors were found to influence serial volumetric measurements, highlighting the vulnerability of the human brain, especially in the presence of brain injury, during this period. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

3D-Reconstructions and Virtual 4D-Visualization to Study Metamorphic Brain Development in the Sphinx Moth Manduca Sexta

PubMed Central

Huetteroth, Wolf; el Jundi, Basil; el Jundi, Sirri; Schachtner, Joachim

2009-01-01

During metamorphosis, the transition from the larva to the adult, the insect brain undergoes considerable remodeling: new neurons are integrated while larval neurons are remodeled or eliminated. One well acknowledged model to study metamorphic brain development is the sphinx moth Manduca sexta. To further understand mechanisms involved in the metamorphic transition of the brain we generated a 3D standard brain based on selected brain areas of adult females and 3D reconstructed the same areas during defined stages of pupal development. Selected brain areas include for example mushroom bodies, central complex, antennal- and optic lobes. With this approach we eventually want to quantify developmental changes in neuropilar architecture, but also quantify changes in the neuronal complement and monitor the development of selected neuronal populations. Furthermore, we used a modeling software (Cinema 4D) to create a virtual 4D brain, morphing through its developmental stages. Thus the didactical advantages of 3D visualization are expanded to better comprehend complex processes of neuropil formation and remodeling during development. To obtain datasets of the M. sexta brain areas, we stained whole brains with an antiserum against the synaptic vesicle protein synapsin. Such labeled brains were then scanned with a confocal laser scanning microscope and selected neuropils were reconstructed with the 3D software AMIRA 4.1. PMID:20339481

3D-Reconstructions and Virtual 4D-Visualization to Study Metamorphic Brain Development in the Sphinx Moth Manduca Sexta.

PubMed

Huetteroth, Wolf; El Jundi, Basil; El Jundi, Sirri; Schachtner, Joachim

2010-01-01

DURING METAMORPHOSIS, THE TRANSITION FROM THE LARVA TO THE ADULT, THE INSECT BRAIN UNDERGOES CONSIDERABLE REMODELING: new neurons are integrated while larval neurons are remodeled or eliminated. One well acknowledged model to study metamorphic brain development is the sphinx moth Manduca sexta. To further understand mechanisms involved in the metamorphic transition of the brain we generated a 3D standard brain based on selected brain areas of adult females and 3D reconstructed the same areas during defined stages of pupal development. Selected brain areas include for example mushroom bodies, central complex, antennal- and optic lobes. With this approach we eventually want to quantify developmental changes in neuropilar architecture, but also quantify changes in the neuronal complement and monitor the development of selected neuronal populations. Furthermore, we used a modeling software (Cinema 4D) to create a virtual 4D brain, morphing through its developmental stages. Thus the didactical advantages of 3D visualization are expanded to better comprehend complex processes of neuropil formation and remodeling during development. To obtain datasets of the M. sexta brain areas, we stained whole brains with an antiserum against the synaptic vesicle protein synapsin. Such labeled brains were then scanned with a confocal laser scanning microscope and selected neuropils were reconstructed with the 3D software AMIRA 4.1.

Towards ultrahigh resting-state functional connectivity in the mouse brain using photoacoustic microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hariri, Ali; Bely, Nicholas; Chen, Chen; Nasiriavanaki, Mohammadreza

2016-03-01

The increasing use of mouse models for human brain disease studies, coupled with the fact that existing high-resolution functional imaging modalities cannot be easily applied to mice, presents an emerging need for a new functional imaging modality. Utilizing both mechanical and optical scanning in the photoacoustic microscopy, we can image spontaneous cerebral hemodynamic fluctuations and their associated functional connections in the mouse brain. The images is going to be acquired noninvasively with a fast frame rate, a large field of view, and a high spatial resolution. We developed an optical resolution photoacoustic microscopy (OR-PAM) with diode laser. Laser light was raster scanned due to XY-stage movement. Images from ultra-high OR-PAM can then be used to study brain disorders such as stroke, Alzheimer's, schizophrenia, multiple sclerosis, autism, and epilepsy.

Sleep Variability in Adolescence is Associated with Altered Brain Development

PubMed Central

Telzer, Eva H.; Goldenberg, Diane; Fuligni, Andrew J.; Lieberman, Matthew D.; Galvan, Adriana

2015-01-01

Despite the known importance of sleep for brain development, and the sharp increase in poor sleep during adolescence, we know relatively little about how sleep impacts the developing brain. We present the first longitudinal study to examine how sleep during adolescence is associated with white matter integrity. We find that greater variability in sleep duration one year prior to a DTI scan is associated with lower white matter integrity above and beyond the effects of sleep duration, and variability in bedtime, whereas sleep variability a few months prior to the scan is not associated with white matter integrity. Thus, variability in sleep duration during adolescence may have long-term impairments on the developing brain. White matter integrity should be increasing during adolescence, and so sleep variability is directly at odds with normative developmental trends. PMID:26093368

Recent neuroimaging techniques in mild traumatic brain injury.

PubMed

Belanger, Heather G; Vanderploeg, Rodney D; Curtiss, Glenn; Warden, Deborah L

2007-01-01

Mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) is characterized by acute physiological changes that result in at least some acute cognitive difficulties and typically resolve by 3 months postinjury. Because the majority of mild TBI patients have normal structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)/computed tomography (CT) scans, there is increasing attention directed at finding objective physiological correlates of persistent cognitive and neuropsychiatric symptoms through experimental neuroimaging techniques. The authors review studies utilizing these techniques in patients with mild TBI; these techniques may provide more sensitive assessment of structural and functional abnormalities following mild TBI. Particular promise is evident with fMRI, PET, and SPECT scanning, as demonstrated by associations between brain activation and clinical outcomes.

Are there differences in brain morphometry between twins and unrelated singletons? A pediatric MRI study.

PubMed

Ordaz, S J; Lenroot, R K; Wallace, G L; Clasen, L S; Blumenthal, J D; Schmitt, J E; Giedd, J N

2010-04-01

Twins provide a unique capacity to explore relative genetic and environmental contributions to brain development, but results are applicable to non-twin populations only to the extent that twin and singleton brains are alike. A reason to suspect differences is that as a group twins are more likely than singletons to experience adverse prenatal and perinatal events that may affect brain development. We sought to assess whether this increased risk leads to differences in child or adolescent brain anatomy in twins who do not experience behavioral or neurological sequelae during the perinatal period. Brain MRI scans of 185 healthy pediatric twins (mean age = 11.0, SD = 3.6) were compared to scans of 167 age- and sex-matched unrelated singletons on brain structures measured, which included gray and white matter lobar volumes, ventricular volume, and area of the corpus callosum. There were no significant differences between groups for any structure, despite sufficient power for low type II (i.e. false negative) error. The implications of these results are twofold: (1) within this age range and for these measures, it is appropriate to include healthy twins in studies of typical brain development, and (2) findings regarding heritability of brain structures obtained from twin studies can be generalized to non-twin populations.

Estimation of Eye Lens Dose During Brain Scans Using Gafchromic Xr-QA2 Film in Various Multidetector CT Scanners.

PubMed

Akhilesh, Philomina; Kulkarni, Arti R; Jamhale, Shramika H; Sharma, S D; Kumar, Rajesh; Datta, D

2017-04-25

The purpose of this study was to estimate eye lens dose during brain scans in 16-, 64-, 128- and 256-slice multidetector computed tomography (CT) scanners in helical acquisition mode and to test the feasibility of using radiochromic film as eye lens dosemeter during CT scanning. Eye lens dose measurements were performed using Gafchromic XR-QA2 film on a polystyrene head phantom designed with outer dimensions equivalent to the head size of a reference Indian man. The response accuracy of XR-QA2 film was validated by using thermoluminescence dosemeters. The eye lens dose measured using XR-QA2 film on head phantom for plain brain scanning in helical mode ranged from 43.8 to 45.8 mGy. The XR-QA2 film measured dose values were in agreement with TLD measured dose values within a maximum variation of 8.9%. The good correlation between the two data sets confirms the viability of using XR-QA2 film for eye lens dosimetry. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Coronal in vivo forward-imaging of rat brain morphology with an ultra-small optical coherence tomography fiber probe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xie, Yijing; Bonin, Tim; Löffler, Susanne; Hüttmann, Gereon; Tronnier, Volker; Hofmann, Ulrich G.

2013-02-01

A well-established navigation method is one of the key conditions for successful brain surgery: it should be accurate, safe and online operable. Recent research shows that optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a potential solution for this application by providing a high resolution and small probe dimension. In this study a fiber-based spectral-domain OCT system utilizing a super-luminescent-diode with the center wavelength of 840 nm providing 14.5 μm axial resolution was used. A composite 125 μm diameter detecting probe with a gradient index (GRIN) fiber fused to a single mode fiber was employed. Signals were reconstructed into grayscale images by horizontally aligning A-scans from the same trajectory with different depths. The reconstructed images can display brain morphology along the entire trajectory. For scans of typical white matter, the signals showed a higher reflection of light intensity with lower penetration depth as well as a steeper attenuation rate compared to the scans typical for gray matter. Micro-structures such as axon bundles (70 μm) in the caudate nucleus are visible in the reconstructed images. This study explores the potential of OCT to be a navigation modality in brain surgery.

The cerebellar development in chinese children-a study by voxel-based volume measurement of reconstructed 3D MRI scan.

PubMed

Wu, Kuan-Hsun; Chen, Chia-Yuan; Shen, Ein-Yiao

2011-01-01

Cerebellar disorder was frequently reported to have relation with structural brain volume alteration and/or morphology change. In dealing with such clinical situations, we need a convenient and noninvasive imaging tool to provide clinicians with a means of tracing developmental changes in the cerebellum. Herein, we present a new daily practice method for cerebellum imaging that uses a work station and a software program to process reconstructed 3D neuroimages after MRI scanning. In a 3-y period, 3D neuroimages reconstructed from MRI scans of 50 children aged 0.2-12.7 y were taken. The resulting images were then statistically analyzed against a growth curve. We observed a remarkable increase in the size of the cerebellum in the first 2 y of life. Furthermore, the unmyelinated cerebellum grew mainly between birth and 2 y of age in the postnatal stage. In contrast, the postnatal development of the brain mainly depended on the growth of myelinated cerebellum from birth through adolescence. This study presents basic data from a study of ethnic Chinese children's cerebellums using reconstructed 3D brain images. Based on the technique we introduce here, clinicians can evaluate the growth of the brain.

Concussion

MedlinePlus

... symptoms. They may test your senses, balance, reflexes, memory, and thinking. In some cases, the doctor will order tests to scan your brain. These include a computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan. They take a picture of your ...

Brain PET scan

MedlinePlus

... tissues are working. Other imaging tests, such as magnetic resonance imaging ( MRI ) and computed tomography ( CT ) scans only reveal ... M, Hellwig S, Kloppel S, Weiller C. Functional neuroimaging: functional magnetic resonance imaging, positron emission tomography, and single-photon emission computed ...

Scanned focussed ultrasound hyperthermia: initial clinical results.

PubMed

Shimm, D S; Hynynen, K H; Anhalt, D P; Roemer, R B; Cassady, J R

1988-11-01

Between November 1986 and July, 1987, a preliminary study to determine the feasibility of scanned focussed ultrasound for clinical hyperthermia at various sites was conducted. Fourteen patient (17 tumors) have been treated using a microprocessor-controlled apparatus developed at the University of Arizona by modifying a commercially available diagnostic ultrasound unit. We have treated nine pelvic tumors, four extremity tumors, two brain tumors, and two extracranial head and neck tumors for a total of 42 treatments. Multipoint thermometry was achieved for all patients, with 2-25 (mean = 10) points monitored during each treatments within the scanned tumor volume. Average maximum temperature within the scanned tumor volume was 44.2, 44.7, 44.8, and 42.0 degrees C for pelvic, extremity brain, and extracranial head and neck tumors, respectively; similarly, 55%, 45%, 71%, and 0 of monitored points exceeded 42.5 degrees C. Pain limited applied power in 15 of 42 treatments, and bone pain with a periodicity similar to the scanning periodicity was seen in 11 treatments. A non-randomized comparison of temperatures achieved using scanned focussed ultrasound to those achieved using the microwave annular array and the CDRH Helix suggests that scanned focussed ultrasound may have promise and potential advantages in heating selected pelvic tumors.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Paliwal, B; Asprey, W; Yan, Y

Purpose: In order to take advantage of the high resolution soft tissue imaging available in MR images, we investigated 3D images obtained with the low field 0.35 T MR in ViewRay to serve as an alternative to CT scans for radiotherapy treatment planning. In these images, normal and target structure delineation can be visualized. Assessment is based upon comparison with the CT images and the ability to produce comparable contours. Methods: Routine radiation oncology CT scans were acquired on five patients. Contours of brain, brainstem, esophagus, heart, lungs, spinal cord, and the external body were drawn. The same five patientsmore » were then scanned on the ViewRay TrueFISP-based imaging pulse sequence. The same organs were selected on the MR images and compared to those from the CT scan. Physical volume and the Dice Similarity Coefficient (DSC) were used to assess the contours from the two systems. Image quality stability was quantitatively ensured throughout the study following the recommendations of the ACR MR accreditation procedure. Results: The highest DSC of 0.985, 0.863, and 0.843 were observed for brain, lungs, and heart respectively. On the other hand, the brainstem, spinal cord, and esophagus had the lowest DSC. Volume agreement was most satisfied for the heart (within 5%) and the brain (within 2%). Contour volume for the brainstem and lung (a widely dynamic organ) varied the most (27% and 19%). Conclusion: The DSC and volume measurements suggest that the results obtained from ViewRay images are quantitatively consistent and comparable to those obtained from CT scans for the brain, heart, and lungs. MR images from ViewRay are well-suited for treatment planning and for adaptive MRI-guided radiotherapy. The physical data from 0.35 T MR imaging is consistent with our geometrical understanding of normal structures.« less

Intensity non-uniformity correction using N3 on 3-T scanners with multichannel phased array coils

PubMed Central

Boyes, Richard G.; Gunter, Jeff L.; Frost, Chris; Janke, Andrew L.; Yeatman, Thomas; Hill, Derek L.G.; Bernstein, Matt A.; Thompson, Paul M.; Weiner, Michael W.; Schuff, Norbert; Alexander, Gene E.; Killiany, Ronald J.; DeCarli, Charles; Jack, Clifford R.; Fox, Nick C.

2008-01-01

Measures of structural brain change based on longitudinal MR imaging are increasingly important but can be degraded by intensity non-uniformity. This non-uniformity can be more pronounced at higher field strengths, or when using multichannel receiver coils. We assessed the ability of the non-parametric non-uniform intensity normalization (N3) technique to correct non-uniformity in 72 volumetric brain MR scans from the preparatory phase of the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI). Normal elderly subjects (n = 18) were scanned on different 3-T scanners with a multichannel phased array receiver coil at baseline, using magnetization prepared rapid gradient echo (MP-RAGE) and spoiled gradient echo (SPGR) pulse sequences, and again 2 weeks later. When applying N3, we used five brain masks of varying accuracy and four spline smoothing distances (d = 50, 100, 150 and 200 mm) to ascertain which combination of parameters optimally reduces the non-uniformity. We used the normalized white matter intensity variance (standard deviation/mean) to ascertain quantitatively the correction for a single scan; we used the variance of the normalized difference image to assess quantitatively the consistency of the correction over time from registered scan pairs. Our results showed statistically significant (p < 0.01) improvement in uniformity for individual scans and reduction in the normalized difference image variance when using masks that identified distinct brain tissue classes, and when using smaller spline smoothing distances (e.g., 50-100 mm) for both MP-RAGE and SPGR pulse sequences. These optimized settings may assist future large-scale studies where 3-T scanners and phased array receiver coils are used, such as ADNI, so that intensity non-uniformity does not influence the power of MR imaging to detect disease progression and the factors that influence it. PMID:18063391

[Practice guideline 'Management of patients with mild traumatic head/brain injury' in the Netherlands].

PubMed

van den Brand, Crispijn L; Rambach, A H J H Annelijn; Postma, Roelie; van de Craats, Victoria L; Lengers, Frank; Bénit, Christa P; Verbree, Femke C; Jellema, Korné

2014-01-01

To evaluate the effect of the revised practice guideline 'Management of patients with mild traumatic head/brain injury' (MHI) in the Netherlands using the number of CT scans of the cerebrum, number of hospital admissions, and the number of intracranial traumatic findings on CT scan. Retrospective before-and-after study. A structured chart review over the 3-month period considerable time after implementation of the MHI guideline (study period) was compared with the 3-month-period before its introduction (control period). Both children and adults were included. Primary outcome measures were the percentage of hospital admissions and percentage of cerebrum CT scans in patients with MHI. Secondary outcome measures were traumatic findings on CT scan, neurosurgical intervention and adherence to the guideline. During the study and control periods, respectively 1063 and 1026 patients with MHI attended the emergency department of the study centre. During the study period a CT scan was carried out in 34.2% of patients, significantly more than in the control period 18.8%; p < 0.01). The percentage of admissions also increased from 13.8% to 18.2% (p = 0.01). The differences between the two periods were mainly in adults and in children aged 6 and older. There was no significant change in traumatic intracranial findings or neurosurgical interventions. Adherence to the guideline in regard to hospitalization (81.7% guideline adherence) and CT brain imaging (88.3% guideline adherence) was reasonably high. After introduction of the current MHI guideline in the Netherlands, percentages of both hospitalization and CT of cerebrum have increased significantly. It was expected that the guideline would result in decreases of this percentages. This increase does not seem to be related to more or serious head/brain injury.

Large-scale Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy (Nanotomy) of Healthy and Injured Zebrafish Brain.

PubMed

Kuipers, Jeroen; Kalicharan, Ruby D; Wolters, Anouk H G; van Ham, Tjakko J; Giepmans, Ben N G

2016-05-25

Large-scale 2D electron microscopy (EM), or nanotomy, is the tissue-wide application of nanoscale resolution electron microscopy. Others and we previously applied large scale EM to human skin pancreatic islets, tissue culture and whole zebrafish larvae(1-7). Here we describe a universally applicable method for tissue-scale scanning EM for unbiased detection of sub-cellular and molecular features. Nanotomy was applied to investigate the healthy and a neurodegenerative zebrafish brain. Our method is based on standardized EM sample preparation protocols: Fixation with glutaraldehyde and osmium, followed by epoxy-resin embedding, ultrathin sectioning and mounting of ultrathin-sections on one-hole grids, followed by post staining with uranyl and lead. Large-scale 2D EM mosaic images are acquired using a scanning EM connected to an external large area scan generator using scanning transmission EM (STEM). Large scale EM images are typically ~ 5 - 50 G pixels in size, and best viewed using zoomable HTML files, which can be opened in any web browser, similar to online geographical HTML maps. This method can be applied to (human) tissue, cross sections of whole animals as well as tissue culture(1-5). Here, zebrafish brains were analyzed in a non-invasive neuronal ablation model. We visualize within a single dataset tissue, cellular and subcellular changes which can be quantified in various cell types including neurons and microglia, the brain's macrophages. In addition, nanotomy facilitates the correlation of EM with light microscopy (CLEM)(8) on the same tissue, as large surface areas previously imaged using fluorescent microscopy, can subsequently be subjected to large area EM, resulting in the nano-anatomy (nanotomy) of tissues. In all, nanotomy allows unbiased detection of features at EM level in a tissue-wide quantifiable manner.

Apparent Diffusion Coefficient Value Changes and Clinical Correlation in 90 Cases of Cytomegalovirus-Infected Fetuses with Unremarkable Fetal MRI Results.

PubMed

Kotovich, D; Guedalia, J S B; Hoffmann, C; Sze, G; Eisenkraft, A; Yaniv, G

2017-07-01

Cytomegalovirus is the leading intrauterine infection. Fetal MR imaging is an accepted tool for fetal brain evaluation, yet it still lacks the ability to accurately predict the extent of the neurodevelopmental impairment, especially in fetal MR imaging scans with unremarkable findings. Our hypothesis was that intrauterine cytomegalovirus infection causes diffusional changes in fetal brains and that those changes may correlate with the severity of neurodevelopmental deficiencies. A retrospective analysis was performed on 90 fetal MR imaging scans of cytomegalovirus-infected fetuses with unremarkable results and compared with a matched gestational age control group of 68 fetal head MR imaging scans. ADC values were measured and averaged in the frontal, parietal, occipital, and temporal lobes; basal ganglia; thalamus; and pons. For neurocognitive assessment, the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales, Second Edition (VABS-II) was used on 58 children in the cytomegalovirus-infected group. ADC values were reduced for the cytomegalovirus-infected fetuses in most brain areas studied. The VABS-II showed no trend for the major domains or the composite score of the VABS-II for the cytomegalovirus-infected children compared with the healthy population distribution. Some subdomains showed an association between ADC values and VABS-II scores. Cytomegalovirus infection causes diffuse reduction in ADC values in the fetal brain even in unremarkable fetal MR imaging scans. Cytomegalovirus-infected children with unremarkable fetal MR imaging scans do not deviate from the healthy population in the VABS-II neurocognitive assessment. ADC values were not correlated with VABS-II scores. However, the lack of clinical findings, as seen in most cytomegalovirus-infected fetuses, does not eliminate the possibility of future neurodevelopmental pathology. © 2017 by American Journal of Neuroradiology.

Large-scale Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy (Nanotomy) of Healthy and Injured Zebrafish Brain

PubMed Central

Kuipers, Jeroen; Kalicharan, Ruby D.; Wolters, Anouk H. G.

2016-01-01

Large-scale 2D electron microscopy (EM), or nanotomy, is the tissue-wide application of nanoscale resolution electron microscopy. Others and we previously applied large scale EM to human skin pancreatic islets, tissue culture and whole zebrafish larvae1-7. Here we describe a universally applicable method for tissue-scale scanning EM for unbiased detection of sub-cellular and molecular features. Nanotomy was applied to investigate the healthy and a neurodegenerative zebrafish brain. Our method is based on standardized EM sample preparation protocols: Fixation with glutaraldehyde and osmium, followed by epoxy-resin embedding, ultrathin sectioning and mounting of ultrathin-sections on one-hole grids, followed by post staining with uranyl and lead. Large-scale 2D EM mosaic images are acquired using a scanning EM connected to an external large area scan generator using scanning transmission EM (STEM). Large scale EM images are typically ~ 5 - 50 G pixels in size, and best viewed using zoomable HTML files, which can be opened in any web browser, similar to online geographical HTML maps. This method can be applied to (human) tissue, cross sections of whole animals as well as tissue culture1-5. Here, zebrafish brains were analyzed in a non-invasive neuronal ablation model. We visualize within a single dataset tissue, cellular and subcellular changes which can be quantified in various cell types including neurons and microglia, the brain's macrophages. In addition, nanotomy facilitates the correlation of EM with light microscopy (CLEM)8 on the same tissue, as large surface areas previously imaged using fluorescent microscopy, can subsequently be subjected to large area EM, resulting in the nano-anatomy (nanotomy) of tissues. In all, nanotomy allows unbiased detection of features at EM level in a tissue-wide quantifiable manner. PMID:27285162

Markerless rat head motion tracking using structured light for brain PET imaging of unrestrained awake small animals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miranda, Alan; Staelens, Steven; Stroobants, Sigrid; Verhaeghe, Jeroen

2017-03-01

Preclinical positron emission tomography (PET) imaging in small animals is generally performed under anesthesia to immobilize the animal during scanning. More recently, for rat brain PET studies, methods to perform scans of unrestrained awake rats are being developed in order to avoid the unwanted effects of anesthesia on the brain response. Here, we investigate the use of a projected structure stereo camera to track the motion of the rat head during the PET scan. The motion information is then used to correct the PET data. The stereo camera calculates a 3D point cloud representation of the scene and the tracking is performed by point cloud matching using the iterative closest point algorithm. The main advantage of the proposed motion tracking is that no intervention, e.g. for marker attachment, is needed. A manually moved microDerenzo phantom experiment and 3 awake rat [18F]FDG experiments were performed to evaluate the proposed tracking method. The tracking accuracy was 0.33 mm rms. After motion correction image reconstruction, the microDerenzo phantom was recovered albeit with some loss of resolution. The reconstructed FWHM of the 2.5 and 3 mm rods increased with 0.94 and 0.51 mm respectively in comparison with the motion-free case. In the rat experiments, the average tracking success rate was 64.7%. The correlation of relative brain regional [18F]FDG uptake between the anesthesia and awake scan reconstructions was increased from on average 0.291 (not significant) before correction to 0.909 (p  <  0.0001) after motion correction. Markerless motion tracking using structured light can be successfully used for tracking of the rat head for motion correction in awake rat PET scans.

Segmentation of organs at risk in CT volumes of head, thorax, abdomen, and pelvis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Miaofei; Ma, Jinfeng; Li, Yan; Li, Meiling; Song, Yanli; Li, Qiang

2015-03-01

Accurate segmentation of organs at risk (OARs) is a key step in treatment planning system (TPS) of image guided radiation therapy. We are developing three classes of methods to segment 17 organs at risk throughout the whole body, including brain, brain stem, eyes, mandible, temporomandibular joints, parotid glands, spinal cord, lungs, trachea, heart, livers, kidneys, spleen, prostate, rectum, femoral heads, and skin. The three classes of segmentation methods include (1) threshold-based methods for organs of large contrast with adjacent structures such as lungs, trachea, and skin; (2) context-driven Generalized Hough Transform-based methods combined with graph cut algorithm for robust localization and segmentation of liver, kidneys and spleen; and (3) atlas and registration-based methods for segmentation of heart and all organs in CT volumes of head and pelvis. The segmentation accuracy for the seventeen organs was subjectively evaluated by two medical experts in three levels of score: 0, poor (unusable in clinical practice); 1, acceptable (minor revision needed); and 2, good (nearly no revision needed). A database was collected from Ruijin Hospital, Huashan Hospital, and Xuhui Central Hospital in Shanghai, China, including 127 head scans, 203 thoracic scans, 154 abdominal scans, and 73 pelvic scans. The percentages of "good" segmentation results were 97.6%, 92.9%, 81.1%, 87.4%, 85.0%, 78.7%, 94.1%, 91.1%, 81.3%, 86.7%, 82.5%, 86.4%, 79.9%, 72.6%, 68.5%, 93.2%, 96.9% for brain, brain stem, eyes, mandible, temporomandibular joints, parotid glands, spinal cord, lungs, trachea, heart, livers, kidneys, spleen, prostate, rectum, femoral heads, and skin, respectively. Various organs at risk can be reliably segmented from CT scans by use of the three classes of segmentation methods.

The Healthy Brain Network Serial Scanning Initiative: a resource for evaluating inter-individual differences and their reliabilities across scan conditions and sessions.

PubMed

O'Connor, David; Potler, Natan Vega; Kovacs, Meagan; Xu, Ting; Ai, Lei; Pellman, John; Vanderwal, Tamara; Parra, Lucas C; Cohen, Samantha; Ghosh, Satrajit; Escalera, Jasmine; Grant-Villegas, Natalie; Osman, Yael; Bui, Anastasia; Craddock, R Cameron; Milham, Michael P

2017-02-01

Although typically measured during the resting state, a growing literature is illustrating the ability to map intrinsic connectivity with functional MRI during task and naturalistic viewing conditions. These paradigms are drawing excitement due to their greater tolerability in clinical and developing populations and because they enable a wider range of analyses (e.g., inter-subject correlations). To be clinically useful, the test-retest reliability of connectivity measured during these paradigms needs to be established. This resource provides data for evaluating test-retest reliability for full-brain connectivity patterns detected during each of four scan conditions that differ with respect to level of engagement (rest, abstract animations, movie clips, flanker task). Data are provided for 13 participants, each scanned in 12 sessions with 10 minutes for each scan of the four conditions. Diffusion kurtosis imaging data was also obtained at each session. Technical validation and demonstrative reliability analyses were carried out at the connection-level using the Intraclass Correlation Coefficient and at network-level representations of the data using the Image Intraclass Correlation Coefficient. Variation in intrinsic functional connectivity across sessions was generally found to be greater than that attributable to scan condition. Between-condition reliability was generally high, particularly for the frontoparietal and default networks. Between-session reliabilities obtained separately for the different scan conditions were comparable, though notably lower than between-condition reliabilities. This resource provides a test-bed for quantifying the reliability of connectivity indices across subjects, conditions and time. The resource can be used to compare and optimize different frameworks for measuring connectivity and data collection parameters such as scan length. Additionally, investigators can explore the unique perspectives of the brain's functional architecture offered by each of the scan conditions. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press.

Neural reactivity to visual food stimuli is reduced in some areas of the brain during evening hours compared to morning hours: an fMRI study in women.

PubMed

Masterson, Travis D; Kirwan, C Brock; Davidson, Lance E; LeCheminant, James D

2016-03-01

The extent that neural responsiveness to visual food stimuli is influenced by time of day is not well examined. Using a crossover design, 15 healthy women were scanned using fMRI while presented with low- and high-energy pictures of food, once in the morning (6:30-8:30 am) and once in the evening (5:00-7:00 pm). Diets were identical on both days of the fMRI scans and were verified using weighed food records. Visual analog scales were used to record subjective perception of hunger and preoccupation with food prior to each fMRI scan. Six areas of the brain showed lower activation in the evening to both high- and low-energy foods, including structures in reward pathways (P < 0.05). Nine brain regions showed significantly higher activation for high-energy foods compared to low-energy foods (P < 0.05). High-energy food stimuli tended to produce greater fMRI responses than low-energy food stimuli in specific areas of the brain, regardless of time of day. However, evening scans showed a lower response to both low- and high-energy food pictures in some areas of the brain. Subjectively, participants reported no difference in hunger by time of day (F = 1.84, P = 0.19), but reported they could eat more (F = 4.83, P = 0.04) and were more preoccupied with thoughts of food (F = 5.51, P = 0.03) in the evening compared to the morning. These data underscore the role that time of day may have on neural responses to food stimuli. These results may also have clinical implications for fMRI measurement in order to prevent a time of day bias.

How the Brain's Performance during Mathematics and Reading Fluency Tests Compare

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ortiz, Enrique

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to analyze how participants' levels of hemoglobin as they performed mathematics fluency and reading fluency (reading comprehension) compare. We used Optical Topography (OT, helmet type brain-scanning system, also known as Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy or fNIRS) to measure levels of brain activity. A central…

A Double Blind Trial of Divalproex Sodium for Affective Liability and Alcohol Use Following Traumatic Brain Injury

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-01-01

Pennsylvania, we completed computerized volumetric analysis of the structural MRI scans of the brain collected from the study subjects, using the... pharmacological management. Brain Injury 2001;15(2):139-48. 07. Wroblewski BA, Joseph AB, Kupfer J, Kalliel K. Effectiveness of valproic acid on

"Unusual brain stone": heavily calcified primary neoplasm with some features suggestive of angiocentric glioma.

PubMed

Sajjad, Jahangir; Kaliaperumal, Chandrasekaran; Bermingham, Niamh; Marks, Charles; Keohane, Catherine

2015-11-01

This 40-year-old man presented with a 5-month history of progressive right-sided headache associated with visual blurring. He also had a history of epilepsy but had been seizure free with medication for the past 10 years. An initial CT scan of his brain performed 16 years previously had revealed a small area of calcification in the right parietal region. In the current presentation, he had a left-sided homonymous hemianopia but no other neurological deficits. A CT scan of his brain showed a much larger calcified, partly cystic lesion in the right parietal region. Because he was symptomatic, the lesion was excised and the cyst was drained. Histological examination of the excised tissue showed an unusual primary tumor that was difficult to classify but had some features of angiocentric glioma. The heavy calcification, mixed-density cell population, and regions with features of angiocentric glioma were most unusual. The patient remained asymptomatic 5 years after surgery, and follow-up scans did not show recurrence.

Nuclear medicine in clinical neurology: an update

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Oldendorf, W.H.

1981-01-01

Isotope scanning using technetium 99m pertechnetate has fallen into disuse since the advent of x-ray computerized tomography. Regional brain blood flow studies have been pursued on a research basis. Increased regional blood flow during focal seizure activity has been demonstrated and is of use in localizing such foci. Cisternography as a predictive tool in normal pressure hydrocephalus is falling into disuse. Positron tomographic scanning is a potent research tool that can demonstrate both regional glycolysis and blood flow. Unfortunately, it is extremely expensive and complex to apply in a clinical setting. With support from the National Institutes of Health, sevenmore » extramural centers have been funded to develop positron tomographic capabilities, and they will greatly advance our knowledge of stroke pathophysiology, seizure disorders, brain tumors, and various degenerative diseases. Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging is a potentially valuable tool since it creates tomographic images representing the distribution of brain water. No tissue ionization is produced, and images comparable to second-generation computerized tomographic scans are already being produced in humans.« less

Ex vivo mouse brain microscopy at 15T with loop-gap RF coil.

PubMed

Cohen, Ouri; Ackerman, Jerome L

2018-04-18

The design of a loop-gap-resonator RF coil optimized for ex vivo mouse brain microscopy at ultra high fields is described and its properties characterized using simulations, phantoms and experimental scans of mouse brains fixed in 10% formalin containing 4 mM Magnevist™. The RF (B 1 ) and magnetic field (B 0 ) homogeneities are experimentally quantified and compared to electromagnetic simulations of the coil. The coil's performance is also compared to a similarly sized surface coil and found to yield double the sensitivity. A three-dimensional gradient-echo (GRE) sequence is used to acquire high resolution mouse brain scans at (47 μm) 3 resolution in 1.8 h and a 20 × 20 × 19 μm 3 resolution in 27 h. The high resolution obtained permitted clear visualization and identification of multiple structures in the ex vivo mouse brain and represents, to our knowledge, the highest resolution ever achieved for a whole mouse brain. Importantly, the coil design is simple and easy to construct. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Fluorescence laminar optical tomography for brain imaging: system implementation and performance evaluation.

PubMed

Azimipour, Mehdi; Sheikhzadeh, Mahya; Baumgartner, Ryan; Cullen, Patrick K; Helmstetter, Fred J; Chang, Woo-Jin; Pashaie, Ramin

2017-01-01

We present our effort in implementing a fluorescence laminar optical tomography scanner which is specifically designed for noninvasive three-dimensional imaging of fluorescence proteins in the brains of small rodents. A laser beam, after passing through a cylindrical lens, scans the brain tissue from the surface while the emission signal is captured by the epi-fluorescence optics and is recorded using an electron multiplication CCD sensor. Image reconstruction algorithms are developed based on Monte Carlo simulation to model light–tissue interaction and generate the sensitivity matrices. To solve the inverse problem, we used the iterative simultaneous algebraic reconstruction technique. The performance of the developed system was evaluated by imaging microfabricated silicon microchannels embedded inside a substrate with optical properties close to the brain as a tissue phantom and ultimately by scanning brain tissue in vivo. Details of the hardware design and reconstruction algorithms are discussed and several experimental results are presented. The developed system can specifically facilitate neuroscience experiments where fluorescence imaging and molecular genetic methods are used to study the dynamics of the brain circuitries.

A non-contact time-domain scanning brain imaging system: first in-vivo results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mazurenka, M.; Di Sieno, L.; Boso, G.; Contini, D.; Pifferi, A.; Dalla Mora, A.; Tosi, A.; Wabnitz, H.; Macdonald, R.

2013-06-01

We present results of first in-vivo tests of an optical non-contact scanning imaging system, intended to study oxidative metabolism related processes in biological tissue by means of time-resolved near-infrared spectroscopy. Our method is a novel realization of the short source-detector separation approach and based on a fast-gated single-photon avalanche diode to detect late photons only. The scanning system is built in quasi-confocal configuration and utilizes polarizationsensitive detection. It scans an area of 4×4 cm2, recording images with 32×32 pixels, thus creating a high density of source-detector pairs. To test the system we performed a range of in vivo measurements of hemodynamic changes in several types of biological tissues, i.e. skin (Valsalva maneuver), muscle (venous and arterial occlusions) and brain (motor and cognitive tasks). Task-related changes in hemoglobin concentrations were clearly detected in skin and muscle. The brain activation shows weaker, but yet detectable changes. These changes were localized in pixels near the motor cortex area (C3). However, it was found that even very short hair substantially impairs the measurement. Thus the applicability of the scanner is limited to hairless parts of body. The results of our first in-vivo tests prove the feasibility of non-contact scanning imaging as a first step towards development of a prototype for biological tissue imaging for various medical applications.

Decoding the encoding of functional brain networks: An fMRI classification comparison of non-negative matrix factorization (NMF), independent component analysis (ICA), and sparse coding algorithms.

PubMed

Xie, Jianwen; Douglas, Pamela K; Wu, Ying Nian; Brody, Arthur L; Anderson, Ariana E

2017-04-15

Brain networks in fMRI are typically identified using spatial independent component analysis (ICA), yet other mathematical constraints provide alternate biologically-plausible frameworks for generating brain networks. Non-negative matrix factorization (NMF) would suppress negative BOLD signal by enforcing positivity. Spatial sparse coding algorithms (L1 Regularized Learning and K-SVD) would impose local specialization and a discouragement of multitasking, where the total observed activity in a single voxel originates from a restricted number of possible brain networks. The assumptions of independence, positivity, and sparsity to encode task-related brain networks are compared; the resulting brain networks within scan for different constraints are used as basis functions to encode observed functional activity. These encodings are then decoded using machine learning, by using the time series weights to predict within scan whether a subject is viewing a video, listening to an audio cue, or at rest, in 304 fMRI scans from 51 subjects. The sparse coding algorithm of L1 Regularized Learning outperformed 4 variations of ICA (p<0.001) for predicting the task being performed within each scan using artifact-cleaned components. The NMF algorithms, which suppressed negative BOLD signal, had the poorest accuracy compared to the ICA and sparse coding algorithms. Holding constant the effect of the extraction algorithm, encodings using sparser spatial networks (containing more zero-valued voxels) had higher classification accuracy (p<0.001). Lower classification accuracy occurred when the extracted spatial maps contained more CSF regions (p<0.001). The success of sparse coding algorithms suggests that algorithms which enforce sparsity, discourage multitasking, and promote local specialization may capture better the underlying source processes than those which allow inexhaustible local processes such as ICA. Negative BOLD signal may capture task-related activations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Fast functional imaging of multiple brain regions in intact zebrafish larvae using selective plane illumination microscopy.

PubMed

Panier, Thomas; Romano, Sebastián A; Olive, Raphaël; Pietri, Thomas; Sumbre, Germán; Candelier, Raphaël; Debrégeas, Georges

2013-01-01

The optical transparency and the small dimensions of zebrafish at the larval stage make it a vertebrate model of choice for brain-wide in-vivo functional imaging. However, current point-scanning imaging techniques, such as two-photon or confocal microscopy, impose a strong limit on acquisition speed which in turn sets the number of neurons that can be simultaneously recorded. At 5 Hz, this number is of the order of one thousand, i.e., approximately 1-2% of the brain. Here we demonstrate that this limitation can be greatly overcome by using Selective-plane Illumination Microscopy (SPIM). Zebrafish larvae expressing the genetically encoded calcium indicator GCaMP3 were illuminated with a scanned laser sheet and imaged with a camera whose optical axis was oriented orthogonally to the illumination plane. This optical sectioning approach was shown to permit functional imaging of a very large fraction of the brain volume of 5-9-day-old larvae with single- or near single-cell resolution. The spontaneous activity of up to 5,000 neurons was recorded at 20 Hz for 20-60 min. By rapidly scanning the specimen in the axial direction, the activity of 25,000 individual neurons from 5 different z-planes (approximately 30% of the entire brain) could be simultaneously monitored at 4 Hz. Compared to point-scanning techniques, this imaging strategy thus yields a ≃20-fold increase in data throughput (number of recorded neurons times acquisition rate) without compromising the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). The extended field of view offered by the SPIM method allowed us to directly identify large scale ensembles of neurons, spanning several brain regions, that displayed correlated activity and were thus likely to participate in common neural processes. The benefits and limitations of SPIM for functional imaging in zebrafish as well as future developments are briefly discussed.

Reproducibility and reliability of short-TE whole-brain MR spectroscopic imaging of human brain at 3T.

PubMed

Ding, Xiao-Qi; Maudsley, Andrew A; Sabati, Mohammad; Sheriff, Sulaiman; Dellani, Paulo R; Lanfermann, Heinrich

2015-03-01

A feasibility study of an echo-planar spectroscopic imaging (EPSI) using a short echo time (TE) that trades off sensitivity, compared with other short-TE methods, to achieve whole brain coverage using inversion recovery and spatial oversampling to control lipid bleeding. Twenty subjects were scanned to examine intersubject variance. One subject was scanned five times to examine intrasubject reproducibility. Data were analyzed to determine coefficients of variance (COV) and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for N-acetylaspartate (NAA), total creatine (tCr), total choline (tCho), glutamine/glutamate (Glx), and myo-inositol (mI). Regional metabolite concentrations were derived by using multi-voxel analysis based on lobar-level anatomic regions. For whole-brain mean values, the intrasubject COVs were 14%, 15%, and 20% for NAA, tCr, and tCho, respectively, and 31% for Glx and mI. The intersubject COVs were up to 6% higher. For regional distributions, the intrasubject COVs were ≤ 5% for NAA, tCr, and tCho; ≤ 9% for Glx; and ≤15% for mI, with about 6% higher intersubject COVs. The ICCs of 5 metabolites were ≥ 0.7, indicating the reliability of the measurements. The present EPSI method enables estimation of the whole-brain metabolite distributions, including Glx and mI with small voxel size, and a reasonable scan time and reproducibility. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Assessing Variations in Areal Organization for the Intrinsic Brain: From Fingerprints to Reliability

PubMed Central

Xu, Ting; Opitz, Alexander; Craddock, R. Cameron; Wright, Margaret J.; Zuo, Xi-Nian; Milham, Michael P.

2016-01-01

Resting state fMRI (R-fMRI) is a powerful in-vivo tool for examining the functional architecture of the human brain. Recent studies have demonstrated the ability to characterize transitions between functionally distinct cortical areas through the mapping of gradients in intrinsic functional connectivity (iFC) profiles. To date, this novel approach has primarily been applied to iFC profiles averaged across groups of individuals, or in one case, a single individual scanned multiple times. Here, we used a publically available R-fMRI dataset, in which 30 healthy participants were scanned 10 times (10 min per session), to investigate differences in full-brain transition profiles (i.e., gradient maps, edge maps) across individuals, and their reliability. 10-min R-fMRI scans were sufficient to achieve high accuracies in efforts to “fingerprint” individuals based upon full-brain transition profiles. Regarding test–retest reliability, the image-wise intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was moderate, and vertex-level ICC varied depending on region; larger durations of data yielded higher reliability scores universally. Initial application of gradient-based methodologies to a recently published dataset obtained from twins suggested inter-individual variation in areal profiles might have genetic and familial origins. Overall, these results illustrate the utility of gradient-based iFC approaches for studying inter-individual variation in brain function. PMID:27600846

Substantial observer variability in the differentiation between primary intracerebral hemorrhage and hemorrhagic transformation of infarction on CT brain imaging.

PubMed

Lovelock, Caroline E; Anslow, Philip; Molyneux, Andrew J; Byrne, James V; Kuker, Wilhelm; Pretorius, Pieter M; Coull, Andrew; Rothwell, Peter M

2009-12-01

CT remains the most commonly used imaging technique in acute stroke but is often delayed after minor stroke. Interobserver reliability in distinguishing hemorrhagic transformation of infarction from intracerebral hemorrhage may depend on delays to CT but has not been reported previously despite the clinical importance of this distinction. Initial CT scans with intraparenchymal hematoma from the first 1000 patients with stroke in the Oxford Vascular Study were independently categorized as intracerebral hemorrhage or hemorrhagic transformation of infarction by 5 neuroradiologists, both blinded and unblinded to clinical history. Thirty scans were reviewed twice. Agreement was quantified by the kappa statistic. Seventy-eight scans showed intraparenchymal hematoma. Blinded pairwise interrater agreements for a diagnosis of intracerebral hemorrhage ranged from kappa=0.15 to 0.48 with poor overall agreement (kappa=0.35; 95% CI, 0.15 to 0.54) even after unblinding (kappa=0.41; 0.21 to 0.60). Blinded intrarater agreements ranged from kappa=0.21 to 0.92. Lack of consensus after unblinding was greatest in patients scanned >or=24 hours after stroke onset (67% versus 25%, P=0.001) and in minor stroke (National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale or=24 hours after minor stroke and in 48% of all 30-day stroke survivors in whom reliable diagnosis would be expected to influence long-term management. Reliability of diagnosis of intraparenchymal hematoma on CT brain scan in minor stroke is poor, particularly if scanning is delayed. Immediate brain imaging is justified in patients with minor stroke.

Detecting brain tumor in computed tomography images using Markov random fields and fuzzy C-means clustering techniques

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Abdulbaqi, Hayder Saad; Department of Physics, College of Education, University of Al-Qadisiya, Al-Qadisiya; Jafri, Mohd Zubir Mat

Brain tumors, are an abnormal growth of tissues in the brain. They may arise in people of any age. They must be detected early, diagnosed accurately, monitored carefully, and treated effectively in order to optimize patient outcomes regarding both survival and quality of life. Manual segmentation of brain tumors from CT scan images is a challenging and time consuming task. Size and location accurate detection of brain tumor plays a vital role in the successful diagnosis and treatment of tumors. Brain tumor detection is considered a challenging mission in medical image processing. The aim of this paper is to introducemore » a scheme for tumor detection in CT scan images using two different techniques Hidden Markov Random Fields (HMRF) and Fuzzy C-means (FCM). The proposed method has been developed in this research in order to construct hybrid method between (HMRF) and threshold. These methods have been applied on 4 different patient data sets. The result of comparison among these methods shows that the proposed method gives good results for brain tissue detection, and is more robust and effective compared with (FCM) techniques.« less

Chemical exchange saturation transfer MRI contrast in the human brain at 9.4 T.

PubMed

Zaiss, Moritz; Schuppert, Mark; Deshmane, Anagha; Herz, Kai; Ehses, Philipp; Füllbier, Lars; Lindig, Tobias; Bender, Benjamin; Ernemann, Ulrike; Scheffler, Klaus

2018-06-15

The high chemical shift separation at 9.4 T allows for selective saturation of proton pools in exchange with water protons. For the first time, highly selective and comprehensive chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) experiments were performed in the human brain at 9.4 T. This work provides insight into CEST signals in the human brain in comparison with existing animal studies, as well as with CEST effects in vivo at lower field strengths. A novel snapshot-CEST method for human brain scans at 9.4 T was optimized and employed for highly-spectrally-resolved (95 offsets) CEST measurements in healthy subjects and one brain tumor patient. Reproducibility and stability between scans was verified in grey and white matter after B 0 , B 1 , and motion correction of the acquired 3D CEST volumes. Two-step Lorentzian fitting was used to further improve separation of spectrally discernible signals to create known and novel CEST contrast maps at 9.4 T. At a saturation power of B 1  = 0.5 μT most selective CEST effects could be obtained in the human brain with high inter-scan reproducibility. While contrast behavior of previously measured signals at lower field, namely amide-, guanidyl- and NOE-CEST effects, could be reproduced, novel signals at 2.7 ppm, and -1.6 ppm could be verified in healthy subjects and in a brain tumor patient for the first time. High spectral resolution chemical exchange saturation transfer at 9.4 T allows deeper insights into the Z-spectrum structure of the human brain, and provides many different contrasts showing different correlations in healthy tissue and in tumor-affected areas of the brain, generating hypotheses for future investigations of in-vivo-CEST at UHF. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

PORTR: Pre-Operative and Post-Recurrence Brain Tumor Registration

PubMed Central

Niethammer, Marc; Akbari, Hamed; Bilello, Michel; Davatzikos, Christos; Pohl, Kilian M.

2014-01-01

We propose a new method for deformable registration of pre-operative and post-recurrence brain MR scans of glioma patients. Performing this type of intra-subject registration is challenging as tumor, resection, recurrence, and edema cause large deformations, missing correspondences, and inconsistent intensity profiles between the scans. To address this challenging task, our method, called PORTR, explicitly accounts for pathological information. It segments tumor, resection cavity, and recurrence based on models specific to each scan. PORTR then uses the resulting maps to exclude pathological regions from the image-based correspondence term while simultaneously measuring the overlap between the aligned tumor and resection cavity. Embedded into a symmetric registration framework, we determine the optimal solution by taking advantage of both discrete and continuous search methods. We apply our method to scans of 24 glioma patients. Both quantitative and qualitative analysis of the results clearly show that our method is superior to other state-of-the-art approaches. PMID:24595340

A multiphoton laser scanning microscope setup for transcranial in vivo brain imaging on mice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nase, Gabriele; Helm, P. Johannes; Reppen, Trond; Ottersen, Ole Petter

2005-12-01

We describe a multiphoton laser scanning microscope setup for transcranial in vivo brain imaging in mice. The modular system is based on a modified industrial standard Confocal Scanning Laser Microscope (CSLM) and is assembled mainly from commercially available components. A special multifunctional stage, which is optimized for both laser scanning microscopic observation and preparative animal surgery, has been developed and built. The detection unit includes a highly efficient photomultiplier tube installed in a Peltier-cooled thermal box shielding the detector from changes in room temperature and from distortions caused by external electromagnetic fields. The images are recorded using a 12-bit analog-to-digital converter. Depending on the characteristics of the staining, individual nerve cells can be imaged down to at least 100μm below the intact cranium and down to at least 200μm below the opened cranium.

Genome-wide scan of healthy human connectome discovers SPON1 gene variant influencing dementia severity

PubMed Central

Jahanshad, Neda; Rajagopalan, Priya; Hua, Xue; Hibar, Derrek P.; Nir, Talia M.; Toga, Arthur W.; Jack, Clifford R.; Saykin, Andrew J.; Green, Robert C.; Weiner, Michael W.; Medland, Sarah E.; Montgomery, Grant W.; Hansell, Narelle K.; McMahon, Katie L.; de Zubicaray, Greig I.; Martin, Nicholas G.; Wright, Margaret J.; Thompson, Paul M.; Weiner, Michael; Aisen, Paul; Weiner, Michael; Aisen, Paul; Petersen, Ronald; Jack, Clifford R.; Jagust, William; Trojanowski, John Q.; Toga, Arthur W.; Beckett, Laurel; Green, Robert C.; Saykin, Andrew J.; Morris, John; Liu, Enchi; Green, Robert C.; Montine, Tom; Petersen, Ronald; Aisen, Paul; Gamst, Anthony; Thomas, Ronald G.; Donohue, Michael; Walter, Sarah; Gessert, Devon; Sather, Tamie; Beckett, Laurel; Harvey, Danielle; Gamst, Anthony; Donohue, Michael; Kornak, John; Jack, Clifford R.; Dale, Anders; Bernstein, Matthew; Felmlee, Joel; Fox, Nick; Thompson, Paul; Schuff, Norbert; Alexander, Gene; DeCarli, Charles; Jagust, William; Bandy, Dan; Koeppe, Robert A.; Foster, Norm; Reiman, Eric M.; Chen, Kewei; Mathis, Chet; Morris, John; Cairns, Nigel J.; Taylor-Reinwald, Lisa; Trojanowki, J.Q.; Shaw, Les; Lee, Virginia M.Y.; Korecka, Magdalena; Toga, Arthur W.; Crawford, Karen; Neu, Scott; Saykin, Andrew J.; Foroud, Tatiana M.; Potkin, Steven; Shen, Li; Khachaturian, Zaven; Frank, Richard; Snyder, Peter J.; Molchan, Susan; Kaye, Jeffrey; Quinn, Joseph; Lind, Betty; Dolen, Sara; Schneider, Lon S.; Pawluczyk, Sonia; Spann, Bryan M.; Brewer, James; Vanderswag, Helen; Heidebrink, Judith L.; Lord, Joanne L.; Petersen, Ronald; Johnson, Kris; Doody, Rachelle S.; Villanueva-Meyer, Javier; Chowdhury, Munir; Stern, Yaakov; Honig, Lawrence S.; Bell, Karen L.; Morris, John C.; Ances, Beau; Carroll, Maria; Leon, Sue; Mintun, Mark A.; Schneider, Stacy; Marson, Daniel; Griffith, Randall; Clark, David; Grossman, Hillel; Mitsis, Effie; Romirowsky, Aliza; deToledo-Morrell, Leyla; Shah, Raj C.; Duara, Ranjan; Varon, Daniel; Roberts, Peggy; Albert, Marilyn; Onyike, Chiadi; Kielb, Stephanie; Rusinek, Henry; de Leon, Mony J.; Glodzik, Lidia; De Santi, Susan; Doraiswamy, P. Murali; Petrella, Jeffrey R.; Coleman, R. Edward; Arnold, Steven E.; Karlawish, Jason H.; Wolk, David; Smith, Charles D.; Jicha, Greg; Hardy, Peter; Lopez, Oscar L.; Oakley, MaryAnn; Simpson, Donna M.; Porsteinsson, Anton P.; Goldstein, Bonnie S.; Martin, Kim; Makino, Kelly M.; Ismail, M. Saleem; Brand, Connie; Mulnard, Ruth A.; Thai, Gaby; Mc-Adams-Ortiz, Catherine; Womack, Kyle; Mathews, Dana; Quiceno, Mary; Diaz-Arrastia, Ramon; King, Richard; Weiner, Myron; Martin-Cook, Kristen; DeVous, Michael; Levey, Allan I.; Lah, James J.; Cellar, Janet S.; Burns, Jeffrey M.; Anderson, Heather S.; Swerdlow, Russell H.; Apostolova, Liana; Lu, Po H.; Bartzokis, George; Silverman, Daniel H.S.; Graff-Radford, Neill R.; Parfitt, Francine; Johnson, Heather; Farlow, Martin R.; Hake, Ann Marie; Matthews, Brandy R.; Herring, Scott; van Dyck, Christopher H.; Carson, Richard E.; MacAvoy, Martha G.; Chertkow, Howard; Bergman, Howard; Hosein, Chris; Black, Sandra; Stefanovic, Bojana; Caldwell, Curtis; Hsiung, Ging-Yuek Robin; Feldman, Howard; Mudge, Benita; Assaly, Michele; Kertesz, Andrew; Rogers, John; Trost, Dick; Bernick, Charles; Munic, Donna; Kerwin, Diana; Mesulam, Marek-Marsel; Lipowski, Kristina; Wu, Chuang-Kuo; Johnson, Nancy; Sadowsky, Carl; Martinez, Walter; Villena, Teresa; Turner, Raymond Scott; Johnson, Kathleen; Reynolds, Brigid; Sperling, Reisa A.; Johnson, Keith A.; Marshall, Gad; Frey, Meghan; Yesavage, Jerome; Taylor, Joy L.; Lane, Barton; Rosen, Allyson; Tinklenberg, Jared; Sabbagh, Marwan; Belden, Christine; Jacobson, Sandra; Kowall, Neil; Killiany, Ronald; Budson, Andrew E.; Norbash, Alexander; Johnson, Patricia Lynn; Obisesan, Thomas O.; Wolday, Saba; Bwayo, Salome K.; Lerner, Alan; Hudson, Leon; Ogrocki, Paula; Fletcher, Evan; Carmichael, Owen; Olichney, John; DeCarli, Charles; Kittur, Smita; Borrie, Michael; Lee, T.-Y.; Bartha, Rob; Johnson, Sterling; Asthana, Sanjay; Carlsson, Cynthia M.; Potkin, Steven G.; Preda, Adrian; Nguyen, Dana; Tariot, Pierre; Fleisher, Adam; Reeder, Stephanie; Bates, Vernice; Capote, Horacio; Rainka, Michelle; Scharre, Douglas W.; Kataki, Maria; Zimmerman, Earl A.; Celmins, Dzintra; Brown, Alice D.; Pearlson, Godfrey D.; Blank, Karen; Anderson, Karen; Saykin, Andrew J.; Santulli, Robert B.; Schwartz, Eben S.; Sink, Kaycee M.; Williamson, Jeff D.; Garg, Pradeep; Watkins, Franklin; Ott, Brian R.; Querfurth, Henry; Tremont, Geoffrey; Salloway, Stephen; Malloy, Paul; Correia, Stephen; Rosen, Howard J.; Miller, Bruce L.; Mintzer, Jacobo; Longmire, Crystal Flynn; Spicer, Kenneth; Finger, Elizabeth; Rachinsky, Irina; Rogers, John; Kertesz, Andrew; Drost, Dick

2013-01-01

Aberrant connectivity is implicated in many neurological and psychiatric disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease and schizophrenia. However, other than a few disease-associated candidate genes, we know little about the degree to which genetics play a role in the brain networks; we know even less about specific genes that influence brain connections. Twin and family-based studies can generate estimates of overall genetic influences on a trait, but genome-wide association scans (GWASs) can screen the genome for specific variants influencing the brain or risk for disease. To identify the heritability of various brain connections, we scanned healthy young adult twins with high-field, high-angular resolution diffusion MRI. We adapted GWASs to screen the brain’s connectivity pattern, allowing us to discover genetic variants that affect the human brain’s wiring. The association of connectivity with the SPON1 variant at rs2618516 on chromosome 11 (11p15.2) reached connectome-wide, genome-wide significance after stringent statistical corrections were enforced, and it was replicated in an independent subsample. rs2618516 was shown to affect brain structure in an elderly population with varying degrees of dementia. Older people who carried the connectivity variant had significantly milder clinical dementia scores and lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease. As a posthoc analysis, we conducted GWASs on several organizational and topological network measures derived from the matrices to discover variants in and around genes associated with autism (MACROD2), development (NEDD4), and mental retardation (UBE2A) significantly associated with connectivity. Connectome-wide, genome-wide screening offers substantial promise to discover genes affecting brain connectivity and risk for brain diseases. PMID:23471985

Understanding Memory Loss | NIH MedlinePlus the Magazine

MedlinePlus

... urine. She or he also checks your memory, problem solving, counting, and language skills. The doctor also may suggest a brain scan to show the normal and problem areas in the brain. Once the cause of ...

A zero-footprint 3D visualization system utilizing mobile display technology for timely evaluation of stroke patients

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Young Woo; Guo, Bing; Mogensen, Monique; Wang, Kevin; Law, Meng; Liu, Brent

2010-03-01

When a patient is accepted in the emergency room suspected of stroke, time is of the utmost importance. The infarct brain area suffers irreparable damage as soon as three hours after the onset of stroke symptoms. A CT scan is one of standard first line of investigations with imaging and is crucial to identify and properly triage stroke cases. The availability of an expert Radiologist in the emergency environment to diagnose the stroke patient in a timely manner only increases the challenges within the clinical workflow. Therefore, a truly zero-footprint web-based system with powerful advanced visualization tools for volumetric imaging including 2D. MIP/MPR, 3D display can greatly facilitate this dynamic clinical workflow for stroke patients. Together with mobile technology, the proper visualization tools can be delivered at the point of decision anywhere and anytime. We will present a small pilot project to evaluate the use of mobile technologies using devices such as iPhones in evaluating stroke patients. The results of the evaluation as well as any challenges in setting up the system will also be discussed.

Sleep variability in adolescence is associated with altered brain development.

PubMed

Telzer, Eva H; Goldenberg, Diane; Fuligni, Andrew J; Lieberman, Matthew D; Gálvan, Adriana

2015-08-01

Despite the known importance of sleep for brain development, and the sharp increase in poor sleep during adolescence, we know relatively little about how sleep impacts the developing brain. We present the first longitudinal study to examine how sleep during adolescence is associated with white matter integrity. We find that greater variability in sleep duration one year prior to a DTI scan is associated with lower white matter integrity above and beyond the effects of sleep duration, and variability in bedtime, whereas sleep variability a few months prior to the scan is not associated with white matter integrity. Thus, variability in sleep duration during adolescence may have long-term impairments on the developing brain. White matter integrity should be increasing during adolescence, and so sleep variability is directly at odds with normative developmental trends. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

SU-F-J-220: Micro-CT Based Quantification of Mouse Brain Vasculature: The Effects of Acquisition Technique and Contrast Material

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tipton, C; Lamba, M; Qi, Z

Purpose: Cognitive impairment from radiation therapy to the brain may be linked to the loss of total blood volume in the brain. To account for brain injury, it is crucial to develop an understanding of blood volume loss as a result of radiation therapy. This study investigates µCT based quantification of mouse brain vasculature, focusing on the effect of acquisition technique and contrast material. Methods: Four mice were scanned on a µCT scanner (Siemens Inveon). The reconstructed voxel size was 18µm3 and all protocols were Hounsfield Unit (HU) calibrated. The mice were injected with 40mg of gold nanoparticles (MediLumine) ormore » 100µl of Exitron 12000 (Miltenyi Biotec). Two acquisition techniques were also performed. A single kVp technique scanned the mouse once using an x-ray beam of 80kVp and segmentation was completed based on a threshold of HU values. The dual kVp technique scanned the mouse twice using 50kVp and 80kVp, this segmentation was based on the ratio of the HU value of the two kVps. After image reconstruction and segmentation, the brain blood volume was determined as a percentage of the total brain volume. Results: For the single kVp acquisition at 80kVp, the brain blood volume had an average of 3.5% for gold and 4.0% for Exitron 12000. Also at 80kVp, the contrast-noise ratio was significantly better for images acquired with the gold nanoparticles (2.0) than for those acquired with the Exitron 12000 (1.4). The dual kVp acquisition shows improved separation of skull from vasculature, but increased image noise. Conclusion: In summary, the effects of acquisition technique and contrast material for quantification of mouse brain vasculature showed that gold nanoparticles produced more consistent segmentation of brain vasculature than Exitron 12000. Also, dual kVp acquisition may improve the accuracy of brain vasculature quantification, although the effect of noise amplification warrants further study.« less

Regional brain glucose metabolism in patients with brain tumors before and after radiotherapy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wang, G.J.; Volkow, N.D.; Lau, Y.H.

1994-05-01

This study was performed to measure regional glucose metabolism in nonaffected brain regions of patients with primary or metastatic brain tumors. Seven female and four male patients (mean age 51.5{plus_minus}14.0 years old) were compared with eleven age and sex matched normal subjects. None of the patients had hydrocephalus and/or increased intracranial pressure. Brain glucose metabolism was measured using FDG-PET scan. Five of the patients were reevaluated one week after receiving radiation treatment (RT) to the brain. Patients were on Decadron and/or Dilantin at the time of both scan. PET images were analyzed with a template of 115 nonoverlapping regions ofmore » interest and then grouped into eight gray matter regions on each hemisphere. Brain regions with tumors and edema shown in MR imaging were excluded. Z scores were used to compare individual patients` regional values with those of normal subjects. The number of regional values with Z scores of less than - 3.0 were considered abnormal and were quantified. The mean global glucose metabolic rate (mean of all regions) in nonaffected brain regions of patients was significantly lower than that of normal controls (32.1{plus_minus}9.0 versus 44.8{plus_minus}6.3 {mu}mol/100g/min, p<0.001). Analyses of individual subjects revealed that none of the controls and 8 of the 11 patients had at least one abnormal region. In these 8 patients the regions which were abnormal were most frequently localized in right (n=5) and left occipital (n=6) and right orbital frontal cortex (n=7) whereas the basal ganglia was not affected. Five of the patients who had repeated scans following RT showed decrements in tumor metabolism (41{plus_minus}20.5%) and a significant increase in whole brain metabolism (8.6{plus_minus}5.3%, p<0.001). The improvement in whole brain metabolism after RT suggests that the brain metabolic decrements in the patients were related to the presence of tumoral tissue and not just a medication effect.« less

Biosocial Spaces and Neurocomputational Governance: Brain-Based and Brain-Targeted Technologies in Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williamson, Ben; Pykett, Jessica; Nemorin, Selena

2018-01-01

Recently, technologies based on neuroscientific insights into brain function and structure have been promoted for application in education. The novel practices and environments produced by these technologies require new forms of "biosocial" analysis to unpack their implications for education, learning and governance. This article…

Thinking about the Brain to Balance Classroom Literacy Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nathanson, Steven A.; Nathanson, Marsha L.

2004-01-01

In this paper, we discuss the link between effective literacy practices recommended by the International Reading Association and current research on how the brain learns derived from MRI and PET scan studies begun in the 1990's. Five key areas of brain-based research discussed include time and attention, emotion, the nature of memory, the learning…

Use of Neuroimaging to Clarify How Human Brains Perform Mental Calculations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ortiz, Enrique

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to analyze participants' levels of hemoglobin as they performed arithmetic mental calculations using Optical Topography (OT, helmet type brain-scanning system, also known as Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy or fNIRS). A central issue in cognitive neuroscience involves the study of how the human brain encodes and…

Family poverty affects the rate of human infant brain growth.

PubMed

Hanson, Jamie L; Hair, Nicole; Shen, Dinggang G; Shi, Feng; Gilmore, John H; Wolfe, Barbara L; Pollak, Seth D

2013-01-01

Living in poverty places children at very high risk for problems across a variety of domains, including schooling, behavioral regulation, and health. Aspects of cognitive functioning, such as information processing, may underlie these kinds of problems. How might poverty affect the brain functions underlying these cognitive processes? Here, we address this question by observing and analyzing repeated measures of brain development of young children between five months and four years of age from economically diverse backgrounds (n = 77). In doing so, we have the opportunity to observe changes in brain growth as children begin to experience the effects of poverty. These children underwent MRI scanning, with subjects completing between 1 and 7 scans longitudinally. Two hundred and three MRI scans were divided into different tissue types using a novel image processing algorithm specifically designed to analyze brain data from young infants. Total gray, white, and cerebral (summation of total gray and white matter) volumes were examined along with volumes of the frontal, parietal, temporal, and occipital lobes. Infants from low-income families had lower volumes of gray matter, tissue critical for processing of information and execution of actions. These differences were found for both the frontal and parietal lobes. No differences were detected in white matter, temporal lobe volumes, or occipital lobe volumes. In addition, differences in brain growth were found to vary with socioeconomic status (SES), with children from lower-income households having slower trajectories of growth during infancy and early childhood. Volumetric differences were associated with the emergence of disruptive behavioral problems.

Family Poverty Affects the Rate of Human Infant Brain Growth

PubMed Central

Hanson, Jamie L.; Hair, Nicole; Shen, Dinggang G.; Shi, Feng; Gilmore, John H.; Wolfe, Barbara L.; Pollak, Seth D.

2013-01-01

Living in poverty places children at very high risk for problems across a variety of domains, including schooling, behavioral regulation, and health. Aspects of cognitive functioning, such as information processing, may underlie these kinds of problems. How might poverty affect the brain functions underlying these cognitive processes? Here, we address this question by observing and analyzing repeated measures of brain development of young children between five months and four years of age from economically diverse backgrounds (n = 77). In doing so, we have the opportunity to observe changes in brain growth as children begin to experience the effects of poverty. These children underwent MRI scanning, with subjects completing between 1 and 7 scans longitudinally. Two hundred and three MRI scans were divided into different tissue types using a novel image processing algorithm specifically designed to analyze brain data from young infants. Total gray, white, and cerebral (summation of total gray and white matter) volumes were examined along with volumes of the frontal, parietal, temporal, and occipital lobes. Infants from low-income families had lower volumes of gray matter, tissue critical for processing of information and execution of actions. These differences were found for both the frontal and parietal lobes. No differences were detected in white matter, temporal lobe volumes, or occipital lobe volumes. In addition, differences in brain growth were found to vary with socioeconomic status (SES), with children from lower-income households having slower trajectories of growth during infancy and early childhood. Volumetric differences were associated with the emergence of disruptive behavioral problems. PMID:24349025

Open-label adjunctive creatine for female adolescents with SSRI-resistant major depressive disorder: a 31-phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy study.

PubMed

Kondo, Douglas G; Sung, Young-Hoon; Hellem, Tracy L; Fiedler, Kristen K; Shi, Xianfeng; Jeong, Eun-Kee; Renshaw, Perry F

2011-12-01

Adolescent major depressive disorder (MDD) is a life-threatening brain disease with limited interventions. Treatment resistance is common, and the illness burden is disproportionately borne by females. 31-Phosphorus magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((31)P MRS) is a translational method for in vivo measurement of brain energy metabolites. We recruited 5 female adolescents who had been on fluoxetine (Prozac®) for ≥ 8 weeks, but continued meet diagnostic criteria for MDD with a Children's Depression Rating Scale-Revised (CDRS-R) raw score ≥ 40. Treatment response was measured with the CDRS-R. (31)P MRS brain scans were performed at baseline, and repeated following adjunctive creatine 4 g daily for 8 weeks. For comparison, 10 healthy female adolescents underwent identical brain scans performed 8 weeks apart. The mean CDRS-R score declined from 69 to 30.6, a decrease of 56%. Participants experienced no Serious Adverse Events, suicide attempts, hospitalizations or intentional self-harm. There were no unresolved treatment-emergent adverse effects or laboratory abnormalities. MDD participants' baseline CDRS-R score was correlated with baseline pH (p=0.04), and was negatively correlated with beta-nucleoside triphosphate (β-NTP) concentration (p=0.03). Compared to healthy controls, creatine-treated adolescents demonstrated a significant increase in brain Phosphocreatine (PCr) concentration (p=0.02) on follow-up (31)P MRS brain scans. Lack of placebo control; and small sample size. Further study of creatine as an adjunctive treatment for adolescents with SSRI-resistant MDD is warranted. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Utility of 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT in Imaging of Glioma-A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Sasikumar, Arun; Kashyap, Raghava; Joy, Ajith; Charan Patro, Kanhu; Bhattacharya, Parthasarathy; Reddy Pilaka, Venkata Krishna; Oommen, Karuna Elza; Pillai, Maroor Raghavan Ambikalmajan

2018-06-22

Imaging of gliomas remains challenging. The aim of the study was to assess the feasibility of using Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT for imaging gliomas. Fifteen patients with glioma from 2 centers were included in the study. Ten patients were treated cases of glioblastoma with suspected recurrence. Two patients were sent for assessing the nature (primary lesion/metastasis) of space-occupying lesion in the brain; 3 patients were imaged immediately after surgery and before radiotherapy. Target-to-background ratios (TBR) for the brain lesions were calculated using contralateral cerebellar uptake as background. Among the 10 cases with suspected recurrence, scan was positive in 9, subsequent surgery was done, and histopathology proved it to be true recurrence. In the scan-negative case on follow-up, no evidence of disease could be made clinically or radiologically. Among the other cases the presence or absence of disease could be unequivocally identified on the Ga-PSMA-11 brain scan and correlated with the histopathology or other imaging. Apart from the visual assessment quantitative assessment of the lesions with TBR also showed a significantly high TBR value for those with true disease compared with those with no disease. In the evaluation of gliomas, Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT brain imaging is a potentially useful imaging tool. The use of Ga-PSMA-11 brain PET/CT in evaluation of recurrent glioma seems promising. Absence of physiological uptake of Ga-PSMA-11 in the normal brain parenchyma results in high TBR values and consequently better visualization of glioma lesions.

Organoid technology for brain and therapeutics research.

PubMed

Wang, Zhi; Wang, Shu-Na; Xu, Tian-Ying; Miao, Zhu-Wei; Su, Ding-Feng; Miao, Chao-Yu

2017-10-01

Brain is one of the most complex organs in human. The current brain research is mainly based on the animal models and traditional cell culture. However, the inherent species differences between humans and animals as well as the gap between organ level and cell level make it difficult to study human brain development and associated disorders through traditional technologies. Recently, the brain organoids derived from pluripotent stem cells have been reported to recapitulate many key features of human brain in vivo, for example recapitulating the zone of putative outer radial glia cells. Brain organoids offer a new platform for scientists to study brain development, neurological diseases, drug discovery and personalized medicine, regenerative medicine, and so on. Here, we discuss the progress, applications, advantages, limitations, and prospects of brain organoid technology in neurosciences and related therapeutics. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Measurement of brain perfusion in newborns: Pulsed arterial spin labeling (PASL) versus pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling (pCASL)

PubMed Central

Boudes, Elodie; Gilbert, Guillaume; Leppert, Ilana Ruth; Tan, Xianming; Pike, G. Bruce; Saint-Martin, Christine; Wintermark, Pia

2014-01-01

Background Arterial spin labeling (ASL) perfusion-weighted imaging (PWI) by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been shown to be useful for identifying asphyxiated newborns at risk of developing brain injury, whether or not therapeutic hypothermia was administered. However, this technique has been only rarely used in newborns until now, because of the challenges to obtain sufficient signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and spatial resolution in newborns. Objective To compare two methods of ASL-PWI (i.e., single inversion-time pulsed arterial spin labeling [single TI PASL], and pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling [pCASL]) to assess brain perfusion in asphyxiated newborns treated with therapeutic hypothermia and in healthy newborns. Design/methods We conducted a prospective cohort study of term asphyxiated newborns meeting the criteria for therapeutic hypothermia; four additional healthy term newborns were also included as controls. Each of the enrolled newborns was scanned at least once during the first month of life. Each MRI scan included conventional anatomical imaging, as well as PASL and pCASL PWI-MRI. Control and labeled images were registered separately to reduce the effect of motion artifacts. For each scan, the axial slice at the level of the basal ganglia was used for comparisons. Each scan was scored for its image quality. Quantification of whole-slice cerebral blood flow (CBF) was done afterwards using previously described formulas. Results A total number of 61 concomitant PASL and pCASL scans were obtained in nineteen asphyxiated newborns treated with therapeutic hypothermia and four healthy newborns. After discarding the scans with very poor image quality, 75% (46/61) remained for comparison between the two ASL methods. pCASL images presented a significantly superior image quality score compared to PASL images (p < 0.0001). Strong correlation was found between the CBF measured by PASL and pCASL (r = 0.61, p < 0.0001). Conclusion This study demonstrates that both ASL methods are feasible to assess brain perfusion in healthy and sick newborns. However, pCASL might be a better choice over PASL in newborns, as pCASL perfusion maps had a superior image quality that allowed a more detailed identification of the different brain structures. PMID:25379424

PET Quantification of the Norepinephrine Transporter in Human Brain with (S,S)-18F-FMeNER-D2.

PubMed

Moriguchi, Sho; Kimura, Yasuyuki; Ichise, Masanori; Arakawa, Ryosuke; Takano, Harumasa; Seki, Chie; Ikoma, Yoko; Takahata, Keisuke; Nagashima, Tomohisa; Yamada, Makiko; Mimura, Masaru; Suhara, Tetsuya

2017-07-01

Norepinephrine transporter (NET) in the brain plays important roles in human cognition and the pathophysiology of psychiatric disorders. Two radioligands, ( S , S )- 11 C-MRB and ( S , S )- 18 F-FMeNER-D 2 , have been used for imaging NETs in the thalamus and midbrain (including locus coeruleus) using PET in humans. However, NET density in the equally important cerebral cortex has not been well quantified because of unfavorable kinetics with ( S , S )- 11 C-MRB and defluorination with ( S , S )- 18 F-FMeNER-D 2 , which can complicate NET quantification in the cerebral cortex adjacent to the skull containing defluorinated 18 F radioactivity. In this study, we have established analysis methods of quantification of NET density in the brain including the cerebral cortex using ( S , S )- 18 F-FMeNER-D 2 PET. Methods: We analyzed our previous ( S , S )- 18 F-FMeNER-D 2 PET data of 10 healthy volunteers dynamically acquired for 240 min with arterial blood sampling. The effects of defluorination on the NET quantification in the superficial cerebral cortex was evaluated by establishing a time stability of NET density estimations with an arterial input 2-tissue-compartment model, which guided the less-invasive reference tissue model and area under the time-activity curve methods to accurately quantify NET density in all brain regions including the cerebral cortex. Results: Defluorination of ( S , S )- 18 F-FMeNER-D 2 became prominent toward the latter half of the 240-min scan. Total distribution volumes in the superficial cerebral cortex increased with the scan duration beyond 120 min. We verified that 90-min dynamic scans provided a sufficient amount of data for quantification of NET density unaffected by defluorination. Reference tissue model binding potential values from the 90-min scan data and area under the time-activity curve ratios of 70- to 90-min data allowed for the accurate quantification of NET density in the cerebral cortex. Conclusion: We have established methods of quantification of NET densities in the brain including the cerebral cortex unaffected by defluorination using ( S , S )- 18 F-FMeNER-D 2 These results suggest that we can accurately quantify NET density with a 90-min ( S , S )- 18 F-FMeNER-D 2 scan in broad brain areas. © 2017 by the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging.

Age-Related Differences in Test-Retest Reliability in Resting-State Brain Functional Connectivity

PubMed Central

Song, Jie; Desphande, Alok S.; Meier, Timothy B.; Tudorascu, Dana L.; Vergun, Svyatoslav; Nair, Veena A.; Biswal, Bharat B.; Meyerand, Mary E.; Birn, Rasmus M.; Bellec, Pierre; Prabhakaran, Vivek

2012-01-01

Resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) has emerged as a powerful tool for investigating brain functional connectivity (FC). Research in recent years has focused on assessing the reliability of FC across younger subjects within and between scan-sessions. Test-retest reliability in resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) has not yet been examined in older adults. In this study, we investigated age-related differences in reliability and stability of RSFC across scans. In addition, we examined how global signal regression (GSR) affects RSFC reliability and stability. Three separate resting-state scans from 29 younger adults (18–35 yrs) and 26 older adults (55–85 yrs) were obtained from the International Consortium for Brain Mapping (ICBM) dataset made publically available as part of the 1000 Functional Connectomes project www.nitrc.org/projects/fcon_1000. 92 regions of interest (ROIs) with 5 cubic mm radius, derived from the default, cingulo-opercular, fronto-parietal and sensorimotor networks, were previously defined based on a recent study. Mean time series were extracted from each of the 92 ROIs from each scan and three matrices of z-transformed correlation coefficients were created for each subject, which were then used for evaluation of multi-scan reliability and stability. The young group showed higher reliability of RSFC than the old group with GSR (p-value = 0.028) and without GSR (p-value <0.001). Both groups showed a high degree of multi-scan stability of RSFC and no significant differences were found between groups. By comparing the test-retest reliability of RSFC with and without GSR across scans, we found significantly higher proportion of reliable connections in both groups without GSR, but decreased stability. Our results suggest that aging is associated with reduced reliability of RSFC which itself is highly stable within-subject across scans for both groups, and that GSR reduces the overall reliability but increases the stability in both age groups and could potentially alter group differences of RSFC. PMID:23227153

Evaluation of MR scanning, image registration, and image processing methods to visualize cortical veins for neurosurgery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noordmans, Herke J.; Rutten, G. J. M.; Willems, Peter W. A.; Viergever, Max A.

2000-04-01

The visualization of brain vessels on the cortex helps the neurosurgeon in two ways: to avoid blood vessels when specifying the trepanation entry, and to overcome errors in the surgical navigation system due to brain shift. We compared 3D T1, MR, 3D T1 MR with gadolinium contrast, MR venography as scanning techniques, mutual information as registration technique, and thresholding and multi-vessel enhancement as image processing techniques. We evaluated the volume rendered results based on their quality and correspondence with photos took during surgery. It appears that with 3D T1 MR scans, gadolinium is required to show cortical veins. The visibility of small cortical veins is strongly enhanced by subtracting a 3D T1 MR baseline scan, which should be registered to the scan with gadolinium contrast, even when the scans are made during the same session. Multi-vessel enhancement helps to clarify the view on small vessels by reducing noise level, but strikingly does not reveal more. MR venography does show intracerebral veins with high detail, but is, as is, unsuited to show cortical veins due to the low contrast with CSF.

MRBrainS Challenge: Online Evaluation Framework for Brain Image Segmentation in 3T MRI Scans.

PubMed

Mendrik, Adriënne M; Vincken, Koen L; Kuijf, Hugo J; Breeuwer, Marcel; Bouvy, Willem H; de Bresser, Jeroen; Alansary, Amir; de Bruijne, Marleen; Carass, Aaron; El-Baz, Ayman; Jog, Amod; Katyal, Ranveer; Khan, Ali R; van der Lijn, Fedde; Mahmood, Qaiser; Mukherjee, Ryan; van Opbroek, Annegreet; Paneri, Sahil; Pereira, Sérgio; Persson, Mikael; Rajchl, Martin; Sarikaya, Duygu; Smedby, Örjan; Silva, Carlos A; Vrooman, Henri A; Vyas, Saurabh; Wang, Chunliang; Zhao, Liang; Biessels, Geert Jan; Viergever, Max A

2015-01-01

Many methods have been proposed for tissue segmentation in brain MRI scans. The multitude of methods proposed complicates the choice of one method above others. We have therefore established the MRBrainS online evaluation framework for evaluating (semi)automatic algorithms that segment gray matter (GM), white matter (WM), and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) on 3T brain MRI scans of elderly subjects (65-80 y). Participants apply their algorithms to the provided data, after which their results are evaluated and ranked. Full manual segmentations of GM, WM, and CSF are available for all scans and used as the reference standard. Five datasets are provided for training and fifteen for testing. The evaluated methods are ranked based on their overall performance to segment GM, WM, and CSF and evaluated using three evaluation metrics (Dice, H95, and AVD) and the results are published on the MRBrainS13 website. We present the results of eleven segmentation algorithms that participated in the MRBrainS13 challenge workshop at MICCAI, where the framework was launched, and three commonly used freeware packages: FreeSurfer, FSL, and SPM. The MRBrainS evaluation framework provides an objective and direct comparison of all evaluated algorithms and can aid in selecting the best performing method for the segmentation goal at hand.

MRBrainS Challenge: Online Evaluation Framework for Brain Image Segmentation in 3T MRI Scans

PubMed Central

Mendrik, Adriënne M.; Vincken, Koen L.; Kuijf, Hugo J.; Breeuwer, Marcel; Bouvy, Willem H.; de Bresser, Jeroen; Alansary, Amir; de Bruijne, Marleen; Carass, Aaron; El-Baz, Ayman; Jog, Amod; Katyal, Ranveer; Khan, Ali R.; van der Lijn, Fedde; Mahmood, Qaiser; Mukherjee, Ryan; van Opbroek, Annegreet; Paneri, Sahil; Pereira, Sérgio; Rajchl, Martin; Sarikaya, Duygu; Smedby, Örjan; Silva, Carlos A.; Vrooman, Henri A.; Vyas, Saurabh; Wang, Chunliang; Zhao, Liang; Biessels, Geert Jan; Viergever, Max A.

2015-01-01

Many methods have been proposed for tissue segmentation in brain MRI scans. The multitude of methods proposed complicates the choice of one method above others. We have therefore established the MRBrainS online evaluation framework for evaluating (semi)automatic algorithms that segment gray matter (GM), white matter (WM), and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) on 3T brain MRI scans of elderly subjects (65–80 y). Participants apply their algorithms to the provided data, after which their results are evaluated and ranked. Full manual segmentations of GM, WM, and CSF are available for all scans and used as the reference standard. Five datasets are provided for training and fifteen for testing. The evaluated methods are ranked based on their overall performance to segment GM, WM, and CSF and evaluated using three evaluation metrics (Dice, H95, and AVD) and the results are published on the MRBrainS13 website. We present the results of eleven segmentation algorithms that participated in the MRBrainS13 challenge workshop at MICCAI, where the framework was launched, and three commonly used freeware packages: FreeSurfer, FSL, and SPM. The MRBrainS evaluation framework provides an objective and direct comparison of all evaluated algorithms and can aid in selecting the best performing method for the segmentation goal at hand. PMID:26759553

Compelling Evidence that Exposure Therapy for PTSD Normalizes Brain Function.

PubMed

Roy, Michael J; Costanzo, Michelle E; Blair, James R; Rizzo, Albert A

2014-01-01

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is helping us better understand the neurologic pathways involved in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). We previously reported that military service members with PTSD after deployment to Iraq or Afghanistan demonstrated significant improvement, or normalization, in the fMRI-measured activation of the amygdala, prefrontal cortex and anterior cingulate gyrus following exposure therapy for PTSD. However, our original study design did not include repeat scans of control participants, rendering it difficult to discern how much of the observed normalization in brain activity is attributable to treatment, rather than merely a practice effect. Using the same Affective Stroop task paradigm, we now report on a larger sample of PTSD-positive combat veterans that we treated with exposure therapy, as well as a combat-exposed control group of service members who completed repeat scans at 3-4 month intervals. Findings from the treatment group are similar to our prior report. Combat controls showed no significant change on repeat scanning, indicating that the observed differences in the intervention group were in fact due to treatment. We continue to scan additional study participants, in order to determine whether virtual reality exposure therapy has a different impact on regional brain activation than other therapies for PTSD.

Grey matter brain injuries are common in Ugandan children with cerebral palsy suggesting a perinatal aetiology in full-term infants.

PubMed

Kakooza-Mwesige, Angelina; Byanyima, Rosemary K; Tumwine, James K; Eliasson, Ann-Christin; Forssberg, Hans; Flodmark, Olof

2016-06-01

There is limited literature on brain imaging studies of children with cerebral palsy (CP) in low and middle income countries. We investigated neuroimaging patterns of children with CP attending a tertiary referral centre in Uganda to determine how they differed from studies reported from high income countries and their relationship with prenatal and postnatal factors. Precontrast and postcontrast computed tomography (CT) scans of 78 CP children aged 2-12 years were conducted using a Philips MX 16-slice CT scanner. Two radiologists, blinded to the patient's clinical status, independently reviewed the scans. Abnormal CT scans were detected in 69% of the children sampled, with very few having primary white matter injuries (4%). Primary grey matter injuries (PGMI) (44%) and normal scans (31%) were most frequent. Children with a history of hospital admission following birth were three times more likely to have PGMI (odds ratio [OR] 2.8; 95% CI 1.1-7.1), suggesting a perinatal period with medical complications. Brain imaging patterns in this group of CP children differed markedly from imaging studies reported from high income countries, suggesting a perinatal aetiology in full-term infants and reduced survival in preterm infants. ©2016 Foundation Acta Paediatrica. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Image-enhanced endoscopy with I-scan technology for the evaluation of duodenal villous patterns.

PubMed

Cammarota, Giovanni; Ianiro, Gianluca; Sparano, Lucia; La Mura, Rossella; Ricci, Riccardo; Larocca, Luigi M; Landolfi, Raffaele; Gasbarrini, Antonio

2013-05-01

I-scan technology is the newly developed endoscopic tool that works in real time and utilizes a digital contrast method to enhance endoscopic image. We performed a feasibility study aimed to determine the diagnostic accuracy of i-scan technology for the evaluation of duodenal villous patterns, having histology as the reference standard. In this prospective, single center, open study, patients undergoing upper endoscopy for an histological evaluation of duodenal mucosa were enrolled. All patients underwent upper endoscopy using high resolution view in association with i-scan technology. During endoscopy, duodenal villous patterns were evaluated and classified as normal, partial villous atrophy, or marked villous atrophy. Results were then compared with histology. One hundred fifteen subjects were recruited in this study. The endoscopist was able to find marked villous atrophy of the duodenum in 12 subjects, partial villous atrophy in 25, and normal villi in the remaining 78 individuals. The i-scan system was demonstrated to have great accuracy (100 %) in the detection of marked villous atrophy patterns. I-scan technology showed quite lower accuracy in determining partial villous atrophy or normal villous patterns (respectively, 90 % for both items). Image-enhancing endoscopic technology allows a clear visualization of villous patterns in the duodenum. By switching from the standard to the i-scan view, it is possible to optimize the accuracy of endoscopy in recognizing villous alteration in subjects undergoing endoscopic evaluation.

Development of representative magnetic resonance imaging-based atlases of the canine brain and evaluation of three methods for atlas-based segmentation.

PubMed

Milne, Marjorie E; Steward, Christopher; Firestone, Simon M; Long, Sam N; O'Brien, Terrence J; Moffat, Bradford A

2016-04-01

To develop representative MRI atlases of the canine brain and to evaluate 3 methods of atlas-based segmentation (ABS). 62 dogs without clinical signs of epilepsy and without MRI evidence of structural brain disease. The MRI scans from 44 dogs were used to develop 4 templates on the basis of brain shape (brachycephalic, mesaticephalic, dolichocephalic, and combined mesaticephalic and dolichocephalic). Atlas labels were generated by segmenting the brain, ventricular system, hippocampal formation, and caudate nuclei. The MRI scans from the remaining 18 dogs were used to evaluate 3 methods of ABS (manual brain extraction and application of a brain shape-specific template [A], automatic brain extraction and application of a brain shape-specific template [B], and manual brain extraction and application of a combined template [C]). The performance of each ABS method was compared by calculation of the Dice and Jaccard coefficients, with manual segmentation used as the gold standard. Method A had the highest mean Jaccard coefficient and was the most accurate ABS method assessed. Measures of overlap for ABS methods that used manual brain extraction (A and C) ranged from 0.75 to 0.95 and compared favorably with repeated measures of overlap for manual extraction, which ranged from 0.88 to 0.97. Atlas-based segmentation was an accurate and repeatable method for segmentation of canine brain structures. It could be performed more rapidly than manual segmentation, which should allow the application of computer-assisted volumetry to large data sets and clinical cases and facilitate neuroimaging research and disease diagnosis.

Controlled Attenuation Parameter and Liver Stiffness Measurements for Steatosis Assessment in the Liver Transplant of Brain Dead Donors.

PubMed

Mancia, Claire; Loustaud-Ratti, Véronique; Carrier, Paul; Naudet, Florian; Bellissant, Eric; Labrousse, François; Pichon, Nicolas

2015-08-01

One of the main selection criteria of the quality of a liver graft is the degree of steatosis, which will determine the success of the transplantation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the ability of FibroScan and its related methods Controlled Attenuation Parameter and Liver Stiffness to assess objectively steatosis and fibrosis in livers from brain-dead donors to be potentially used for transplantation. Over a period of 10 months, 23 consecutive brain dead donors screened for liver procurement underwent a FibroScan and a liver biopsy. The different predictive models of liver retrievability using liver biopsy as the gold standard have led to the following area under receiver operating characteristic curve: 76.6% (95% confidence intervals [95% CIs], 48.2%-100%) when based solely on controlled attenuation parameter, 75.0% (95% CIs, 34.3%-100%) when based solely on liver stiffness, and 96.7% (95% CIs, 88.7%-100%) when based on combined indices. Our study suggests that a preoperative selection of brain-dead donors based on a combination of both Controlled Attenuation Parameter and Liver Stiffness obtained with FibroScan could result in a good preoperative prediction of the histological status and degree of steatosis of a potential liver graft.

Scanning fast and slow: current limitations of 3 Tesla functional MRI and future potential

PubMed Central

Boubela, Roland N.; Kalcher, Klaudius; Nasel, Christian; Moser, Ewald

2017-01-01

Functional MRI at 3T has become a workhorse for the neurosciences, e.g., neurology, psychology, and psychiatry, enabling non-invasive investigation of brain function and connectivity. However, BOLD-based fMRI is a rather indirect measure of brain function, confounded by physiology related signals, e.g., head or brain motion, brain pulsation, blood flow, intermixed with susceptibility differences close or distant to the region of neuronal activity. Even though a plethora of preprocessing strategies have been published to address these confounds, their efficiency is still under discussion. In particular, physiological signal fluctuations closely related to brain supply may mask BOLD signal changes related to “true” neuronal activation. Here we explore recent technical and methodological advancements aimed at disentangling the various components, employing fast multiband vs. standard EPI, in combination with fast temporal ICA. Our preliminary results indicate that fast (TR <0.5 s) scanning may help to identify and eliminate physiologic components, increasing tSNR and functional contrast. In addition, biological variability can be studied and task performance better correlated to other measures. This should increase specificity and reliability in fMRI studies. Furthermore, physiological signal changes during scanning may then be recognized as a source of information rather than a nuisance. As we are currently still undersampling the complexity of the brain, even at a rather coarse macroscopic level, we should be very cautious in the interpretation of neuroscientific findings, in particular when comparing different groups (e.g., age, sex, medication, pathology, etc.). From a technical point of view our goal should be to sample brain activity at layer specific resolution with low TR, covering as much of the brain as possible without violating SAR limits. We hope to stimulate discussion toward a better understanding and a more quantitative use of fMRI. PMID:28164083

3D spatially encoded and accelerated TE-averaged echo planar spectroscopic imaging in healthy human brain.

PubMed

Iqbal, Zohaib; Wilson, Neil E; Thomas, M Albert

2016-03-01

Several different pathologies, including many neurodegenerative disorders, affect the energy metabolism of the brain. Glutamate, a neurotransmitter in the brain, can be used as a biomarker to monitor these metabolic processes. One method that is capable of quantifying glutamate concentration reliably in several regions of the brain is TE-averaged (1) H spectroscopic imaging. However, this type of method requires the acquisition of multiple TE lines, resulting in long scan durations. The goal of this experiment was to use non-uniform sampling, compressed sensing reconstruction and an echo planar readout gradient to reduce the scan time by a factor of eight to acquire TE-averaged spectra in three spatial dimensions. Simulation of glutamate and glutamine showed that the 2.2-2.4 ppm spectral region contained 95% glutamate signal using the TE-averaged method. Peak integration of this spectral range and home-developed, prior-knowledge-based fitting were used for quantitation. Gray matter brain phantom measurements were acquired on a Siemens 3 T Trio scanner. Non-uniform sampling was applied retrospectively to these phantom measurements and quantitative results of glutamate with respect to creatine 3.0 (Glu/Cr) ratios showed a coefficient of variance of 16% for peak integration and 9% for peak fitting using eight-fold acceleration. In vivo scans of the human brain were acquired as well and five different brain regions were quantified using the prior-knowledge-based algorithm. Glu/Cr ratios from these regions agreed with previously reported results in the literature. The method described here, called accelerated TE-averaged echo planar spectroscopic imaging (TEA-EPSI), is a significant methodological advancement and may be a useful tool for categorizing glutamate changes in pathologies where affected brain regions are not known a priori. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Dose-response relationships using brain–computer interface technology impact stroke rehabilitation

PubMed Central

Young, Brittany M.; Nigogosyan, Zack; Walton, Léo M.; Remsik, Alexander; Song, Jie; Nair, Veena A.; Tyler, Mitchell E.; Edwards, Dorothy F.; Caldera, Kristin; Sattin, Justin A.; Williams, Justin C.; Prabhakaran, Vivek

2015-01-01

Brain–computer interfaces (BCIs) are an emerging novel technology for stroke rehabilitation. Little is known about how dose-response relationships for BCI therapies affect brain and behavior changes. We report preliminary results on stroke patients (n = 16, 11 M) with persistent upper extremity motor impairment who received therapy using a BCI system with functional electrical stimulation of the hand and tongue stimulation. We collected MRI scans and behavioral data using the Action Research Arm Test (ARAT), 9-Hole Peg Test (9-HPT), and Stroke Impact Scale (SIS) before, during, and after the therapy period. Using anatomical and functional MRI, we computed Laterality Index (LI) for brain activity in the motor network during impaired hand finger tapping. Changes from baseline LI and behavioral scores were assessed for relationships with dose, intensity, and frequency of BCI therapy. We found that gains in SIS Strength were directly responsive to BCI therapy: therapy dose and intensity correlated positively with increased SIS Strength (p ≤ 0.05), although no direct relationships were identified with ARAT or 9-HPT scores. We found behavioral measures that were not directly sensitive to differences in BCI therapy administration but were associated with concurrent brain changes correlated with BCI therapy administration parameters: therapy dose and intensity showed significant (p ≤ 0.05) or trending (0.05 < p < 0.1) negative correlations with LI changes, while therapy frequency did not affect LI. Reductions in LI were then correlated (p ≤ 0.05) with increased SIS Activities of Daily Living scores and improved 9-HPT performance. Therefore, some behavioral changes may be reflected by brain changes sensitive to differences in BCI therapy administration, while others such as SIS Strength may be directly responsive to BCI therapy administration. Data preliminarily suggest that when using BCI in stroke rehabilitation, therapy frequency may be less important than dose and intensity. PMID:26157378

The Schizophrenic Brain: Rewriting the Chapter.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greenberg, Joel

1979-01-01

Evidence of last two decades indicates schizophrenic disorders related to imbalance of brain chemicals. Recent discovery made of association between chronic schizophrenia and variety of structural abnormalities. Included are frontal lobe reversal and accipital lobe reversal. Computer tomography scans and data presented. (SA)

The brain's silent messenger: using selective attention to decode human thought for brain-based communication.

PubMed

Naci, Lorina; Cusack, Rhodri; Jia, Vivian Z; Owen, Adrian M

2013-05-29

The interpretation of human thought from brain activity, without recourse to speech or action, is one of the most provoking and challenging frontiers of modern neuroscience. In particular, patients who are fully conscious and awake, yet, due to brain damage, are unable to show any behavioral responsivity, expose the limits of the neuromuscular system and the necessity for alternate forms of communication. Although it is well established that selective attention can significantly enhance the neural representation of attended sounds, it remains, thus far, untested as a response modality for brain-based communication. We asked whether its effect could be reliably used to decode answers to binary (yes/no) questions. Fifteen healthy volunteers answered questions (e.g., "Do you have brothers or sisters?") in the fMRI scanner, by selectively attending to the appropriate word ("yes" or "no"). Ninety percent of the answers were decoded correctly based on activity changes within the attention network. The majority of volunteers conveyed their answers with less than 3 min of scanning, suggesting that this technique is suited for communication in a reasonable amount of time. Formal comparison with the current best-established fMRI technique for binary communication revealed improved individual success rates and scanning times required to detect responses. This novel fMRI technique is intuitive, easy to use in untrained participants, and reliably robust within brief scanning times. Possible applications include communication with behaviorally nonresponsive patients.

Characterizing growth patterns in longitudinal MRI using image contrast

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vardhan, Avantika; Prastawa, Marcel; Vachet, Clement; Piven, Joseph; Gerig, Guido

2014-03-01

Understanding the growth patterns of the early brain is crucial to the study of neuro-development. In the early stages of brain growth, a rapid sequence of biophysical and chemical processes take place. A crucial component of these processes, known as myelination, consists of the formation of a myelin sheath around a nerve fiber, enabling the effective transmission of neural impulses. As the brain undergoes myelination, there is a subsequent change in the contrast between gray matter and white matter as observed in MR scans. In this work, gray-white matter contrast is proposed as an effective measure of appearance which is relatively invariant to location, scanner type, and scanning conditions. To validate this, contrast is computed over various cortical regions for an adult human phantom. MR (Magnetic Resonance) images of the phantom were repeatedly generated using different scanners, and at different locations. Contrast displays less variability over changing conditions of scan compared to intensity-based measures, demonstrating that it is less dependent than intensity on external factors. Additionally, contrast is used to analyze longitudinal MR scans of the early brain, belonging to healthy controls and Down's Syndrome (DS) patients. Kernel regression is used to model subject-specific trajectories of contrast changing with time. Trajectories of contrast changing with time, as well as time-based biomarkers extracted from contrast modeling, show large differences between groups. The preliminary applications of contrast based analysis indicate its future potential to reveal new information not covered by conventional volumetric or deformation-based analysis, particularly for distinguishing between normal and abnormal growth patterns.

The Effect of 30% Oxygen on Visuospatial Performance and Brain Activation: An Fmri Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chung, S.C.; Tack, G.R.; Lee, B.; Eom, G.M.; Lee, S.Y.; Sohn, J.H.

2004-01-01

This study aimed to investigate the hypothesis that administration of the air with 30% oxygen compared with normal air (21% oxygen) enhances cognitive functioning through increased activation in the brain. A visuospatial task was presented while brain images were scanned by a 3 T fMRI system. The results showed that there was an improvement in…

Physiological Correlates of Intellectual Function in Children with Sickle Cell Disease: Hypoxaemia, Hyperaemia and Brain Infarction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hogan, Alexandra M.; Pit-ten Cate, Ineke M.; Vargha-Khadem, Faraneh; Prengler, Mara; Kirkham, Fenella J.

2006-01-01

Lowered intelligence relative to controls is evident by mid-childhood in children with sickle cell disease. There is consensus that brain infarct contributes to this deficit, but the subtle lowering of IQ in children with normal MRI scans might be accounted for by chronic systemic complications leading to insufficient oxygen delivery to the brain.…

Early Gray-Matter and White-Matter Concentration in Infancy Predict Later Language Skills: A Whole Brain Voxel-Based Morphometry Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Can, Dilara Deniz; Richards, Todd; Kuhl, Patricia K.

2013-01-01

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) brain scans were obtained from 19 infants at 7 months. Expressive and receptive language performance was assessed at 12 months. Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) identified brain regions where gray-matter and white-matter concentrations at 7 months correlated significantly with children's language scores at 12 months.…

Functional connectivity in the mouse brain imaged by B-mode photoacoustic microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nasiriavanaki, Mohammadreza; Xing, Wenxin; Xia, Jun; Wang, Lihong V.

2014-03-01

The increasing use of mouse models for human brain disease studies, coupled with the fact that existing functional imaging modalities cannot be easily applied to mice, presents an emerging need for a new functional imaging modality. Utilizing acoustic-resolution photoacoustic microscopy (AR-PAM), we imaged spontaneous cerebral hemodynamic fluctuations and their associated functional connections in the mouse brain. The images were acquired noninvasively in B-scan mode with a fast frame rate, a large field of view, and a high spatial resolution. At a location relative to the bregma 0, correlations were investigated inter-hemispherically between bilaterally homologous regions, as well as intra-hemispherically within the same functional regions. The functional connectivity in different functional regions was studied. The locations of these regions agreed well with the Paxinos mouse brain atlas. The functional connectivity map obtained in this study can then be used in the investigation of brain disorders such as stroke, Alzheimer's, schizophrenia, multiple sclerosis, autism, and epilepsy. Our experiments show that photoacoustic microscopy is capable to detect connectivities between different functional regions in B-scan mode, promising a powerful functional imaging modality for future brain research.

Murder, insanity, and medical expert witnesses.

PubMed

Ciccone, J R

1992-06-01

Recent advances in the ability to study brain anatomy and function and attempts to link these findings with human behavior have captured the attention of the legal system. This had led to the increasing use of the "neurological defense" to support a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity. This article explores the history of the insanity defense and explores the role of the medical expert witnesses in integrating clinical and laboratory findings, eg, computed tomographic scans, magnetic resonance scans, and single-photon emission computed tomographic scans. Three cases involving murder and brain dysfunction are discussed: the first case involves a subarachnoid hemorrhage resulting in visual perceptual and memory impairment; the second case, a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease; and the third case, the controverted diagnosis of complex partial seizures in a serial killer.

The Age of Enlightenment: Evolving Opportunities in Brain Research Through Optical Manipulation of Neuronal Activity

PubMed Central

Jerome, Jason; Heck, Detlef H.

2011-01-01

Optical manipulation of neuronal activity has rapidly developed into the most powerful and widely used approach to study mechanisms related to neuronal connectivity over a range of scales. Since the early use of single site uncaging to map network connectivity, rapid technological development of light modulation techniques has added important new options, such as fast scanning photostimulation, massively parallel control of light stimuli, holographic uncaging, and two-photon stimulation techniques. Exciting new developments in optogenetics complement neurotransmitter uncaging techniques by providing cell-type specificity and in vivo usability, providing optical access to the neural substrates of behavior. Here we review the rapid evolution of methods for the optical manipulation of neuronal activity, emphasizing crucial recent developments. PMID:22275886

The age of enlightenment: evolving opportunities in brain research through optical manipulation of neuronal activity.

PubMed

Jerome, Jason; Heck, Detlef H

2011-01-01

Optical manipulation of neuronal activity has rapidly developed into the most powerful and widely used approach to study mechanisms related to neuronal connectivity over a range of scales. Since the early use of single site uncaging to map network connectivity, rapid technological development of light modulation techniques has added important new options, such as fast scanning photostimulation, massively parallel control of light stimuli, holographic uncaging, and two-photon stimulation techniques. Exciting new developments in optogenetics complement neurotransmitter uncaging techniques by providing cell-type specificity and in vivo usability, providing optical access to the neural substrates of behavior. Here we review the rapid evolution of methods for the optical manipulation of neuronal activity, emphasizing crucial recent developments.

A database for estimating organ dose for coronary angiography and brain perfusion CT scans for arbitrary spectra and angular tube current modulation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rupcich, Franco; Badal, Andreu; Kyprianou, Iacovos

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to develop a database for estimating organ dose in a voxelized patient model for coronary angiography and brain perfusion CT acquisitions with any spectra and angular tube current modulation setting. The database enables organ dose estimation for existing and novel acquisition techniques without requiring Monte Carlo simulations. Methods: The study simulated transport of monoenergetic photons between 5 and 150 keV for 1000 projections over 360 Degree-Sign through anthropomorphic voxelized female chest and head (0 Degree-Sign and 30 Degree-Sign tilt) phantoms and standard head and body CTDI dosimetry cylinders. The simulations resulted in tablesmore » of normalized dose deposition for several radiosensitive organs quantifying the organ dose per emitted photon for each incident photon energy and projection angle for coronary angiography and brain perfusion acquisitions. The values in a table can be multiplied by an incident spectrum and number of photons at each projection angle and then summed across all energies and angles to estimate total organ dose. Scanner-specific organ dose may be approximated by normalizing the database-estimated organ dose by the database-estimated CTDI{sub vol} and multiplying by a physical CTDI{sub vol} measurement. Two examples are provided demonstrating how to use the tables to estimate relative organ dose. In the first, the change in breast and lung dose during coronary angiography CT scans is calculated for reduced kVp, angular tube current modulation, and partial angle scanning protocols relative to a reference protocol. In the second example, the change in dose to the eye lens is calculated for a brain perfusion CT acquisition in which the gantry is tilted 30 Degree-Sign relative to a nontilted scan. Results: Our database provides tables of normalized dose deposition for several radiosensitive organs irradiated during coronary angiography and brain perfusion CT scans. Validation results indicate total organ doses calculated using our database are within 1% of those calculated using Monte Carlo simulations with the same geometry and scan parameters for all organs except red bone marrow (within 6%), and within 23% of published estimates for different voxelized phantoms. Results from the example of using the database to estimate organ dose for coronary angiography CT acquisitions show 2.1%, 1.1%, and -32% change in breast dose and 2.1%, -0.74%, and 4.7% change in lung dose for reduced kVp, tube current modulated, and partial angle protocols, respectively, relative to the reference protocol. Results show -19.2% difference in dose to eye lens for a tilted scan relative to a nontilted scan. The reported relative changes in organ doses are presented without quantification of image quality and are for the sole purpose of demonstrating the use of the proposed database. Conclusions: The proposed database and calculation method enable the estimation of organ dose for coronary angiography and brain perfusion CT scans utilizing any spectral shape and angular tube current modulation scheme by taking advantage of the precalculated Monte Carlo simulation results. The database can be used in conjunction with image quality studies to develop optimized acquisition techniques and may be particularly beneficial for optimizing dual kVp acquisitions for which numerous kV, mA, and filtration combinations may be investigated.« less

Learning Computational Models of Video Memorability from fMRI Brain Imaging.

PubMed

Han, Junwei; Chen, Changyuan; Shao, Ling; Hu, Xintao; Han, Jungong; Liu, Tianming

2015-08-01

Generally, various visual media are unequally memorable by the human brain. This paper looks into a new direction of modeling the memorability of video clips and automatically predicting how memorable they are by learning from brain functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). We propose a novel computational framework by integrating the power of low-level audiovisual features and brain activity decoding via fMRI. Initially, a user study experiment is performed to create a ground truth database for measuring video memorability and a set of effective low-level audiovisual features is examined in this database. Then, human subjects' brain fMRI data are obtained when they are watching the video clips. The fMRI-derived features that convey the brain activity of memorizing videos are extracted using a universal brain reference system. Finally, due to the fact that fMRI scanning is expensive and time-consuming, a computational model is learned on our benchmark dataset with the objective of maximizing the correlation between the low-level audiovisual features and the fMRI-derived features using joint subspace learning. The learned model can then automatically predict the memorability of videos without fMRI scans. Evaluations on publically available image and video databases demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed framework.

Reading skill and structural brain development

PubMed Central

Houston, S.M.; Lebel, C.; Katzir, T.; Manis, F.R.; Kan, E.; Rodriguez, G.R.; Sowell, E.R.

2014-01-01

Reading is a learned skill that is likely influenced by both brain maturation and experience. Functional imaging studies have identified brain regions important for skilled reading, but the structural brain changes that co-occur with reading acquisition remain largely unknown. We investigated maturational volume changes in brain reading regions and their association with performance on reading measures. Sixteen typically developing children (5-15 years old, 8 male, mean age of sample=10.06 ±3.29) received two magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, (mean inter-scan interval =2.19 years), and were administered a battery of cognitive measures. Volume changes between time points in five bilateral cortical regions of interest were measured, and assessed for relationships to three measures of reading. Better baseline performances on measures of word reading, fluency and rapid naming, independent of age and total cortical gray matter volume change, were associated with volume decrease in the left inferior parietal cortex. Better baseline performance on a rapid naming measure was associated with volume decrease in the left inferior frontal region. These results suggest that children who are better readers, and who perhaps read more than less skilled readers, exhibit different development trajectories in brain reading regions. Understanding relationships between reading performance, reading experience and brain maturation trajectories may help with the development and evaluation of targeted interventions. PMID:24407200

The Exercising Brain: Changes in Functional Connectivity Induced by an Integrated Multimodal Cognitive and Whole-Body Coordination Training

PubMed Central

Demirakca, Traute; Cardinale, Vita; Dehn, Sven; Ruf, Matthias; Ende, Gabriele

2016-01-01

This study investigated the impact of “life kinetik” training on brain plasticity in terms of an increased functional connectivity during resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI). The training is an integrated multimodal training that combines motor and cognitive aspects and challenges the brain by introducing new and unfamiliar coordinative tasks. Twenty-one subjects completed at least 11 one-hour-per-week “life kinetik” training sessions in 13 weeks as well as before and after rs-fMRI scans. Additionally, 11 control subjects with 2 rs-fMRI scans were included. The CONN toolbox was used to conduct several seed-to-voxel analyses. We searched for functional connectivity increases between brain regions expected to be involved in the exercises. Connections to brain regions representing parts of the default mode network, such as medial frontal cortex and posterior cingulate cortex, did not change. Significant connectivity alterations occurred between the visual cortex and parts of the superior parietal area (BA7). Premotor area and cingulate gyrus were also affected. We can conclude that the constant challenge of unfamiliar combinations of coordination tasks, combined with visual perception and working memory demands, seems to induce brain plasticity expressed in enhanced connectivity strength of brain regions due to coactivation. PMID:26819776

High-speed 3D imaging of cellular activity in the brain using axially-extended beams and light sheets.

PubMed

Hillman, Elizabeth Mc; Voleti, Venkatakaushik; Patel, Kripa; Li, Wenze; Yu, Hang; Perez-Campos, Citlali; Benezra, Sam E; Bruno, Randy M; Galwaduge, Pubudu T

2018-06-01

As optical reporters and modulators of cellular activity have become increasingly sophisticated, the amount that can be learned about the brain via high-speed cellular imaging has increased dramatically. However, despite fervent innovation, point-scanning microscopy is facing a fundamental limit in achievable 3D imaging speeds and fields of view. A range of alternative approaches are emerging, some of which are moving away from point-scanning to use axially-extended beams or sheets of light, for example swept confocally aligned planar excitation (SCAPE) microscopy. These methods are proving effective for high-speed volumetric imaging of the nervous system of small organisms such as Drosophila (fruit fly) and D. Rerio (Zebrafish), and are showing promise for imaging activity in the living mammalian brain using both single and two-photon excitation. This article describes these approaches and presents a simple model that demonstrates key advantages of axially-extended illumination over point-scanning strategies for high-speed volumetric imaging, including longer integration times per voxel, improved photon efficiency and reduced photodamage. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Real-time motion analytics during brain MRI improve data quality and reduce costs.

PubMed

Dosenbach, Nico U F; Koller, Jonathan M; Earl, Eric A; Miranda-Dominguez, Oscar; Klein, Rachel L; Van, Andrew N; Snyder, Abraham Z; Nagel, Bonnie J; Nigg, Joel T; Nguyen, Annie L; Wesevich, Victoria; Greene, Deanna J; Fair, Damien A

2017-11-01

Head motion systematically distorts clinical and research MRI data. Motion artifacts have biased findings from many structural and functional brain MRI studies. An effective way to remove motion artifacts is to exclude MRI data frames affected by head motion. However, such post-hoc frame censoring can lead to data loss rates of 50% or more in our pediatric patient cohorts. Hence, many scanner operators collect additional 'buffer data', an expensive practice that, by itself, does not guarantee sufficient high-quality MRI data for a given participant. Therefore, we developed an easy-to-setup, easy-to-use Framewise Integrated Real-time MRI Monitoring (FIRMM) software suite that provides scanner operators with head motion analytics in real-time, allowing them to scan each subject until the desired amount of low-movement data has been collected. Our analyses show that using FIRMM to identify the ideal scan time for each person can reduce total brain MRI scan times and associated costs by 50% or more. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Development of intraoperative electrochemical detection: wireless instantaneous neurochemical concentration sensor for deep brain stimulation feedback

PubMed Central

Van Gompel, Jamie J.; Chang, Su-Youne; Goerss, Stephan J.; Kim, In Yong; Kimble, Christopher; Bennet, Kevin E.; Lee, Kendall H.

2010-01-01

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is effective when there appears to be a distortion in the complex neurochemical circuitry of the brain. Currently, the mechanism of DBS is incompletely understood; however, it has been hypothesized that DBS evokes release of neurochemicals. Well-established chemical detection systems such as microdialysis and mass spectrometry are impractical if one is assessing changes that are happening on a second-to-second time scale or for chronically used implanted recordings, as would be required for DBS feedback. Electrochemical detection techniques such as fast-scan cyclic voltammetry (FSCV) and amperometry have until recently remained in the realm of basic science; however, it is enticing to apply these powerful recording technologies to clinical and translational applications. The Wireless Instantaneous Neurochemical Concentration Sensor (WINCS) currently is a research device designed for human use capable of in vivo FSCV and amperometry, sampling at subsecond time resolution. In this paper, the authors review recent advances in this electrochemical application to DBS technologies. The WINCS can detect dopamine, adenosine, and serotonin by FSCV. For example, FSCV is capable of detecting dopamine in the caudate evoked by stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus/substantia nigra in pig and rat models of DBS. It is further capable of detecting dopamine by amperometry and, when used with enzyme linked sensors, both glutamate and adenosine. In conclusion, WINCS is a highly versatile instrument that allows near real-time (millisecond) detection of neurochemicals important to DBS research. In the future, the neurochemical changes detected using WINCS may be important as surrogate markers for proper DBS placement as well as the sensor component for a “smart” DBS system with electrochemical feedback that allows automatic modulation of stimulation parameters. Current work is under way to establish WINCS use in humans. PMID:20672923

Open access to MRI for general practitioners: 12 years' experience at one institution -- a retrospective analysis.

PubMed

Gough-Palmer, A L; Burnett, C; Gedroyc, W M

2009-08-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate 12 years of general practitioner (GP) use of open access MRI services at a single London teaching hospital. A retrospective analysis of reports from all GP requests for MRI scans between 1994 and 2005 was performed. The date, scanned body part, and requester details from 1798 scans requested by 209 individual GPs over a continuous 12-year period were recorded. All scans were then graded into four categories based on the severity of reported findings from normal to gross abnormality. Over the study period, GP requests as a percentage of the total (MRI) department workload remained low at approximately 2.6%. Spine, knee and brain requests constituted 86% (n = 1546) of requested scans. 48% (n = 868) of scans were reported as normal or minor degenerative changes only. 26% (n = 466) of scans demonstrated serious pathology that was likely to warrant hospital consultant referral. There was a wide range of scans requested per requester, from 1 to 240 over the period, with an average of 8.5 scans per GP. In conclusion, any department wishing to set up open access to MRI services for GPs could cover the majority of requests by offering spine, knee and brain imaging. The percentage of normal report rates for GP requests is comparable with previous studies of outpatient referrals. A large variation in requesting patterns between GPs suggests the need for increased communication between GPs and imaging departments to optimise use of the service.

The impact of the introduction of PECARN head CT rules on the utilisation of head CT scans in a private tertiary hospital in Sub-Saharan Africa.

PubMed

Kobe, Isaac O; Qureshi, Mahmoud M; Hassan, Saidi; Oluoch-Olunya, David L

2017-12-01

The decision to order head CT scans to rule out clinically significant traumatic brain injury in mild head injury in children is made on the basis of clinical decision rules of which the Paediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network (PECARN) CT head rules have been found to be most sensitive. The purpose of this study is to determine the proportion of head CT scans done for children with mild head injury and to determine disposition of patients from casualty after the introduction of PECARN head CT rules compared to the period before. The research question is "will introduction of the PECARN CT head rules reduce the proportion of head CT scans requested for children under 18 years with mild head injury at the AKUHN?" A before and after quasi experimental study with a study population including all children under 18 years presenting to the AKUHN with mild head injury and a Glasgow coma scale of 14 and above on presentation. Sample size was 85. A total of 42 patients files were analysed in the before study while 43 patients were selected for the after study. The median age was 5 years. The proportion of head CT scans reduced from 56% in the before group to 33% in the after group with no missed clinically significant traumatic brain injury. More patients were discharged home after evaluation in the after group (81%) than in the before group (58%). The number of head CT scans ordered reduced without missing any clinically significant traumatic brain injury.

High-resolution, high-throughput imaging with a multibeam scanning electron microscope

PubMed Central

EBERLE, AL; MIKULA, S; SCHALEK, R; LICHTMAN, J; TATE, ML KNOTHE; ZEIDLER, D

2015-01-01

Electron–electron interactions and detector bandwidth limit the maximal imaging speed of single-beam scanning electron microscopes. We use multiple electron beams in a single column and detect secondary electrons in parallel to increase the imaging speed by close to two orders of magnitude and demonstrate imaging for a variety of samples ranging from biological brain tissue to semiconductor wafers. Lay Description The composition of our world and our bodies on the very small scale has always fascinated people, making them search for ways to make this visible to the human eye. Where light microscopes reach their resolution limit at a certain magnification, electron microscopes can go beyond. But their capability of visualizing extremely small features comes at the cost of a very small field of view. Some of the questions researchers seek to answer today deal with the ultrafine structure of brains, bones or computer chips. Capturing these objects with electron microscopes takes a lot of time – maybe even exceeding the time span of a human being – or new tools that do the job much faster. A new type of scanning electron microscope scans with 61 electron beams in parallel, acquiring 61 adjacent images of the sample at the same time a conventional scanning electron microscope captures one of these images. In principle, the multibeam scanning electron microscope’s field of view is 61 times larger and therefore coverage of the sample surface can be accomplished in less time. This enables researchers to think about large-scale projects, for example in the rather new field of connectomics. A very good introduction to imaging a brain at nanometre resolution can be found within course material from Harvard University on http://www.mcb80x.org/# as featured media entitled ‘connectomics’. PMID:25627873

Longitudinal stability of MRI for mapping brain change using tensor-based morphometry.

PubMed

Leow, Alex D; Klunder, Andrea D; Jack, Clifford R; Toga, Arthur W; Dale, Anders M; Bernstein, Matt A; Britson, Paula J; Gunter, Jeffrey L; Ward, Chadwick P; Whitwell, Jennifer L; Borowski, Bret J; Fleisher, Adam S; Fox, Nick C; Harvey, Danielle; Kornak, John; Schuff, Norbert; Studholme, Colin; Alexander, Gene E; Weiner, Michael W; Thompson, Paul M

2006-06-01

Measures of brain change can be computed from sequential MRI scans, providing valuable information on disease progression, e.g., for patient monitoring and drug trials. Tensor-based morphometry (TBM) creates maps of these brain changes, visualizing the 3D profile and rates of tissue growth or atrophy, but its sensitivity depends on the contrast and geometric stability of the images. As part of the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI), 17 normal elderly subjects were scanned twice (at a 2-week interval) with several 3D 1.5 T MRI pulse sequences: high and low flip angle SPGR/FLASH (from which Synthetic T1 images were generated), MP-RAGE, IR-SPGR (N = 10) and MEDIC (N = 7) scans. For each subject and scan type, a 3D deformation map aligned baseline and follow-up scans, computed with a nonlinear, inverse-consistent elastic registration algorithm. Voxelwise statistics, in ICBM stereotaxic space, visualized the profile of mean absolute change and its cross-subject variance; these maps were then compared using permutation testing. Image stability depended on: (1) the pulse sequence; (2) the transmit/receive coil type (birdcage versus phased array); (3) spatial distortion corrections (using MEDIC sequence information); (4) B1-field intensity inhomogeneity correction (using N3). SPGR/FLASH images acquired using a birdcage coil had least overall deviation. N3 correction reduced coil type and pulse sequence differences and improved scan reproducibility, except for Synthetic T1 images (which were intrinsically corrected for B1-inhomogeneity). No strong evidence favored B0 correction. Although SPGR/FLASH images showed least deviation here, pulse sequence selection for the ADNI project was based on multiple additional image analyses, to be reported elsewhere.

Longitudinal stability of MRI for mapping brain change using tensor-based morphometry

PubMed Central

Leow, Alex D.; Klunder, Andrea D.; Jack, Clifford R.; Toga, Arthur W.; Dale, Anders M.; Bernstein, Matt A.; Britson, Paula J.; Gunter, Jeffrey L.; Ward, Chadwick P.; Whitwell, Jennifer L.; Borowski, Bret J.; Fleisher, Adam S.; Fox, Nick C.; Harvey, Danielle; Kornak, John; Schuff, Norbert; Studholme, Colin; Alexander, Gene E.; Weiner, Michael W.; Thompson, Paul M.

2007-01-01

Measures of brain change can be computed from sequential MRI scans, providing valuable information on disease progression, e.g., for patient monitoring and drug trials. Tensor-based morphometry (TBM) creates maps of these brain changes, visualizing the 3D profile and rates of tissue growth or atrophy, but its sensitivity depends on the contrast and geometric stability of the images. A s part of the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI), 17 normal elderly subjects were scanned twice (at a 2-week interval) with several 3D 1.5 T MRI pulse sequences: high and low flip angle SPGR/FLASH (from which Synthetic T1 images were generated), MP-RAGE, IR-SPGR (N = 10) and MEDIC (N = 7) scans. For each subject and scan type, a 3D deformation map aligned baseline and follow-up scans, computed with a nonlinear, inverse-consistent elastic registration algorithm. Voxelwise statistics, in ICBM stereotaxic space, visualized the profile of mean absolute change and its cross-subject variance; these maps were then compared using permutation testing. Image stability depended on: (1) the pulse sequence; (2) the transmit/receive coil type (birdcage versus phased array); (3) spatial distortion corrections (using MEDIC sequence information); (4) B1-field intensity inhomogeneity correction (using N3). SPGR/FLASH images acquired using a birdcage coil had least overall deviation. N3 correction reduced coil type and pulse sequence differences and improved scan reproducibility, except for Synthetic T1 images (which were intrinsically corrected for B1-inhomogeneity). No strong evidence favored B0 correction. Although SPGR/FLASH images showed least deviation here, pulse sequence selection for the ADNI project was based on multiple additional image analyses, to be reported elsewhere. PMID:16480900

MR imaging of adult acute infectious encephalitis.

PubMed

Bertrand, A; Leclercq, D; Martinez-Almoyna, L; Girard, N; Stahl, J-P; De-Broucker, T

2017-05-01

Imaging is a key tool for the diagnosis of acute encephalitis. Brain CT scan must be urgently performed to rule out a brain lesion with mass effect that would contraindicate lumbar puncture. Brain MRI is less accessible than CT scan, but can provide crucial information with patients presenting with acute encephalitis. We performed a literature review on PubMed on April 1, 2015 with the search terms "MRI" and "encephalitis". We first described the various brain MRI abnormalities associated with each pathogen of acute encephalitis (HSV, VZV, other viral agents targeting immunocompromised patients or travelers; tuberculosis, listeriosis, other less frequent bacterial agents). Then, we identified specific patterns of brain MRI abnomalies that may suggest a particular pathogen. Limbic encephalitis is highly suggestive of HSV; it also occurs less frequently in encephalitis due to HHV6, syphillis, Whipple's disease and HIV primary infection. Rhombencephalitis is suggestive of tuberculosis and listeriosis. Acute ischemic lesions can occur in patients presenting with severe bacterial encephalitis, tuberculosis, VZV encephalitis, syphilis, and fungal infections. Brain MRI plays a crucial role in the diagnosis of acute encephalitis. It detects brain signal changes that reinforce the clinical suspicion of encephalitis, especially when the causative agent is not identified by lumbar puncture; it can suggest a particular pathogen based on the pattern of brain abnormalities and it rules out important differential diagnosis (vascular, tumoral or inflammatory causes). Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Real-World Neuroimaging Technologies

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-05-10

system enables long-term wear of up to 10 consecutive hours of operation time. The system’s wireless technologies, light weight (200g), and dry sensor ...biomarkers, body sensor networks , brain computer interactionbrain, computer interfaces, data acquisition, electroencephalography monitoring, translational...brain activity in real-world scenarios. INDEX TERMS Behavioral science, biomarkers, body sensor networks , brain computer interfaces, brain computer

Hey Buddy can you spare a DNA? New surveillance technologies and the growth of mandatory volunteerism in collecting personal information.

PubMed

Marx, Gary T

2007-01-01

The new social surveillance can be defined as scrutiny through the use of technical means to extract or create personal or group data, whether from individuals or contexts. Examples include: video cameras; computer matching, profiling and data mining; work, computer and electronic location monitoring; biometrics; DNA analysis; drug tests; brain scans for lie detection; various forms of imaging to reveal what is behind walls and enclosures. There are two problems with the new surveillance technologies. One is that they don't work and the other is that they work too well. If the first, they fail to prevent disasters, bring miscarriages of justice, and waste resources. If the second, they can further inequality and invidious social categorization; they chill liberty. These twin threats are part of the enduring paradox of democratic government that must be strong enough to maintain reasonable order, but not so strong as to become undemocratic.

ENIGMA and the individual: Predicting factors that affect the brain in 35 countries worldwide☆☆☆★

PubMed Central

Thompson, Paul M.; Andreassen, Ole A.; Arias-Vasquez, Alejandro; Bearden, Carrie E.; Boedhoe, Premika S.; Brouwer, Rachel M.; Buckner, Randy L.; Buitelaar, Jan K.; Bulayeva, Kazima B.; Cannon, Dara M.; Cohen, Ronald A.; Conrod, Patricia J.; Dale, Anders M.; Deary, Ian J.; Dennis, Emily L.; de Reus, Marcel A.; Desrivieres, Sylvane; Dima, Danai; Donohoe, Gary; Fisher, Simon E.; Fouche, Jean-Paul; Francks, Clyde; Frangou, Sophia; Franke, Barbara; Ganjgahi, Habib; Garavan, Hugh; Glahn, David C.; Grabe, Hans J.; Guadalupe, Tulio; Gutman, Boris A.; Hashimoto, Ryota; Hibar, Derrek P.; Holland, Dominic; Hoogman, Martine; Pol, Hilleke E. Hulshoff; Hosten, Norbert; Jahanshad, Neda; Kelly, Sinead; Kochunov, Peter; Kremen, William S.; Lee, Phil H.; Mackey, Scott; Martin, Nicholas G.; Mazoyer, Bernard; McDonald, Colm; Medland, Sarah E.; Morey, Rajendra A.; Nichols, Thomas E.; Paus, Tomas; Pausova, Zdenka; Schmaal, Lianne; Schumann, Gunter; Shen, Li; Sisodiya, Sanjay M.; Smit, Dirk J.A.; Smoller, Jordan W.; Stein, Dan J.; Stein, Jason L.; Toro, Roberto; Turner, Jessica A.; van den Heuvel, Martijn P.; van den Heuvel, Odile L.; van Erp, Theo G.M.; van Rooij, Daan; Veltman, Dick J.; Walter, Henrik; Wang, Yalin; Wardlaw, Joanna M.; Whelan, Christopher D.; Wright, Margaret J.; Ye, Jieping

2016-01-01

In this review, we discuss recent work by the ENIGMA Consortium (http://enigma.ini.usc.edu) – a global alliance of over 500 scientists spread across 200 institutions in 35 countries collectively analyzing brain imaging, clinical, and genetic data. Initially formed to detect genetic influences on brain measures, ENIGMA has grown to over 30 working groups studying 12 major brain diseases by pooling and comparing brain data. In some of the largest neuroimaging studies to date – of schizophrenia and major depression – ENIGMA has found replicable disease effects on the brain that are consistent worldwide, as well as factors that modulate disease effects. In partnership with other consortia including ADNI, CHARGE, IMAGEN and others1, ENIGMA's genomic screens – now numbering over 30,000 MRI scans – have revealed at least 8 genetic loci that affect brain volumes. Downstream of gene findings, ENIGMA has revealed how these individual variants – and genetic variants in general – may affect both the brain and risk for a range of diseases. The ENIGMA consortium is discovering factors that consistently affect brain structure and function that will serve as future predictors linking individual brain scans and genomic data. It is generating vast pools of normative data on brain measures – from tens of thousands of people – that may help detect deviations from normal development or aging in specific groups of subjects. We discuss challenges and opportunities in applying these predictors to individual subjects and new cohorts, as well as lessons we have learned in ENIGMA's efforts so far. PMID:26658930

Quantitative assessment of cerebral glucose metabolic rates after blood-brain barrier disruption induced by focused ultrasound using FDG-MicroPET.

PubMed

Yang, Feng-Yi; Chang, Wen-Yuan; Chen, Jyh-Cheng; Lee, Lin-Chien; Hung, Yi-Shun

2014-04-15

The goal of this study was to evaluate the pharmacokinetics of (18)F-2-fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose ((18)F-FDG) and the expression of glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1) protein after blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption of normal rat brains by focused ultrasound (FUS). After delivery of an intravenous bolus of ~37 MBq (1 mCi) (18)F-FDG, dynamic positron emission tomography scans were performed on rats with normal brains and those whose BBBs had been disrupted by FUS. Arterial blood sampling was collected throughout the scanning procedure. A 2-tissue compartmental model was used to estimate (18)F-FDG kinetic parameters in brain tissues. The rate constants Ki, K1, and k3 were assumed to characterize the uptake, transport, and hexokinase activity, respectively, of (18)F-FDG. The uptake of (18)F-FDG in brains significantly decreased immediately after the blood-brain barrier was disrupted. At the same time, the derived values of Ki, K1, and k3 for the sonicated brains were significantly lower than those for the control brains. In agreement with the reduction in glucose, Western blot analyses confirmed that focused ultrasound exposure significantly reduced the expression of GLUT1 protein in the brains. Furthermore, the effect of focused ultrasound on glucose uptake was transient and reversible 24h after sonication. Our results indicate that focused ultrasound may inhibit GLUT1 expression to decrease the glucose uptake in brain tissue during the period of BBB disruption. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Anterior cingulate taste activation predicts ad libitum intake of sweet and savory drinks in healthy, normal-weight men.

PubMed

Spetter, Maartje S; de Graaf, Cees; Viergever, Max A; Smeets, Paul A M

2012-04-01

After food consumption, the motivation to eat (wanting) decreases and associated brain reward responses change. Wanting-related brain responses and how these are affected by consumption of specific foods are ill documented. Moreover, the predictive value of food-induced brain responses for subsequent consumption has not been assessed. We aimed to determine the effects of consumption of sweet and savory foods on taste activation in the brain and to assess how far taste activation can predict subsequent ad libitum intake. Fifteen healthy men (age: 27 ± 2 y, BMI: 22.0 ± 1.5 kg/m2) participated in a randomized crossover trial. After a >3-h fast, participants were scanned with the use of functional MRI before and after consumption of a sweet or savory preload (0.35 L fruit or tomato juice) on two occasions. After the scans, the preload juice was consumed ad libitum. During scanning, participants tasted the juices and rated their pleasantness. Striatal taste activation decreased after juice consumption, independent of pleasantness. Sweet and savory taste activation were not differentially affected by consumption. Anterior cingulate taste activation predicted subsequent ad libitum intake of sweet (r = -0.78; P < 0.001(uncorrected)) as well as savory juice (r = -0.70; P < 0.001(uncorrected)). In conclusion, we showed how taste activation of brain reward areas changes following food consumption. These changes may be associated with the food's physiological relevance. Further, the results suggest that anterior cingulate taste activation reflects food-specific satiety. This extends our understanding of the representation of food specific-appetite in the brain and shows that neuroimaging may provide objective and more accurate measures of food motivation than self-report measures.

A microelectrode array electrodeposited with reduced graphene oxide and Pt nanoparticles for norepinephrine and electrophysiological recordings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Li; Song, Yilin; Zhang, Yu; Xu, Shengwei; Xu, Huiren; Wang, Mixia; Wang, Yang; Cai, Xinxia

2017-11-01

Norepinephrine (NE), a common neurotransmitter released by locus coeruleus neurons, plays an essential role in the communication mechanism of the mammalian nervous system. In this work, a microelectrode array (MEA) was fabricated by micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) technology to provide a rapid, sensitive and reliable method for the direct determination in NE dynamic secretion. To improve the electrical performance, the MEA was electrodeposited with the reduced graphene oxide and Pt nanoparticles (rGOPNps). rGOPNps-MEA was investigated using scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, differential pulse voltammetry exhibited remarkably electrocatalytic properties towards NE. Calibration results showed a sensitivity of 1.03 nA µM-1 to NE with a detection limit of 0.08 µM. In Particular, the MEA was successfully used for measuring dynamic extracellular NE secretion from the locus coeruleus brain slice, as well as monitoring spike firing from the hippocampal brain slice. This fabricated device has potential in studies of spatially resolved delivery of trace neurochemicals and electrophysiological activities of a variety of biological tissues in vitro.

Spectral domain optical coherence tomography for ex vivo brain tumor analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lenz, Marcel; Krug, Robin; Jaedicke, Volker; Stroop, Ralf; Schmieder, Kirsten; Hofmann, Martin R.

2015-07-01

Non-contact imaging methods to distinguish between healthy tissue and brain tumor tissue during surgery would be highly desirable but are not yet available. Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) is a non-invasive imaging technology with a resolution around 1-15 μm and a penetration depth of 1-2 mm that may satisfy the demands. To analyze its potential, we measured ex vivo human brain tumor tissue samples from 10 patients with a Spectral Domain OCT system (Thorlabs Callisto: center wavelength of 930 nm) and compared the results with standard histology. In detail, three different measurements were made for each sample. First the sample was measured directly after surgery. Then it was embedded in paraffin (also H and E staining) and examined for the second time. At last, the slices of each paraffin block cut by the pathology were measured. Each time a B-scan was created and for a better comparison with the histology a 3D image was generated, in order to get the corresponding en face images. In both, histopathological diagnosis and the analysis of the OCT images, different types of brain tumor showed difference in structure. This has been affirmed by two blinded investigators. Nevertheless the difference between two images of samples taken directly after surgery is less distinct. To enhance the contrast in the images further, we employ Spectroscopic OCT and pattern recognition algorithms and compare these results to the histopathological standard.

Study Finds Small Increase in Cancer Risk after Childhood CT Scans

Cancer.gov

A study published in the June 6, 2012, issue of The Lancet shows that radiation exposure from computed tomography (CT) scans in childhood results in very small but increased risks of leukemia and brain tumors in the first decade after exposure.

Make or Buy: Cost Impacts of Additive Manufacturing, 3D Laser Scanning Technology, and Collaborative Product Lifecycle Management on Ship Maintenance and Modernization

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-05-01

management during operations 4 Potential Technology 3: Additive Manufacturing (“ 3D Printing ”) 5 • 3D design/image (e.g. from 3D LS) of final part...1 Make or Buy: Cost Impacts of Additive Manufacturing, 3D Laser Scanning Technology, and Collaborative Product Lifecycle Management on Ship...DATES COVERED 00-00-2015 to 00-00-2015 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Make or Buy: Cost Impacts of Additive Manufacturing, 3D Laser Scanning Technology

Atlas of neuroanatomy with radiologic correlation and pathologic illustration

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dublin, A.B.; Dublin, W.B.

1982-01-01

This atlas correlates gross neuroanatomic specimens with radiographs and computed tomographic scans. Pathologic specimens and radiographs are displayed in a similar manner. The first chapter, on embryology, shows the development of the telencephalon, diencephalon, mesencephalon, and metencephalon through a series of overlays. The anatomical section shows the surface of the brain, the ventricles and their adjacent structures, and the vascular system. CT anatomy is demonstrated by correlating CT scans with pathologic brain specimens cut in the axial plane. Pathologic changes associated with congenital malformations, injections, injuries, tumors, and other causes are demonstrated in the last six chapters.

Subclinical seizures as a pitfall in 18F-FDG PET imaging of temporal lobe epilepsy.

PubMed

Tafti, Bashir Akhavan; Mandelkern, Mark; Berenji, Gholam Reza

2014-09-01

A 61-year-old man with history of heroin abuse, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and hypertension was evaluated for seizures. MRI findings were concerning for temporal epilepsy. A brain 18F-FDG PET study showed a hypermetabolic focus in the left temporal lobe, although the patient was asymptomatic during the scan. Later review of electroencephalography recordings revealed a subclinical seizure during imaging. A whole-body 18F-FDG PET scan performed 4 days later for cancer screening purposes, during which the electroencephalography tracings were normal, showed no abnormal metabolic activity in the brain.

Robust Machine Learning-Based Correction on Automatic Segmentation of the Cerebellum and Brainstem.

PubMed

Wang, Jun Yi; Ngo, Michael M; Hessl, David; Hagerman, Randi J; Rivera, Susan M

2016-01-01

Automated segmentation is a useful method for studying large brain structures such as the cerebellum and brainstem. However, automated segmentation may lead to inaccuracy and/or undesirable boundary. The goal of the present study was to investigate whether SegAdapter, a machine learning-based method, is useful for automatically correcting large segmentation errors and disagreement in anatomical definition. We further assessed the robustness of the method in handling size of training set, differences in head coil usage, and amount of brain atrophy. High resolution T1-weighted images were acquired from 30 healthy controls scanned with either an 8-channel or 32-channel head coil. Ten patients, who suffered from brain atrophy because of fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome, were scanned using the 32-channel head coil. The initial segmentations of the cerebellum and brainstem were generated automatically using Freesurfer. Subsequently, Freesurfer's segmentations were both manually corrected to serve as the gold standard and automatically corrected by SegAdapter. Using only 5 scans in the training set, spatial overlap with manual segmentation in Dice coefficient improved significantly from 0.956 (for Freesurfer segmentation) to 0.978 (for SegAdapter-corrected segmentation) for the cerebellum and from 0.821 to 0.954 for the brainstem. Reducing the training set size to 2 scans only decreased the Dice coefficient ≤0.002 for the cerebellum and ≤ 0.005 for the brainstem compared to the use of training set size of 5 scans in corrective learning. The method was also robust in handling differences between the training set and the test set in head coil usage and the amount of brain atrophy, which reduced spatial overlap only by <0.01. These results suggest that the combination of automated segmentation and corrective learning provides a valuable method for accurate and efficient segmentation of the cerebellum and brainstem, particularly in large-scale neuroimaging studies, and potentially for segmenting other neural regions as well.

Robust Machine Learning-Based Correction on Automatic Segmentation of the Cerebellum and Brainstem

PubMed Central

Wang, Jun Yi; Ngo, Michael M.; Hessl, David; Hagerman, Randi J.; Rivera, Susan M.

2016-01-01

Automated segmentation is a useful method for studying large brain structures such as the cerebellum and brainstem. However, automated segmentation may lead to inaccuracy and/or undesirable boundary. The goal of the present study was to investigate whether SegAdapter, a machine learning-based method, is useful for automatically correcting large segmentation errors and disagreement in anatomical definition. We further assessed the robustness of the method in handling size of training set, differences in head coil usage, and amount of brain atrophy. High resolution T1-weighted images were acquired from 30 healthy controls scanned with either an 8-channel or 32-channel head coil. Ten patients, who suffered from brain atrophy because of fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome, were scanned using the 32-channel head coil. The initial segmentations of the cerebellum and brainstem were generated automatically using Freesurfer. Subsequently, Freesurfer’s segmentations were both manually corrected to serve as the gold standard and automatically corrected by SegAdapter. Using only 5 scans in the training set, spatial overlap with manual segmentation in Dice coefficient improved significantly from 0.956 (for Freesurfer segmentation) to 0.978 (for SegAdapter-corrected segmentation) for the cerebellum and from 0.821 to 0.954 for the brainstem. Reducing the training set size to 2 scans only decreased the Dice coefficient ≤0.002 for the cerebellum and ≤ 0.005 for the brainstem compared to the use of training set size of 5 scans in corrective learning. The method was also robust in handling differences between the training set and the test set in head coil usage and the amount of brain atrophy, which reduced spatial overlap only by <0.01. These results suggest that the combination of automated segmentation and corrective learning provides a valuable method for accurate and efficient segmentation of the cerebellum and brainstem, particularly in large-scale neuroimaging studies, and potentially for segmenting other neural regions as well. PMID:27213683

Ventral striatal volume is associated with cognitive decline in older people: a population based MR-study

PubMed Central

de Jong, L.W.; Wang, Y.; White, L.R.; Yu, B.; van Buchem, M.A.; Launer, L.J.

2012-01-01

Striatal degeneration may contribute to cognitive impairment in older people. Here, we examine the relation of degeneration of the striatum and substructures to cognitive decline and dementia in subjects with a wide range of cognitive function. Data are from the prospective community-based Honolulu Asia Aging Study of Japanese American men born 1900–1919. Brain MRI (1.5T) was acquired on a stratified sub-sample (n=477) that included four groups defined by cognitive status relative to the scan date: subjects without dementia (n=347), subjects identified as demented 2–3 years prior to brain scanning (n=30), at the time of scanning (n=58), and 3–5 years after scanning (n=42). Volumes of the striatum, including the accumbens, putamen, and caudate nucleus were automatically estimated from T1 MR images. Global cognitive function was measured with the CASI, at four exams spanning an 8 year interval. Trajectories of cognitive decline were estimated for each quartile of striatal volume using mixed models, controlling for demographic variables, measures of cerebro-vascular damage, global brain atrophy, and hippocampal volume. Diagnosis of dementia before, during, and after brain scanning was associated with smaller volumes of n. accumbens and putamen, but not with caudate nucleus volume. Subjects in the lowest quartile of n. accumbens, both in the total sample and in the subjects not diagnosed with dementia during the study, had a significantly (p < 0.0001) steeper decline in cognitive performance compared to those in the highest quartile. In conclusion, volumes of the n. accumbens and putamen are closely associated with the occurrence of dementia and n. accumbens volume predicts cognitive decline in older people. These associations were found independent of the magnitude of other pivotal markers of cognitive decline, i.e. cerebro-vascular damage and hippocampal volume. The present study suggests a role for the ventral striatum in the development of clinical dementia. PMID:21075480

Corpus Callosum Area and Brain Volume in Autism Spectrum Disorder: Quantitative Analysis of Structural MRI from the ABIDE Database

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kucharsky Hiess, R.; Alter, R.; Sojoudi, S.; Ardekani, B. A.; Kuzniecky, R.; Pardoe, H. R.

2015-01-01

Reduced corpus callosum area and increased brain volume are two commonly reported findings in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We investigated these two correlates in ASD and healthy controls using T1-weighted MRI scans from the Autism Brain Imaging Data Exchange (ABIDE). Automated methods were used to segment the corpus callosum and intracranial…

Application of single- and dual-energy CT brain tissue segmentation to PET monitoring of proton therapy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berndt, Bianca; Landry, Guillaume; Schwarz, Florian; Tessonnier, Thomas; Kamp, Florian; Dedes, George; Thieke, Christian; Würl, Matthias; Kurz, Christopher; Ganswindt, Ute; Verhaegen, Frank; Debus, Jürgen; Belka, Claus; Sommer, Wieland; Reiser, Maximilian; Bauer, Julia; Parodi, Katia

2017-03-01

The purpose of this work was to evaluate the ability of single and dual energy computed tomography (SECT, DECT) to estimate tissue composition and density for usage in Monte Carlo (MC) simulations of irradiation induced β + activity distributions. This was done to assess the impact on positron emission tomography (PET) range verification in proton therapy. A DECT-based brain tissue segmentation method was developed for white matter (WM), grey matter (GM) and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The elemental composition of reference tissues was assigned to closest CT numbers in DECT space (DECTdist). The method was also applied to SECT data (SECTdist). In a validation experiment, the proton irradiation induced PET activity of three brain equivalent solutions (BES) was compared to simulations based on different tissue segmentations. Five patients scanned with a dual source DECT scanner were analyzed to compare the different segmentation methods. A single magnetic resonance (MR) scan was used for comparison with an established segmentation toolkit. Additionally, one patient with SECT and post-treatment PET scans was investigated. For BES, DECTdist and SECTdist reduced differences to the reference simulation by up to 62% when compared to the conventional stoichiometric segmentation (SECTSchneider). In comparison to MR brain segmentation, Dice similarity coefficients for WM, GM and CSF were 0.61, 0.67 and 0.66 for DECTdist and 0.54, 0.41 and 0.66 for SECTdist. MC simulations of PET treatment verification in patients showed important differences between DECTdist/SECTdist and SECTSchneider for patients with large CSF areas within the treatment field but not in WM and GM. Differences could be misinterpreted as PET derived range shifts of up to 4 mm. DECTdist and SECTdist yielded comparable activity distributions, and comparison of SECTdist to a measured patient PET scan showed improved agreement when compared to SECTSchneider. The agreement between predicted and measured PET activity distributions was improved by employing a brain specific segmentation applicable to both DECT and SECT data.

An Observational Study to Assess Brain MRI Change and Disease Progression in Multiple Sclerosis Clinical Practice-The MS-MRIUS Study.

PubMed

Zivadinov, Robert; Khan, Nasreen; Medin, Jennie; Christoffersen, Pia; Price, Jennifer; Korn, Jonathan R; Bonzani, Ian; Dwyer, Michael G; Bergsland, Niels; Carl, Ellen; Silva, Diego; Weinstock-Guttman, Bianca

2017-05-01

To describe methodology, interim baseline, and longitudinal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) acquisition parameter characteristics of the multiple sclerosis clinical outcome and MRI in the United States (MS-MRIUS). The MS-MRIUS is an ongoing longitudinal and retrospective study of MS patients on fingolimod. Clinical and brain MRI image scan data were collected from 600 patients across 33 MS centers in the United States. MRI brain outcomes included change in whole-brain volume, lateral ventricle volume, T2- and T1-lesion volumes, and new/enlarging T2 and gadolinium-enhancing lesions. Interim baseline and longitudinal MRI acquisition parameters results are presented for 252 patients. Mean age was 44 years and 81% were female. Forty percent of scans had 3-dimensional (3D) T1 sequence in the preindex period, increasing to 50% in the postindex period. Use of 2-dimensional (2D) T1 sequence decreased over time from 85% in the preindex period to 65% in the postindex. About 95% of the scans with FLAIR and 2D T1-WI were considered acceptable or good quality compared to 99-100% with 3D T1-WI. There were notable changes in MRI hardware, software, and coil (39.5% in preindex to index and 50% in index to postindex). MRI sequence parameters (orientation, thickness, or protocol) differed for 36%, 29%, and 20% of index/postindex scans for FLAIR, 2D T1-WI, and 3D T1-WI, respectively. The MS-MRIUS study linked the clinical and brain MRI outcomes into an integrated database to create a cohort of fingolimod patients in real-world practice. Variability was observed in MRI acquisition protocols overtime. © 2016 The Authors. Journal of Neuroimaging published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Society of Neuroimaging.

Childhood Psychosis and Computed Tomographic Brain Scan Findings.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gillberg, Christopher; Svendsen, Pal

1983-01-01

Computerized tomography (CT) of the brain was used to examine 27 infantile autistic children, 9 children with other kinds of childhood psychoses, 23 children with mental retardation, and 16 normal children. Gross abnormalities were seen in 26 percent of the autism cases. (Author/SEW)

Classification of Self-Driven Mental Tasks from Whole-Brain Activity Patterns

PubMed Central

Nawa, Norberto Eiji; Ando, Hiroshi

2014-01-01

During wakefulness, a constant and continuous stream of complex stimuli and self-driven thoughts permeate the human mind. Here, eleven participants were asked to count down numbers and remember negative or positive autobiographical episodes of their personal lives, for 32 seconds at a time, during which they could freely engage in the execution of those tasks. We then examined the possibility of determining from a single whole-brain functional magnetic resonance imaging scan which one of the two mental tasks each participant was performing at a given point in time. Linear support-vector machines were used to build within-participant classifiers and across-participants classifiers. The within-participant classifiers could correctly discriminate scans with an average accuracy as high as 82%, when using data from all individual voxels in the brain. These results demonstrate that it is possible to accurately classify self-driven mental tasks from whole-brain activity patterns recorded in a time interval as short as 2 seconds. PMID:24824899

CAVIAR: CLASSIFICATION VIA AGGREGATED REGRESSION AND ITS APPLICATION IN CLASSIFYING OASIS BRAIN DATABASE

PubMed Central

Chen, Ting; Rangarajan, Anand; Vemuri, Baba C.

2010-01-01

This paper presents a novel classification via aggregated regression algorithm – dubbed CAVIAR – and its application to the OASIS MRI brain image database. The CAVIAR algorithm simultaneously combines a set of weak learners based on the assumption that the weight combination for the final strong hypothesis in CAVIAR depends on both the weak learners and the training data. A regularization scheme using the nearest neighbor method is imposed in the testing stage to avoid overfitting. A closed form solution to the cost function is derived for this algorithm. We use a novel feature – the histogram of the deformation field between the MRI brain scan and the atlas which captures the structural changes in the scan with respect to the atlas brain – and this allows us to automatically discriminate between various classes within OASIS [1] using CAVIAR. We empirically show that CAVIAR significantly increases the performance of the weak classifiers by showcasing the performance of our technique on OASIS. PMID:21151847

CAVIAR: CLASSIFICATION VIA AGGREGATED REGRESSION AND ITS APPLICATION IN CLASSIFYING OASIS BRAIN DATABASE.

PubMed

Chen, Ting; Rangarajan, Anand; Vemuri, Baba C

2010-04-14

This paper presents a novel classification via aggregated regression algorithm - dubbed CAVIAR - and its application to the OASIS MRI brain image database. The CAVIAR algorithm simultaneously combines a set of weak learners based on the assumption that the weight combination for the final strong hypothesis in CAVIAR depends on both the weak learners and the training data. A regularization scheme using the nearest neighbor method is imposed in the testing stage to avoid overfitting. A closed form solution to the cost function is derived for this algorithm. We use a novel feature - the histogram of the deformation field between the MRI brain scan and the atlas which captures the structural changes in the scan with respect to the atlas brain - and this allows us to automatically discriminate between various classes within OASIS [1] using CAVIAR. We empirically show that CAVIAR significantly increases the performance of the weak classifiers by showcasing the performance of our technique on OASIS.

Longitudinal Changes in Total Brain Volume in Schizophrenia: Relation to Symptom Severity, Cognition and Antipsychotic Medication

PubMed Central

Veijola, Juha; Guo, Joyce Y.; Moilanen, Jani S.; Jääskeläinen, Erika; Miettunen, Jouko; Kyllönen, Merja; Haapea, Marianne; Huhtaniska, Sanna; Alaräisänen, Antti; Mäki, Pirjo; Kiviniemi, Vesa; Nikkinen, Juha; Starck, Tuomo; Remes, Jukka J.; Tanskanen, Päivikki; Tervonen, Osmo; Wink, Alle-Meije; Kehagia, Angie; Suckling, John; Kobayashi, Hiroyuki; Barnett, Jennifer H.; Barnes, Anna; Koponen, Hannu J.; Jones, Peter B.; Isohanni, Matti; Murray, Graham K.

2014-01-01

Studies show evidence of longitudinal brain volume decreases in schizophrenia. We studied brain volume changes and their relation to symptom severity, level of function, cognition, and antipsychotic medication in participants with schizophrenia and control participants from a general population based birth cohort sample in a relatively long follow-up period of almost a decade. All members of the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966 with any psychotic disorder and a random sample not having psychosis were invited for a MRI brain scan, and clinical and cognitive assessment during 1999–2001 at the age of 33–35 years. A follow-up was conducted 9 years later during 2008–2010. Brain scans at both time points were obtained from 33 participants with schizophrenia and 71 control participants. Regression models were used to examine whether brain volume changes predicted clinical and cognitive changes over time, and whether antipsychotic medication predicted brain volume changes. The mean annual whole brain volume reduction was 0.69% in schizophrenia, and 0.49% in controls (p = 0.003, adjusted for gender, educational level, alcohol use and weight gain). The brain volume reduction in schizophrenia patients was found especially in the temporal lobe and periventricular area. Symptom severity, functioning level, and decline in cognition were not associated with brain volume reduction in schizophrenia. The amount of antipsychotic medication (dose years of equivalent to 100 mg daily chlorpromazine) over the follow-up period predicted brain volume loss (p = 0.003 adjusted for symptom level, alcohol use and weight gain). In this population based sample, brain volume reduction continues in schizophrenia patients after the onset of illness, and antipsychotic medications may contribute to these reductions. PMID:25036617

Biochemical changes related to hypoxia during cerebral aneurysm surgery: combined microdialysis and tissue oxygen monitoring: case report.

PubMed

Hutchinson, P J; Al-Rawi, P G; O'Connell, M T; Gupta, A K; Pickard, J D; Kirkpatrick, P J

2000-01-01

The objective of this study was to monitor brain metabolism on-line during aneurysm surgery, by combining the use of a multiparameter (brain tissue oxygen, brain carbon dioxide, pH, and temperature) sensor with microdialysis (extracellular glucose, lactate, pyruvate, and glutamate). The case illustrates the potential value of these techniques by demonstrating the effects of adverse physiological events on brain metabolism and the ability to assist in both intraoperative and postoperative decision-making. A 41-year-old woman presented with a World Federation of Neurological Surgeons Grade I subarachnoid hemorrhage. Angiography revealed a basilar artery aneurysm that was not amenable to coiling, so the aneurysm was clipped. Before the craniotomy was performed, a multiparameter sensor and a microdialysis catheter were inserted to monitor brain metabolism. During the operation, the brain oxygen level decreased, in relation to biochemical changes, including the reduction of extracellular glucose and pyruvate and the elevation of lactate and glutamate. These changes were reversible. However, when the craniotomy was closed, a second decrease in brain oxygen occurred in association with brain swelling, which immediately prompted a postoperative computed tomographic scan. The scan demonstrated acute hydrocephalus, requiring external ventricular drainage. The patient made a full recovery. The monitoring techniques influenced clinical decision-making in the treatment of this patient. On-line measurement of brain tissue gases and extracellular chemistry has the potential to assist in the perioperative and postoperative management of patients undergoing complex cerebrovascular surgery and to establish the effects of intervention on brain homeostasis.

Comparison of analytical methods of brain [18F]FDG-PET after severe traumatic brain injury.

PubMed

Madsen, Karine; Hesby, Sara; Poulsen, Ingrid; Fuglsang, Stefan; Graff, Jesper; Larsen, Karen B; Kammersgaard, Lars P; Law, Ian; Siebner, Hartwig R

2017-11-01

Loss of consciousness has been shown to reduce cerebral metabolic rates of glucose (CMRglc) measured by brain [ 18 F]FDG-PET. Measurements of regional metabolic patterns by normalization to global cerebral metabolism or cerebellum may underestimate widespread reductions. The aim of this study was to compare quantification methods of whole brain glucose metabolism, including whole brain [18F]FDG uptake normalized to uptake in cerebellum, normalized to injected activity, normalized to plasma tracer concentration, and two methods for estimating CMRglc. Six patients suffering from severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) and ten healthy controls (HC) underwent a 10min static [ 18 F]FDG-PET scan and venous blood sampling. Except from normalizing to cerebellum, all quantification methods found significant lower level of whole brain glucose metabolism of 25-33% in TBI patients compared to HC. In accordance these measurements correlated to level of consciousness. Our study demonstrates that the analysis method of the [ 18 F]FDG PET data has a substantial impact on the estimated whole brain cerebral glucose metabolism in patients with severe TBI. Importantly, the SUVR method which is often used in a clinical setting was not able to distinguish patients with severe TBI from HC at the whole-brain level. We recommend supplementing a static [ 18 F]FDG scan with a single venous blood sample in future studies of patients with severe TBI or reduced level of consciousness. This can be used for simple semi-quantitative uptake values by normalizing brain activity uptake to plasma tracer concentration, or quantitative estimates of CMRglc. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Cortical and diencephalic lesions in Korsakoff's syndrome: a clinical and CT scan study.

PubMed

Jacobson, R R; Lishman, W A

1990-02-01

Twenty-five male alcoholic Korsakoff patients were compared with age and sex-matched non-Korsakoff chronic alcoholics and healthy volunteers on clinical and CT brain scan parameters. The scans were assessed by planimetry, visual grading procedures and computerized analysis. Reliable measures of third ventricular size were developed. The Korsakoff patients had wider third ventricles, larger lateral ventricles and wider interhemispheric fissures than the comparison groups; but sulcal and Sylvian fissure widths were equivalent in Korsakoff and non-Korsakoff alcoholics. The results suggest that, in addition to their well-established diencephalic lesions, many Korsakoff patients have sustained widespread cerebral damage. Shrinkage in the frontal brain regions appears to be especially pronounced. The implications for a dual aetiology of alcoholic Korsakoff's syndrome involving thiamine deficiency and features associated with alcoholism, probably direct alcohol neurotoxicity, are discussed.

Application of 3D Laser Scanning Technology in Complex Rock Foundation Design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Junjie, Ma; Dan, Lu; Zhilong, Liu

2017-12-01

Taking the complex landform of Tanxi Mountain Landscape Bridge as an example, the application of 3D laser scanning technology in the mapping of complex rock foundations is studied in this paper. A set of 3D laser scanning technologies are formed and several key engineering problems are solved. The first is 3D laser scanning technology of complex landforms. 3D laser scanning technology is used to obtain a complete 3D point cloud data model of the complex landform. The detailed and accurate results of the surveying and mapping decrease the measuring time and supplementary measuring times. The second is 3D collaborative modeling of the complex landform. A 3D model of the complex landform is established based on the 3D point cloud data model. The super-structural foundation model is introduced for 3D collaborative design. The optimal design plan is selected and the construction progress is accelerated. And the last is finite-element analysis technology of the complex landform foundation. A 3D model of the complex landform is introduced into ANSYS for building a finite element model to calculate anti-slide stability of the rock, and provides a basis for the landform foundation design and construction.

Reduction in radiation dose with reconstruction technique in the brain perfusion CT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, H. J.; Lee, H. K.; Song, H.; Ju, M. S.; Dong, K. R.; Chung, W. K.; Cho, M. S.; Cho, J. H.

2011-12-01

The principal objective of this study was to verify the utility of the reconstruction imaging technique in the brain perfusion computed tomography (PCT) scan by assessing reductions in the radiation dose and analyzing the generated images. The setting used for image acquisition had a detector coverage of 40 mm, a helical thickness of 0.625 mm, a helical shuttle mode scan type and a rotation time of 0.5 s as the image parameters used for the brain PCT scan. Additionally, a phantom experiment and an animal experiment were carried out. In the phantom and animal experiments, noise was measured in the scanning with the tube voltage fixed at 80 kVp (kilovolt peak) and the level of the adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction (ASIR) was changed from 0% to 100% at 10% intervals. The standard deviation of the CT coefficient was measured three times to calculate the mean value. In the phantom and animal experiments, the absorbed dose was measured 10 times under the same conditions as the ones for noise measurement before the mean value was calculated. In the animal experiment, pencil-type and CT-dedicated ionization chambers were inserted into the central portion of pig heads for measurement. In the phantom study, as the level of the ASIR changed from 0% to 100% under identical scanning conditions, the noise value and dose were proportionally reduced. In our animal experiment, the noise value was lowest when the ASIR level was 50%, unlike in the phantom study. The dose was reduced as in the phantom study.

Does head CT scan pathology predict outcome after mild traumatic brain injury?

PubMed

Lannsjö, M; Backheden, M; Johansson, U; Af Geijerstam, J L; Borg, J

2013-01-01

More evidence is needed to forward our understanding of the key determinants of poor outcome after mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI). A large, prospective, national cohort of patients was studied to analyse the effect of head CT scan pathology on the outcome. One-thousand two-hundred and sixty-two patients with MTBI (Glasgow Coma Scale score 15) at 39 emergency departments completed a study protocol including acute head CT scan examination and follow-up by the Rivermead Post Concussion Symptoms Questionnaire and the Glasgow Outcome Scale Extended (GOSE) at 3 months after MTBI. Binary logistic regression was used for the assessment of prediction ability. In 751 men (60%) and 511 women (40%), with a mean age of 30 years (median 21, range 6-94), we observed relevant or suspect relevant pathologic findings on acute CT scan in 52 patients (4%). Patients aged below 30 years reported better outcome both with respect to symptoms and GOSE as compared to patients in older age groups. Men reported better outcome than women as regards symptoms (OR 0.64, CI 0.49-0.85 for ≥3 symptoms) and global function (OR 0.60, CI 0.39-0.92 for GOSE 1-6). Pathology on acute CT scan examination had no effect on self-reported symptoms or global function at 3 months after MTBI. Female gender and older age predicted a less favourable outcome. The findings support the view that other factors than brain injury deserve attention to minimize long-term complaints after MTBI. © 2012 The Author(s) European Journal of Neurology © 2012 EFNS.

Follow-up brain imaging of 37 children with congenital Zika syndrome: case series study

PubMed Central

Aragao, Maria de Fatima Vasco; van der Linden, Vanessa; Parizel, Paul; Jungmann, Patricia; Araújo, Luziany; Abath, Marília; Fernandes, Andrezza; Brainer-Lima, Alessandra; Holanda, Arthur; Mello, Roberto; Sarteschi, Camila; Duarte, Maria do Carmo Menezes Bezerra

2017-01-01

Objective To compare initial brain computed tomography (CT) scans with follow-up CT scans at one year in children with congenital Zika syndrome, focusing on cerebral calcifications. Design Case series study. Setting Barão de Lucena Hospital, Pernambuco state, Brazil. Participants 37 children with probable or confirmed congenital Zika syndrome during the microcephaly outbreak in 2015 who underwent brain CT shortly after birth and at one year follow-up. Main outcome measure Differences in cerebral calcification patterns between initial and follow-up scans. Results 37 children were evaluated. All presented cerebral calcifications on the initial scan, predominantly at cortical-white matter junction. At follow-up the calcifications had diminished in number, size, or density, or a combination in 34 of the children (92%, 95% confidence interval 79% to 97%), were no longer visible in one child, and remained unchanged in two children. No child showed an increase in calcifications. The calcifications at the cortical-white matter junction which were no longer visible at follow-up occurred predominately in the parietal and occipital lobes. These imaging changes were not associated with any clear clinical improvements. Conclusion The detection of cerebral calcifications should not be considered a major criterion for late diagnosis of congenital Zika syndrome, nor should the absence of calcifications be used to exclude the diagnosis. PMID:29030384

The ultrasound brain helmet: early human feasibility study of multiple simultaneous 3D scans of cerebral vasculature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lindsey, Brooks D.; Ivancevich, Nikolas M.; Whitman, John; Light, Edward; Fronheiser, Matthew; Nicoletto, Heather A.; Laskowitz, Daniel T.; Smith, Stephen W.

2009-02-01

We describe early stage experiments to test the feasibility of an ultrasound brain helmet to produce multiple simultaneous real-time 3D scans of the cerebral vasculature from temporal and suboccipital acoustic windows of the skull. The transducer hardware and software of the Volumetrics Medical Imaging real-time 3D scanner were modified to support dual 2.5 MHz matrix arrays of 256 transmit elements and 128 receive elements which produce two simultaneous 64° pyramidal scans. The real-time display format consists of two coronal B-mode images merged into a 128° sector, two simultaneous parasagittal images merged into a 128° × 64° C-mode plane, and a simultaneous 64° axial image. Real-time 3D color Doppler images acquired in initial clinical studies after contrast injection demonstrate flow in several representative blood vessels. An offline Doppler rendering of data from two transducers simultaneously scanning via the temporal windows provides an early visualization of the flow in vessels on both sides of the brain. The long-term goal is to produce real-time 3D ultrasound images of the cerebral vasculature from a portable unit capable of internet transmission, thus enabling interactive 3D imaging, remote diagnosis and earlier therapeutic intervention. We are motivated by the urgency for rapid diagnosis of stroke due to the short time window of effective therapeutic intervention.

Automatic corpus callosum segmentation for standardized MR brain scanning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Qing; Chen, Hong; Zhang, Li; Novak, Carol L.

2007-03-01

Magnetic Resonance (MR) brain scanning is often planned manually with the goal of aligning the imaging plane with key anatomic landmarks. The planning is time-consuming and subject to inter- and intra- operator variability. An automatic and standardized planning of brain scans is highly useful for clinical applications, and for maximum utility should work on patients of all ages. In this study, we propose a method for fully automatic planning that utilizes the landmarks from two orthogonal images to define the geometry of the third scanning plane. The corpus callosum (CC) is segmented in sagittal images by an active shape model (ASM), and the result is further improved by weighting the boundary movement with confidence scores and incorporating region based refinement. Based on the extracted contour of the CC, several important landmarks are located and then combined with landmarks from the coronal or transverse plane to define the geometry of the third plane. Our automatic method is tested on 54 MR images from 24 patients and 3 healthy volunteers, with ages ranging from 4 months to 70 years old. The average accuracy with respect to two manually labeled points on the CC is 3.54 mm and 4.19 mm, and differed by an average of 2.48 degrees from the orientation of the line connecting them, demonstrating that our method is sufficiently accurate for clinical use.

MNE Scan: Software for real-time processing of electrophysiological data.

PubMed

Esch, Lorenz; Sun, Limin; Klüber, Viktor; Lew, Seok; Baumgarten, Daniel; Grant, P Ellen; Okada, Yoshio; Haueisen, Jens; Hämäläinen, Matti S; Dinh, Christoph

2018-06-01

Magnetoencephalography (MEG) and Electroencephalography (EEG) are noninvasive techniques to study the electrophysiological activity of the human brain. Thus, they are well suited for real-time monitoring and analysis of neuronal activity. Real-time MEG/EEG data processing allows adjustment of the stimuli to the subject's responses for optimizing the acquired information especially by providing dynamically changing displays to enable neurofeedback. We introduce MNE Scan, an acquisition and real-time analysis software based on the multipurpose software library MNE-CPP. MNE Scan allows the development and application of acquisition and novel real-time processing methods in both research and clinical studies. The MNE Scan development follows a strict software engineering process to enable approvals required for clinical software. We tested the performance of MNE Scan in several device-independent use cases, including, a clinical epilepsy study, real-time source estimation, and Brain Computer Interface (BCI) application. Compared to existing tools we propose a modular software considering clinical software requirements expected by certification authorities. At the same time the software is extendable and freely accessible. We conclude that MNE Scan is the first step in creating a device-independent open-source software to facilitate the transition from basic neuroscience research to both applied sciences and clinical applications. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Use of High Resolution 3D Diffusion Tensor Imaging to Study Brain White Matter Development in Live Neonatal Rats

PubMed Central

Cai, Yu; McMurray, Matthew S.; Oguz, Ipek; Yuan, Hong; Styner, Martin A.; Lin, Weili; Johns, Josephine M.; An, Hongyu

2011-01-01

High resolution diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) can provide important information on brain development, yet it is challenging in live neonatal rats due to the small size of neonatal brain and motion-sensitive nature of DTI. Imaging in live neonatal rats has clear advantages over fixed brain scans, as longitudinal and functional studies would be feasible to understand neuro-developmental abnormalities. In this study, we developed imaging strategies that can be used to obtain high resolution 3D DTI images in live neonatal rats at postnatal day 5 (PND5) and PND14, using only 3 h of imaging acquisition time. An optimized 3D DTI pulse sequence and appropriate animal setup to minimize physiological motion artifacts are the keys to successful high resolution 3D DTI imaging. Thus, a 3D rapid acquisition relaxation enhancement DTI sequence with twin navigator echoes was implemented to accelerate imaging acquisition time and minimize motion artifacts. It has been suggested that neonatal mammals possess a unique ability to tolerate mild-to-moderate hypothermia and hypoxia without long term impact. Thus, we additionally utilized this ability to minimize motion artifacts in magnetic resonance images by carefully suppressing the respiratory rate to around 15/min for PND5 and 30/min for PND14 using mild-to-moderate hypothermia. These imaging strategies have been successfully implemented to study how the effect of cocaine exposure in dams might affect brain development in their rat pups. Image quality resulting from this in vivo DTI study was comparable to ex vivo scans. fractional anisotropy values were also similar between the live and fixed brain scans. The capability of acquiring high quality in vivo DTI imaging offers a valuable opportunity to study many neurological disorders in brain development in an authentic living environment. PMID:22013426

Organ dose measurement using Optically Stimulated Luminescence Detector (OSLD) during CT examination

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yusuf, Muhammad; Alothmany, Nazeeh; Abdulrahman Kinsara, Abdulraheem

2017-10-01

This study provides detailed information regarding the imaging doses to patient radiosensitive organs from a kilovoltage computed tomography (CT) scan procedure using OSLD. The study reports discrepancies between the measured dose and the calculated dose from the ImPACT scan, as well as a comparison with the dose from a chest X-ray radiography procedure. OSLDs were inserted in several organs, including the brain, eyes, thyroid, lung, heart, spinal cord, breast, spleen, stomach, liver and ovaries, of the RANDO phantom. Standard clinical scanning protocols were used for each individual site, including the brain, thyroid, lung, breast, stomach, liver and ovaries. The measured absorbed doses were then compared with the simulated dose obtained from the ImPACT scan. Additionally, the equivalent doses for each organ were calculated and compared with the dose from a chest X-ray radiography procedure. Absorbed organ doses measured by OSLD in the RANDO phantom of up to 17 mGy depend on the organ scanned and the scanning protocols used. A maximum 9.82% difference was observed between the target organ dose measured by OSLD and the results from the ImPACT scan. The maximum equivalent organ dose measured during this experiment was equal to 99.899 times the equivalent dose from a chest X-ray radiography procedure. The discrepancies between the measured dose with the OSLD and the calculated dose from the ImPACT scan were within 10%. This report recommends the use of OSLD for measuring the absorbed organ dose during CT examination.

Leukemia and brain tumors among children after radiation exposure from CT scans: design and methodological opportunities of the Dutch Pediatric CT Study.

PubMed

Meulepas, Johanna M; Ronckers, Cécile M; Smets, Anne M J B; Nievelstein, Rutger A J; Jahnen, Andreas; Lee, Choonsik; Kieft, Mariëtte; Laméris, Johan S; van Herk, Marcel; Greuter, Marcel J W; Jeukens, Cécile R L P N; van Straten, Marcel; Visser, Otto; van Leeuwen, Flora E; Hauptmann, Michael

2014-04-01

Computed tomography (CT) scans are indispensable in modern medicine; however, the spectacular rise in global use coupled with relatively high doses of ionizing radiation per examination have raised radiation protection concerns. Children are of particular concern because they are more sensitive to radiation-induced cancer compared with adults and have a long lifespan to express harmful effects which may offset clinical benefits of performing a scan. This paper describes the design and methodology of a nationwide study, the Dutch Pediatric CT Study, regarding risk of leukemia and brain tumors in children after radiation exposure from CT scans. It is a retrospective record-linkage cohort study with an expected number of 100,000 children who received at least one electronically archived CT scan covering the calendar period since the introduction of digital archiving until 2012. Information on all archived CT scans of these children will be obtained, including date of examination, scanned body part and radiologist's report, as well as the machine settings required for organ dose estimation. We will obtain cancer incidence by record linkage with external databases. In this article, we describe several approaches to the collection of data on archived CT scans, the estimation of radiation doses and the assessment of confounding. The proposed approaches provide useful strategies for data collection and confounder assessment for general retrospective record-linkage studies, particular those using hospital databases on radiological procedures for the assessment of exposure to ionizing or non-ionizing radiation.

DARPA challenge: developing new technologies for brain and spinal injuries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Macedonia, Christian; Zamisch, Monica; Judy, Jack; Ling, Geoffrey

2012-06-01

The repair of traumatic injuries to the central nervous system remains among the most challenging and exciting frontiers in medicine. In both traumatic brain injury and spinal cord injuries, the ultimate goals are to minimize damage and foster recovery. Numerous DARPA initiatives are in progress to meet these goals. The PREventing Violent Explosive Neurologic Trauma program focuses on the characterization of non-penetrating brain injuries resulting from explosive blast, devising predictive models and test platforms, and creating strategies for mitigation and treatment. To this end, animal models of blast induced brain injury are being established, including swine and non-human primates. Assessment of brain injury in blast injured humans will provide invaluable information on brain injury associated motor and cognitive dysfunctions. The Blast Gauge effort provided a device to measure warfighter's blast exposures which will contribute to diagnosing the level of brain injury. The program Cavitation as a Damage Mechanism for Traumatic Brain Injury from Explosive Blast developed mathematical models that predict stresses, strains, and cavitation induced from blast exposures, and is devising mitigation technologies to eliminate injuries resulting from cavitation. The Revolutionizing Prosthetics program is developing an avant-garde prosthetic arm that responds to direct neural control and provides sensory feedback through electrical stimulation. The Reliable Neural-Interface Technology effort will devise technologies to optimally extract information from the nervous system to control next generation prosthetic devices with high fidelity. The emerging knowledge and technologies arising from these DARPA programs will significantly improve the treatment of brain and spinal cord injured patients.

Fish consumption and risk of subclinical brain abnormalities on MRI in older adults.

PubMed

Virtanen, J K; Siscovick, D S; Longstreth, W T; Kuller, L H; Mozaffarian, D

2008-08-05

To investigate the association between fish consumption and subclinical brain abnormalities. In the population-based Cardiovascular Health Study, 3,660 participants age > or =65 underwent an MRI scan in 1992-1994. Five years later, 2,313 were scanned. Neuroradiologists assessed MRI scans in a standardized and blinded manner. Food frequency questionnaires were used to assess dietary intakes. Participants with known cerebrovascular disease were excluded from the analyses. After adjustment for multiple risk factors, the risk of having one or more prevalent subclinical infarcts was lower among those consuming tuna/other fish > or =3 times/week, compared to <1/month (relative risk 0.74, 95% CI = 0.54-1.01, p = 0.06, p trend = 0.03). Tuna/other fish consumption was also associated with trends toward lower incidence of subclinical infarcts. Additionally, tuna/other fish intake was associated with better white matter grade, but not with sulcal and ventricular grades, markers of brain atrophy. No significant associations were found between fried fish consumption and any subclinical brain abnormalities. Among older adults, modest consumption of tuna/other fish, but not fried fish, was associated with lower prevalence of subclinical infarcts and white matter abnormalities on MRI examinations. Our results add to prior evidence that suggest that dietary intake of fish with higher eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid content, and not fried fish intake, may have clinically important health benefits.

An accurate segmentation method for volumetry of brain tumor in 3D MRI

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Jiahui; Li, Qiang; Hirai, Toshinori; Katsuragawa, Shigehiko; Li, Feng; Doi, Kunio

2008-03-01

Accurate volumetry of brain tumors in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is important for evaluating the interval changes in tumor volumes during and after treatment, and also for planning of radiation therapy. In this study, an automated volumetry method for brain tumors in MRI was developed by use of a new three-dimensional (3-D) image segmentation technique. First, the central location of a tumor was identified by a radiologist, and then a volume of interest (VOI) was determined automatically. To substantially simplify tumor segmentation, we transformed the 3-D image of the tumor into a two-dimensional (2-D) image by use of a "spiral-scanning" technique, in which a radial line originating from the center of the tumor scanned the 3-D image spirally from the "north pole" to the "south pole". The voxels scanned by the radial line provided a transformed 2-D image. We employed dynamic programming to delineate an "optimal" outline of the tumor in the transformed 2-D image. We then transformed the optimal outline back into 3-D image space to determine the volume of the tumor. The volumetry method was trained and evaluated by use of 16 cases with 35 brain tumors. The agreement between tumor volumes provided by computer and a radiologist was employed as a performance metric. Our method provided relatively accurate results with a mean agreement value of 88%.

Alteration of default mode network in high school football athletes due to repetitive subconcussive mild traumatic brain injury: a resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging study.

PubMed

Abbas, Kausar; Shenk, Trey E; Poole, Victoria N; Breedlove, Evan L; Leverenz, Larry J; Nauman, Eric A; Talavage, Thomas M; Robinson, Meghan E

2015-03-01

Long-term neurological damage as a result of head trauma while playing sports is a major concern for football athletes today. Repetitive concussions have been linked to many neurological disorders. Recently, it has been reported that repetitive subconcussive events can be a significant source of accrued damage. Since football athletes can experience hundreds of subconcussive hits during a single season, it is of utmost importance to understand their effect on brain health in the short and long term. In this study, resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) was used to study changes in the default mode network (DMN) after repetitive subconcussive mild traumatic brain injury. Twenty-two high school American football athletes, clinically asymptomatic, were scanned using the rs-fMRI for a single season. Baseline scans were acquired before the start of the season, and follow-up scans were obtained during and after the season to track the potential changes in the DMN as a result of experienced trauma. Ten noncollision-sport athletes were scanned over two sessions as controls. Overall, football athletes had significantly different functional connectivity measures than controls for most of the year. The presence of this deviation of football athletes from their healthy peers even before the start of the season suggests a neurological change that has accumulated over the years of playing the sport. Football athletes also demonstrate short-term changes relative to their own baseline at the start of the season. Football athletes exhibited hyperconnectivity in the DMN compared to controls for most of the sessions, which indicates that, despite the absence of symptoms typically associated with concussion, the repetitive trauma accrued produced long-term brain changes compared to their healthy peers.

Highly-accelerated quantitative 2D and 3D localized spectroscopy with linear algebraic modeling (SLAM) and sensitivity encoding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yi; Gabr, Refaat E.; Zhou, Jinyuan; Weiss, Robert G.; Bottomley, Paul A.

2013-12-01

Noninvasive magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) with chemical shift imaging (CSI) provides valuable metabolic information for research and clinical studies, but is often limited by long scan times. Recently, spectroscopy with linear algebraic modeling (SLAM) was shown to provide compartment-averaged spectra resolved in one spatial dimension with many-fold reductions in scan-time. This was achieved using a small subset of the CSI phase-encoding steps from central image k-space that maximized the signal-to-noise ratio. Here, SLAM is extended to two- and three-dimensions (2D, 3D). In addition, SLAM is combined with sensitivity-encoded (SENSE) parallel imaging techniques, enabling the replacement of even more CSI phase-encoding steps to further accelerate scan-speed. A modified SLAM reconstruction algorithm is introduced that significantly reduces the effects of signal nonuniformity within compartments. Finally, main-field inhomogeneity corrections are provided, analogous to CSI. These methods are all tested on brain proton MRS data from a total of 24 patients with brain tumors, and in a human cardiac phosphorus 3D SLAM study at 3T. Acceleration factors of up to 120-fold versus CSI are demonstrated, including speed-up factors of 5-fold relative to already-accelerated SENSE CSI. Brain metabolites are quantified in SLAM and SENSE SLAM spectra and found to be indistinguishable from CSI measures from the same compartments. The modified reconstruction algorithm demonstrated immunity to maladjusted segmentation and errors from signal heterogeneity in brain data. In conclusion, SLAM demonstrates the potential to supplant CSI in studies requiring compartment-average spectra or large volume coverage, by dramatically reducing scan-time while providing essentially the same quantitative results.

Location of core diagnostic information across various sequences in brain MRI and implications for efficiency of MRI scanner utilization.

PubMed

Sharma, Aseem; Chatterjee, Arindam; Goyal, Manu; Parsons, Matthew S; Bartel, Seth

2015-04-01

Targeting redundancy within MRI can improve its cost-effective utilization. We sought to quantify potential redundancy in our brain MRI protocols. In this retrospective review, we aggregated 207 consecutive adults who underwent brain MRI and reviewed their medical records to document clinical indication, core diagnostic information provided by MRI, and its clinical impact. Contributory imaging abnormalities constituted positive core diagnostic information whereas absence of imaging abnormalities constituted negative core diagnostic information. The senior author selected core sequences deemed sufficient for extraction of core diagnostic information. For validating core sequences selection, four readers assessed the relative ease of extracting core diagnostic information from the core sequences. Potential redundancy was calculated by comparing the average number of core sequences to the average number of sequences obtained. Scanning had been performed using 9.4±2.8 sequences over 37.3±12.3 minutes. Core diagnostic information was deemed extractable from 2.1±1.1 core sequences, with an assumed scanning time of 8.6±4.8 minutes, reflecting a potential redundancy of 74.5%±19.1%. Potential redundancy was least in scans obtained for treatment planning (14.9%±25.7%) and highest in scans obtained for follow-up of benign diseases (81.4%±12.6%). In 97.4% of cases, all four readers considered core diagnostic information to be either easily extractable from core sequences or the ease to be equivalent to that from the entire study. With only one MRI lacking clinical impact (0.48%), overutilization did not seem to contribute to potential redundancy. High potential redundancy that can be targeted for more efficient scanner utilization exists in brain MRI protocols.

Brain responses to vestibular pain and its anticipation in women with Genito-Pelvic Pain/Penetration Disorder.

PubMed

Pazmany, Els; Ly, Huynh Giao; Aerts, Leen; Kano, Michiko; Bergeron, Sophie; Verhaeghe, Johan; Peeters, Ronald; Tack, Jan; Dupont, Patrick; Enzlin, Paul; Van Oudenhove, Lukas

2017-01-01

In DSM-5, pain-related fear during anticipation of vaginal penetration is a diagnostic criterion of Genito-Pelvic Pain/Penetration Disorder (GPPPD). We aimed to investigate subjective and brain responses during anticipatory fear and subsequent induction of vestibular pain in women with GPPPD. Women with GPPPD (n = 18) and age-matched healthy controls (HC) (n = 15) underwent fMRI scanning during vestibular pain induction at individually titrated pain threshold after a cued anticipation period. (Pain-related) fear and anxiety traits were measured with questionnaires prior to scanning, and anticipatory fear and pain intensity were rated during scanning using visual analog scales. Women with GPPPD reported significantly higher levels of anticipatory fear and pain intensity. During anticipation and pain induction they had stronger and more extensive brain responses in regions involved in cognitive and affective aspects of pain perception, but the group difference did not reach significance for the anticipation condition. Pain-related fear and anxiety traits as well as anticipatory fear ratings were positively associated with pain ratings in GPPPD, but not in HC. Further, in HC, a negative association was found between anticipatory fear ratings and brain responses in regions involved in cognitive and affective aspects of pain perception, but not in women with GPPPD. Women with GPPPD are characterized by increased subjective and brain responses to vestibular pain and, to a lesser extent, its anticipation, with fear and anxiety associated with responses to pain, supporting the introduction of anticipatory fear as a criterion of GPPPD in DSM-5.

Bombesin receptors and transplanted stem cells in rat brain: High-resolution scan with 99mTc BN1.1

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scopinaro, F.; Paschali, E.; Di Santo, G.; Antonellis, T.; Massari, R.; Trotta, C.; Gourni, H.; Bouziotis, P.; David, V.; Soluri, A.; Varvarigou, A. D.

2006-12-01

The aim of this work is to detect the presence of transplanted stem cells (TSC) in rat brain with high-resolution (HR) scintigraphy and labelled bombesin (BN). BN is a morphogen for Central Nervous System (CNS) as well as for other organs: CNS-oriented TSC over-express BN Receptors (BNR). BN is also a neurotransmitter and modulates several functions of CNS. 99mTc labelled BN-like peptide scan of CNS is the ideal method to detect growing TSC once knowing normal distribution of BNRs in CNS. HR Planar and single photon emission computerized tomography (SPECT) images of rat brain were performed with new HR detectors (Li-tech, Italy). Pertechnetate, 99mTc HMPAO and the new 99mTc BN1.1 (patented) were i.v. administered in five rats. HR SPECT of 99mTc BN1.1 detected olfactory tract, fronto-lateral cortex, cerebellum, basal ganglia and amygdale. Results of SPECT were confirmed by bio-distribution study performed after autopsy of three of the five rats. The remaining two rats underwent cerebral lesions followed by transplant of TSC. Three months later, HR scintigraphy was repeated and showed images completely different from previous basal study, with hot spot of 99mTc BN1.1 corresponding to the site of TSC transplant. Immuno-histochemistry confirmed the presence of viable TSC. Not only 99mTc BN1.1 HR scan showed viability of transplanted TSC but also the "background brain" was the still now unknown map of BNR in mammalian brain.

High-resolution synchrotron radiation-based phase tomography of the healthy and epileptic brain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bikis, Christos; Janz, Philipp; Schulz, Georg; Schweighauser, Gabriel; Hench, Jürgen; Thalmann, Peter; Deyhle, Hans; Chicherova, Natalia; Rack, Alexander; Khimchenko, Anna; Hieber, Simone E.; Mariani, Luigi; Haas, Carola A.; Müller, Bert

2016-10-01

Phase-contrast micro-tomography using synchrotron radiation has yielded superior soft tissue visualization down to the sub-cellular level. The isotropic spatial resolution down to about one micron is comparable to the one of histology. The methods, however, provide different physical quantities and are thus complementary, also allowing for the extension of histology into the third dimension. To prepare for cross-sectional animal studies on epilepsy, we have standardized the specimen's preparation and scanning procedure for mouse brains, so that subsequent histology remains entirely unaffected and scanning of all samples (n = 28) is possible in a realistic time frame. For that, we have scanned five healthy and epileptic mouse brains at the ID19 beamline, ESRF, Grenoble, France, using grating- and propagation-based phase contrast micro-tomography. The resulting datasets clearly show the cortex, ventricular system, thalamus, hypothalamus, and hippocampus. Our focus is on the latter, having planned kainate-induced epilepsy experiments. The cell density and organization in the dentate gyrus and Ammon's horn region were clearly visualized in control animals. This proof of principle was required to initiate experiment. The resulting three-dimensional data have been correlated to histology. The goal is a brain-wide quantification of cell death or structural reorganization associated with epilepsy as opposed to histology alone that represents small volumes of the total brain only. Thus, the proposed technique bears the potential to correlate the gold standard in analysis with independently obtained data sets. Such an achievement also fuels interest for other groups in neuroscience research to closely collaborate with experts in phase micro-tomography.

Practice and Learning: Spatiotemporal Differences in Thalamo-Cortical-Cerebellar Networks Engagement across Learning Phases in Schizophrenia.

PubMed

Korostil, Michele; Remington, Gary; McIntosh, Anthony Randal

2016-01-01

Understanding how practice mediates the transition of brain-behavior networks between early and later stages of learning is constrained by the common approach to analysis of fMRI data. Prior imaging studies have mostly relied on a single scan, and parametric, task-related analyses. Our experiment incorporates a multisession fMRI lexicon-learning experiment with multivariate, whole-brain analysis to further knowledge of the distributed networks supporting practice-related learning in schizophrenia (SZ). Participants with SZ were compared with healthy control (HC) participants as they learned a novel lexicon during two fMRI scans over a several day period. All participants were trained to equal task proficiency prior to scanning. Behavioral-Partial Least Squares, a multivariate analytic approach, was used to analyze the imaging data. Permutation testing was used to determine statistical significance and bootstrap resampling to determine the reliability of the findings. With practice, HC participants transitioned to a brain-accuracy network incorporating dorsostriatal regions in late-learning stages. The SZ participants did not transition to this pattern despite comparable behavioral results. Instead, successful learners with SZ were differentiated primarily on the basis of greater engagement of perceptual and perceptual-integration brain regions. There is a different spatiotemporal unfolding of brain-learning relationships in SZ. In SZ, given the same amount of practice, the movement from networks suggestive of effortful learning toward subcortically driven procedural one differs from HC participants. Learning performance in SZ is driven by varying levels of engagement in perceptual regions, which suggests perception itself is impaired and may impact downstream, "higher level" cognition.

Impact of PET/CT system, reconstruction protocol, data analysis method, and repositioning on PET/CT precision: An experimental evaluation using an oncology and brain phantom.

PubMed

Mansor, Syahir; Pfaehler, Elisabeth; Heijtel, Dennis; Lodge, Martin A; Boellaard, Ronald; Yaqub, Maqsood

2017-12-01

In longitudinal oncological and brain PET/CT studies, it is important to understand the repeatability of quantitative PET metrics in order to assess change in tracer uptake. The present studies were performed in order to assess precision as function of PET/CT system, reconstruction protocol, analysis method, scan duration (or image noise), and repositioning in the field of view. Multiple (repeated) scans have been performed using a NEMA image quality (IQ) phantom and a 3D Hoffman brain phantom filled with 18 F solutions on two systems. Studies were performed with and without randomly (< 2 cm) repositioning the phantom and all scans (12 replicates for IQ phantom and 10 replicates for Hoffman brain phantom) were performed at equal count statistics. For the NEMA IQ phantom, we studied the recovery coefficients (RC) of the maximum (SUV max ), peak (SUV peak ), and mean (SUV mean ) uptake in each sphere as a function of experimental conditions (noise level, reconstruction settings, and phantom repositioning). For the 3D Hoffman phantom, the mean activity concentration was determined within several volumes of interest and activity recovery and its precision was studied as function of experimental conditions. The impact of phantom repositioning on RC precision was mainly seen on the Philips Ingenuity PET/CT, especially in the case of smaller spheres (< 17 mm diameter, P < 0.05). This effect was much smaller for the Siemens Biograph system. When exploring SUV max , SUV peak , or SUV mean of the spheres in the NEMA IQ phantom, it was observed that precision depended on phantom repositioning, reconstruction algorithm, and scan duration, with SUV max being most and SUV peak least sensitive to phantom repositioning. For the brain phantom, regional averaged SUVs were only minimally affected by phantom repositioning (< 2 cm). The precision of quantitative PET metrics depends on the combination of reconstruction protocol, data analysis methods and scan duration (scan statistics). Moreover, precision was also affected by phantom repositioning but its impact depended on the data analysis method in combination with the reconstructed voxel size (tissue fraction effect). This study suggests that for oncological PET studies the use of SUV peak may be preferred over SUV max because SUV peak is less sensitive to patient repositioning/tumor sampling. © 2017 The Authors. Medical Physics published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Association of Physicists in Medicine.

Scanning System -- Technology Worth a Look

Treesearch

Philip A. Araman; Daniel L. Schmoldt; Richard W. Conners; D. Earl Kline

1995-01-01

In an effort to help automate the inspection for lumber defects, optical scanning systems are emerging as an alternative to the human eye. Although still in its infancy, scanning technology is being explored by machine companies and universities. This article was excerpted from "Machine Vision Systems for Grading and Processing Hardwood Lumber," by Philip...

Reliability of MRSI brain temperature mapping at 1.5 and 3 T.

PubMed

Thrippleton, Michael J; Parikh, Jehill; Harris, Bridget A; Hammer, Steven J; Semple, Scott I K; Andrews, Peter J D; Wardlaw, Joanna M; Marshall, Ian

2014-02-01

MRSI permits the non-invasive mapping of brain temperature in vivo, but information regarding its reliability is lacking. We obtained MRSI data from 31 healthy male volunteers [age range, 22-40 years; mean ± standard deviation (SD), 30.5 ± 5.0 years]. Eleven subjects (age range, 23-40 years; mean ± SD, 30.5 ± 5.2 years) were invited to receive four point-resolved spectroscopy MRSI scans on each of 3 days in both 1.5-T (TR/TE = 1000/144 ms) and 3-T (TR/TE = 1700/144 ms) clinical scanners; a further 20 subjects (age range, 22-40 years; mean ± SD, 30.5 ± 4.9 years) were scanned on a single occasion at 3 T. Data were fitted in the time domain to determine the water-N-acetylaspartate chemical shift difference, from which the temperature was estimated. Temperature data were analysed using a linear mixed effects model to determine variance components and systematic temperature changes during the scanning sessions. To characterise the effects of instrumental drift on apparent MRSI brain temperature, a temperature-controlled phantom was constructed and scanned on multiple occasions. Components of apparent in vivo temperature variability at 1.5 T/3 T caused by inter-subject (0.18/0.17 °C), inter-session (0.18/0.15 °C) and within-session (0.36/0.14 °C) effects, as well as voxel-to-voxel variation (0.59/0.54 °C), were determined. There was a brain cooling effect during in vivo MRSI of 0.10 °C [95% confidence interval (CI): -0.110, -0.094 °C; p < 0.001] and 0.051 °C (95% CI: -0.054, -0.048 °C; p < 0.001) per scan at 1.5 T and 3 T, respectively, whereas phantom measurements revealed minimal drift in apparent MRSI temperature relative to fibre-optic temperature measurements. The mean brain temperature at 3 T was weakly associated with aural (R = 0.55, p = 0.002) and oral (R = 0.62, p < 0.001) measurements of head temperature. In conclusion, the variability associated with MRSI brain temperature mapping was quantified. Repeatability was somewhat higher at 3 T than at 1.5 T, although subtle spatial and temporal variations in apparent temperature were demonstrated at both field strengths. Such data should assist in the efficient design of future clinical studies. © 2013 The Authors. NMR in Biomedicine published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Quantitative assessments of traumatic axonal injury in human brain: concordance of microdialysis and advanced MRI.

PubMed

Magnoni, Sandra; Mac Donald, Christine L; Esparza, Thomas J; Conte, Valeria; Sorrell, James; Macrì, Mario; Bertani, Giulio; Biffi, Riccardo; Costa, Antonella; Sammons, Brian; Snyder, Abraham Z; Shimony, Joshua S; Triulzi, Fabio; Stocchetti, Nino; Brody, David L

2015-08-01

Axonal injury is a major contributor to adverse outcomes following brain trauma. However, the extent of axonal injury cannot currently be assessed reliably in living humans. Here, we used two experimental methods with distinct noise sources and limitations in the same cohort of 15 patients with severe traumatic brain injury to assess axonal injury. One hundred kilodalton cut-off microdialysis catheters were implanted at a median time of 17 h (13-29 h) after injury in normal appearing (on computed tomography scan) frontal white matter in all patients, and samples were collected for at least 72 h. Multiple analytes, such as the metabolic markers glucose, lactate, pyruvate, glutamate and tau and amyloid-β proteins, were measured every 1-2 h in the microdialysis samples. Diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging scans at 3 T were performed 2-9 weeks after injury in 11 patients. Stability of diffusion tensor imaging findings was verified by repeat scans 1-3 years later in seven patients. An additional four patients were scanned only at 1-3 years after injury. Imaging abnormalities were assessed based on comparisons with five healthy control subjects for each patient, matched by age and sex (32 controls in total). No safety concerns arose during either microdialysis or scanning. We found that acute microdialysis measurements of the axonal cytoskeletal protein tau in the brain extracellular space correlated well with diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging-based measurements of reduced brain white matter integrity in the 1-cm radius white matter-masked region near the microdialysis catheter insertion sites. Specifically, we found a significant inverse correlation between microdialysis measured levels of tau 13-36 h after injury and anisotropy reductions in comparison with healthy controls (Spearman's r = -0.64, P = 0.006). Anisotropy reductions near microdialysis catheter insertion sites were highly correlated with reductions in multiple additional white matter regions. We interpret this result to mean that both microdialysis and diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging accurately reflect the same pathophysiological process: traumatic axonal injury. This cross-validation increases confidence in both methods for the clinical assessment of axonal injury. However, neither microdialysis nor diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging have been validated versus post-mortem histology in humans. Furthermore, future work will be required to determine the prognostic significance of these assessments of traumatic axonal injury when combined with other clinical and radiological measures. © The Author (2015). Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Guarantors of Brain. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

An assessment of the cost-effectiveness of magnetic resonance, including diffusion-weighted imaging, in patients with transient ischaemic attack and minor stroke: a systematic review, meta-analysis and economic evaluation.

PubMed

Wardlaw, Joanna; Brazzelli, Miriam; Miranda, Hector; Chappell, Francesca; McNamee, Paul; Scotland, Graham; Quayyum, Zahid; Martin, Duncan; Shuler, Kirsten; Sandercock, Peter; Dennis, Martin

2014-04-01

Patients with transient ischaemic attack (TIA) or minor stroke need rapid treatment of risk factors to prevent recurrent stroke. ABCD2 score or magnetic resonance diffusion-weighted brain imaging (MR DWI) may help assessment and treatment. Is MR with DWI cost-effective in stroke prevention compared with computed tomography (CT) brain scanning in all patients, in specific subgroups or as 'one-stop' brain-carotid imaging? What is the current UK availability of services for stroke prevention? Published literature; stroke registries, audit and randomised clinical trials; national databases; survey of UK clinical and imaging services for stroke; expert opinion. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses of published/unpublished data. Decision-analytic model of stroke prevention including on a 20-year time horizon including nine representative imaging scenarios. The pooled recurrent stroke rate after TIA (53 studies, 30,558 patients) is 5.2% [95% confidence interval (CI) 3.9% to 5.9%] by 7 days, and 6.7% (5.2% to 8.7%) at 90 days. ABCD2 score does not identify patients with key stroke causes or identify mimics: 66% of specialist-diagnosed true TIAs and 35-41% of mimics had an ABCD2 score of ≥ 4; 20% of true TIAs with ABCD2 score of < 4 had key risk factors. MR DWI (45 studies, 9078 patients) showed an acute ischaemic lesion in 34.3% (95% CI 30.5% to 38.4%) of TIA, 69% of minor stroke patients, i.e. two-thirds of TIA patients are DWI negative. TIA mimics (16 studies, 14,542 patients) make up 40-45% of patients attending clinics. UK survey (45% response) showed most secondary prevention started prior to clinic, 85% of primary brain imaging was same-day CT; 51-54% of patients had MR, mostly additional to CT, on average 1 week later; 55% omitted blood-sensitive MR sequences. Compared with 'CT scan all patients' MR was more expensive and no more cost-effective, except for patients presenting at > 1 week after symptoms to diagnose haemorrhage; strategies that triaged patients with low ABCD2 scores for slow investigation or treated DWI-negative patients as non-TIA/minor stroke prevented fewer strokes and increased costs. 'One-stop' CT/MR angiographic-plus-brain imaging was not cost-effective. Data on sensitivity/specificity of MR in TIA/minor stroke, stroke costs, prognosis of TIA mimics and accuracy of ABCD2 score by non-specialists are sparse or absent; all analysis had substantial heterogeneity. Magnetic resonance with DWI is not cost-effective for secondary stroke prevention. MR was most helpful in patients presenting at > 1 week after symptoms if blood-sensitive sequences were used. ABCD2 score is unlikely to facilitate patient triage by non-stroke specialists. Rapid specialist assessment, CT brain scanning and identification of serious underlying stroke causes is the most cost-effective stroke prevention strategy. The National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment programme.

Interpretation of Brain CT Scans in the Field by Critical Care Physicians in a Mobile Stroke Unit

PubMed Central

Zakariassen, Erik; Lindner, Thomas; Nome, Terje; Bache, Kristi G.; Røislien, Jo; Gleditsch, Jostein; Solyga, Volker; Russell, David; Lund, Christian G.

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE In acute stroke, thromboembolism or spontaneous hemorrhage abruptly reduces blood flow to a part of the brain. To limit necrosis, rapid radiological identification of the pathological mechanism must be conducted to allow the initiation of targeted treatment. The aim of the Norwegian Acute Stroke Prehospital Project is to determine if anesthesiologists, trained in prehospital critical care, may accurately assess cerebral computed tomography (CT) scans in a mobile stroke unit (MSU). METHODS In this pilot study, 13 anesthesiologists assessed unselected acute stroke patients with a cerebral CT scan in an MSU. The scans were simultaneously available by teleradiology at the receiving hospital and the on‐call radiologist. CT scan interpretation was focused on the radiological diagnosis of acute stroke and contraindications for thrombolysis. The aim of this study was to find inter‐rater agreement between the pre‐ and in‐hospital radiological assessments. A neuroradiologist evaluated all CT scans retrospectively. Statistical analysis of inter‐rater agreement was analyzed with Cohen's kappa. RESULTS Fifty‐one cerebral CT scans from the MSU were included. Inter‐rater agreement between prehospital anesthesiologists and the in‐hospital on‐call radiologists was excellent in finding radiological selection for thrombolysis (kappa .87). Prehospital CT scans were conducted in median 10 minutes (7 and 14 minutes) in the MSU, and median 39 minutes (31 and 48 minutes) before arrival at the receiving hospital. CONCLUSION This pilot study shows that anesthesiologists trained in prehospital critical care may effectively assess cerebral CT scans in an MSU, and determine if there are radiological contraindications for thrombolysis. PMID:28766306

Brain Growth Rate Abnormalities Visualized in Adolescents with Autism

PubMed Central

Hua, Xue; Thompson, Paul M.; Leow, Alex D.; Madsen, Sarah K.; Caplan, Rochelle; Alger, Jeffry R.; O’Neill, Joseph; Joshi, Kishori; Smalley, Susan L.; Toga, Arthur W.; Levitt, Jennifer G.

2014-01-01

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a heterogeneous disorder of brain development with wide-ranging cognitive deficits. Typically diagnosed before age 3, ASD is behaviorally defined but patients are thought to have protracted alterations in brain maturation. With longitudinal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), we mapped an anomalous developmental trajectory of the brains of autistic compared to those of typically developing children and adolescents. Using tensor-based morphometry (TBM), we created 3D maps visualizing regional tissue growth rates based on longitudinal brain MRI scans of 13 autistic and 7 typically developing boys (mean age/inter-scan interval: autism 12.0 ± 2.3 years/2.9 ± 0.9 years; control 12.3 ± 2.4/2.8 ± 0.8). The typically developing boys demonstrated strong whole-brain white matter growth during this period, but the autistic boys showed abnormally slowed white matter development (p = 0.03, corrected), especially in the parietal (p = 0.008), temporal (p = 0.03) and occipital lobes (p =0.02). We also visualized abnormal overgrowth in autism in some gray matter structures, such as the putamen and anterior cingulate cortex. Our findings reveal aberrant growth rates in brain regions implicated in social impairment, communication deficits and repetitive behaviors in autism, suggesting that growth rate abnormalities persist into adolescence. TBM revealed persisting growth rate anomalies long after diagnosis, which has implications for evaluation of therapeutic effects. PMID:22021093

Multiscale Exploration of Mouse Brain Microstructures Using the Knife-Edge Scanning Microscope Brain Atlas

PubMed Central

Chung, Ji Ryang; Sung, Chul; Mayerich, David; Kwon, Jaerock; Miller, Daniel E.; Huffman, Todd; Keyser, John; Abbott, Louise C.; Choe, Yoonsuck

2011-01-01

Connectomics is the study of the full connection matrix of the brain. Recent advances in high-throughput, high-resolution 3D microscopy methods have enabled the imaging of whole small animal brains at a sub-micrometer resolution, potentially opening the road to full-blown connectomics research. One of the first such instruments to achieve whole-brain-scale imaging at sub-micrometer resolution is the Knife-Edge Scanning Microscope (KESM). KESM whole-brain data sets now include Golgi (neuronal circuits), Nissl (soma distribution), and India ink (vascular networks). KESM data can contribute greatly to connectomics research, since they fill the gap between lower resolution, large volume imaging methods (such as diffusion MRI) and higher resolution, small volume methods (e.g., serial sectioning electron microscopy). Furthermore, KESM data are by their nature multiscale, ranging from the subcellular to the whole organ scale. Due to this, visualization alone is a huge challenge, before we even start worrying about quantitative connectivity analysis. To solve this issue, we developed a web-based neuroinformatics framework for efficient visualization and analysis of the multiscale KESM data sets. In this paper, we will first provide an overview of KESM, then discuss in detail the KESM data sets and the web-based neuroinformatics framework, which is called the KESM brain atlas (KESMBA). Finally, we will discuss the relevance of the KESMBA to connectomics research, and identify challenges and future directions. PMID:22275895

Functional connectivity analysis of resting-state fMRI networks in nicotine dependent patients

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, Aria; Ehtemami, Anahid; Fratte, Daniel; Meyer-Baese, Anke; Zavala-Romero, Olmo; Goudriaan, Anna E.; Schmaal, Lianne; Schulte, Mieke H. J.

2016-03-01

Brain imaging studies identified brain networks that play a key role in nicotine dependence-related behavior. Functional connectivity of the brain is dynamic; it changes over time due to different causes such as learning, or quitting a habit. Functional connectivity analysis is useful in discovering and comparing patterns between functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans of patients' brains. In the resting state, the patient is asked to remain calm and not do any task to minimize the contribution of external stimuli. The study of resting-state fMRI networks have shown functionally connected brain regions that have a high level of activity during this state. In this project, we are interested in the relationship between these functionally connected brain regions to identify nicotine dependent patients, who underwent a smoking cessation treatment. Our approach is on the comparison of the set of connections between the fMRI scans before and after treatment. We applied support vector machines, a machine learning technique, to classify patients based on receiving the treatment or the placebo. Using the functional connectivity (CONN) toolbox, we were able to form a correlation matrix based on the functional connectivity between different regions of the brain. The experimental results show that there is inadequate predictive information to classify nicotine dependent patients using the SVM classifier. We propose other classification methods be explored to better classify the nicotine dependent patients.

Regional growth and atlasing of the developing human brain

PubMed Central

Makropoulos, Antonios; Aljabar, Paul; Wright, Robert; Hüning, Britta; Merchant, Nazakat; Arichi, Tomoki; Tusor, Nora; Hajnal, Joseph V.; Edwards, A. David; Counsell, Serena J.; Rueckert, Daniel

2016-01-01

Detailed morphometric analysis of the neonatal brain is required to characterise brain development and define neuroimaging biomarkers related to impaired brain growth. Accurate automatic segmentation of neonatal brain MRI is a prerequisite to analyse large datasets. We have previously presented an accurate and robust automatic segmentation technique for parcellating the neonatal brain into multiple cortical and subcortical regions. In this study, we further extend our segmentation method to detect cortical sulci and provide a detailed delineation of the cortical ribbon. These detailed segmentations are used to build a 4-dimensional spatio-temporal structural atlas of the brain for 82 cortical and subcortical structures throughout this developmental period. We employ the algorithm to segment an extensive database of 420 MR images of the developing brain, from 27 to 45 weeks post-menstrual age at imaging. Regional volumetric and cortical surface measurements are derived and used to investigate brain growth and development during this critical period and to assess the impact of immaturity at birth. Whole brain volume, the absolute volume of all structures studied, cortical curvature and cortical surface area increased with increasing age at scan. Relative volumes of cortical grey matter, cerebellum and cerebrospinal fluid increased with age at scan, while relative volumes of white matter, ventricles, brainstem and basal ganglia and thalami decreased. Preterm infants at term had smaller whole brain volumes, reduced regional white matter and cortical and subcortical grey matter volumes, and reduced cortical surface area compared with term born controls, while ventricular volume was greater in the preterm group. Increasing prematurity at birth was associated with a reduction in total and regional white matter, cortical and subcortical grey matter volume, an increase in ventricular volume, and reduced cortical surface area. PMID:26499811

Regional growth and atlasing of the developing human brain.

PubMed

Makropoulos, Antonios; Aljabar, Paul; Wright, Robert; Hüning, Britta; Merchant, Nazakat; Arichi, Tomoki; Tusor, Nora; Hajnal, Joseph V; Edwards, A David; Counsell, Serena J; Rueckert, Daniel

2016-01-15

Detailed morphometric analysis of the neonatal brain is required to characterise brain development and define neuroimaging biomarkers related to impaired brain growth. Accurate automatic segmentation of neonatal brain MRI is a prerequisite to analyse large datasets. We have previously presented an accurate and robust automatic segmentation technique for parcellating the neonatal brain into multiple cortical and subcortical regions. In this study, we further extend our segmentation method to detect cortical sulci and provide a detailed delineation of the cortical ribbon. These detailed segmentations are used to build a 4-dimensional spatio-temporal structural atlas of the brain for 82 cortical and subcortical structures throughout this developmental period. We employ the algorithm to segment an extensive database of 420 MR images of the developing brain, from 27 to 45weeks post-menstrual age at imaging. Regional volumetric and cortical surface measurements are derived and used to investigate brain growth and development during this critical period and to assess the impact of immaturity at birth. Whole brain volume, the absolute volume of all structures studied, cortical curvature and cortical surface area increased with increasing age at scan. Relative volumes of cortical grey matter, cerebellum and cerebrospinal fluid increased with age at scan, while relative volumes of white matter, ventricles, brainstem and basal ganglia and thalami decreased. Preterm infants at term had smaller whole brain volumes, reduced regional white matter and cortical and subcortical grey matter volumes, and reduced cortical surface area compared with term born controls, while ventricular volume was greater in the preterm group. Increasing prematurity at birth was associated with a reduction in total and regional white matter, cortical and subcortical grey matter volume, an increase in ventricular volume, and reduced cortical surface area. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Integrated one- and two-photon scanned oblique plane illumination (SOPi) microscopy for rapid volumetric imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Manish; Kishore, Sandeep; Nasenbeny, Jordan; McLean, David L.; Kozorovitskiy, Yevgenia

2018-05-01

Versatile, sterically accessible imaging systems capable of in vivo rapid volumetric functional and structural imaging deep in the brain continue to be a limiting factor in neuroscience research. Towards overcoming this obstacle, we present integrated one- and two-photon scanned oblique plane illumination (SOPi) microscopy which uses a single front-facing microscope objective to provide light-sheet scanning based rapid volumetric imaging capability at subcellular resolution. Our planar scan-mirror based optimized light-sheet architecture allows for non-distorted scanning of volume samples, simplifying accurate reconstruction of the imaged volume. Integration of both one-photon (1P) and two-photon (2P) light-sheet microscopy in the same system allows for easy selection between rapid volumetric imaging and higher resolution imaging in scattering media. Using SOPi, we demonstrate deep, large volume imaging capability inside scattering mouse brain sections and rapid imaging speeds up to 10 volumes per second in zebrafish larvae expressing genetically encoded fluorescent proteins GFP or GCaMP6s. SOPi flexibility and steric access makes it adaptable for numerous imaging applications and broadly compatible with orthogonal techniques for actuating or interrogating neuronal structure and activity.

Integrated one- and two-photon scanned oblique plane illumination (SOPi) microscopy for rapid volumetric imaging.

PubMed

Kumar, Manish; Kishore, Sandeep; Nasenbeny, Jordan; McLean, David L; Kozorovitskiy, Yevgenia

2018-05-14

Versatile, sterically accessible imaging systems capable of in vivo rapid volumetric functional and structural imaging deep in the brain continue to be a limiting factor in neuroscience research. Towards overcoming this obstacle, we present integrated one- and two-photon scanned oblique plane illumination (SOPi, /sōpī/) microscopy which uses a single front-facing microscope objective to provide light-sheet scanning based rapid volumetric imaging capability at subcellular resolution. Our planar scan-mirror based optimized light-sheet architecture allows for non-distorted scanning of volume samples, simplifying accurate reconstruction of the imaged volume. Integration of both one-photon (1P) and two-photon (2P) light-sheet microscopy in the same system allows for easy selection between rapid volumetric imaging and higher resolution imaging in scattering media. Using SOPi, we demonstrate deep, large volume imaging capability inside scattering mouse brain sections and rapid imaging speeds up to 10 volumes per second in zebrafish larvae expressing genetically encoded fluorescent proteins GFP or GCaMP6s. SOPi's flexibility and steric access makes it adaptable for numerous imaging applications and broadly compatible with orthogonal techniques for actuating or interrogating neuronal structure and activity.

[Traumatic intracerebral pneumocephalus communicating with two different paranasal sinuses: a case report].

PubMed

Wakamoto, H; Miyazaki, H; Hayashi, T; Shimamoto, Y; Ishiyama, N

1998-02-01

We report a case of a 17-year-old male who had hit the front of his head in a traffic accident. CT scan revealed contusional hemorrhage and pneumocephalus of the left frontal lobe 10 hours after the accident. A month later he complained of rhinorrhea and CT scan revealed intracerebral pneumocephalus. One day he complained of headache and began to vomit after he sneezed. CT scan revealed that the pneumocephalus had become worse and air had spread throughout the subarachnoid space. Bone CT scan revealed the air communicated from the frontal sinus to the intracerebral air cavity. 3D-CT scan revealed bone defect in the roof of the ethmoid sinus. The intraoperative findings revealed that the intracerebral air cavity communicated with the frontal sinus and ethmoid sinus. Though the brain which dropped into the paranasal sinus, adhered to the dura mater around the bone defect, a part of the brain had come off from the dura mater around the frontal sinus. We suspected that the intracerebral air cavity communicated with the frontal sinus initially. When the air cavity communicated with the ethmoid sinus secondarily, intracranial pressure abated and air came into the subarachnoid space from the frontal sinus.

Developments in brain-machine interfaces from the perspective of robotics.

PubMed

Kim, Hyun K; Park, Shinsuk; Srinivasan, Mandayam A

2009-04-01

Many patients suffer from the loss of motor skills, resulting from traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries, stroke, and many other disabling conditions. Thanks to technological advances in measuring and decoding the electrical activity of cortical neurons, brain-machine interfaces (BMI) have become a promising technology that can aid paralyzed individuals. In recent studies on BMI, robotic manipulators have demonstrated their potential as neuroprostheses. Restoring motor skills through robot manipulators controlled by brain signals may improve the quality of life of people with disability. This article reviews current robotic technologies that are relevant to BMI and suggests strategies that could improve the effectiveness of a brain-operated neuroprosthesis through robotics.

INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY VERIFICATION REPORT "FIELD MEASUREMENT TECHNOLOGIES FOR TOTAL PETROLEUM HYDROCARBONS IN SOIL" ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS CORPORATION SYNCHRONOUS SCANNING LUMINOSCOPE

EPA Science Inventory

The Synchronous Scanning Luminoscope (Luminoscope) developed by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in collaboration with Environmental Systems Corporation (ESC) was demonstrated under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation Program i...

Field Demonstration of Electro-Scan Defect Location Technology for Condition Assessment of Wastewater Collection Systems

EPA Science Inventory

The purpose of the field demonstration program is to gather technically reliable cost and performance information on selected condition assessment technologies under defined field conditions. The selected technologies include zoom camera, electro-scan (FELL-41), and a multi-sens...

The neurotechnological revolution: unlocking the brain's secrets to develop innovative technologies as well as treatments for neurological diseases.

PubMed

Banks, Jim

2015-01-01

The brain contains all that makes us human, but its complexity is the source of both inspiration and frailty. Aging population is increasingly in need of effective care and therapies for brain diseases, including stroke, Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease. The world's scientific community working hard to unravel the secrets of the brain's computing power and to devise technologies that can heal it when it fails and restore critical functions to patients with neurological conditions. Neurotechnology is the emerging field that brings together the development of technologies to study the brain and devices that improve and repair brain function. What is certain is the momentum behind neurotechnological research is building, and whether through implants, BCIs, or innovative computational systems inspired by the human brain, more light will be shed on our most complex and most precious organ, which will no doubt lead to effective treatment for many neurological conditions.

Neuroscience in Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schachter, Ron

2012-01-01

For generations, teachers in the early elementary years have urged their young pupils to use their brains. They're still offering the same encouragement, but nowadays they can know even more about what they're talking about. Recent advances in neuroscience--from detailed scans of the brain to ongoing research on teaching methods that increase…

PET Studies of CX-157

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fowler, Joanna; Furey, Michael

We completed measuring Brain MAO A activity in 15 subjects at baseline and after different doses of CX157 and also at different times after each dose. Fifty five scans were completed. We determined that plasma levels of the drug are a surrogate marker for the degree of MAO A inhibition in the brain.

Oral choline decreases brain purine levels in lithium-treated subjects with rapid-cycling bipolar disorder: a double-blind trial using proton and lithium magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

PubMed

Lyoo, In Kyoon; Demopulos, Christina M; Hirashima, Fuyuki; Ahn, Kyung Heup; Renshaw, Perry F

2003-08-01

Oral choline administration has been reported to increase brain phosphatidylcholine levels. As phospholipid synthesis for maintaining membrane integrity in mammalian brain cells consumes approximately 10-15% of the total adenosine triphosphate (ATP) pool, an increased availability of brain choline may lead to an increase in ATP consumption. Given reports of genetic studies, which suggest mitochondrial dysfunction, and phosphorus (31P) magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) studies, which report dysfunction in high-energy phosphate metabolism in patients with bipolar disorder, the current study is designed to evaluate the role of oral choline supplementation in modifying high-energy phosphate metabolism in subjects with bipolar disorder. Eight lithium-treated patients with DSM-IV bipolar disorder, rapid cycling type were randomly assigned to 50 mg/kg/day of choline bitartrate or placebo for 12 weeks. Brain purine, choline and lithium levels were assessed using 1H- and 7Li-MRS. Patients received four to six MRS scans, at baseline and weeks 2, 3, 5, 8, 10 and 12 of treatment (n = 40 scans). Patients were assessed using the Clinical Global Impression Scale (CGIS), the Young Mania Rating Scale (YRMS) and the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) at each MRS scan. There were no significant differences in change-from-baseline measures of CGIS, YMRS, and HDRS, brain choline/creatine ratios, and brain lithium levels over a 12-week assessment period between the choline and placebo groups or within each group. However, the choline treatment group showed a significant decrease in purine metabolite ratios from baseline (purine/n-acetyl aspartate: coef = -0.08, z = -2.17, df = 22, p = 0.030; purine/choline: coef = -0.12, z = -1.97, df = 22, p = 0.049) compared to the placebo group, controlling for brain lithium level changes. Brain lithium level change was not a significant predictor of purine ratios. The current study reports that oral choline supplementation resulted in a significant decrease in brain purine levels over a 12-week treatment period in lithium-treated patients with DSM-IV bipolar disorder, rapid-cycling type, which may be related to the anti-manic effects of adjuvant choline. This result is consistent with mitochondrial dysfunction in bipolar disorder inadequately meeting the demand for increased ATP production as exogenous oral choline administration increases membrane phospholipid synthesis.

Make or Buy: An Analysis of the Impacts of 3D Printing Operations, 3D Laser Scanning Technology, and Collaborative Product Lifecycle Management on Ship Maintenance and Modernization Cost Savings

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-01-30

SPONSORED REPORT SERIES Make or Buy: An Analysis of the Impacts of 3D Printing Operations, 3D Laser Scanning Technology, and Collaborative...Report Series Make or Buy: An Analysis of the Impacts of 3D Printing Operations, 3D Laser Scanning Technology, and Collaborative Product Lifecycle...Application Areas for 3D Printing ........................................................ 36 Figure 15. Potential Applications of 3D

Resting-State fMRI Functional Connectivity Is Associated with Sleepiness, Imagery, and Discontinuity of Mind

PubMed Central

Chen, Gang; den Braber, Anouk; van ‘t Ent, Dennis; Boomsma, Dorret I.; Mansvelder, Huibert D.; de Geus, Eco; Van Someren, Eus J. W.; Linkenkaer-Hansen, Klaus

2015-01-01

Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) is widely used to investigate the functional architecture of the healthy human brain and how it is affected by learning, lifelong development, brain disorders or pharmacological intervention. Non-sensory experiences are prevalent during rest and must arise from ongoing brain activity, yet little is known about this relationship. Here, we used two runs of rs-fMRI both immediately followed by the Amsterdam Resting-State Questionnaire (ARSQ) to investigate the relationship between functional connectivity within ten large-scale functional brain networks and ten dimensions of thoughts and feelings experienced during the scan in 106 healthy participants. We identified 11 positive associations between brain-network functional connectivity and ARSQ dimensions. ‘Sleepiness’ exhibited significant associations with functional connectivity within Visual, Sensorimotor and Default Mode networks. Similar associations were observed for ‘Visual Thought’ and ‘Discontinuity of Mind’, which may relate to variation in imagery and thought control mediated by arousal fluctuations. Our findings show that self-reports of thoughts and feelings experienced during a rs-fMRI scan help understand the functional significance of variations in functional connectivity, which should be of special relevance to clinical studies. PMID:26540239

Reduced striatal dopamine transporters in people with internet addiction disorder.

PubMed

Hou, Haifeng; Jia, Shaowe; Hu, Shu; Fan, Rong; Sun, Wen; Sun, Taotao; Zhang, Hong

2012-01-01

In recent years, internet addiction disorder (IAD) has become more prevalent worldwide and the recognition of its devastating impact on the users and society has rapidly increased. However, the neurobiological mechanism of IAD has not bee fully expressed. The present study was designed to determine if the striatal dopamine transporter (DAT) levels measured by (99m)Tc-TRODAT-1 single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) brain scans were altered in individuals with IAD. SPECT brain scans were acquired on 5 male IAD subjects and 9 healthy age-matched controls. The volume (V) and weight (W) of bilateral corpus striatum as well as the (99m)Tc-TRODAT-1 uptake ratio of corpus striatum/the whole brain (Ra) were calculated using mathematical models. It was displayed that DAT expression level of striatum was significantly decreased and the V, W, and Ra were greatly reduced in the individuals with IAD compared to controls. Taken together, these results suggest that IAD may cause serious damages to the brain and the neuroimaging findings further illustrate IAD is associated with dysfunctions in the dopaminergic brain systems. Our findings also support the claim that IAD may share similar neurobiological abnormalities with other addictive disorders.

Anticholinesterase Effect on Motor Kinematic Measures and Brain Activation in Parkinson’s Disease

PubMed Central

Mentis, Marc J.; Delalot, Dominique; Naqvi, Hassan; Gordon, Mark F.; Gudesblatt, Mark; Edwards, Christine; Donatelli, Luke; Dhawan, Vijay; Eidelberg, David

2015-01-01

Anticholinesterase (AChE) drugs are being prescribed off label for nonmotor symptoms in Parkinson’s disease (PD). Theoretically, these drugs can impair motor function. A small literature suggests AChE therapy has little effect on clinical motor evaluation; however, no study has made objective motor kinematic measures or evaluated brain function. We hypothesized that even if clinical examination was normal in PD patients on dopamine therapy, (1) sensitive kinematic measures would be abnormal during AChE therapy or (2) normal kinematic measures would be maintained by compensatory brain activation. We carried out a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of 8 weeks donepezil (10 mg/day) in 17 PD subjects. Subjects carried out a computerized motor task during a positron emission tomography (PET) scan before starting the drug and again after 8 weeks of donepezil or placebo. Kinematic measures of motor function and PET scans were analyzed to compare the effects of donepezil and placebo. Neither placebo nor donepezil altered motor kinematic measures. Furthermore, movement integrity while on donepezil was maintained without compensatory brain activity. Donepezil 10 mg/day can be given for nonmotor symptoms in PD without adverse motor effects or compensatory brain activity. PMID:16228997

Brainstem auditory-evoked potentials as an objective tool for evaluating hearing dysfunction in traumatic brain injury.

PubMed

Lew, Henry L; Lee, Eun Ha; Miyoshi, Yasushi; Chang, Douglas G; Date, Elaine S; Jerger, James F

2004-03-01

Because of the violent nature of traumatic brain injury, traumatic brain injury patients are susceptible to various types of trauma involving the auditory system. We report a case of a 55-yr-old man who presented with communication problems after traumatic brain injury. Initial results from behavioral audiometry and Weber/Rinne tests were not reliable because of poor cooperation. He was transferred to our service for inpatient rehabilitation, where review of the initial head computed tomographic scan showed only left temporal bone fracture. Brainstem auditory-evoked potential was then performed to evaluate his hearing function. The results showed bilateral absence of auditory-evoked responses, which strongly suggested bilateral deafness. This finding led to a follow-up computed tomographic scan, with focus on bilateral temporal bones. A subtle transverse fracture of the right temporal bone was then detected, in addition to the left temporal bone fracture previously identified. Like children with hearing impairment, traumatic brain injury patients may not be able to verbalize their auditory deficits in a timely manner. If hearing loss is suspected in a patient who is unable to participate in traditional behavioral audiometric testing, brainstem auditory-evoked potential may be an option for evaluating hearing dysfunction.

Delayed Traumatic Intracranial Haemorrhage and Progressive Traumatic Brain Injury in a Major Referral Centre Based in a Developing Country

PubMed Central

Jeng, Toh Charng; Haspani, Mohd Saffari Mohd; Adnan, Johari Siregar; Naing, Nyi Nyi

2008-01-01

A repeat Computer Tomographic (CT) brain after 24–48 hours from the 1st scanning is usually practiced in most hospitals in South East Asia where intracranial pressure monitoring (ICP) is routinely not done. This interval for repeat CT would be shortened if there was a deterioration in Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS). Most of the time the prognosis of any intervention may be too late especially in hospitals with high patient-to-doctor ratio causing high mortality and morbidity. The purpose of this study was to determine the important predictors for early detection of Delayed Traumatic Intracranial Haemorrhage (DTICH) and Progressive Traumatic Brain Injury (PTBI) before deterioration of GCS occurred, as well as the most ideal timing of repeated CT brain for patients admitted in Malaysian hospitals. A total of 81 patients were included in this study over a period of six months. The CT scan brain was studied by comparing the first and second CT brain to diagnose the presence of DTICH/PTBI. The predictors tested were categorised into patient factors, CT brain findings and laboratory investigations. The mean age was 33.1 ± 15.7 years with a male preponderance of 6.36:1. Among them, 81.5% were patients from road traffic accidents with Glasgow Coma Scale ranging from 4 – 15 (median of 12) upon admission. The mean time interval delay between trauma and first CT brain was 179.8 ± 121.3 minutes for the PTBI group. The DTICH group, 9.9% of the patients were found to have new intracranial clots. Significant predictors detected were different referral hospitals (p=0.02), total GCS status (p=0.026), motor component of GCS (p=0.043), haemoglobin level (p<0.001), platelet count (p=0.011) and time interval between trauma and first CT brain (p=0.022). In the PTBI group, 42.0% of the patients were found to have new changes (new clot occurrence, old clot expansion and oedema) in the repeat CT brain. Univariate statistical analysis revealed that age (p=0.03), race (p=0.035), types of admission (p=0.024), GCS status (p=0.02), pupillary changes (p=0.014), number of intracranial lesion (p=0.004), haemoglobin level (p=0.038), prothrombin time (p=0.016) as the best predictors of early detection of changes. Multiple logistics regression analysis indicated that age, severity, GCS status (motor component) and GCS during admission were significantly associated with second CT scan with changes. This study showed that 9.9% of the total patients seen in the period of study had DTICH and 42% had PTBI. In the early period after traumatic head injury, the initial CT brain did not reveal the full extent of haemorrhagic injury and associated cerebral oedema. Different referral hospitals of different trauma level, GCS status, motor component of the GCS, haemoglobin level, platelet count and time interval between trauma and the first CT brain were the significant predictors for DTICH. Whereas the key determinants of PTBI were age, race, types of admission, GCS status, pupillary changes, number of intracranial bleed, haemoglobin level, prothrombin time and of course time interval between trauma and first CT brain. Any patients who had traumatic head injury in hospitals with no protocol of repeat CT scan or intracranial pressure monitoring especially in developing countries are advised to have to repeat CT brain at the appropriate quickest time . PMID:22589639

Color machine vision in industrial process control: case limestone mine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paernaenen, Pekka H. T.; Lemstrom, Guy F.; Koskinen, Seppo

1994-11-01

An optical sorter technology has been developed to improve profitability of a mine by using color line scan machine vision technology. The new technology adapted longers the expected life time of the limestone mine and improves its efficiency. Also the project has proved that color line scan technology of today can successfully be applied to industrial use in harsh environments.

Photon dynamics in tissue imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chance, Britton; Haselgrove, John C.; Wang, NaiGuang; Maris, Michael B.; Sevick-Muraca, Eva M.

1991-11-01

The emerging need for a fast, safe economical approach to global and localized measures of desaturation of hemoglobin with oxygen (HbO2) in the human brain motivates further research on time-resolved spectroscopy in four areas of study. (1) To afford quantization of hemoglobin saturation through time-resolved spectroscopy in the time domain (TD) and in the frequency domain (FD). Evaluation of dual-wavelength TD and FD spectrometers for determining quantitatively hemoglobin desaturation and blood-volume changes by calculations that are insensitive to mutual interference is proposed. The diffusion equation, as it applies especially to TD studies, and the absorption ((mu) a) and scattering ((mu) s) coefficients provide their independent determination from the late and early respective portions of the kinetics of the emergent photons in response to a short input pulse (50-100 psec). (2) The identification of the photon-pathlength change due to the arterial pulse in the brain tissue by FD methods with Fourier transformation affords an opportunity to employ principles of pulse oximetry to vessels localized deep within the brain tissue. (3) Localization of desaturation of hemoglobin in portions of the brain can be achieved through dual-wavelength scanning of the input/output optical fibers across the head for an X-Y coordinate and varying the distance between input and output ((rho) ) or the time delay in data acquisition to afford an in-depth Z scan. Localizations of shed blood, which have an effective concentration of over 10 times that of capillary-bed blood, are identified by X, Y, Z scans using only a single wavelength. (4) Independent measurements of absorption ((mu) a) and scattering ((mu) s) coefficients, particularly by TD techniques, affords structural mapping of the brain, which can be used to diagnose brain tumor and neuronal degeneration. Two experimental systems are used to critically evaluate these studies; the first, a hemoglobin/lipid/yeast model in which intermittent oxygenation gives saturation/desaturation effects and addition of hemoglobin simulates increased blood volume. These models can be global or may contain localized ''black'' absorbers simulating brain bleeds or model-stroke volumes in which oxygenation/deoxygenation simulates normoxia/hypoxia. Secondly, animal brains are used to model the following changes in vivo: global or localized hypoxia, brain bleeding, and hematomas by epidural blood injection, and physiological changes by epilepsy. Neuronal degeneration causing scattering effects is modeled by injection, epidurally or into the animal model brain, highly scattering material such as polystyrene spheres. The proposal envisages a basic science study of photon migration in the brain with important applications to stroke, epilepsy, brain trauma, and neuronal degenerative disease.

Deep brain stimulation or thalamotomy in fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome? Case report.

PubMed

Tamás, Gertrúd; Kovács, Norbert; Varga, Noémi Ágnes; Barsi, Péter; Erőss, Loránd; Molnár, Mária Judit; Balás, István

2016-01-01

We present the case of a 66-year-old man who has been treated for essential tremor since the age of 58. He developed mild cerebellar gait ataxia seven years after tremor onset. Moderate, global brain atrophy was identified on MRI scans. At the age of 68, only temporary tremor relief could be achieved by bilateral deep brain stimulation of the ventral intermedius nucleus of the thalamus. Bilateral stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus also resulted only in transient improvement. In the meantime, progressive gait ataxia and tetraataxia developed accompanied by other cerebellar symptoms, such as nystagmus and scanning speech. These correlated with progressive development of bilateral symmetric hyperintensity of the middle cerebellar peduncles on T2 weighted MRI scans. Genetic testing revealed premutation of the FMR1 gene, establishing the diagnosis of fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome. Although this is a rare disorder, it should be taken into consideration during preoperative evaluation of essential tremor. Postural tremor ceased two years later after thalamotomy on the left side, while kinetic tremor of the right hand also improved. Copyright © 2016 Polish Neurological Society. Published by Elsevier Urban & Partner Sp. z o.o. All rights reserved.

C-FSCV: Compressive Fast-Scan Cyclic Voltammetry for Brain Dopamine Recording.

PubMed

Zamani, Hossein; Bahrami, Hamid Reza; Chalwadi, Preeti; Garris, Paul A; Mohseni, Pedram

2018-01-01

This paper presents a novel compressive sensing framework for recording brain dopamine levels with fast-scan cyclic voltammetry (FSCV) at a carbon-fiber microelectrode. Termed compressive FSCV (C-FSCV), this approach compressively samples the measured total current in each FSCV scan and performs basic FSCV processing steps, e.g., background current averaging and subtraction, directly with compressed measurements. The resulting background-subtracted faradaic currents, which are shown to have a block-sparse representation in the discrete cosine transform domain, are next reconstructed from their compressively sampled counterparts with the block sparse Bayesian learning algorithm. Using a previously recorded dopamine dataset, consisting of electrically evoked signals recorded in the dorsal striatum of an anesthetized rat, the C-FSCV framework is shown to be efficacious in compressing and reconstructing brain dopamine dynamics and associated voltammograms with high fidelity (correlation coefficient, ), while achieving compression ratio, CR, values as high as ~ 5. Moreover, using another set of dopamine data recorded 5 minutes after administration of amphetamine (AMPH) to an ambulatory rat, C-FSCV once again compresses (CR = 5) and reconstructs the temporal pattern of dopamine release with high fidelity ( ), leading to a true-positive rate of 96.4% in detecting AMPH-induced dopamine transients.

Monoamine oxidase B inhibitor, selegiline, reduces 18F-THK5351 uptake in the human brain.

PubMed

Ng, Kok Pin; Pascoal, Tharick A; Mathotaarachchi, Sulantha; Therriault, Joseph; Kang, Min Su; Shin, Monica; Guiot, Marie-Christine; Guo, Qi; Harada, Ryuichi; Comley, Robert A; Massarweh, Gassan; Soucy, Jean-Paul; Okamura, Nobuyuki; Gauthier, Serge; Rosa-Neto, Pedro

2017-03-31

18 F-THK5351 is a quinoline-derived tau imaging agent with high affinity to paired helical filaments (PHF). However, high levels of 18 F-THK5351 retention in brain regions thought to contain negligible concentrations of PHF raise questions about the interpretation of the positron emission tomography (PET) signals, particularly given previously described interactions between quinolone derivatives and monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B). Here, we tested the effects of MAO-B inhibition on 18 F-THK5351 brain uptake using PET and autoradiography. Eight participants (five mild cognitive impairment, two Alzheimer's disease, and one progressive supranuclear palsy) had baseline 18 F-AZD4694 and 18 F-THK5351 scans in order to quantify brain amyloid and PHF load, respectively. A second 18 F-THK5351 scan was conducted 1 week later, 1 h after a 10-mg oral dose of selegiline. Three out of eight patients also had a third 18 F-THK5351 scan 9-28 days after the selegiline administration. The primary outcome measure was standardized uptake value (SUV), calculated using tissue radioactivity concentration from 50 to 70 min after 18 F-THK5351 injection, normalizing for body weight and injected radioactivity. The SUV ratio (SUVR) was determined using the cerebellar cortex as the reference region. 18 F-THK5351 competition autoradiography studies in postmortem tissue were conducted using 150 and 500 nM selegiline. At baseline, 18 F-THK5351 SUVs were highest in the basal ganglia (0.64 ± 0.11) and thalamus (0.62 ± 0.14). In the post-selegiline scans, the regional SUVs were reduced on average by 36.7% to 51.8%, with the greatest reduction noted in the thalamus (51.8%) and basal ganglia (51.4%). MAO-B inhibition also reduced 18 F-THK5351 SUVs in the cerebellar cortex (41.6%). The SUVs remained reduced in the three patients imaged at 9-28 days. Tissue autoradiography confirmed the effects of MAO-B inhibition on 18 F-THK5351 uptake. These results indicate that the interpretation of 18 F-THK5351 PET images, with respect to tau, is confounded by the high MAO-B availability across the entire brain. In addition, the heterogeneous MAO-B availability across the cortex may limit the interpretation of 18 F-THK5351 scans using reference region methods.

Magnetic resonance imaging of the central nervous system

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1988-02-26

This report reviews the current applications of magnetic resonance imaging of the central nervous system. Since its introduction into the clinical environment in the early 1980's, this technology has had a major impact on the practice of neurology. It has proved to be superior to computed tomography for imaging many diseases of the brain and spine. In some instances it has clearly replaced computed tomography. It is likely that it will replace myelography for the assessment of cervicomedullary junction and spinal regions. The magnetic field strengths currently used appear to be entirely safe for clinical application in neurology except inmore » patients with cardiac pacemakers or vascular metallic clips. Some shortcomings of magnetic resonance imaging include its expense, the time required for scanning, and poor visualization of cortical bone.« less

In vivo characterization of 3D skull and brain motion during dynamic head vibration using magnetic resonance elastography.

PubMed

Yin, Ziying; Sui, Yi; Trzasko, Joshua D; Rossman, Phillip J; Manduca, Armando; Ehman, Richard L; Huston, John

2018-05-17

To introduce newly developed MR elastography (MRE)-based dual-saturation imaging and dual-sensitivity motion encoding schemes to directly measure in vivo skull-brain motion, and to study the skull-brain coupling in volunteers with these approaches. Six volunteers were scanned with a high-performance compact 3T-MRI scanner. The skull-brain MRE images were obtained with a dual-saturation imaging where the skull and brain motion were acquired with fat- and water-suppression scans, respectively. A dual-sensitivity motion encoding scheme was applied to estimate the heavily wrapped phase in skull by the simultaneous acquisition of both low- and high-sensitivity phase during a single MRE exam. The low-sensitivity phase was used to guide unwrapping of the high-sensitivity phase. The amplitude and temporal phase delay of the rigid-body motion between the skull and brain was measured, and the skull-brain interface was visualized by slip interface imaging (SII). Both skull and brain motion can be successfully acquired and unwrapped. The skull-brain motion analysis demonstrated the motion transmission from the skull to the brain is attenuated in amplitude and delayed. However, this attenuation (%) and delay (rad) were considerably greater with rotation (59 ± 7%, 0.68 ± 0.14 rad) than with translation (92 ± 5%, 0.04 ± 0.02 rad). With SII the skull-brain slip interface was not completely evident, and the slip pattern was spatially heterogeneous. This study provides a framework for acquiring in vivo voxel-based skull and brain displacement using MRE that can be used to characterize the skull-brain coupling system for understanding of mechanical brain protection mechanisms, which has potential to facilitate risk management for future injury. © 2018 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

Association of Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology of Ontario 1998-99 Environmental Scan.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Association of Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology of Ontario, North York.

The 5th edition of the Environmental Scan is presented by the Association of Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology of Ontario (ACAATO). This planning document builds on the feedback received from college stakeholders regarding its value and usefulness in supporting the colleges' strategic planning processes. The Scan's primary objective is to…

Is the routine CT head scan justified for psychiatric patients? A prospective study.

PubMed Central

Ananth, J; Gamal, R; Miller, M; Wohl, M; Vandewater, S

1993-01-01

Thirty-four psychiatric patients, assessed for a physical illness that was missed during diagnosis, underwent a CT scan. After investigation, the diagnosis of 14 patients changed from a functional to an organic illness. In nine patients, the CT scan was reported to be abnormal, and yet only two were diagnosed as having an organic syndrome. In seven patients, the CT scan was normal but the patients had an undisputed organic brain syndrome. These findings indicate that the use of CT scans should be restricted to cases in which the diagnosis is seriously in question. The clinical findings should dictate the use of CT scans either to clarify or to complement them. PMID:8461285

Conscious brain-to-brain communication in humans using non-invasive technologies.

PubMed

Grau, Carles; Ginhoux, Romuald; Riera, Alejandro; Nguyen, Thanh Lam; Chauvat, Hubert; Berg, Michel; Amengual, Julià L; Pascual-Leone, Alvaro; Ruffini, Giulio

2014-01-01

Human sensory and motor systems provide the natural means for the exchange of information between individuals, and, hence, the basis for human civilization. The recent development of brain-computer interfaces (BCI) has provided an important element for the creation of brain-to-brain communication systems, and precise brain stimulation techniques are now available for the realization of non-invasive computer-brain interfaces (CBI). These technologies, BCI and CBI, can be combined to realize the vision of non-invasive, computer-mediated brain-to-brain (B2B) communication between subjects (hyperinteraction). Here we demonstrate the conscious transmission of information between human brains through the intact scalp and without intervention of motor or peripheral sensory systems. Pseudo-random binary streams encoding words were transmitted between the minds of emitter and receiver subjects separated by great distances, representing the realization of the first human brain-to-brain interface. In a series of experiments, we established internet-mediated B2B communication by combining a BCI based on voluntary motor imagery-controlled electroencephalographic (EEG) changes with a CBI inducing the conscious perception of phosphenes (light flashes) through neuronavigated, robotized transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), with special care taken to block sensory (tactile, visual or auditory) cues. Our results provide a critical proof-of-principle demonstration for the development of conscious B2B communication technologies. More fully developed, related implementations will open new research venues in cognitive, social and clinical neuroscience and the scientific study of consciousness. We envision that hyperinteraction technologies will eventually have a profound impact on the social structure of our civilization and raise important ethical issues.

Conscious Brain-to-Brain Communication in Humans Using Non-Invasive Technologies

PubMed Central

Grau, Carles; Ginhoux, Romuald; Riera, Alejandro; Nguyen, Thanh Lam; Chauvat, Hubert; Berg, Michel; Amengual, Julià L.; Pascual-Leone, Alvaro; Ruffini, Giulio

2014-01-01

Human sensory and motor systems provide the natural means for the exchange of information between individuals, and, hence, the basis for human civilization. The recent development of brain-computer interfaces (BCI) has provided an important element for the creation of brain-to-brain communication systems, and precise brain stimulation techniques are now available for the realization of non-invasive computer-brain interfaces (CBI). These technologies, BCI and CBI, can be combined to realize the vision of non-invasive, computer-mediated brain-to-brain (B2B) communication between subjects (hyperinteraction). Here we demonstrate the conscious transmission of information between human brains through the intact scalp and without intervention of motor or peripheral sensory systems. Pseudo-random binary streams encoding words were transmitted between the minds of emitter and receiver subjects separated by great distances, representing the realization of the first human brain-to-brain interface. In a series of experiments, we established internet-mediated B2B communication by combining a BCI based on voluntary motor imagery-controlled electroencephalographic (EEG) changes with a CBI inducing the conscious perception of phosphenes (light flashes) through neuronavigated, robotized transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), with special care taken to block sensory (tactile, visual or auditory) cues. Our results provide a critical proof-of-principle demonstration for the development of conscious B2B communication technologies. More fully developed, related implementations will open new research venues in cognitive, social and clinical neuroscience and the scientific study of consciousness. We envision that hyperinteraction technologies will eventually have a profound impact on the social structure of our civilization and raise important ethical issues. PMID:25137064

Joint Segmentation and Deformable Registration of Brain Scans Guided by a Tumor Growth Model

PubMed Central

Gooya, Ali; Pohl, Kilian M.; Bilello, Michel; Biros, George; Davatzikos, Christos

2011-01-01

This paper presents an approach for joint segmentation and deformable registration of brain scans of glioma patients to a normal atlas. The proposed method is based on the Expectation Maximization (EM) algorithm that incorporates a glioma growth model for atlas seeding, a process which modifies the normal atlas into one with a tumor and edema. The modified atlas is registered into the patient space and utilized for the posterior probability estimation of various tissue labels. EM iteratively refines the estimates of the registration parameters, the posterior probabilities of tissue labels and the tumor growth model parameters. We have applied this approach to 10 glioma scans acquired with four Magnetic Resonance (MR) modalities (T1, T1-CE, T2 and FLAIR ) and validated the result by comparing them to manual segmentations by clinical experts. The resulting segmentations look promising and quantitatively match well with the expert provided ground truth. PMID:21995070

Joint segmentation and deformable registration of brain scans guided by a tumor growth model.

PubMed

Gooya, Ali; Pohl, Kilian M; Bilello, Michel; Biros, George; Davatzikos, Christos

2011-01-01

This paper presents an approach for joint segmentation and deformable registration of brain scans of glioma patients to a normal atlas. The proposed method is based on the Expectation Maximization (EM) algorithm that incorporates a glioma growth model for atlas seeding, a process which modifies the normal atlas into one with a tumor and edema. The modified atlas is registered into the patient space and utilized for the posterior probability estimation of various tissue labels. EM iteratively refines the estimates of the registration parameters, the posterior probabilities of tissue labels and the tumor growth model parameters. We have applied this approach to 10 glioma scans acquired with four Magnetic Resonance (MR) modalities (T1, T1-CE, T2 and FLAIR) and validated the result by comparing them to manual segmentations by clinical experts. The resulting segmentations look promising and quantitatively match well with the expert provided ground truth.

Galvanometer scanning technology for laser additive manufacturing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luo, Xi; Li, Jin; Lucas, Mark

2017-02-01

A galvanometer laser beam scanning system is an essential element in many laser additive manufacturing (LAM) technologies including Stereolithography (SLA), Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) and Selective Laser Melting (SLM). Understanding the laser beam scanning techniques and recent innovations in this field will greatly benefit the 3D laser printing system integration and technology advance. One of the challenges to achieve high quality 3D printed parts is due to the non-uniform laser power density delivered on the materials caused by the acceleration and deceleration movements of the galvanometer at ends of the hatching and outlining patterns. One way to solve this problem is to modulate the laser power as the function of the scanning speed during the acceleration or deceleration periods. Another strategy is to maintain the constant scanning speed while accurately coordinating the laser on and off operation throughout the job. In this paper, we demonstrate the high speed, high accuracy and low drift digital scanning technology that incorporates both techniques to achieve uniform laser density with minimal additional process development. With the constant scanning speed method, the scanner not only delivers high quality and uniform results, but also a throughput increase of 23% on a typical LAM job, compared to that of the conventional control method that requires galvanometer acceleration and deceleration movements.

Brain-computer interfaces in neurological rehabilitation.

PubMed

Daly, Janis J; Wolpaw, Jonathan R

2008-11-01

Recent advances in analysis of brain signals, training patients to control these signals, and improved computing capabilities have enabled people with severe motor disabilities to use their brain signals for communication and control of objects in their environment, thereby bypassing their impaired neuromuscular system. Non-invasive, electroencephalogram (EEG)-based brain-computer interface (BCI) technologies can be used to control a computer cursor or a limb orthosis, for word processing and accessing the internet, and for other functions such as environmental control or entertainment. By re-establishing some independence, BCI technologies can substantially improve the lives of people with devastating neurological disorders such as advanced amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. BCI technology might also restore more effective motor control to people after stroke or other traumatic brain disorders by helping to guide activity-dependent brain plasticity by use of EEG brain signals to indicate to the patient the current state of brain activity and to enable the user to subsequently lower abnormal activity. Alternatively, by use of brain signals to supplement impaired muscle control, BCIs might increase the efficacy of a rehabilitation protocol and thus improve muscle control for the patient.

Added Value of Including Entire Brain on Body Imaging With FDG PET/MRI.

PubMed

Franceschi, Ana M; Matthews, Robert; Bangiyev, Lev; Relan, Nand; Chaudhry, Ammar; Franceschi, Dinko

2018-05-24

FDG PET/MRI examination of the body is routinely performed from the skull base to the mid thigh. Many types of brain abnormalities potentially could be detected on PET/MRI if the head was included. The objective of this study was therefore to identify and characterize brain findings incidentally detected on PET/MRI of the body with the head included. We retrospectively identified 269 patients with FDG PET/MRI whole-body scans that included the head. PET/MR images of the brain were reviewed by a nuclear medicine physician and neuroradiologist, first individually and then concurrently. Both PET and MRI findings were identified, including abnormal FDG uptake, standardized uptake value, lesion size, and MRI signal characteristics. For each patient, relevant medical history and prior imaging were reviewed. Of the 269 subjects, 173 were women and 96 were men (mean age, 57.4 years). Only the initial PET/MR image of each patient was reviewed. A total of 37 of the 269 patients (13.8%) had abnormal brain findings noted on the PET/MRI whole-body scan. Sixteen patients (5.9%) had vascular disease, nine patients (3.3%) had posttherapy changes, and two (0.7%) had benign cystic lesions in the brain. Twelve patients (4.5%) had serious nonvascular brain abnormalities, including cerebral metastasis in five patients and pituitary adenomas in two patients. Only nine subjects (3.3%) had a new neurologic or cognitive symptom suggestive of a brain abnormality. Routine body imaging with FDG PET/MRI of the area from the skull base to the mid thigh may miss important brain abnormalities when the head is not included. The additional brain abnormalities identified on whole-body imaging may provide added clinical value to the management of oncology patients.

Diffusion weighted imaging: a comprehensive evaluation of a fast spin echo DWI sequence with BLADE (PROPELLER) k-space sampling at 3 T, using a 32-channel head coil in acute brain ischemia.

PubMed

Attenberger, Ulrike I; Runge, Val M; Stemmer, Alto; Williams, Kenneth D; Naul, L Gill; Michaely, Henrik J; Schoenberg, Stefan O; Reiser, Maximilian F; Wintersperger, Bernd J

2009-10-01

To evaluate the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and diagnostic quality of diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) using a fast spin echo (FSE) sequence with BLADE k-space trajectory at 3 T in combination with a 32-channel head coil. The scan was compared with a standard spin echo (SE) echo-planar imaging (EPI) DWI and a high resolution SE EPI DWI sequence. Fourteen patients with acute brain ischemia were included in this Institutional Review Board approved study. All patients were evaluated with 3 different image sequences, using a 3 T scanner and a 32-channel head coil: (a) a standard SE EPI DWI (matrix size 192 x 192), (b) a high resolution SE EPI DWI (matrix size of 256 x 256) and (c) a FSE DWI BLADE (matrix size 192 x 192). The SNR of the 3 scans was compared in 10 healthy volunteers by a paired student t test. Image quality was evaluated with 4 dedicated questions in a blinded read: (1) The scans were ranked in terms of bulk susceptibility artifact. (2) The scan preference for diagnosis of any diffusion abnormality that might occur and (3) the preference for visualization of the diffusion abnormality actually present was determined. (4) The influence of bulk susceptibility on image evaluation for the diffusion abnormality present was assessed. For visualization of the diffusion abnormality present, BLADE DWI was the scan sequence preferred most by both readers (reader 1: 41.7%, reader 2: 35.7%). For visualization of any diffusion abnormality present, BLADE DWI was the preferred scan in 13 of 14 cases for reader 1 (93%) and in 11 of 14 cases for reader 2 (78.6%). No high resolution SE EPI DWI scan was rated best by reader 1. Reader 2 rated the high resolution SE EPI DWI scan superior in only 1 of 56 judgments. The standard EPI DWI sequence (21.8 +/- 5.3) had in comparison to the high resolution EPI DWI (11.9 +/- 2.6) and the BLADE DWI scans (11.3 +/- 3.8) significantly higher SNR mean values. Our preliminary data demonstrates the feasibility of a FSE EPI DWI scan with radial-like k-space sampling, using a 32-channel coil at 3 T in acute brain ischemia. The BLADE DWI was the preferred scan for the detection of acute diffusion abnormalities because of the lack of bulk susceptibility artifacts.

Detection of Blast-Related Traumatic Brain Injury in U.S. Military Personnel

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-06-02

hypothesis that blast-related traumatic brain injury causes traumatic axonal injury, using diffusion tensor imaging ( DTI ), an advanced form of magnetic... DTI scanning within 90 days after the injury. All the subjects had primary blast exposure plus another, blast-related mecha- nism of injury (e.g...other injuries but no clinical diagnosis of traumatic brain injury. Results Abnormalities revealed on DTI were consistent with traumatic axonal injury in

Neuroimaging of Brain Injuries and Disorders at Cleveland Clinic

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-12-01

LFBFs) in the human brain during a state of alert rest. These spontaneous fluctuations are correlated in brain regions with a high degree of connectivity...behavioral performance on the finger tapping fMRI scan. One subject was excluded due to significantly different anatomy from the group (large ventricles...FSL 4.0 image processing software package (http://www.fmrib.ox.ac.uk/fsl/tbss/index.html) to create a mean white matter skeleton . Specifically, all

Magnetic Resonance Elastography Demonstrating Low Brain Stiffness in a Patient with Low-Pressure Hydrocephalus: Case Report.

PubMed

Olivero, William C; Wszalek, Tracey; Wang, Huan; Farahvar, Arash; Rieth, Sandra M; Johnson, Curtis L

2016-01-01

The authors describe the case of a 19-year-old female with shunted aqueductal stenosis who presented with low-pressure hydrocephalus that responded to negative pressure drainage. A magnetic resonance elastography scan performed 3 weeks later demonstrated very low brain tissue stiffness (high brain tissue compliance). An analysis of the importance of this finding in understanding this rare condition is discussed. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.

New Clinically Feasible 3T MRI Protocol to Discriminate Internal Brain Stem Anatomy.

PubMed

Hoch, M J; Chung, S; Ben-Eliezer, N; Bruno, M T; Fatterpekar, G M; Shepherd, T M

2016-06-01

Two new 3T MR imaging contrast methods, track density imaging and echo modulation curve T2 mapping, were combined with simultaneous multisection acquisition to reveal exquisite anatomic detail at 7 canonical levels of the brain stem. Compared with conventional MR imaging contrasts, many individual brain stem tracts and nuclear groups were directly visualized for the first time at 3T. This new approach is clinically practical and feasible (total scan time = 20 minutes), allowing better brain stem anatomic localization and characterization. © 2016 by American Journal of Neuroradiology.

The Brain Physics: Multi Laser Beam Interaction with the Brain Topions (the Brain Neurocenters)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stefan, V. Alexander

2015-03-01

A novel method for the treatment of the neurological diseases is proposed. The multiple-energy laser photons (the blue scanning photons and ultraviolet focusing photons) interact with the specific DNA molecules within the topion (such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's brain topion) via the matching of laser frequency with the oscillation eigen-frequency of a particular molecule within the DNA. In this way, the corrupt molecules (the structure of molecules) can be manipulated so as to treat (eliminate) the neurological disease. Supported by Nikola Tesla Labs, Stefan University.

Influence of Dexamethasone on O-(2-[18F]-Fluoroethyl)-L-Tyrosine Uptake in the Human Brain and Quantification of Tumor Uptake.

PubMed

Stegmayr, Carina; Stoffels, Gabriele; Kops, Elena Rota; Lohmann, Philipp; Galldiks, Norbert; Shah, Nadim J; Neumaier, Bernd; Langen, Karl-Josef

2018-05-29

O-(2-[ 18 F]fluoroethyl)-L-tyrosine ([ 18 F]FET) is an established positron emission tomography (PET) tracer for brain tumor imaging. This study explores the influence of dexamethasone therapy on [ 18 F]FET uptake in the normal brain and its influence on the maximum and mean tumor-to-brain ratio (TBR). [ 18 F]FET PET scans of 160 brain tumor patients were evaluated (80 dexamethasone treated, 80 untreated; each group with 40 men/40 women). The standardized uptake value of [ 18 F]FET uptake in the normal brain (SUV brain ) in the different groups was compared. Nine patients were examined repeatedly with and without dexamethasone therapy. SUV brain of [ 18 F]FET uptake was significantly higher in dexamethasone-treated patients than in untreated patients (SUV brain 1.33 ± 0.1 versus 1.06 ± 0.16 in male and 1.45 ± 0.25 versus 1.31 ± 0.28 in female patients). Similar results were observed in patients with serial PET scans. Furthermore, compared to men, a significantly higher SUV brain was found in women, both with and without dexamethasone treatment. There were no significant differences between the different groups for TBR max and TBR mean , which could have been masked by the high standard deviation. In a patient with a stable brain metastasis investigated twice with and without dexamethasone, the TBR max and the biological tumor volume (BTV) decreased considerably after dexamethasone due to an increased SUV brain . Dexamethasone treatment appears to increase the [ 18 F]FET uptake in the normal brain. An effect on TBR max , TBR mean , and BTV cannot be excluded which should be considered especially for treatment monitoring and the estimation of BTV using [ 18 F]FET PET.

Hardware, software, and scanning issues encountered during small animal imaging of photodynamic therapy in the athymic nude rat

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cross, Nathan; Sharma, Rahul; Varghai, Davood; Spring-Robinson, Chandra; Oleinick, Nancy L.; Muzic, Raymond F., Jr.; Dean, David

2007-02-01

Small animal imaging devices are now commonly used to study gene activation and model the effects of potential therapies. We are attempting to develop a protocol that non-invasively tracks the affect of Pc 4-mediated photodynamic therapy (PDT) in a human glioma model using structural image data from micro-CT and/or micro-MR scanning and functional data from 18F-fluorodeoxy-glucose (18F-FDG) micro-PET imaging. Methods: Athymic nude rat U87-derived glioma was imaged by micro-PET and either micro-CT or micro-MR prior to Pc 4-PDT. Difficulty insuring animal anesthesia and anatomic position during the micro-PET, micro-CT, and micro-MR scans required adaptation of the scanning bed hardware. Following Pc 4-PDT the animals were again 18F-FDG micro-PET scanned, euthanized one day later, and their brains were explanted and prepared for H&E histology. Histology provided the gold standard for tumor location and necrosis. The tumor and surrounding brain functional and structural image data were then isolated and coregistered. Results: Surprisingly, both the non-PDT and PDT groups showed an increase in tumor functional activity when we expected this signal to disappear in the group receiving PDT. Co-registration of the functional and structural image data was done manually. Discussion: As expected, micro-MR imaging provided better structural discrimination of the brain tumor than micro-CT. Contrary to expectations, in our preliminary analysis 18F-FDG micro-PET imaging does not readily discriminate the U87 tumors that received Pc 4-PDT. We continue to investigate the utility of micro-PET and other methods of functional imaging to remotely detect the specificity and sensitivity of Pc 4-PDT in deeply placed tumors.

Clinical feasibility of simultaneous multi-slice imaging with blipped-CAIPI for diffusion-weighted imaging and diffusion-tensor imaging of the brain.

PubMed

Yokota, Hajime; Sakai, Koji; Tazoe, Jun; Goto, Mariko; Imai, Hiroshi; Teramukai, Satoshi; Yamada, Kei

2017-12-01

Background Simultaneous multi-slice (SMS) imaging is starting to be used in clinical situation, although evidence of clinical feasibility is scanty. Purpose To prospectively assess the clinical feasibility of SMS diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and diffusion-tensor imaging (DTI) with blipped-controlled aliasing in parallel imaging for brain lesions. Material and Methods The institutional review board approved this study. This study included 156 hyperintense lesions on DWI from 32 patients. A slice acceleration factor of 2 was applied for SMS scans, which allowed shortening of the scan time by 41.3%. The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) was calculated for brain tissue of a selected slice. The contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), and fractional anisotropy (FA) were calculated in 36 hyperintense lesions with a diameter of three pixels or more. Visual assessment was performed for all 156 lesions. Tractography of the corticospinal tract of 29 patients was evaluated. The number of tracts and averaged tract length were used for quantitative analysis, and visual assessment was evaluated by grading. Results The SMS scan showed no bias and acceptable 95% limits of agreement compared to conventional scans in SNR, CNR, and ADC on Bland-Altman analyses. Only FA of the lesions was higher in the SMS scan by 9% ( P = 0.016), whereas FA of the surrounding tissues was similar. Quantitative analysis of tractography showed similar values. Visual assessment of DWI hyperintense lesions and tractography also resulted in comparable evaluation. Conclusion SMS imaging was clinically feasible for imaging quality and quantitative values compared with conventional DWI and DTI.

Evaluation of the dependence of the exposure dose on the attenuation correction in brain PET/CT scans using 18F-FDG

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choi, Eun-Jin; Jeong, Moon-Taeg; Jang, Seong-Joo; Choi, Nam-Gil; Han, Jae-Bok; Yang, Nam-Hee; Dong, Kyung-Rae; Chung, Woon-Kwan; Lee, Yun-Jong; Ryu, Young-Hwan; Choi, Sung-Hyun; Seong, Kyeong-Jeong

2014-01-01

This study examined whether scanning could be performed with minimum dose and minimum exposure to the patient after an attenuation correction. A Hoffman 3D Brain Phantom was used in BIO_40 and D_690 PET/CT scanners, and the CT dose for the equipment was classified as a low dose (minimum dose), medium dose (general dose for scanning) and high dose (dose with use of contrast medium) before obtaining the image at a fixed kilo-voltage-peak (kVp) and milliampere (mA) that were adjusted gradually in 17-20 stages. A PET image was then obtained to perform an attenuation correction based on an attenuation map before analyzing the dose difference. Depending on tube current in the range of 33-190 milliampere-second (mAs) when BIO_40 was used, a significant difference in the effective dose was observed between the minimum and the maximum mAs (p < 0.05). According to a Scheffe post-hoc test, the ratio of the minimum to the maximum of the effective dose was increased by approximately 5.26-fold. Depending on the change in the tube current in the range of 10-200 mA when D_690 was used, a significant difference in the effective dose was observed between the minimum and the maximum of mA (p < 0.05). The Scheffe posthoc test revealed a 20.5-fold difference. In conclusion, because effective exposure dose increases with increasing operating current, it is possible to reduce the exposure limit in a brain scan can be reduced if the CT dose can be minimized for a transmission scan.

Hybrid processing of laser scanning data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Badenko, Vladimir; Zotov, Dmitry; Fedotov, Alexander

2018-03-01

In this article the analysis of gaps in processing of raw laser scanning data and results of bridging the gaps discovered on the base of usage of laser scanning data for historic building information modeling is presented. The results of the development of a unified hybrid technology for the processing, storage, access and visualization of combined laser scanning and photography data about historical buildings are analyzed. The first result of the technology application for the historical building of St. Petersburg Polytechnic University shows reliability of the proposed approaches.

Aligning Technology Education Teaching with Brain Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Katsioloudis, Petros

2015-01-01

This exploratory study was designed to determine if there is a level of alignment between technology education curriculum and theories of intellectual development. The researcher compared Epstein's Brain Growth Theory and Piaget's Status of Intellectual Development with technology education curriculum from Australia, England, and the United…

Scanning Hardwood Lumber for Processing and Grading - What To Do Now and Why

Treesearch

D. Earl Kline; Richard Conners; Philip A. Araman

1997-01-01

A cooperative effort between Virginia Tech, the USDA Forest Service, and the industry has led to the development of a new scanning technology to automatically detect lumber grading features that affect the value of the end product. This effort has resulted in several commercial scanning systems now available through Group Seven Systems and Nova Technologies. These...

Large-aperture space optical system testing based on the scanning Hartmann.

PubMed

Wei, Haisong; Yan, Feng; Chen, Xindong; Zhang, Hao; Cheng, Qiang; Xue, Donglin; Zeng, Xuefeng; Zhang, Xuejun

2017-03-10

Based on the Hartmann testing principle, this paper proposes a novel image quality testing technology which applies to a large-aperture space optical system. Compared with the traditional testing method through a large-aperture collimator, the scanning Hartmann testing technology has great advantages due to its simple structure, low cost, and ability to perform wavefront measurement of an optical system. The basic testing principle of the scanning Hartmann testing technology, data processing method, and simulation process are presented in this paper. Certain simulation results are also given to verify the feasibility of this technology. Furthermore, a measuring system is developed to conduct a wavefront measurement experiment for a 200 mm aperture optical system. The small deviation (6.3%) of root mean square (RMS) between experimental results and interferometric results indicates that the testing system can measure low-order aberration correctly, which means that the scanning Hartmann testing technology has the ability to test the imaging quality of a large-aperture space optical system.

Right-Hemispheric Cortical Contributions to Language Ability in Healthy Adults

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Ettinger-Veenstra, Helene; Ragnehed, Mattias; McAllister, Anita; Lundberg, Peter; Engstrom, Maria

2012-01-01

In this study we investigated the correlation between individual linguistic ability based on performance levels and their engagement of typical and atypical language areas in the brain. Eighteen healthy subjects between 21 and 64 years participated in language ability tests, and subsequent functional MRI scans measuring brain activity in response…

Mapping Gray Matter Development: Implications for Typical Development and Vulnerability to Psychopathology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gogtay, Nitin; Thompson, Paul M.

2010-01-01

Recent studies with brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have scanned large numbers of children and adolescents repeatedly over time, as their brains develop, tracking volumetric changes in gray and white matter in remarkable detail. Focusing on gray matter changes specifically, here we explain how earlier studies using lobar volumes of specific…

Gesture in the Developing Brain

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dick, Anthony Steven; Goldin-Meadow, Susan; Solodkin, Ana; Small, Steven L.

2012-01-01

Speakers convey meaning not only through words, but also through gestures. Although children are exposed to co-speech gestures from birth, we do not know how the developing brain comes to connect meaning conveyed in gesture with speech. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to address this question and scanned 8- to 11-year-old…

Brain Activation Associated with Practiced Left Hand Mirror Writing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kushnir, T.; Arzouan, Y.; Karni, A.; Manor, D.

2013-01-01

Mirror writing occurs in healthy children, in various pathologies and occasionally in healthy adults. There are only scant experimental data on the underlying brain processes. Eight, right-handed, healthy young adults were scanned (BOLD-fMRI) before and after practicing left-hand mirror-writing (lh-MW) over seven sessions. They wrote dictated…

Optimising rigid motion compensation for small animal brain PET imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spangler-Bickell, Matthew G.; Zhou, Lin; Kyme, Andre Z.; De Laat, Bart; Fulton, Roger R.; Nuyts, Johan

2016-10-01

Motion compensation (MC) in PET brain imaging of awake small animals is attracting increased attention in preclinical studies since it avoids the confounding effects of anaesthesia and enables behavioural tests during the scan. A popular MC technique is to use multiple external cameras to track the motion of the animal’s head, which is assumed to be represented by the motion of a marker attached to its forehead. In this study we have explored several methods to improve the experimental setup and the reconstruction procedures of this method: optimising the camera-marker separation; improving the temporal synchronisation between the motion tracker measurements and the list-mode stream; post-acquisition smoothing and interpolation of the motion data; and list-mode reconstruction with appropriately selected subsets. These techniques have been tested and verified on measurements of a moving resolution phantom and brain scans of an awake rat. The proposed techniques improved the reconstructed spatial resolution of the phantom by 27% and of the rat brain by 14%. We suggest a set of optimal parameter values to use for awake animal PET studies and discuss the relative significance of each parameter choice.

Glucose administration enhances fMRI brain activation and connectivity related to episodic memory encoding for neutral and emotional stimuli.

PubMed

Parent, Marise B; Krebs-Kraft, Desiree L; Ryan, John P; Wilson, Jennifer S; Harenski, Carla; Hamann, Stephan

2011-04-01

Glucose enhances memory in a variety of species. In humans, glucose administration enhances episodic memory encoding, although little is known regarding the neural mechanisms underlying these effects. Here we examined whether elevating blood glucose would enhance functional MRI (fMRI) activation and connectivity in brain regions associated with episodic memory encoding and whether these effects would differ depending on the emotional valence of the material. We used a double-blind, within-participants, crossover design in which either glucose (50g) or a saccharin placebo were administered before scanning, on days approximately 1 week apart. We scanned healthy young male participants with fMRI as they viewed emotionally arousing negative pictures and emotionally neutral pictures, intermixed with baseline fixation. Free recall was tested at 5 min after scanning and again after 1 day. Glucose administration increased activation in brain regions associated with successful episodic memory encoding. Glucose also enhanced activation in regions whose activity was correlated with subsequent successful recall, including the hippocampus, prefrontal cortex, and other regions, and these effects differed for negative vs. neutral stimuli. Finally, glucose substantially increased functional connectivity between the hippocampus and amygdala and a network of regions previously implicated in successful episodic memory encoding. These findings fit with evidence from nonhuman animals indicating glucose modulates memory by selectively enhancing neural activity in brain regions engaged during memory tasks. Our results highlight the modulatory effects of glucose and the importance of examining both regional changes in activity and functional connectivity to fully characterize the effects of glucose on brain function and memory. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A dedicated neonatal brain imaging system

PubMed Central

Winchman, Tobias; Padormo, Francesco; Teixeira, Rui; Wurie, Julia; Sharma, Maryanne; Fox, Matthew; Hutter, Jana; Cordero‐Grande, Lucilio; Price, Anthony N.; Allsop, Joanna; Bueno‐Conde, Jose; Tusor, Nora; Arichi, Tomoki; Edwards, A. D.; Rutherford, Mary A.; Counsell, Serena J.; Hajnal, Joseph V.

2016-01-01

Purpose The goal of the Developing Human Connectome Project is to acquire MRI in 1000 neonates to create a dynamic map of human brain connectivity during early development. High‐quality imaging in this cohort without sedation presents a number of technical and practical challenges. Methods We designed a neonatal brain imaging system (NBIS) consisting of a dedicated 32‐channel receive array coil and a positioning device that allows placement of the infant's head deep into the coil for maximum signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR). Disturbance to the infant was minimized by using an MRI‐compatible trolley to prepare and transport the infant and by employing a slow ramp‐up and continuation of gradient noise during scanning. Scan repeats were minimized by using a restart capability for diffusion MRI and retrospective motion correction. We measured the 1) SNR gain, 2) number of infants with a completed scan protocol, and 3) number of anatomical images with no motion artifact using NBIS compared with using an adult 32‐channel head coil. Results The NBIS has 2.4 times the SNR of the adult coil and 90% protocol completion rate. Conclusion The NBIS allows advanced neonatal brain imaging techniques to be employed in neonatal brain imaging with high protocol completion rates. Magn Reson Med 78:794–804, 2017. © 2016 The Authors Magnetic Resonance in Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution‐NonCommercial‐NoDerivs License, which permits use and distribution in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, the use is non‐commercial and no modifications or adaptations are made. PMID:27643791

MR elastography of hydrocephalus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pattison, Adam J.; Lollis, S. Scott; Perrinez, Phillip R.; Weaver, John B.; Paulsen, Keith D.

2009-02-01

Hydrocephalus occurs due to a blockage in the transmission of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in either the ventricles or subarachnoid space. Characteristics of this condition include increased intracranial pressure, which can result in neurologic deterioration [1]. Magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) is an imaging technique that estimates the mechanical properties of tissue in vivo. While some investigations of brain tissue have been performed using MRE [2,3,4,5], the effects due to changes in interstitial pressure and fluid content on the mechanical properties of the brain remain unknown. The purpose of this work is to assess the potential of MRE to differentiate between the reconstructed properties of normal and hydrocephalic brains. MRE data was acquired in 18 female feline subjects, 12 of which received kaolin injections resulting in an acute form of hydrocephalus. In each animal, four MRE scans were performed during the process including one pre-injection and three post-injection scans. The elastic parameters were obtained using a subzone-based reconstruction algorithm that solves Navier's equations for linearly elastic materials [6]. The remaining cats were used as controls, injected with saline instead of kaolin. To determine the state of hydrocephalus, ventricular volume was estimated from segmenting anatomical images. The mean ventricular volume of hydrocephalic cats significantly increased (P <~ 0.0001) between the first and second scans. The mean volume was not observed to increase (P >~ 0.5) for the control cats. Also, there was an observable increase in the recorded elastic shear modulus of brain tissue in the normal and hydrocephalic acquisitions. Results suggest that MRE is able to detect changes in the mechanical properties of brain tissue resulting from kaolin-induced hydrocephalus, indicating the need for further study.

Quantitative determination of selenium and mercury, and an ICP-MS semi-quantitative scan of other elements in samples of eagle tissues collected from the Pacific Northwest--Summer 2011

USGS Publications Warehouse

May, Thomas; Walther, Mike; Brumbaugh, William

2013-01-01

Eagle tissues from dead eagle carcasses were collected by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service personnel at various locations in the Pacific Northwest as part of a study to document the occurrence of metal and metalloid contaminants. A group of 182 eagle tissue samples, consisting of liver, kidney, brain, talon, feather, femur, humerus, and stomach contents, were quantitatively analyzed for concentrations of selenium and mercury by atomic absorption techniques, and for other elements by semi-quantitative scan with an inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometer. For the various tissue matrices analyzed by an ICP-MS semiquantitative scan, some elemental concentrations (micrograms per gram dry weight) were quite variable within a particular matrix; notable observations were as follows: lead concentrations ranged from 0.2 to 31 in femurs, 0.1 to 29 in humeri, 0.1 to 54 in talons, less than (<) 0.05 to 120 in livers, <0.05 to 34 in kidneys, and 0.05 to 8 in brains; copper concentrations ranged from 5 to 9 in feathers, 8 to 47 in livers, 7 to 43 in kidneys, and 7 to 28 in brains; cadmium concentrations ranged from 0.1 to 10 in kidneys. In stomach contents, concentrations of vanadium ranged from 0.08 to 5, chromium 2 to 34, manganese 1 to 57, copper 2 to 69, arsenic <0.05 to 6, rubidium 1 to 13, and barium <0.5 to 18. Selenium concentrations from highest to lowest based on the matrix mean were as follows: kidney, liver, feather, brain, stomach content, talon, femur, and humerus. For mercury, the highest to lowest concentrations were feather, liver, talon, brain, stomach content, femur, and humerus.

Machine learning algorithm for automatic detection of CT-identifiable hyperdense lesions associated with traumatic brain injury

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keshavamurthy, Krishna N.; Leary, Owen P.; Merck, Lisa H.; Kimia, Benjamin; Collins, Scott; Wright, David W.; Allen, Jason W.; Brock, Jeffrey F.; Merck, Derek

2017-03-01

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major cause of death and disability in the United States. Time to treatment is often related to patient outcome. Access to cerebral imaging data in a timely manner is a vital component of patient care. Current methods of detecting and quantifying intracranial pathology can be time-consuming and require careful review of 2D/3D patient images by a radiologist. Additional time is needed for image protocoling, acquisition, and processing. These steps often occur in series, adding more time to the process and potentially delaying time-dependent management decisions for patients with traumatic brain injury. Our team adapted machine learning and computer vision methods to develop a technique that rapidly and automatically detects CT-identifiable lesions. Specifically, we use scale invariant feature transform (SIFT)1 and deep convolutional neural networks (CNN)2 to identify important image features that can distinguish TBI lesions from background data. Our learning algorithm is a linear support vector machine (SVM)3. Further, we also employ tools from topological data analysis (TDA) for gleaning insights into the correlation patterns between healthy and pathological data. The technique was validated using 409 CT scans of the brain, acquired via the Progesterone for the Treatment of Traumatic Brain Injury phase III clinical trial (ProTECT_III) which studied patients with moderate to severe TBI4. CT data were annotated by a central radiologist and included patients with positive and negative scans. Additionally, the largest lesion on each positive scan was manually segmented. We reserved 80% of the data for training the SVM and used the remaining 20% for testing. Preliminary results are promising with 92.55% prediction accuracy (sensitivity = 91.15%, specificity = 93.45%), indicating the potential usefulness of this technique in clinical scenarios.

Imaging cerebral activity in recovery from chronic traumatic brain injury: a preliminary report.

PubMed

Lewis, David H; Bluestone, Judith P; Savina, Maryann; Zoller, William H; Meshberg, Emily B; Minoshima, Satoshi

2006-07-01

People in chronic phase of traumatic brain injury (TBI) are often told that there will be no further recovery in brain function, that they are in a "static phase." Holistic Approach to NeuroDevelopment and Learning Efficiency (HANDLE), an alternative therapy, aims to improve function by teaching a series of physical and mental activities that clients perform and encouraging changes in lifestyle. Five subjects (3 males) with chronic TBI (at least 3 years since ictus) completed the HANDLE Institute's program and were prospectively evaluated. Each had six regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) scans over 7 months (scans n= 30). Paired scans were performed with injection of Tc-99m ECD to image rCBF at rest and during the HANDLE "Crossed Arm Bounce" (CAB) exercise before the program, at 3-4 months into the program, and at 6-7 months, after the program had ended. SPECT images were analyzed statistically using Neurostat in which image sets were coregistered and warped into Talaraich atlas for pairwise subtraction between conditions. Group analysis of SPECT showed that CAB activated (increased rCBF) vermis and cerebellar hemispheres in first two paired scans and anterior cingulate and vermis on the final pair. Increased rCBF at rest occurred in cerebellar hemispheres, vermis, and right dorsomedial frontal cortex. These preliminary observations suggest that there may be a role of the hindbrain (vermis and cerebellum) with HANDLE treatment of chronic TBI.

Diagnosis of unsuspected facial fractures on routine head computerized tomographic scans in the unconscious multiply injured patient.

PubMed

Rehm, C G; Ross, S E

1995-05-01

This article assessed the value of routine head computerized axial tomographic (CT) scans for diagnosis of unsuspected facial fractures and its clinical implications in the multiply injured patient who is intubated, unconscious, or sedated at the time of initial assessment and requires a head CT scan to assess for brain injury. At a level I trauma center from June 1, 1992 to June 1, 1993 all intubated blunt trauma patients who required routine CT scan evaluation at initial assessment were studied prospectively. Routine scanning started at the foramen magnum and included the maxilla. Patients who died within the first 24 hours were excluded. The study population included 116 patients (85 male, 21 female) aged 12 to 85 years (mean, 28 years) with injury severity scores ranging from 1 to 50 (mean, 23). The mechanism of injury was: motor vehicle accidents (n = 74), motorcycling (n = 5), pedestrians accidents (n = 13), falls (n = 10), bicycling (n = 5), assaults (n = 8), and boating accident (n = 1). There were 19 suspected facial fractures; 18 required surgical repair. There were 27 unsuspected facial fractures; 13 required surgical care. Three suspected fractures were ruled out. Routine head CT scans to assess for brain injury in the multiply injured patient are also very useful in the diagnosis of unsuspected facial fractures, almost half of which will require surgical intervention.

Investigation of MR scanning, image registration, and image processing techniques to visualize cortical veins for neurosurgery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noordmans, Herke J.; Rutten, G. J. M.; Willems, Peter W. A.; Hoogduin, J.; Viergever, Max A.

2001-01-01

The visualization of brain vessels on the cortex helps the neurosurgeon in two ways: To avoid blood vessels when specifying the trepanation entry, and to overcome errors in the surgical navigation system due to brain shift. We compared 3D T1 MR, 3D T1 MR with gadolinium contrast, MR venography and MR phase contrast angiography as scanning techniques, mutual information as registration technique, and thresholding and multi-vessel enhancement as image processing techniques. We evaluated the volume rendered results based on their quality and correspondence with photos took during surgery. It appears that with 3D T1 MR scans, gadolinium is required to show cortical veins. The visibility of small cortical veins is strongly enhanced by subtracting a 3D T1 MR baseline scan, which should be registered to the scan with gadolinium contrast, even when the scans are made during the same session. Multi-vessel enhancement helps to clarify the view on small vessels by reducing the noise level, but strikingly does not reveal more. MR venography does show intracerebral veins with high detail, but is, as is, unsuited to show cortical veins due to the low contrast with CSF. MR phase contrast angiography can perform equally well as the subtraction technique, but its quality seems to show more inter-patient variability.

Mission-based Scenario Research: Experimental Design And Analysis

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-01-01

neurotechnologies called Brain-Computer Interaction Technologies. 15. SUBJECT TERMS neuroimaging, EEG, task loading, neurotechnologies , ground... neurotechnologies called Brain-Computer Interaction Technologies. INTRODUCTION Imagine a system that can identify operator fatigue during a long-term...BCIT), a class of neurotechnologies , that aim to improve task performance by incorporating measures of brain activity to optimize the interactions

Brain Activities and Educational Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Riza, Emel

2002-01-01

There are close relationships between brain activities and educational technology. Brain is very important and so complicated part in our bodies. From long time scientists pay attention to that part and did many experiments, but they just reached little information like a drop in the sea. However from time to time they gave us some light to…

TheBrain Technologies Corporation: Collapsing the Time to Knowledge.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Misek, Marla

2003-01-01

TheBrain was created to take advantage of the most powerful information processor in existence - the human mind. Explains products of TheBrain Technologies Corporation,, which has developed computer interfaces to help individual users and corporations organize information in ways that make sense to them in the proper context. Describes a…

Multi-centre diagnostic classification of individual structural neuroimaging scans from patients with major depressive disorder.

PubMed

Mwangi, Benson; Ebmeier, Klaus P; Matthews, Keith; Steele, J Douglas

2012-05-01

Quantitative abnormalities of brain structure in patients with major depressive disorder have been reported at a group level for decades. However, these structural differences appear subtle in comparison with conventional radiologically defined abnormalities, with considerable inter-subject variability. Consequently, it has not been possible to readily identify scans from patients with major depressive disorder at an individual level. Recently, machine learning techniques such as relevance vector machines and support vector machines have been applied to predictive classification of individual scans with variable success. Here we describe a novel hybrid method, which combines machine learning with feature selection and characterization, with the latter aimed at maximizing the accuracy of machine learning prediction. The method was tested using a multi-centre dataset of T(1)-weighted 'structural' scans. A total of 62 patients with major depressive disorder and matched controls were recruited from referred secondary care clinical populations in Aberdeen and Edinburgh, UK. The generalization ability and predictive accuracy of the classifiers was tested using data left out of the training process. High prediction accuracy was achieved (~90%). While feature selection was important for maximizing high predictive accuracy with machine learning, feature characterization contributed only a modest improvement to relevance vector machine-based prediction (~5%). Notably, while the only information provided for training the classifiers was T(1)-weighted scans plus a categorical label (major depressive disorder versus controls), both relevance vector machine and support vector machine 'weighting factors' (used for making predictions) correlated strongly with subjective ratings of illness severity. These results indicate that machine learning techniques have the potential to inform clinical practice and research, as they can make accurate predictions about brain scan data from individual subjects. Furthermore, machine learning weighting factors may reflect an objective biomarker of major depressive disorder illness severity, based on abnormalities of brain structure.

Image-derived input function in PET brain studies: blood-based methods are resistant to motion artifacts.

PubMed

Zanotti-Fregonara, Paolo; Liow, Jeih-San; Comtat, Claude; Zoghbi, Sami S; Zhang, Yi; Pike, Victor W; Fujita, Masahiro; Innis, Robert B

2012-09-01

Image-derived input function (IDIF) from carotid arteries is an elegant alternative to full arterial blood sampling for brain PET studies. However, a recent study using blood-free IDIFs found that this method is particularly vulnerable to patient motion. The present study used both simulated and clinical [11C](R)-rolipram data to assess the robustness of a blood-based IDIF method (a method that is ultimately normalized with blood samples) with regard to motion artifacts. The impact of motion on the accuracy of IDIF was first assessed with an analytical simulation of a high-resolution research tomograph using a numerical phantom of the human brain, equipped with internal carotids. Different degrees of translational (from 1 to 20 mm) and rotational (from 1 to 15°) motions were tested. The impact of motion was then tested on the high-resolution research tomograph dynamic scans of three healthy volunteers, reconstructed with and without an online motion correction system. IDIFs and Logan-distribution volume (VT) values derived from simulated and clinical scans with motion were compared with those obtained from the scans with motion correction. In the phantom scans, the difference in the area under the curve (AUC) for the carotid time-activity curves was up to 19% for rotations and up to 66% for translations compared with the motionless simulation. However, for the final IDIFs, which were fitted to blood samples, the AUC difference was 11% for rotations and 8% for translations. Logan-VT errors were always less than 10%, except for the maximum translation of 20 mm, in which the error was 18%. Errors in the clinical scans without motion correction appeared to be minor, with differences in AUC and Logan-VT always less than 10% compared with scans with motion correction. When a blood-based IDIF method is used for neurological PET studies, the motion of the patient affects IDIF estimation and kinetic modeling only minimally.

Marketplace of memory: what the brain fitness technology industry says about us and how we can do better.

PubMed

George, Daniel R; Whitehouse, Peter J

2011-10-01

In the therapeutic void created by over 20 failed Alzheimer's disease drugs during the past decade, a new marketplace of "brain fitness" technology products has emerged. Ranging from video games and computer software to mobile phone apps and hand-held devices, these commercial products promise to maintain and enhance the memory, concentration, visual and spatial skills, verbal recall, and executive functions of individual users. It is instructive to view these products as sociocultural objects deeply imbued with the values and ideologies of our age; consequently, this article offers a critique of the brain fitness technology marketplace while identifying limitations in the capacity of commercial products to realistically improve cognitive health. A broader conception of brain health is presented, going beyond the reductionism of the commercial brain fitness marketplace and asking how our most proximate relationships and local communities can play a role in supporting cognitive and psychosocial well-being. This vision is grounded in recent experiences at The Intergenerational School in Cleveland, OH, a multigenerational community-oriented learning environment that is implementing brain fitness technology in novel ways.

Early cranial ultrasound findings among infants with neonatal encephalopathy in Uganda: an observational study.

PubMed

Tann, Cally J; Nakakeeto, Margaret; Hagmann, Cornelia; Webb, Emily L; Nyombi, Natasha; Namiiro, Flaviah; Harvey-Jones, Kelly; Muhumuza, Anita; Burgoine, Kathy; Elliott, Alison M; Kurinczuk, Jennifer J; Robertson, Nicola J; Cowan, Frances M

2016-08-01

In sub-Saharan Africa, the timing and nature of brain injury and their relation to mortality in neonatal encephalopathy (NE) are unknown. We evaluated cranial ultrasound (cUS) scans from term Ugandan infants with and without NE for evidence of brain injury. Infants were recruited from a national referral hospital in Kampala. Cases (184) had NE and controls (100) were systematically selected unaffected term infants. All had cUS scans <36 h reported blind to NE status. Scans were performed at median age 11.5 (interquartile range (IQR): 5.2-20.2) and 8.4 (IQR: 3.6-13.5) hours, in cases and controls respectively. None had established antepartum injury. Major evolving injury was reported in 21.2% of the cases vs. 1.0% controls (P < 0.001). White matter injury was not significantly associated with bacteremia in encephalopathic infants (odds ratios (OR): 3.06 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.98-9.60). Major cUS abnormality significantly increased the risk of neonatal death (case fatality 53.9% with brain injury vs. 25.9% without; OR: 3.34 (95% CI: 1.61-6.95)). In this low-resource setting, there was no evidence of established antepartum insult, but a high proportion of encephalopathic infants had evidence of major recent and evolving brain injury on early cUS imaging, suggesting prolonged or severe acute exposure to hypoxia-ischemia (HI). Early abnormalities were a significant predictor of death.

Early cranial ultrasound findings among infants with neonatal encephalopathy in Uganda: an observational study

PubMed Central

Tann, Cally J.; Nakakeeto, Margaret; Hagmann, Cornelia; Webb, Emily L.; Nyombi, Natasha; Namiiro, Flaviah; Harvey-Jones, Kelly; Muhumuza, Anita; Burgoine, Kathy; Elliott, Alison M.; Kurinczuk, Jennifer J.; Robertson, Nicola J.; Cowan, Frances M.

2016-01-01

Background: In sub-Saharan Africa, the timing and nature of brain injury and their relation to mortality in neonatal encephalopathy (NE) are unknown. We evaluated cranial ultrasound (cUS) scans from term Ugandan infants with and without NE for evidence of brain injury. Methods: Infants were recruited from a national referral hospital in Kampala. Cases (184) had NE and controls (100) were systematically selected unaffected term infants. All had cUS scans <36 h reported blind to NE status. Results: Scans were performed at median age 11.5 (interquartile range (IQR): 5.2–20.2) and 8.4 (IQR: 3.6–13.5) hours, in cases and controls respectively. None had established antepartum injury. Major evolving injury was reported in 21.2% of the cases vs. 1.0% controls (P < 0.001). White matter injury was not significantly associated with bacteremia in encephalopathic infants (odds ratios (OR): 3.06 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.98–9.60). Major cUS abnormality significantly increased the risk of neonatal death (case fatality 53.9% with brain injury vs. 25.9% without; OR: 3.34 (95% CI: 1.61–6.95)). Conclusion: In this low-resource setting, there was no evidence of established antepartum insult, but a high proportion of encephalopathic infants had evidence of major recent and evolving brain injury on early cUS imaging, suggesting prolonged or severe acute exposure to hypoxia–ischemia (HI). Early abnormalities were a significant predictor of death. PMID:27064242

Wireless communication links for brain-machine interface applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Larson, L.

2016-05-01

Recent technological developments have given neuroscientists direct access to neural signals in real time, with the accompanying ability to decode the resulting information and control various prosthetic devices and gain insight into deeper aspects of cognition. These developments - along with deep brain stimulation for Parkinson's disease and the possible use of electro-stimulation for other maladies - leads to the conclusion that the widespread use electronic brain interface technology is a long term possibility. This talk will summarize the various technical challenges and approaches that have been developed to wirelessly communicate with the brain, including technology constraints, dc power limits, compression and data rate issues.

Technological Advances and the Study of Reading.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Henk, William A.

Recent technological advances in neuroanatomy and neurophysiology have unearthed structural and functional patterns in the brain that can be associated with severe reading disabilities. As a response, this paper examines several computer-driven technologies whose capabilities shed light on brain-related issues germane to reading, with the intent…

Statistical model of laminar structure for atlas-based segmentation of the fetal brain from in utero MR images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Habas, Piotr A.; Kim, Kio; Chandramohan, Dharshan; Rousseau, Francois; Glenn, Orit A.; Studholme, Colin

2009-02-01

Recent advances in MR and image analysis allow for reconstruction of high-resolution 3D images from clinical in utero scans of the human fetal brain. Automated segmentation of tissue types from MR images (MRI) is a key step in the quantitative analysis of brain development. Conventional atlas-based methods for adult brain segmentation are limited in their ability to accurately delineate complex structures of developing tissues from fetal MRI. In this paper, we formulate a novel geometric representation of the fetal brain aimed at capturing the laminar structure of developing anatomy. The proposed model uses a depth-based encoding of tissue occurrence within the fetal brain and provides an additional anatomical constraint in a form of a laminar prior that can be incorporated into conventional atlas-based EM segmentation. Validation experiments are performed using clinical in utero scans of 5 fetal subjects at gestational ages ranging from 20.5 to 22.5 weeks. Experimental results are evaluated against reference manual segmentations and quantified in terms of Dice similarity coefficient (DSC). The study demonstrates that the use of laminar depth-encoded tissue priors improves both the overall accuracy and precision of fetal brain segmentation. Particular refinement is observed in regions of the parietal and occipital lobes where the DSC index is improved from 0.81 to 0.82 for cortical grey matter, from 0.71 to 0.73 for the germinal matrix, and from 0.81 to 0.87 for white matter.

Obstacles to Industrial Implementation of Scanning Systems

Treesearch

Anders Astrom; Olog Broman; John Graffman; Anders Gronlund; Armas Jappinene; Jari Luostarinen; Jan Nystrom; Daniel L. Schmoldt

1998-01-01

Initially the group discussed what is meant by scanning systems. An operational definition was adopted to consider scanning system in the current context to be nontraditional scanning. Where, traditional scanning is defined as scanning that has been industrially operational and relatively common for several years-a mature technology. For example,...

An Automated and Intelligent Medical Decision Support System for Brain MRI Scans Classification.

PubMed

Siddiqui, Muhammad Faisal; Reza, Ahmed Wasif; Kanesan, Jeevan

2015-01-01

A wide interest has been observed in the medical health care applications that interpret neuroimaging scans by machine learning systems. This research proposes an intelligent, automatic, accurate, and robust classification technique to classify the human brain magnetic resonance image (MRI) as normal or abnormal, to cater down the human error during identifying the diseases in brain MRIs. In this study, fast discrete wavelet transform (DWT), principal component analysis (PCA), and least squares support vector machine (LS-SVM) are used as basic components. Firstly, fast DWT is employed to extract the salient features of brain MRI, followed by PCA, which reduces the dimensions of the features. These reduced feature vectors also shrink the memory storage consumption by 99.5%. At last, an advanced classification technique based on LS-SVM is applied to brain MR image classification using reduced features. For improving the efficiency, LS-SVM is used with non-linear radial basis function (RBF) kernel. The proposed algorithm intelligently determines the optimized values of the hyper-parameters of the RBF kernel and also applied k-fold stratified cross validation to enhance the generalization of the system. The method was tested by 340 patients' benchmark datasets of T1-weighted and T2-weighted scans. From the analysis of experimental results and performance comparisons, it is observed that the proposed medical decision support system outperformed all other modern classifiers and achieves 100% accuracy rate (specificity/sensitivity 100%/100%). Furthermore, in terms of computation time, the proposed technique is significantly faster than the recent well-known methods, and it improves the efficiency by 71%, 3%, and 4% on feature extraction stage, feature reduction stage, and classification stage, respectively. These results indicate that the proposed well-trained machine learning system has the potential to make accurate predictions about brain abnormalities from the individual subjects, therefore, it can be used as a significant tool in clinical practice.

Prediction of brain maturity based on cortical thickness at different spatial resolutions.

PubMed

Khundrakpam, Budhachandra S; Tohka, Jussi; Evans, Alan C

2015-05-01

Several studies using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans have shown developmental trajectories of cortical thickness. Cognitive milestones happen concurrently with these structural changes, and a delay in such changes has been implicated in developmental disorders such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Accurate estimation of individuals' brain maturity, therefore, is critical in establishing a baseline for normal brain development against which neurodevelopmental disorders can be assessed. In this study, cortical thickness derived from structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of a large longitudinal dataset of normally growing children and adolescents (n=308), were used to build a highly accurate predictive model for estimating chronological age (cross-validated correlation up to R=0.84). Unlike previous studies which used kernelized approach in building prediction models, we used an elastic net penalized linear regression model capable of producing a spatially sparse, yet accurate predictive model of chronological age. Upon investigating different scales of cortical parcellation from 78 to 10,240 brain parcels, we observed that the accuracy in estimated age improved with increased spatial scale of brain parcellation, with the best estimations obtained for spatial resolutions consisting of 2560 and 10,240 brain parcels. The top predictors of brain maturity were found in highly localized sensorimotor and association areas. The results of our study demonstrate that cortical thickness can be used to estimate individuals' brain maturity with high accuracy, and the estimated ages relate to functional and behavioural measures, underscoring the relevance and scope of the study in the understanding of biological maturity. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Same-session functional assessment of rat retina and brain with manganese-enhanced MRI

PubMed Central

Bissig, David; Berkowitz, Bruce A.

2013-01-01

Manganese-enhanced MRI (MEMRI) is a powerful non-invasive approach for objectively measuring either retina or binocular visual brain activity in vivo. In this study, we investigated the sensitivity of MEMRI to monocular stimulation using a new protocol for providing within-subject functional comparisons in the retina and brain in the same scanning session. Adult Sprague Dawley or Long–Evans rats had one eye covered with an opaque patch. After intraperitoneal Mn2+ administration on the following day, rats underwent visual stimulation for 8 h. Animals were then anesthetized, and the brain and each eye examined by MEMRI. Function was assessed through pairwise comparisons of the patched (dark-adapted) versus unpatched (light-exposed) eyes, and of differentially-stimulated brain structures – the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus, superior colliculus, and visual cortical regions – contralateral to the patched versus unpatched eye. As expected, Mn2+ uptake was greater in the outer retina of dark-adapted, relative to light-exposed, eyes (P<0.05). Contralateral to the unpatched eye, significantly more Mn2+ uptake was found throughout the visual brain regions than in the corresponding structures contralateral to the patched eye (P<0.05). Notably, this regional pattern of activity corresponded well to previous work with monocular stimulation. No stimulation-dependent differences in Mn2+ uptake were observed in negative control brain regions (P>0.05). Post-hoc assessment of functional data by animal age and strain revealed no significant effects. These results demonstrate, for the first time, the acquisition of functional MRI data from the eye and visual brain regions in a single scanning session. PMID:21749922

Brain swelling and death in children with cerebral malaria.

PubMed

Seydel, Karl B; Kampondeni, Samuel D; Valim, Clarissa; Potchen, Michael J; Milner, Danny A; Muwalo, Francis W; Birbeck, Gretchen L; Bradley, William G; Fox, Lindsay L; Glover, Simon J; Hammond, Colleen A; Heyderman, Robert S; Chilingulo, Cowles A; Molyneux, Malcolm E; Taylor, Terrie E

2015-03-19

Case fatality rates among African children with cerebral malaria remain in the range of 15 to 25%. The key pathogenetic processes and causes of death are unknown, but a combination of clinical observations and pathological findings suggests that increased brain volume leading to raised intracranial pressure may play a role. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) became available in Malawi in 2009, and we used it to investigate the role of brain swelling in the pathogenesis of fatal cerebral malaria in African children. We enrolled children who met a stringent definition of cerebral malaria (one that included the presence of retinopathy), characterized them in detail clinically, and obtained MRI scans on admission and daily thereafter while coma persisted. Of 348 children admitted with cerebral malaria (as defined by the World Health Organization), 168 met the inclusion criteria, underwent all investigations, and were included in the analysis. A total of 25 children (15%) died, 21 of whom (84%) had evidence of severe brain swelling on MRI at admission. In contrast, evidence of severe brain swelling was seen on MRI in 39 of 143 survivors (27%). Serial MRI scans showed evidence of decreasing brain volume in the survivors who had had brain swelling initially. Increased brain volume was seen in children who died from cerebral malaria but was uncommon in those who did not die from the disease, a finding that suggests that raised intracranial pressure may contribute to a fatal outcome. The natural history indicates that increased intracranial pressure is transient in survivors. (Funded by the National Institutes of Health and Wellcome Trust U.K.).

Disruption of brain anatomical networks in schizophrenia: A longitudinal, diffusion tensor imaging based study.

PubMed

Sun, Yu; Chen, Yu; Lee, Renick; Bezerianos, Anastasios; Collinson, Simon L; Sim, Kang

2016-03-01

Despite convergent neuroimaging evidence indicating a wide range of brain abnormalities in schizophrenia, our understanding of alterations in the topological architecture of brain anatomical networks and how they are modulated over time, is still rudimentary. Here, we employed graph theoretical analysis of longitudinal diffusion tensor imaging data (DTI) over a 5-year period to investigate brain network topology in schizophrenia and its relationship with clinical manifestations of the illness. Using deterministic tractography, weighted brain anatomical networks were constructed from 31 patients experiencing schizophrenia and 28 age- and gender-matched healthy control subjects. Although the overall small-world characteristics were observed at both baseline and follow-up, a scan-point independent significant deficit of global integration was found in patients compared to controls, suggesting dysfunctional integration of the brain and supporting the notion of schizophrenia as a disconnection syndrome. Specifically, several brain regions (e.g., the inferior frontal gyrus and the bilateral insula) that are crucial for cognitive and emotional integration were aberrant. Furthermore, a significant group-by-longitudinal scan interaction was revealed in the characteristic path length and global efficiency, attributing to a progressive aberration of global integration in patients compared to healthy controls. Moreover, the progressive disruptions of the brain anatomical network topology were associated with the clinical symptoms of the patients. Together, our findings provide insights into the substrates of anatomical dysconnectivity patterns for schizophrenia and highlight the potential for connectome-based metrics as neural markers of illness progression and clinical change with treatment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Deep Learning MR Imaging-based Attenuation Correction for PET/MR Imaging.

PubMed

Liu, Fang; Jang, Hyungseok; Kijowski, Richard; Bradshaw, Tyler; McMillan, Alan B

2018-02-01

Purpose To develop and evaluate the feasibility of deep learning approaches for magnetic resonance (MR) imaging-based attenuation correction (AC) (termed deep MRAC) in brain positron emission tomography (PET)/MR imaging. Materials and Methods A PET/MR imaging AC pipeline was built by using a deep learning approach to generate pseudo computed tomographic (CT) scans from MR images. A deep convolutional auto-encoder network was trained to identify air, bone, and soft tissue in volumetric head MR images coregistered to CT data for training. A set of 30 retrospective three-dimensional T1-weighted head images was used to train the model, which was then evaluated in 10 patients by comparing the generated pseudo CT scan to an acquired CT scan. A prospective study was carried out for utilizing simultaneous PET/MR imaging for five subjects by using the proposed approach. Analysis of covariance and paired-sample t tests were used for statistical analysis to compare PET reconstruction error with deep MRAC and two existing MR imaging-based AC approaches with CT-based AC. Results Deep MRAC provides an accurate pseudo CT scan with a mean Dice coefficient of 0.971 ± 0.005 for air, 0.936 ± 0.011 for soft tissue, and 0.803 ± 0.021 for bone. Furthermore, deep MRAC provides good PET results, with average errors of less than 1% in most brain regions. Significantly lower PET reconstruction errors were realized with deep MRAC (-0.7% ± 1.1) compared with Dixon-based soft-tissue and air segmentation (-5.8% ± 3.1) and anatomic CT-based template registration (-4.8% ± 2.2). Conclusion The authors developed an automated approach that allows generation of discrete-valued pseudo CT scans (soft tissue, bone, and air) from a single high-spatial-resolution diagnostic-quality three-dimensional MR image and evaluated it in brain PET/MR imaging. This deep learning approach for MR imaging-based AC provided reduced PET reconstruction error relative to a CT-based standard within the brain compared with current MR imaging-based AC approaches. © RSNA, 2017 Online supplemental material is available for this article.

Effects of hyperglycemia on fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose biodistribution in a large oncology clinical practice.

PubMed

Rosica, Dillenia; Cheng, Su-Chun; Hudson, Margo; Sakellis, Christopher; Van den Abbeele, Annick D; Kim, Chun K; Jacene, Heather A

2018-05-01

Suggested cutoff points of blood glucose levels (BGL) before F-FDG PET/CT scanning vary between 120 and 200 mg/dl in current guidelines. This study's purpose was to compare the frequency of abnormal fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose (F-FDG) biodistribution on PET/CT scans of patients with various ranges of abnormal BGL and to determine the effect of BGL greater than 200 mg/dl on F-FDG uptake in various organs. F-FDG PET/CT scans were retrospectively reviewed for 325 patients with BGL greater than 120 mg/dl at the time of scan and 112 with BGL less than or equal to 120 mg/dl. F-FDG biodistribution was categorized as normal, mildly abnormal, or abnormal by visual analysis of brain, background soft tissue, and muscle. Mean standardized uptake values (SUVmean) in brain, liver, fat (flank), gluteal muscle, and blood pool (aorta) were recorded. F-FDG biodistribution frequencies were assessed using a nonparametric χ-test for trend. Normal organ SUVs were compared using Kruskal-Wallis tests using the following BGL groupings: ≤120, 121-150, 151-200, and ≥201 mg/dl. Although higher BGL were significantly associated with an increased proportion of abnormal biodistribution (P<0.001), most patients with BGL less than or equal to 200 mg/dl had normal or mildly abnormal biodistribution. Average brain SUVmean significantly decreased with higher BGL groupings (P<0.001). Average aorta, gluteal muscle, and liver SUVmean did not significantly differ among groups with BGL greater than 120 mg/dl (P=0.66, 0.84, and 0.39, respectively), but were significantly lower in those with BGL less than or equal to 120 mg/dl (P≤0.001). Flank fat SUVmean was not significantly different among BGL groups (P=0.67). Abnormal F-FDG biodistribution is associated with higher BGL at the time of scan, but the effects are negligible or mild in most patients with BGL less than 200 mg/dl. Although mildly increased soft tissue uptake is seen with BGL greater than 120 mg/dl, decline in brain metabolic activity correlated the most with various BGL.

Endocranial Morphology of the Extinct North American Lion (Panthera atrox).

PubMed

Cuff, Andrew R; Stockey, Christopher; Goswami, Anjali

2016-01-01

The extinct North American lion (Panthera atrox) is one of the largest felids (Mammalia, Carnivora) to have ever lived, and it is known from a plethora of incredibly well-preserved remains. Despite this abundance of material, there has been little research into its endocranial anatomy. CT scans of a skull of P. atrox from the Pleistocene La Brea Tar pits were used to generate the first virtual endocranium for this species and to elucidate previously unknown details of its brain size and gross structure, cranial nerves, and inner-ear morphology. Results show that its gross brain anatomy is broadly similar to that of other pantherines, although P. atrox displays less cephalic flexure than either extant lions or tigers, instead showing a brain shape that is reminiscent of earlier felids. Despite this unusual reduction in flexure, the estimated absolute brain size for this specimen is one of the largest reported for any felid, living or extinct. Its encephalization quotient (brain size as a fraction of the expected brain mass for a given body mass) is also larger than that of extant lions but similar to that of the other pantherines. The advent of CT scans has allowed nondestructive sampling of anatomy that cannot otherwise be studied in these extinct lions, leading to a more accurate reconstruction of endocranial morphology and its evolution. © 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Brain structural plasticity with spaceflight.

PubMed

Koppelmans, Vincent; Bloomberg, Jacob J; Mulavara, Ajitkumar P; Seidler, Rachael D

2016-01-01

Humans undergo extensive sensorimotor adaptation during spaceflight due to altered vestibular inputs and body unloading. No studies have yet evaluated the effects of spaceflight on human brain structure despite the fact that recently reported optic nerve structural changes are hypothesized to occur due to increased intracranial pressure occurring with microgravity. This is the first report on human brain structural changes with spaceflight. We evaluated retrospective longitudinal T2-weighted MRI scans and balance data from 27 astronauts (thirteen ~2-week shuttle crew members and fourteen ~6-month International Space Station crew members) to determine spaceflight effects on brain structure, and whether any pre to postflight brain changes are associated with balance changes. Data were obtained from the NASA Lifetime Surveillance of Astronaut Health. Brain scans were segmented into gray matter maps and normalized into MNI space using a stepwise approach through subject specific templates. Non-parametric permutation testing was used to analyze pre to postflight volumetric gray matter changes. We found extensive volumetric gray matter decreases, including large areas covering the temporal and frontal poles and around the orbits. This effect was larger in International Space Station versus shuttle crew members in some regions. There were bilateral focal gray matter increases within the medial primary somatosensory and motor cortex; i.e., the cerebral areas where the lower limbs are represented. These intriguing findings are observed in a retrospective data set; future prospective studies should probe the underlying mechanisms and behavioral consequences.

TH-CD-202-05: DECT Based Tissue Segmentation as Input to Monte Carlo Simulations for Proton Treatment Verification Using PET Imaging

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Berndt, B; Wuerl, M; Dedes, G

Purpose: To improve agreement of predicted and measured positron emitter yields in patients, after proton irradiation for PET-based treatment verification, using a novel dual energy CT (DECT) tissue segmentation approach, overcoming known deficiencies from single energy CT (SECT). Methods: DECT head scans of 5 trauma patients were segmented and compared to existing decomposition methods with a first focus on the brain. For validation purposes, three brain equivalent solutions [water, white matter (WM) and grey matter (GM) – equivalent with respect to their reference carbon and oxygen contents and CT numbers at 90kVp and 150kVp] were prepared from water, ethanol, sucrosemore » and salt. The activities of all brain solutions, measured during a PET scan after uniform proton irradiation, were compared to Monte Carlo simulations. Simulation inputs were various solution compositions obtained from different segmentation approaches from DECT, SECT scans, and known reference composition. Virtual GM solution salt concentration corrections were applied based on DECT measurements of solutions with varying salt concentration. Results: The novel tissue segmentation showed qualitative improvements in %C for patient brain scans (ground truth unavailable). The activity simulations based on reference solution compositions agree with the measurement within 3–5% (4–8Bq/ml). These reference simulations showed an absolute activity difference between WM (20%C) and GM (10%C) to H2O (0%C) of 43 Bq/ml and 22 Bq/ml, respectively. Activity differences between reference simulations and segmented ones varied from −6 to 1 Bq/ml for DECT and −79 to 8 Bq/ml for SECT. Conclusion: Compared to the conventionally used SECT segmentation, the DECT based segmentation indicates a qualitative and quantitative improvement. In controlled solutions, a MC input based on DECT segmentation leads to better agreement with the reference. Future work will address the anticipated improvement of quantification accuracy in patients, comparing different tissue decomposition methods with an MR brain segmentation. Acknowledgement: DFG-MAP and HIT-Heidelberg Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (MAP); Bundesministerium fur Bildung und Forschung (01IB13001)« less

Application of single- and dual-energy CT brain tissue segmentation to PET monitoring of proton therapy.

PubMed

Berndt, Bianca; Landry, Guillaume; Schwarz, Florian; Tessonnier, Thomas; Kamp, Florian; Dedes, George; Thieke, Christian; Würl, Matthias; Kurz, Christopher; Ganswindt, Ute; Verhaegen, Frank; Debus, Jürgen; Belka, Claus; Sommer, Wieland; Reiser, Maximilian; Bauer, Julia; Parodi, Katia

2017-03-21

The purpose of this work was to evaluate the ability of single and dual energy computed tomography (SECT, DECT) to estimate tissue composition and density for usage in Monte Carlo (MC) simulations of irradiation induced β + activity distributions. This was done to assess the impact on positron emission tomography (PET) range verification in proton therapy. A DECT-based brain tissue segmentation method was developed for white matter (WM), grey matter (GM) and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The elemental composition of reference tissues was assigned to closest CT numbers in DECT space (DECT dist ). The method was also applied to SECT data (SECT dist ). In a validation experiment, the proton irradiation induced PET activity of three brain equivalent solutions (BES) was compared to simulations based on different tissue segmentations. Five patients scanned with a dual source DECT scanner were analyzed to compare the different segmentation methods. A single magnetic resonance (MR) scan was used for comparison with an established segmentation toolkit. Additionally, one patient with SECT and post-treatment PET scans was investigated. For BES, DECT dist and SECT dist reduced differences to the reference simulation by up to 62% when compared to the conventional stoichiometric segmentation (SECT Schneider ). In comparison to MR brain segmentation, Dice similarity coefficients for WM, GM and CSF were 0.61, 0.67 and 0.66 for DECT dist and 0.54, 0.41 and 0.66 for SECT dist . MC simulations of PET treatment verification in patients showed important differences between DECT dist /SECT dist and SECT Schneider for patients with large CSF areas within the treatment field but not in WM and GM. Differences could be misinterpreted as PET derived range shifts of up to 4 mm. DECT dist and SECT dist yielded comparable activity distributions, and comparison of SECT dist to a measured patient PET scan showed improved agreement when compared to SECT Schneider . The agreement between predicted and measured PET activity distributions was improved by employing a brain specific segmentation applicable to both DECT and SECT data.

Positron Emission Tomography studies with [11C]PBR28 in the Healthy Rodent Brain: Validating SUV as an Outcome Measure of Neuroinflammation.

PubMed

Tóth, Miklós; Doorduin, Janine; Häggkvist, Jenny; Varrone, Andrea; Amini, Nahid; Halldin, Christer; Gulyás, Balázs

2015-01-01

Molecular imaging of the 18 kD Translocator protein (TSPO) with positron emission tomography (PET) is of great value for studying neuroinflammation in rodents longitudinally. Quantification of the TSPO in rodents is, however, quite challenging. There is no suitable reference region and the use of plasma-derived input is not an option for longitudinal studies. The aim of this study was therefore to evaluate the use of the standardized uptake value (SUV) as an outcome measure for TSPO imaging in rodent brain PET studies, using [11C]PBR28. In the first part of the study, healthy male Wistar rats (n = 4) were used to determine the correlation between the distribution volume (VT, calculated with Logan graphical analysis) and the SUV. In the second part, healthy male Wistar rats (n = 4) and healthy male C57BL/6J mice (n = 4), were used to determine the test-retest variability of the SUV, with a 7-day interval between measurements. Dynamic PET scans of 63 minutes were acquired with a nanoScan PET/MRI and nanoScan PET/CT. An MRI scan was made for anatomical reference with each measurement. The whole brain VT of [11C]PBR28 in rats was 42.9 ± 1.7. A statistically significant correlation (r2 = 0.96; p < 0.01) was found between the VT and the SUV. The test-retest variability in 8 brain region ranged from 8 to 20% in rats and from 7 to 23% in mice. The interclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was acceptable to excellent for rats, but poor to acceptable for mice. The SUV of [11C]PBR28 showed a high correlation with VT as well as good test-retest variability. For future longitudinal small animal PET studies the SUV can thus be used to describe [11C]PBR28 uptake in healthy brain tissue. Based on the present observations, further studies are needed to explore the applicability of this approach in small animal disease models, with special regard to neuroinflammatory models.

[Near-infrared spectroscopy for the detection of traumatic intracranial hemorrhage: Feasibility study in a German army field hospital in Afghanistan].

PubMed

Braun, T; Kunz, U; Schulz, C; Lieber, A; Willy, C

2015-08-01

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is one of the most common causes of death in ordinary accidents, natural disasters, or warfare. The gold standard for diagnosis of TBI is the CT scan; a delay of diagnostics or medical care is the strongest independent predictor of mortality of TBI patients--particularly in the case of a surgically treatable intracranial hematoma. The proper classification of these patients is of major importance in situations where a CT is not accessible. A portable screening device that uses near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) technology allows a preliminary estimate of an intracranial hematoma. This study assessing practicability shows that the use of the device in a military medical rescue center (Kunduz, Afghanistan) is easy to learn and can be repeatedly used even under emergency room conditions. The technique can be applied in penetrating and blunt TBIs in the absence of an immediately available CT scan in rural areas, preclinically, under mass casualty conditions (e.g., in disaster situations) as well as in humanitarian crises or war zones. Nevertheless, further studies to assess the validity of this device are necessary.

Dental scanning in CAD/CAM technologies: laser beams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sinescu, Cosmin; Negrutiu, Meda; Faur, Nicolae; Negru, Radu; Romînu, Mihai; Cozarov, Dalibor

2008-02-01

Scanning, also called digitizing, is the process of gathering the requisite data from an object. Many different technologies are used to collect three dimensional data. They range from mechanical and very slow, to radiation-based and highly-automated. Each technology has its advantages and disadvantages, and their applications and specifications overlap. The aims of this study are represented by establishing a viable method of digitally representing artifacts of dental casts, proposing a suitable scanner and post-processing software and obtaining 3D Models for the dental applications. The method is represented by the scanning procedure made by different scanners as the implicated materials. Scanners are the medium of data capture. 3D scanners aim to measure and record the relative distance between the object's surface and a known point in space. This geometric data is represented in the form of point cloud data. The contact and no contact scanners were presented. The results show that contact scanning procedures uses a touch probe to record the relative position of points on the objects' surface. This procedure is commonly used in Reverse engineering applications. Its merits are represented by efficiency for objects with low geometric surface detail. Disadvantages are represented by time consuming, this procedure being impractical for artifacts digitization. The non contact scanning procedure implies laser scanning (laser triangulation technology) and photogrammetry. As a conclusion it can be drawn that different types of dental structure needs different types of scanning procedures in order to obtain a competitive complex 3D virtual model that can be used in CAD/CAM technologies.

Characterization of task-free and task-performance brain states via functional connectome patterns.

PubMed

Zhang, Xin; Guo, Lei; Li, Xiang; Zhang, Tuo; Zhu, Dajiang; Li, Kaiming; Chen, Hanbo; Lv, Jinglei; Jin, Changfeng; Zhao, Qun; Li, Lingjiang; Liu, Tianming

2013-12-01

Both resting state fMRI (R-fMRI) and task-based fMRI (T-fMRI) have been widely used to study the functional activities of the human brain during task-free and task-performance periods, respectively. However, due to the difficulty in strictly controlling the participating subject's mental status and their cognitive behaviors during R-fMRI/T-fMRI scans, it has been challenging to ascertain whether or not an R-fMRI/T-fMRI scan truly reflects the participant's functional brain states during task-free/task-performance periods. This paper presents a novel computational approach to characterizing and differentiating the brain's functional status into task-free or task-performance states, by which the functional brain activities can be effectively understood and differentiated. Briefly, the brain's functional state is represented by a whole-brain quasi-stable connectome pattern (WQCP) of R-fMRI or T-fMRI data based on 358 consistent cortical landmarks across individuals, and then an effective sparse representation method was applied to learn the atomic connectome patterns (ACPs) of both task-free and task-performance states. Experimental results demonstrated that the learned ACPs for R-fMRI and T-fMRI datasets are substantially different, as expected. A certain portion of ACPs from R-fMRI and T-fMRI data were overlapped, suggesting some subjects with overlapping ACPs were not in the expected task-free/task-performance brain states. Besides, potential outliers in the T-fMRI dataset were further investigated via functional activation detections in different groups, and our results revealed unexpected task-performances of some subjects. This work offers novel insights into the functional architectures of the brain. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Characterization of Task-free and Task-performance Brain States via Functional Connectome Patterns

PubMed Central

Zhang, Xin; Guo, Lei; Li, Xiang; Zhang, Tuo; Zhu, Dajiang; Li, Kaiming; Chen, Hanbo; Lv, Jinglei; Jin, Changfeng; Zhao, Qun; Li, Lingjiang; Liu, Tianming

2014-01-01

Both resting state fMRI (R-fMRI) and task-based fMRI (T-fMRI) have been widely used to study the functional activities of the human brain during task-free and task-performance periods, respectively. However, due to the difficulty in strictly controlling the participating subject's mental status and their cognitive behaviors during R-fMRI/T-fMRI scans, it has been challenging to ascertain whether or not an R-fMRI/T-fMRI scan truly reflects the participant's functional brain states during task-free/task-performance periods. This paper presents a novel computational approach to characterizing and differentiating the brain's functional status into task-free or task-performance states, by which the functional brain activities can be effectively understood and differentiated. Briefly, the brain's functional state is represented by a whole-brain quasi-stable connectome pattern (WQCP) of R-fMRI or T-fMRI data based on 358 consistent cortical landmarks across individuals, and then an effective sparse representation method was applied to learn the atomic connectome patterns (ACP) of both task-free and task-performance states. Experimental results demonstrated that the learned ACPs for R-fMRI and T-fMRI datasets are substantially different, as expected. A certain portion of ACPs from R-fMRI and T-fMRI data were overlapped, suggesting some subjects with overlapping ACPs were not in the expected task-free/task-performance brain states. Besides, potential outliers in the T-fMRI dataset were further investigated via functional activation detections in different groups, and our results revealed unexpected task-performances of some subjects. This work offers novel insights into the functional architectures of the brain. PMID:23938590

Hollow Polypropylene Yarns as a Biomimetic Brain Phantom for the Validation of High-Definition Fiber Tractography Imaging.

PubMed

Guise, Catarina; Fernandes, Margarida M; Nóbrega, João M; Pathak, Sudhir; Schneider, Walter; Fangueiro, Raul

2016-11-09

Current brain imaging methods largely fail to provide detailed information about the location and severity of axonal injuries and do not anticipate recovery of the patients with traumatic brain injury. High-definition fiber tractography appears as a novel imaging modality based on water motion in the brain that allows for direct visualization and quantification of the degree of axons damage, thus predicting the functional deficits due to traumatic axonal injury and loss of cortical projections. This neuroimaging modality still faces major challenges because it lacks a "gold standard" for the technique validation and respective quality control. The present work aims to study the potential of hollow polypropylene yarns to mimic human white matter axons and construct a brain phantom for the calibration and validation of brain diffusion techniques based on magnetic resonance imaging, including high-definition fiber tractography imaging. Hollow multifilament polypropylene yarns were produced by melt-spinning process and characterized in terms of their physicochemical properties. Scanning electronic microscopy images of the filaments cross section has shown an inner diameter of approximately 12 μm, confirming their appropriateness to mimic the brain axons. The chemical purity of polypropylene yarns as well as the interaction between the water and the filament surface, important properties for predicting water behavior and diffusion inside the yarns, were also evaluated. Restricted and hindered water diffusion was confirmed by fluorescence microscopy. Finally, the yarns were magnetic resonance imaging scanned and analyzed using high-definition fiber tractography, revealing an excellent choice of these hollow polypropylene structures for simulation of the white matter brain axons and their suitability for constructing an accurate brain phantom.

Increased Brain Glucose Uptake After 12 Weeks of Aerobic High-Intensity Interval Training in Young and Older Adults.

PubMed

Robinson, Matthew M; Lowe, Val J; Nair, K Sreekumaran

2018-01-01

Aerobic exercise training can increase brain volume and blood flow, but the impact on brain metabolism is less known. We determined whether high-intensity interval training (HIIT) increases brain metabolism by measuring brain glucose uptake in younger and older adults. Brain glucose uptake was measured before and after HIIT or a sedentary (SED) control period within a larger exercise study. Study procedures were performed at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. Participants were younger (18 to 30 years) or older (65 to 80 years) SED adults who were free of major medical conditions. Group sizes were 15 for HIIT (nine younger and six older) and 12 for SED (six younger and six older). Participants completed 12 weeks of HIIT or SED. HIIT was 3 days per week of 4 × 4 minute intervals at over 90% of peak aerobic capacity (VO2peak) with 2 days per week of treadmill walking at 70% VO2peak. Resting brain glucose uptake was measured using 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography scans at baseline and at week 12. Scans were performed at 96 hours after exercise. VO2peak was measured by indirect calorimetry. Glucose uptake increased significantly in the parietal-temporal and caudate regions after HIIT compared with SED. The gains with HIIT were not observed in all brain regions. VO2peak was increased for all participants after HIIT and did not change with SED. We demonstrate that brain glucose metabolism increased after 12 weeks of HIIT in adults in regions where it is reduced in Alzheimer's disease. Copyright © 2017 Endocrine Society

Detectability of early brain meningitis with magnetic resonance imaging

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Runge, V.M.; Wells, J.W.; Williams, N.M.

1995-08-01

The ability of high-field (1.5 T) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to detect early brain meningitis was evaluated in a canine model. Contrast dose, timing postinjection, and imaging technique (specifically the use of magnetization transfer) were assessed. Imaging of five canines was performed at 1.5 T 24 hours after injection of Cowans staphylococcus into the cisterna magna. Two control animals also were imaged using the same protocol. Contrast doses of 0.1, 0.3, and 0.8 mmol/kg gadoteridol were compared. Scans were performed at 2, 13, and 22 minutes after an initial injection of 0.1 mmol/kg. Thirty minutes after the initial injection ofmore » contrast, a supplemental dose of 0.2 mmol/kg was given. Scans were then repeated at 2, 12, and 22 minutes after this dose was administered. A second supplemental contrast injection of 0.5 mmol/kg was given at 70 minutes, and immediate postinjection scans with and without MT were acquired. Results. In the animals receiving a cisternal injection of bacteria, the degree of meningeal enhancement was greatest at 0.8 mmol/kg, intermediate at 0.3 mmol/kg, and least at 0.1 mmol/kg. Scans in control studies did not demonstrate abnormal meningeal enhancement. High-contrast dose, MT, and acquisition of immediate postcontrast scans all resulted in statistically significant improvement. On masked film review, abnormal meningeal enhancement was noted in only 2 of 5 experimental dogs at a dose of 0.1 mmol/kg (regardless of the use of MT) compared with all animals at a dose of 0.3 mmol/kg. In 18 of 37 dogs (paired scans with and without MT), when abnormal enhancement was noted, the use of MT improved the visualization of abnormal meningeal enhancement. In early brain meningitis, high-contrast dose (0.3 mmol/kg), MT, and scanning immediately after injection improve detection of abnormal meningeal enhancement, thus facilitating the diagnosis of meningitis. Of these factors, contrast dose is the most important. 14 refs., 9 figs., 2 tabs.« less

SU-F-I-46: Optimizing Dose Reduction in Adult Head CT Protocols While Maintaining Image Quality in Postmortem Head Scans

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lipnharski, I; Carranza, C; Quails, N

Purpose: To optimize adult head CT protocol by reducing dose to an appropriate level while providing CT images of diagnostic quality. Methods: Five cadavers were scanned from the skull base to the vertex using a routine adult head CT protocol (120 kVp, 270 mA, 0.75 s rotation, 0.5 mm × 32 detectors, 70.8 mGy CTDIvol) followed by seven reduced-dose protocols with varying combinations of reduced tube current, reduced rotation time, and increased detectors with CTDIvol ranging from 38.2 to 65.6 mGy. Organ doses were directly measured with 21 OSL dosimeters placed on the surface and implanted in the head bymore » a neurosurgeon. Two neuroradiologists assessed grey-white matter differentiation, fluid space, ventricular size, midline shift, brain mass, edema, ischemia, and skull fractures on a three point scale: (1) Unacceptable, (2) Borderline Acceptable, and (3) Acceptable. Results: For the standard scan, doses to the skin, lens of the eye, salivary glands, thyroid, and brain were 37.55 mGy, 49.65 mGy, 40.67 mGy, 4.63 mGy, and 27.33 mGy, respectively. Two cadavers had cerebral edema due to changing dynamics of postmortem effects, causing the grey-white matter differentiation to appear less distinct. Two cadavers with preserved grey-white matter received acceptable scores for all image quality features for the protocol with a CTDIvol of 57.3 mGy, allowing organ dose savings ranging from 34% to 45%. One cadaver allowed for greater dose reduction for the protocol with a CTDIvol of 42 mGy. Conclusion: Efforts to optimize scan protocol should consider both dose and clinical image quality. This is made possible with postmortem subjects, whose brains are similar to patients, allowing for an investigation of ideal scan parameters. Radiologists at our institution accepted scan protocols acquired with lower scan parameters, with CTDIvol values closer to the American College of Radiology’s (ACR) Achievable Dose level of 57 mGy.« less

Device-independent color scanning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burger, Rudolph E.

1993-08-01

Color calibration technology is being incorporated into both Apple and Microsoft's operating systems. These color savvy operating systems will produce a market pull towards 'smart color' scanners and printers which, in turn, will lead towards a distributed architecture for color management systems (CMS). Today's desktop scanners produce red-green-blue color signals that do not accurately describe the color of the object being scanned. Future scanners will be self-calibrating and communicate their own 'device profile' to the operating system based CMS. This paper describes some of the key technologies required for this next generation of smart color scanners. Topics covered include a comparison of colorimetric and conventional scanning technologies, and the impact of metamerism, dye fluorescence and chromatic adaptation on device independent color scanning.

Our Brains Extended

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Prensky, Marc

2013-01-01

Technology is an extension of the brain; it is a new way of thinking. It is the solution humans have created to deal with the difficult new context of variability, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity. Wise integration of evolving and powerful technology demands a rethinking of the curriculum. This article discusses technology as the new way of…

Making processes reliable: a validated pubmed search strategy for identifying new or emerging technologies.

PubMed

Varela-Lema, Leonora; Punal-Riobóo, Jeanette; Acción, Beatriz Casal; Ruano-Ravina, Alberto; García, Marisa López

2012-10-01

Horizon scanning systems need to handle a wide range of sources to identify new or emerging health technologies. The objective of this study is to develop a validated Medline bibliographic search strategy (PubMed search engine) to systematically identify new or emerging health technologies. The proposed Medline search strategy combines free text terms commonly used in article titles to denote innovation within index terms that make reference to the specific fields of interest. Efficacy was assessed by running the search over a period of 1 year (2009) and analyzing its retrieval performance (number and characteristics). For comparison purposes, all article abstracts published during 2009 in six preselected key research journals and eight high impact surgery journals were scanned. Sensitivity was defined as the proportion of relevant new or emerging technologies published in key journals that would be identified in the search strategy within the first 2 years of publication. The search yielded 6,228 abstracts of potentially new or emerging technologies. Of these, 459 were classified as new or emerging (383 truly new or emerging and 76 new indications). The scanning of 12,061 journal abstracts identified 35 relevant new or emerging technologies. Of these, twenty-nine were located within the Medline search strategy during the first 2 years of publication (sensitivity = 83 percent). The current search strategy, validated against key journals, has demonstrated to be effective for horizon scanning. Even though it can require adaptations depending on the scope of the horizon scanning system, it could serve to simplify and standardize scanning processes.

Reliability of MRSI brain temperature mapping at 1.5 and 3 T

PubMed Central

Thrippleton, Michael J; Parikh, Jehill; Harris, Bridget A; Hammer, Steven J; Semple, Scott I K; Andrews, Peter J D; Wardlaw, Joanna M; Marshall, Ian

2014-01-01

MRSI permits the non-invasive mapping of brain temperature in vivo, but information regarding its reliability is lacking. We obtained MRSI data from 31 healthy male volunteers [age range, 22–40 years; mean ± standard deviation (SD), 30.5 ± 5.0 years]. Eleven subjects (age range, 23–40 years; mean ± SD, 30.5 ± 5.2 years) were invited to receive four point-resolved spectroscopy MRSI scans on each of 3 days in both 1.5-T (TR/TE = 1000/144 ms) and 3-T (TR/TE = 1700/144 ms) clinical scanners; a further 20 subjects (age range, 22–40 years; mean ± SD, 30.5 ± 4.9 years) were scanned on a single occasion at 3 T. Data were fitted in the time domain to determine the water–N-acetylaspartate chemical shift difference, from which the temperature was estimated. Temperature data were analysed using a linear mixed effects model to determine variance components and systematic temperature changes during the scanning sessions. To characterise the effects of instrumental drift on apparent MRSI brain temperature, a temperature-controlled phantom was constructed and scanned on multiple occasions. Components of apparent in vivo temperature variability at 1.5 T/3 T caused by inter-subject (0.18/0.17 °C), inter-session (0.18/0.15 °C) and within-session (0.36/0.14 °C) effects, as well as voxel-to-voxel variation (0.59/0.54 °C), were determined. There was a brain cooling effect during in vivo MRSI of 0.10 °C [95% confidence interval (CI): –0.110, –0.094 °C; p < 0.001] and 0.051 °C (95% CI: –0.054, –0.048 °C; p < 0.001) per scan at 1.5 T and 3 T, respectively, whereas phantom measurements revealed minimal drift in apparent MRSI temperature relative to fibre-optic temperature measurements. The mean brain temperature at 3 T was weakly associated with aural (R = 0.55, p = 0.002) and oral (R = 0.62, p < 0.001) measurements of head temperature. In conclusion, the variability associated with MRSI brain temperature mapping was quantified. Repeatability was somewhat higher at 3 T than at 1.5 T, although subtle spatial and temporal variations in apparent temperature were demonstrated at both field strengths. Such data should assist in the efficient design of future clinical studies. © 2013 The Authors. NMR in Biomedicine published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. PMID:24273188

The role of surgeons in identifying emerging technologies for health technology assessment.

PubMed

Stafinski, Tania; Topfer, Leigh-Ann; Zakariasen, Ken; Menon, Devidas

2010-04-01

Health technology assessment (HTA) is a tool intended to help policy-makers decide which technologies to fund. However, given the proliferation of new technologies, it is not possible to undertake an HTA of each one before it becomes funded. Consequently, "horizon-scanning" processes have been developed to identify emerging technologies that are likely to have a substantial impact on clinical practice. Although the importance of physicians in the adoption of new technologies is well recognized, their role in horizon scanning in Canada has been limited. The purpose of this project was to pilot an approach to engage physicians, specifically surgeons, in provincial horizon-scanning activities. We invited 18 surgeons from Alberta's 2 medical schools to a horizon-scanning workshop to solicit their views on emerging technologies expected to impact surgical practice within the next 5 years and/or the importance of different attributes or characteristics of new technologies. Surgeons, regardless of specialty, identified developments designed to enhance existing minimally invasive surgical techniques, such as endoscopic, robotic and image-guided surgery. Several nonsurgical areas, including molecular genetics and nano technology, were also identified. Of the 13 technology attributes discussed, safety or risk, effectiveness and feasibility were rated as most important. Lastly, participating surgeons expressed an interest in becoming further involved in local HTA initiatives. Surgeons, as adopters and users of health technologies, represent an important and accessible information source for identifying emerging technologies for HTA. A more formal, ongoing relationship between the government, HTA and surgeons may help to optimize the use of HTA resources.

Growth of melanoma brain tumors monitored by photoacoustic microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Staley, Jacob; Grogan, Patrick; Samadi, Abbas K.; Cui, Huizhong; Cohen, Mark S.; Yang, Xinmai

2010-07-01

Melanoma is a primary malignancy that is known to metastasize to the brain and often causes death. The ability to image the growth of brain melanoma in vivo can provide new insights into its evolution and response to therapies. In our study, we use a reflection mode photoacoustic microscopy (PAM) system to detect the growth of melanoma brain tumor in a small animal model. The melanoma tumor cells are implanted in the brain of a mouse at the beginning of the test. Then, PAM is used to scan the region of implantation in the mouse brain, and the growth of the melanoma is monitored until the death of the animal. It is demonstrated that PAM is capable of detecting and monitoring the brain melanoma growth noninvasively in vivo.

Confocal microscopy for astrocyte in vivo imaging: Recycle and reuse in microscopy

PubMed Central

Pérez-Alvarez, Alberto; Araque, Alfonso; Martín, Eduardo D.

2013-01-01

In vivo imaging is one of the ultimate and fundamental approaches for the study of the brain. Two-photon laser scanning microscopy (2PLSM) constitutes the state-of-the-art technique in current neuroscience to address questions regarding brain cell structure, development and function, blood flow regulation and metabolism. This technique evolved from laser scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM), which impacted the field with a major improvement in image resolution of live tissues in the 1980s compared to widefield microscopy. While nowadays some of the unparalleled features of 2PLSM make it the tool of choice for brain studies in vivo, such as the possibility to image deep within a tissue, LSCM can still be useful in this matter. Here we discuss the validity and limitations of LSCM and provide a guide to perform high-resolution in vivo imaging of the brain of live rodents with minimal mechanical disruption employing LSCM. We describe the surgical procedure and experimental setup that allowed us to record intracellular calcium variations in astrocytes evoked by sensory stimulation, and to monitor intact neuronal dendritic spines and astrocytic processes as well as blood vessel dynamics. Therefore, in spite of certain limitations that need to be carefully considered, LSCM constitutes a useful, convenient, and affordable tool for brain studies in vivo. PMID:23658537

Specimen preparation, imaging, and analysis protocols for knife-edge scanning microscopy.

PubMed

Choe, Yoonsuck; Mayerich, David; Kwon, Jaerock; Miller, Daniel E; Sung, Chul; Chung, Ji Ryang; Huffman, Todd; Keyser, John; Abbott, Louise C

2011-12-09

Major advances in high-throughput, high-resolution, 3D microscopy techniques have enabled the acquisition of large volumes of neuroanatomical data at submicrometer resolution. One of the first such instruments producing whole-brain-scale data is the Knife-Edge Scanning Microscope (KESM), developed and hosted in the authors' lab. KESM has been used to section and image whole mouse brains at submicrometer resolution, revealing the intricate details of the neuronal networks (Golgi), vascular networks (India ink), and cell body distribution (Nissl). The use of KESM is not restricted to the mouse nor the brain. We have successfully imaged the octopus brain, mouse lung, and rat brain. We are currently working on whole zebra fish embryos. Data like these can greatly contribute to connectomics research; to microcirculation and hemodynamic research; and to stereology research by providing an exact ground-truth. In this article, we will describe the pipeline, including specimen preparation (fixing, staining, and embedding), KESM configuration and setup, sectioning and imaging with the KESM, image processing, data preparation, and data visualization and analysis. The emphasis will be on specimen preparation and visualization/analysis of obtained KESM data. We expect the detailed protocol presented in this article to help broaden the access to KESM and increase its utilization.

Explain the Brain: Websites to Help Scientists Teach Neuroscience to the General Public

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chudler, Eric H.; Bergsman, Kristen Clapper

2014-01-01

The field of neuroscience has experienced enormous growth over the past few decades. Educators look to neuroscience to become better teachers; lawyers and judges explore the literature to gain insight into court cases; and marketers consider the use of brain scans to glean information about consumer preferences. With this increased interest in…

Anthropometric data collection of Portuguese children using 3D body scanning: considerations about the scanning booth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Campos, R.; Carvalho, M. A.; Lopes, H. P.; Xu, B.

2017-10-01

This paper presents some considerations regarding the scanning booth used in an anthropometric study done with a 3D body scanning technology. The data collected is part of a Ph.D. study conducted in Textile Engineering at University of Minho in Portugal, which aims to develop clothing for overweight and obese Portuguese children aged 2-11 years, of both genders. The challenges faced during data collection are described, and modifications of the scanning booth are proposed. It is possible to conclude that the importance of the scanning booth is key to an efficient anthropometric data collection, including the growth of this technology in the garment industry, Universities Research Institutes involved with anthropometric studies.

Molecular Imaging of ABCB1 and ABCG2 Inhibition at the Human Blood-Brain Barrier Using Elacridar and 11C-Erlotinib PET.

PubMed

Verheijen, Remy B; Yaqub, Maqsood; Sawicki, Emilia; van Tellingen, Olaf; Lammertsma, Adriaan A; Nuijen, Bastiaan; Schellens, Jan H M; Beijnen, Jos H; Huitema, Alwin D R; Hendrikse, N Harry; Steeghs, Neeltje

2018-06-01

Transporters such as ABCB1 and ABCG2 limit the exposure of several anticancer drugs to the brain, leading to suboptimal treatment in the central nervous system. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of the ABCB1 and ABCG2 inhibitor elacridar on brain uptake using 11 C-erlotinib PET. Methods: Elacridar and cold erlotinib were administered orally to wild-type (WT) and Abcb1a/b;Abcg2 knockout mice. In addition, brain uptake was measured using 11 C-erlotinib imaging and ex vivo scintillation counting in knockout and WT mice. Six patients with advanced solid tumors underwent 11 C-erlotinib PET scans before and after a 1,000-mg dose of elacridar. 11 C-erlotinib brain uptake was quantified by pharmacokinetic modeling using volume of distribution (V T ) as the outcome parameter. In addition, 15 O-H 2 O scans to measure cerebral blood flow were acquired before each 11 C-erlotinib scan. Results: Brain uptake of 11 C-erlotinib was 2.6-fold higher in Abcb1a/b;Abcg2 knockout mice than in WT mice, measured as percentage injected dose per gram of tissue ( P = 0.01). In WT mice, the addition of elacridar (at systemic plasma concentrations of ≥200 ng/mL) resulted in an increased brain concentration of erlotinib, without affecting erlotinib plasma concentration. In patients, the V T of 11 C-erlotinib did not increase after intake of elacridar (0.213 ± 0.12 vs. 0.205 ± 0.07, P = 0.91). 15 O-H 2 O PET showed no significant changes in cerebral blood flow. Elacridar exposure in patients was 401 ± 154 ng/mL. No increase in V T with increased elacridar plasma exposure was found over the 271-619 ng/mL range. Conclusion: When Abcb1 and Abcg2 were disrupted in mice, brain uptake of 11 C-erlotinib increased both at a tracer dose and at a pharmacologic dose. In patients, brain uptake of 11 C-erlotinib was not higher after administration of elacridar. The more pronounced role that ABCG2 appears to play at the human blood-brain barrier and the lower potency of elacridar to inhibit ABCG2 may be an explanation of these interspecies differences. © 2018 by the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging.

Explanations and information-giving: clinician strategies used in talking to parents of preterm infants.

PubMed

Redshaw, M E; Harvey, M E

2016-02-11

The study is part of a larger research programme on neonatal brain imaging in the trial element of which parents were randomised to receive prognostic information based upon either magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or ultrasound findings (ePrime study). The aim of this study was to investigate the strategies used by clinicians in communicating with parents following imaging at term age of the brain of preterm infants born before 33 weeks gestation, focusing on explanations and information-giving about prognosis  Audio recordings of discussions between parents and clinicians were made following MRI and ultrasound assessment. Parents were given the scan result and the baby's predicted prognosis. A framework was developed based on preliminary analysis of the recordings and findings of other studies of information-giving in healthcare. Communication of scan results by the clinicians was further explored in qualitative analysis with 36 recordings using NVivo 10 and the specifically developed framework. Emerging themes and associated sub-themes were identified. The ways in which clinicians gave information and helped parents to understand were identified. Within the over-arching theme of clinician strategies a wide range of approaches were used to facilitate parental understanding. These included orienting, checking on previously acquired information, using analogies, explaining terminology, pacing the information, confirming understanding, inviting clarification, answering parents' questions and recapping at intervals. Ultimately four key themes were identified: 'Framing the information-giving', 'What we are looking at', 'Presenting the numbers and explaining the risk' and 'Appreciating the position of parents'. The interviews represent a multifaceted situation in which there is a tension between the need to explain and inform and the inherent complexity of neurological development, potential problems following preterm birth and the technology used to investigate and monitor these.

Recent advances in patterned photostimulation for optogenetics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ronzitti, Emiliano; Ventalon, Cathie; Canepari, Marco; Forget, Benoît C.; Papagiakoumou, Eirini; Emiliani, Valentina

2017-11-01

An important technological revolution is underway in the field of neuroscience as we begin the 21st century. The combination of optical methods with genetically encoded photosensitive tools (optogenetics) offers the opportunity to quickly modulate and monitor a large number of neuronal events and the ability to recreate the physiological, spatial, and temporal patterns of brain activity. The use of light instead of electrical stimulation is less invasive, and permits superior spatial and temporal specificity and flexibility. This ongoing revolution has motivated the development of new optical methods for light stimulation. They can be grouped in two main categories: scanning and parallel photostimulation techniques, each with its advantages and limitations. In scanning approaches, a small light spot is displaced in targeted regions of interest (ROIs), using galvanometric mirrors or acousto-optic deflectors, whereas in parallel approaches, the light beam can be spatially shaped to simultaneously cover all ROIs by modulating either the light intensity or the phase of the illumination beam. With amplitude modulation, light patterns are created by selectively blocking light rays that illuminate regions of no interest, while with phase modulation, the wavefront of the light beam is locally modified so that light rays are directed onto the target, thus allowing for higher intensity efficiency. In this review, we will describe the principle of each of these photostimulation techniques and review the use of these approaches in optogenetics experiments by presenting their advantages and drawbacks. Finally, we will review the challenges that need to be faced when photostimulation methods are combined with two-photon imaging approaches to reach an all-optical brain control through optogenetics and functional reporters (Ca2+ and voltage indicators).

PET scan perfusion imaging in the Prader–Willi syndrome: new insights into the psychiatric and social disturbances

PubMed Central

Mantoulan, Carine; Payoux, Pierre; Diene, Gwenaëlle; Glattard, Mélanie; Rogé, Bernadette; Molinas, Catherine; Sevely, Annick; Zilbovicius, Monica; Celsis, Pierre; Tauber, Maïthé

2011-01-01

The Prader–Willi syndrome (PWS), a rare multisystem genetic disease, leads to severe disabilities, such as morbid obesity, endocrine dysfunctions, psychiatric disorders, and social disturbances. We explored the whole brain of patients with PWS to detect abnormalities that might explain the behavioral and social disturbances, as well as the psychiatric disorders of these patients. Nine patients with PWS (six males, three females; mean age 16.4 years) underwent a positron emission tomography (PET) scan with H215O as a tracer to measure regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF). The images were compared with those acquired from nine controls (six males, three females; mean age 21.2 years). A morphologic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was also performed in PWS patients, and their cognitive and behavioral skills were assessed with Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children III and the Child Behavior Check List (CBCL). The MRI images showed no evident anatomic abnormalities, whereas PET scans revealed hypoperfused brain regions in PWS patients compared with controls, particularly in the anterior cingulum and superior temporal regions. We observed a significant relationship (P<0.05) between rCBF in the hypoperfused regions and CBCL scores. The functional consequences of these perfusion abnormalities in specific brain regions might explain the behavioral and social problems observed in these individuals. PMID:20588317

[18F]-Fluoro-Deoxy-Glucose Positron Emission Tomography Scan Should Be Obtained Early in Cases of Autoimmune Encephalitis

PubMed Central

Sarwal, A.; Hantus, S.

2016-01-01

Introduction. Autoimmune encephalitis (AE) is a clinically challenging diagnosis with nonspecific neurological symptoms. Prompt diagnosis is important and often relies on neuroimaging. We present a case series of AE highlighting the importance of an early [18F]-fluoro-deoxy-glucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) scan. Methods. Retrospective review of seven consecutive cases of autoimmune encephalitis. Results. All patients had both magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and FDG-PET scans. Initial clinical presentations included altered mental status and/or new onset seizures. Six cases had serum voltage-gated potassium channel (VGKC) antibody and one had serum N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) antibody. MRI of brain showed mesial temporal lobe hyperintensity in five cases of VGKC. The other two patients with VGKC or NMDA AE had restiform body hyperintensity on MRI brain or a normal MRI, respectively. Mesial temporal lobe hypermetabolism was noted in three cases on FDG-PET, despite initial unremarkable MRI. Malignancy workup was negative in all patients. Conclusion. A high index of suspicion for AE should be maintained in patients presenting with cognitive symptoms, seizures, and limbic changes on neuroimaging. In cases with normal initial brain MRI, FDG-PET can be positive. Additionally, extralimbic hyperintensity on MRI may also be observed. PMID:27559482

Temporally consistent probabilistic detection of new multiple sclerosis lesions in brain MRI.

PubMed

Elliott, Colm; Arnold, Douglas L; Collins, D Louis; Arbel, Tal

2013-08-01

Detection of new Multiple Sclerosis (MS) lesions on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is important as a marker of disease activity and as a potential surrogate for relapses. We propose an approach where sequential scans are jointly segmented, to provide a temporally consistent tissue segmentation while remaining sensitive to newly appearing lesions. The method uses a two-stage classification process: 1) a Bayesian classifier provides a probabilistic brain tissue classification at each voxel of reference and follow-up scans, and 2) a random-forest based lesion-level classification provides a final identification of new lesions. Generative models are learned based on 364 scans from 95 subjects from a multi-center clinical trial. The method is evaluated on sequential brain MRI of 160 subjects from a separate multi-center clinical trial, and is compared to 1) semi-automatically generated ground truth segmentations and 2) fully manual identification of new lesions generated independently by nine expert raters on a subset of 60 subjects. For new lesions greater than 0.15 cc in size, the classifier has near perfect performance (99% sensitivity, 2% false detection rate), as compared to ground truth. The proposed method was also shown to exceed the performance of any one of the nine expert manual identifications.

PET scan perfusion imaging in the Prader-Willi syndrome: new insights into the psychiatric and social disturbances.

PubMed

Mantoulan, Carine; Payoux, Pierre; Diene, Gwenaëlle; Glattard, Mélanie; Rogé, Bernadette; Molinas, Catherine; Sevely, Annick; Zilbovicius, Monica; Celsis, Pierre; Tauber, Maïthé

2011-01-01

The Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS), a rare multisystem genetic disease, leads to severe disabilities, such as morbid obesity, endocrine dysfunctions, psychiatric disorders, and social disturbances. We explored the whole brain of patients with PWS to detect abnormalities that might explain the behavioral and social disturbances, as well as the psychiatric disorders of these patients. Nine patients with PWS (six males, three females; mean age 16.4 years) underwent a positron emission tomography (PET) scan with H(2)(15)O as a tracer to measure regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF). The images were compared with those acquired from nine controls (six males, three females; mean age 21.2 years). A morphologic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was also performed in PWS patients, and their cognitive and behavioral skills were assessed with Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children III and the Child Behavior Check List (CBCL). The MRI images showed no evident anatomic abnormalities, whereas PET scans revealed hypoperfused brain regions in PWS patients compared with controls, particularly in the anterior cingulum and superior temporal regions. We observed a significant relationship (P<0.05) between rCBF in the hypoperfused regions and CBCL scores. The functional consequences of these perfusion abnormalities in specific brain regions might explain the behavioral and social problems observed in these individuals.

[Application Progress of Three-dimensional Laser Scanning Technology in Medical Surface Mapping].

PubMed

Zhang, Yonghong; Hou, He; Han, Yuchuan; Wang, Ning; Zhang, Ying; Zhu, Xianfeng; Wang, Mingshi

2016-04-01

The booming three-dimensional laser scanning technology can efficiently and effectively get spatial three-dimensional coordinates of the detected object surface and reconstruct the image at high speed,high precision and large capacity of information.Non-radiation,non-contact and the ability of visualization make it increasingly popular in three-dimensional surface medical mapping.This paper reviews the applications and developments of three-dimensional laser scanning technology in medical field,especially in stomatology,plastic surgery and orthopedics.Furthermore,the paper also discusses the application prospects in the future as well as the biomedical engineering problems it would encounter with.

A Boundary Scan Test Vehicle for Direct Chip Attach Testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parsons, Heather A.; DAgostino, Saverio; Arakaki, Genji

2000-01-01

To facilitate the new faster, better and cheaper spacecraft designs, smaller more mass efficient avionics and instruments are using higher density electronic packaging technologies such as direct chip attach (DCA). For space flight applications, these technologies need to have demonstrated reliability and reasonably well defined fabrication and assembly processes before they will be accepted as baseline designs in new missions. As electronics shrink in size, not only can repair be more difficult, but 49 probing" circuitry can be very risky and it becomes increasingly more difficult to identify the specific source of a problem. To test and monitor these new technologies, the Direct Chip Attach Task, under NASA's Electronic Parts and Packaging Program (NEPP), chose the test methodology of boundary scan testing. The boundary scan methodology was developed for interconnect integrity and functional testing at hard to access electrical nodes. With boundary scan testing, active devices are used and failures can be identified to the specific device and lead. This technology permits the incorporation of "built in test" into almost any circuit and thus gives detailed test access to the highly integrated electronic assemblies. This presentation will describe boundary scan, discuss the development of the boundary scan test vehicle for DCA and current plans for testing of direct chip attach configurations.

Anatomical brain images alone can accurately diagnose chronic neuropsychiatric illnesses.

PubMed

Bansal, Ravi; Staib, Lawrence H; Laine, Andrew F; Hao, Xuejun; Xu, Dongrong; Liu, Jun; Weissman, Myrna; Peterson, Bradley S

2012-01-01

Diagnoses using imaging-based measures alone offer the hope of improving the accuracy of clinical diagnosis, thereby reducing the costs associated with incorrect treatments. Previous attempts to use brain imaging for diagnosis, however, have had only limited success in diagnosing patients who are independent of the samples used to derive the diagnostic algorithms. We aimed to develop a classification algorithm that can accurately diagnose chronic, well-characterized neuropsychiatric illness in single individuals, given the availability of sufficiently precise delineations of brain regions across several neural systems in anatomical MR images of the brain. We have developed an automated method to diagnose individuals as having one of various neuropsychiatric illnesses using only anatomical MRI scans. The method employs a semi-supervised learning algorithm that discovers natural groupings of brains based on the spatial patterns of variation in the morphology of the cerebral cortex and other brain regions. We used split-half and leave-one-out cross-validation analyses in large MRI datasets to assess the reproducibility and diagnostic accuracy of those groupings. In MRI datasets from persons with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Schizophrenia, Tourette Syndrome, Bipolar Disorder, or persons at high or low familial risk for Major Depressive Disorder, our method discriminated with high specificity and nearly perfect sensitivity the brains of persons who had one specific neuropsychiatric disorder from the brains of healthy participants and the brains of persons who had a different neuropsychiatric disorder. Although the classification algorithm presupposes the availability of precisely delineated brain regions, our findings suggest that patterns of morphological variation across brain surfaces, extracted from MRI scans alone, can successfully diagnose the presence of chronic neuropsychiatric disorders. Extensions of these methods are likely to provide biomarkers that will aid in identifying biological subtypes of those disorders, predicting disease course, and individualizing treatments for a wide range of neuropsychiatric illnesses.

A segmental analysis of current and future scanning and optimizing technology in the hardwood sawmill industry

Treesearch

S.A. Bowe; R.L. Smith; D. Earl Kline; Philip A. Araman

2002-01-01

A nationwide survey of advanced scanning and optimizing technology in the hardwood sawmill industry was conducted in the fall of 1999. Three specific hardwood sawmill technologies were examined that included current edger-optimizer systems, future edger-optimizer systems, and future automated grading systems. The objectives of the research were to determine differences...

Molecular Neuroanatomy: A Generation of Progress

PubMed Central

Pollock, Jonathan D.; Wu, Da-Yu; Satterlee, John

2014-01-01

The neuroscience research landscape has changed dramatically over the past decade. An impressive array of neuroscience tools and technologies have been generated, including brain gene expression atlases, genetically encoded proteins to monitor and manipulate neuronal activity and function, cost effective genome sequencing, new technologies enabling genome manipulation, new imaging methods and new tools for mapping neuronal circuits. However, despite these technological advances, several significant scientific challenges must be overcome in the coming decade to enable a better understanding of brain function and to develop next generation cell type-targeted therapeutics to treat brain disorders. For example, we do not have an inventory of the different types of cells that exist in the brain, nor do we know how to molecularly phenotype them. We also lack robust technologies to map connections between cells. This review will provide an overview of some of the tools and technologies neuroscientists are currently using to move the field of molecular neuroanatomy forward and also discuss emerging technologies that may enable neuroscientists to address these critical scientific challenges over the coming decade. PMID:24388609

Information technology for brain banking.

PubMed

Schmitz, Peer

2018-01-01

Implementing and maintaining the information technology (IT) infrastructure of a brain bank can be a daunting task for any brain bank coordinator, particularly when access to both funds and IT professionals is limited. Many questions arise when attempting to determine which IT products are most suitable for a brain bank. The requirements of each brain bank must be assessed carefully to ensure that the chosen IT infrastructure will be able to meet those requirements successfully and will be able to expand and adapt as the size of the brain bank increases. This chapter provides some valuable insights to be considered when implementing the IT infrastructure for a brain bank and discusses the pros and cons of various approaches and products. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The BRAIN Initiative: developing technology to catalyse neuroscience discovery.

PubMed

Jorgenson, Lyric A; Newsome, William T; Anderson, David J; Bargmann, Cornelia I; Brown, Emery N; Deisseroth, Karl; Donoghue, John P; Hudson, Kathy L; Ling, Geoffrey S F; MacLeish, Peter R; Marder, Eve; Normann, Richard A; Sanes, Joshua R; Schnitzer, Mark J; Sejnowski, Terrence J; Tank, David W; Tsien, Roger Y; Ugurbil, Kamil; Wingfield, John C

2015-05-19

The evolution of the field of neuroscience has been propelled by the advent of novel technological capabilities, and the pace at which these capabilities are being developed has accelerated dramatically in the past decade. Capitalizing on this momentum, the United States launched the Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) Initiative to develop and apply new tools and technologies for revolutionizing our understanding of the brain. In this article, we review the scientific vision for this initiative set forth by the National Institutes of Health and discuss its implications for the future of neuroscience research. Particular emphasis is given to its potential impact on the mapping and study of neural circuits, and how this knowledge will transform our understanding of the complexity of the human brain and its diverse array of behaviours, perceptions, thoughts and emotions.

The BRAIN Initiative: developing technology to catalyse neuroscience discovery

PubMed Central

Jorgenson, Lyric A.; Newsome, William T.; Anderson, David J.; Bargmann, Cornelia I.; Brown, Emery N.; Deisseroth, Karl; Donoghue, John P.; Hudson, Kathy L.; Ling, Geoffrey S. F.; MacLeish, Peter R.; Marder, Eve; Normann, Richard A.; Sanes, Joshua R.; Schnitzer, Mark J.; Sejnowski, Terrence J.; Tank, David W.; Tsien, Roger Y.; Ugurbil, Kamil; Wingfield, John C.

2015-01-01

The evolution of the field of neuroscience has been propelled by the advent of novel technological capabilities, and the pace at which these capabilities are being developed has accelerated dramatically in the past decade. Capitalizing on this momentum, the United States launched the Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) Initiative to develop and apply new tools and technologies for revolutionizing our understanding of the brain. In this article, we review the scientific vision for this initiative set forth by the National Institutes of Health and discuss its implications for the future of neuroscience research. Particular emphasis is given to its potential impact on the mapping and study of neural circuits, and how this knowledge will transform our understanding of the complexity of the human brain and its diverse array of behaviours, perceptions, thoughts and emotions. PMID:25823863

Subtle In-Scanner Motion Biases Automated Measurement of Brain Anatomy From In Vivo MRI

PubMed Central

Alexander-Bloch, Aaron; Clasen, Liv; Stockman, Michael; Ronan, Lisa; Lalonde, Francois; Giedd, Jay; Raznahan, Armin

2016-01-01

While the potential for small amounts of motion in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans to bias the results of functional neuroimaging studies is well appreciated, the impact of in-scanner motion on morphological analysis of structural MRI is relatively under-studied. Even among “good quality” structural scans, there may be systematic effects of motion on measures of brain morphometry. In the present study, the subjects’ tendency to move during fMRI scans, acquired in the same scanning sessions as their structural scans, yielded a reliable, continuous estimate of in-scanner motion. Using this approach within a sample of 127 children, adolescents, and young adults, significant relationships were found between this measure and estimates of cortical gray matter volume and mean curvature, as well as trend-level relationships with cortical thickness. Specifically, cortical volume and thickness decreased with greater motion, and mean curvature increased. These effects of subtle motion were anatomically heterogeneous, were present across different automated imaging pipelines, showed convergent validity with effects of frank motion assessed in a separate sample of 274 scans, and could be demonstrated in both pediatric and adult populations. Thus, using different motion assays in two large non-overlapping sets of structural MRI scans, convergent evidence showed that in-scanner motion—even at levels which do not manifest in visible motion artifact—can lead to systematic and regionally specific biases in anatomical estimation. These findings have special relevance to structural neuroimaging in developmental and clinical datasets, and inform ongoing efforts to optimize neuroanatomical analysis of existing and future structural MRI datasets in non-sedated humans. PMID:27004471

Repeated diffusion MRI reveals earliest time point for stratification of radiotherapy response in brain metastases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahmood, Faisal; Johannesen, Helle H.; Geertsen, Poul; Hansen, Rasmus H.

2017-04-01

An imaging biomarker for early prediction of treatment response potentially provides a non-invasive tool for better prognostics and individualized management of the disease. Radiotherapy (RT) response is generally related to changes in gross tumor volume manifesting months later. In this prospective study we investigated the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), perfusion fraction and pseudo diffusion coefficient derived from diffusion weighted MRI as potential early biomarkers for radiotherapy response of brain metastases. It was a particular aim to assess the optimal time point for acquiring the DW-MRI scan during the course of treatment, since to our knowledge this important question has not been addressed directly in previous studies. Twenty-nine metastases (N  =  29) from twenty-one patients, treated with whole-brain fractionated external beam RT were analyzed. Patients were scanned with a 1 T MRI system to acquire DW-, T2*W-, T2W- and T1W scans, before start of RT, at each fraction and at follow up two to three months after RT. The DW-MRI parameters were derived using regions of interest based on high b-value images (b  =  800 s mm-2). Both volumetric and RECIST criteria were applied for response evaluation. It was found that in non-responding metastases the mean ADC decreased and in responding metastases it increased. The volume based response proved to be far more consistently predictable by the ADC change found at fraction number 7 and later, compared to the linear response (RECIST). The perfusion fraction and pseudo diffusion coefficient did not show sufficient prognostic value with either response assessment criteria. In conclusion this study shows that the ADC derived using high b-values may be a reliable biomarker for early assessment of radiotherapy response for brain metastases patients. The earliest response stratification can be achieved using two DW-MRI scans, one pre-treatment and one at treatment day 7-9 (equivalent to 21 Gy).

Multi-atlas segmentation of subcortical brain structures via the AutoSeg software pipeline

PubMed Central

Wang, Jiahui; Vachet, Clement; Rumple, Ashley; Gouttard, Sylvain; Ouziel, Clémentine; Perrot, Emilie; Du, Guangwei; Huang, Xuemei; Gerig, Guido; Styner, Martin

2014-01-01

Automated segmenting and labeling of individual brain anatomical regions, in MRI are challenging, due to the issue of individual structural variability. Although atlas-based segmentation has shown its potential for both tissue and structure segmentation, due to the inherent natural variability as well as disease-related changes in MR appearance, a single atlas image is often inappropriate to represent the full population of datasets processed in a given neuroimaging study. As an alternative for the case of single atlas segmentation, the use of multiple atlases alongside label fusion techniques has been introduced using a set of individual “atlases” that encompasses the expected variability in the studied population. In our study, we proposed a multi-atlas segmentation scheme with a novel graph-based atlas selection technique. We first paired and co-registered all atlases and the subject MR scans. A directed graph with edge weights based on intensity and shape similarity between all MR scans is then computed. The set of neighboring templates is selected via clustering of the graph. Finally, weighted majority voting is employed to create the final segmentation over the selected atlases. This multi-atlas segmentation scheme is used to extend a single-atlas-based segmentation toolkit entitled AutoSeg, which is an open-source, extensible C++ based software pipeline employing BatchMake for its pipeline scripting, developed at the Neuro Image Research and Analysis Laboratories of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. AutoSeg performs N4 intensity inhomogeneity correction, rigid registration to a common template space, automated brain tissue classification based skull-stripping, and the multi-atlas segmentation. The multi-atlas-based AutoSeg has been evaluated on subcortical structure segmentation with a testing dataset of 20 adult brain MRI scans and 15 atlas MRI scans. The AutoSeg achieved mean Dice coefficients of 81.73% for the subcortical structures. PMID:24567717

Quantifying global-brain metabolite level changes with whole-head proton MR spectroscopy at 3T.

PubMed

Davitz, Matthew S; Wu, William E; Soher, Brian J; Babb, James S; Kirov, Ivan I; Huang, Jeffrey; Fatterpekar, Girish; Gonen, Oded

2017-01-01

To assess the sensitivity of non-localized, whole-head 1 H-MRS to an individual's serial changes in total-brain NAA, Glx, Cr and Cho concentrations - metabolite metrics often used as surrogate markers in neurological pathologies. In this prospective study, four back-to-back (single imaging session) and three serial (successive sessions) non-localizing, ~3min 1 H-MRS (TE/TR/TI=5/10 4 /940ms) scans were performed on 18 healthy young volunteers: 9 women, 9 men: 29.9±7.6 [mean±standard deviation (SD)] years old. These were analyzed by calculating a within-subject coefficient of variation (CV=SD/mean) to assess intra- and inter-scan repeatability and prediction intervals. This study was Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act compliant. All subjects gave institutional review board-approved written, informed consent. The intra-scan CVs for the NAA, Glx, Cr and Cho were: 3.9±1.8%, 7.3±4.6%, 4.0±3.4% and 2.5±1.6%, and the corresponding inter-scan (longitudinal) values were: 7.0±3.1%, 10.6±5.6%, 7.6±3.5% and 7.0±3.9%. This method is shown to have 80% power to detect changes of 14%, 27%, 26% and 19% between two serial measurements in a given individual. Subject to the assumption that in neurological disorders NAA, Glx, Cr and Cho changes represent brain-only pathology and not muscles, bone marrow, adipose tissue or epithelial cells, this approach enables us to quantify them, thereby adding specificity to the assessment of the total disease load. This will facilitate monitoring diffuse pathologies with faster measurement, more extensive (~90% of the brain) spatial coverage and sensitivity than localized 1 H-MRS. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Virtual reality and brain computer interface in neurorehabilitation

PubMed Central

Dahdah, Marie; Driver, Simon; Parsons, Thomas D.; Richter, Kathleen M.

2016-01-01

The potential benefit of technology to enhance recovery after central nervous system injuries is an area of increasing interest and exploration. The primary emphasis to date has been motor recovery/augmentation and communication. This paper introduces two original studies to demonstrate how advanced technology may be integrated into subacute rehabilitation. The first study addresses the feasibility of brain computer interface with patients on an inpatient spinal cord injury unit. The second study explores the validity of two virtual environments with acquired brain injury as part of an intensive outpatient neurorehabilitation program. These preliminary studies support the feasibility of advanced technologies in the subacute stage of neurorehabilitation. These modalities were well tolerated by participants and could be incorporated into patients' inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation regimens without schedule disruptions. This paper expands the limited literature base regarding the use of advanced technologies in the early stages of recovery for neurorehabilitation populations and speaks favorably to the potential integration of brain computer interface and virtual reality technologies as part of a multidisciplinary treatment program. PMID:27034541

A usability evaluation of an interactive application for halal products using optical character recognition and augmented reality technologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lam, Meng Chun; Nizam, Siti Soleha Muhammad; Arshad, Haslina; A'isyah Ahmad Shukri, Saidatul; Hashim, Nurhazarifah Che; Putra, Haekal Mozzia; Abidin, Rimaniza Zainal

2017-10-01

This article discusses the usability of an interactive application for halal products using Optical Character Recognition (OCR) and Augmented Reality (AR) technologies. Among the problems that have been identified in this study is that consumers have little knowledge about the E-Code. Therefore, users often have doubts about the halal status of the product. Nowadays, the integrity of halal status can be doubtful due to the actions of some irresponsible people spreading false information about a product. Therefore, an application that uses OCR and AR technology developed in this study will help the users to identify the information content of a product by scanning the E-Code label and by scanning the product's brand to know the halal status of the product. In this application, E-Code on the label of a product is scanned using OCR technology to display information about the E-Code. The product's brand is scan using augmented reality technology to display halal status of the product. The findings reveal that users are satisfied with this application and it is useful and easy to use.

Brain-based Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weiss, Ruth Palombo

2000-01-01

Discusses brain research and how new imaging technologies allow scientists to explore how human brains process memory, emotion, attention, patterning, motivation, and context. Explains how brain research is being used to revise learning theories. (JOW)

Hoyeraal-Hreidarsson syndrome: magnetic resonance imaging findings.

PubMed

Kuwashima, Shigeko

2009-10-01

Hoyeraal-Hreidarsson syndrome (HH) has been defined as a severe variant of dyskeratosis congenita (DKC). We report here a case of a 6-year-old girl with HH who presented with bone marrow hypoplasia, skin pigmentation, nail dystrophy, growth retardation, and bilateral retinal hemorrhage. Brain MRI revealed cerebellar hypoplasia, hypoplasia of the corpus callosum, a small pituitary gland, a small brain stem, and focal long T2 lesions in the thalamus and brain stem. A brain computed tomography scan revealed intracranial calcification as well. To the best of our knowledge, a small pituitary gland and focal long T2 lesions in the thalamus and brain stem have never been reported as a feature of HH.

Brain-Only Metastases Seen on FDG PET as First Relapse of Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma Two Years Post-Thyroidectomy.

PubMed

Naddaf, Sleiman Y; Syed, Ghulam Mustafa Shah; Hadb, Abdulrahman; Al-Thaqfi, Saif

2016-09-01

We report a case of a 60-year-old man diagnosed with papillary thyroid cancer who had a relapse seen only in the brain at FDG PET on standard images. Total thyroidectomy was performed in July 2013 after initial diagnosis. Patient received I ablation in December 2013, followed by external beam radiotherapy to the neck. In September 2015, the patient presented with neurological symptoms. Brain MRI showed multiple brain metastases later confirmed on histopathology. An FDG PET/CT scan was performed to evaluate the whole body in November 2015. Multiple hypermetabolic lesions were identified in the brain with no other lesion up to mid thighs.

Compact and mobile high resolution PET brain imager

DOEpatents

Majewski, Stanislaw [Yorktown, VA; Proffitt, James [Newport News, VA

2011-02-08

A brain imager includes a compact ring-like static PET imager mounted in a helmet-like structure. When attached to a patient's head, the helmet-like brain imager maintains the relative head-to-imager geometry fixed through the whole imaging procedure. The brain imaging helmet contains radiation sensors and minimal front-end electronics. A flexible mechanical suspension/harness system supports the weight of the helmet thereby allowing for patient to have limited movements of the head during imaging scans. The compact ring-like PET imager enables very high resolution imaging of neurological brain functions, cancer, and effects of trauma using a rather simple mobile scanner with limited space needs for use and storage.

Computational and mathematical methods in brain atlasing.

PubMed

Nowinski, Wieslaw L

2017-12-01

Brain atlases have a wide range of use from education to research to clinical applications. Mathematical methods as well as computational methods and tools play a major role in the process of brain atlas building and developing atlas-based applications. Computational methods and tools cover three areas: dedicated editors for brain model creation, brain navigators supporting multiple platforms, and atlas-assisted specific applications. Mathematical methods in atlas building and developing atlas-aided applications deal with problems in image segmentation, geometric body modelling, physical modelling, atlas-to-scan registration, visualisation, interaction and virtual reality. Here I overview computational and mathematical methods in atlas building and developing atlas-assisted applications, and share my contribution to and experience in this field.

Idea units in notes and summaries for read texts by keyboard and pencil in middle childhood students with specific learning disabilities: Cognitive and brain findings

PubMed Central

Richards, Todd; Peverly, Stephen; Wolf, Amie; Abbott, Robert; Tanimoto, Steven; Thompson, Rob; Nagy, William; Berninger, Virginia

2016-01-01

Seven children with dyslexia and/or dysgraphia (2 girls, 5 boys, M=11 years) completed fMRI connectivity scans before and after twelve weekly computerized lessons in strategies for reading source material, taking notes, and writing summaries by touch typing or groovy pencils. During brain scanning they completed two reading comprehension tasks—one involving single sentences and one involving multiple sentences. From before to after intervention, fMRI connectivity magnitude changed significantly during sentence level reading comprehension (from right angular gyrus→right Broca’s) and during text level reading comprehension (from right angular gyrus→cingulate). Proportions of ideas units in children’s writing compared to idea units in source texts did not differ across combinations of reading-writing tasks and modes. Yet, for handwriting/notes, correlations insignificant before the lessons became significant after the strategy instruction between proportion of idea units and brain connectivity at all levels of language in reading comprehension (word-, sentence-, and text) during scanning; but for handwriting/summaries, touch typing/notes, and touch typing/summaries changes in those correlations from insignificant to significant after strategy instruction occurred only at text level reading comprehension during scanning. Thus, handwriting during note-taking may benefit all levels of language during reading comprehension, whereas all other combinations of modes and writing tasks in this exploratory study appear to benefit only the text level of reading comprehension. Neurological and educational significance of the interdisciplinary research findings for integrating reading and writing and future research directions are discussed. PMID:28133634

Follow-up brain imaging of 37 children with congenital Zika syndrome: case series study.

PubMed

Petribu, Natacha Calheiros de Lima; Aragao, Maria de Fatima Vasco; van der Linden, Vanessa; Parizel, Paul; Jungmann, Patricia; Araújo, Luziany; Abath, Marília; Fernandes, Andrezza; Brainer-Lima, Alessandra; Holanda, Arthur; Mello, Roberto; Sarteschi, Camila; Duarte, Maria do Carmo Menezes Bezerra

2017-10-13

Objective  To compare initial brain computed tomography (CT) scans with follow-up CT scans at one year in children with congenital Zika syndrome, focusing on cerebral calcifications. Design  Case series study. Setting  Barão de Lucena Hospital, Pernambuco state, Brazil. Participants  37 children with probable or confirmed congenital Zika syndrome during the microcephaly outbreak in 2015 who underwent brain CT shortly after birth and at one year follow-up. Main outcome measure  Differences in cerebral calcification patterns between initial and follow-up scans. Results  37 children were evaluated. All presented cerebral calcifications on the initial scan, predominantly at cortical-white matter junction. At follow-up the calcifications had diminished in number, size, or density, or a combination in 34 of the children (92%, 95% confidence interval 79% to 97%), were no longer visible in one child, and remained unchanged in two children. No child showed an increase in calcifications. The calcifications at the cortical-white matter junction which were no longer visible at follow-up occurred predominately in the parietal and occipital lobes. These imaging changes were not associated with any clear clinical improvements. Conclusion  The detection of cerebral calcifications should not be considered a major criterion for late diagnosis of congenital Zika syndrome, nor should the absence of calcifications be used to exclude the diagnosis. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Passive monitoring using a combination of focused and phased array radiometry: a simulation study.

PubMed

Farantatos, Panagiotis; Karanasiou, Irene S; Uzunoglu, Nikolaos

2011-01-01

Aim of this simulation study is to use the focusing properties of a conductive ellipsoidal reflector in conjunction with directive phased microwave antenna configurations in order to achieve brain passive monitoring with microwave radiometry. One of the main modules of the proposed setup which ensures the necessary beamforming and focusing on the body and brain areas of interest is a symmetrical axis ellipsoidal conductive wall cavity. The proposed system operates in an entirely non-invasive contactless manner providing temperature and/or conductivity variations monitoring and is designed to also provide hyperthermia treatment. In the present paper, the effect of the use of patch antennas as receiving antennas on the system's focusing properties and specifically the use of phased array setups to achieve scanning of the areas under measurement is investigated. Extensive simulations to compute the electric field distributions inside the whole ellipsoidal reflector and inside two types of human head models were carried out using single and two element microstrip patch antennas. The results show that clear focusing (creation of "hot spots") inside the head models is achieved at 1.53GHz. In the case of the two element antennas, the "hot spot" performs a linear scan around the brain area of interest while the phase difference of the two microstrip patch antennas significantly affects the way the scanning inside the head model is achieved. In the near future, phased array antennas with multiband and more elements will be used in order to enhance the system scanning properties toward the acquisition of tomography images without the need of subject movement.

Idea units in notes and summaries for read texts by keyboard and pencil in middle childhood students with specific learning disabilities: Cognitive and brain findings.

PubMed

Richards, Todd; Peverly, Stephen; Wolf, Amie; Abbott, Robert; Tanimoto, Steven; Thompson, Rob; Nagy, William; Berninger, Virginia

2016-09-01

Seven children with dyslexia and/or dysgraphia (2 girls, 5 boys, M =11 years) completed fMRI connectivity scans before and after twelve weekly computerized lessons in strategies for reading source material, taking notes, and writing summaries by touch typing or groovy pencils. During brain scanning they completed two reading comprehension tasks-one involving single sentences and one involving multiple sentences. From before to after intervention, fMRI connectivity magnitude changed significantly during sentence level reading comprehension (from right angular gyrus→right Broca's) and during text level reading comprehension (from right angular gyrus→cingulate). Proportions of ideas units in children's writing compared to idea units in source texts did not differ across combinations of reading-writing tasks and modes. Yet, for handwriting/notes, correlations insignificant before the lessons became significant after the strategy instruction between proportion of idea units and brain connectivity at all levels of language in reading comprehension (word-, sentence-, and text) during scanning; but for handwriting/summaries, touch typing/notes, and touch typing/summaries changes in those correlations from insignificant to significant after strategy instruction occurred only at text level reading comprehension during scanning. Thus, handwriting during note-taking may benefit all levels of language during reading comprehension, whereas all other combinations of modes and writing tasks in this exploratory study appear to benefit only the text level of reading comprehension. Neurological and educational significance of the interdisciplinary research findings for integrating reading and writing and future research directions are discussed.

Functional magnetic resonance imaging in a low-field intraoperative scanner.

PubMed

Schulder, Michael; Azmi, Hooman; Biswal, Bharat

2003-01-01

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has been used for preoperative planning and intraoperative surgical navigation. However, most experience to date has been with preoperative images acquired on high-field echoplanar MRI units. We explored the feasibility of acquiring fMRI of the motor cortex with a dedicated low-field intraoperative MRI (iMRI). Five healthy volunteers were scanned with the 0.12-tesla PoleStar N-10 iMRI (Odin Medical Technologies, Israel). A finger-tapping motor paradigm was performed with sequential scans, acquired alternately at rest and during activity. In addition, scans were obtained during breath holding alternating with normal breathing. The same paradigms were repeated using a 3-tesla MRI (Siemens Corp., Allandale, N.J., USA). Statistical analysis was performed offline using cross-correlation and cluster techniques. Data were resampled using the 'jackknife' process. The location, number of activated voxels and degrees of statistical significance between the two scanners were compared. With both the 0.12- and 3-tesla imagers, motor cortex activation was seen in all subjects to a significance of p < 0.02 or greater. No clustered pixels were seen outside the sensorimotor cortex. The resampled correlation coefficients were normally distributed, with a mean of 0.56 for both the 0.12- and 3-tesla scanners (standard deviations 0.11 and 0.08, respectively). The breath holding paradigm confirmed that the expected diffuse activation was seen on 0.12- and 3-tesla scans. Accurate fMRI with a low-field iMRI is feasible. Such data could be acquired immediately before or even during surgery. This would increase the utility of iMRI and allow for updated intraoperative functional imaging, free of the limitations of brain shift. Copyright 2003 S. Karger AG, Basel

Program Review: The Lifetime Effects of Space Radiation in Rhesus Monkeys

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-03-01

6 Endometriosis ........................................................... 6 Hematology and Biochemistry...becomes an important consideration at higher proton energies. The head of the juvenile rhesus monkey could be examined in a CAT scan in order to...brain become important. Calculations based on data from CAT scans, which take into account the variation in size of the human head, should be made to

Occupancy of Norepinephrine Transporter by Duloxetine in Human Brains Measured by Positron Emission Tomography with (S,S)-[18F]FMeNER-D2.

PubMed

Moriguchi, Sho; Takano, Harumasa; Kimura, Yasuyuki; Nagashima, Tomohisa; Takahata, Keisuke; Kubota, Manabu; Kitamura, Soichiro; Ishii, Tatsuya; Ichise, Masanori; Zhang, Ming-Rong; Shimada, Hitoshi; Mimura, Masaru; Meyer, Jeffrey H; Higuchi, Makoto; Suhara, Tetsuya

2017-12-01

The norepinephrine transporter in the brain has been targeted in the treatment of psychiatric disorders. Duloxetine is a serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor that has been widely used for the treatment of depression. However, the relationship between dose and plasma concentration of duloxetine and norepinephrine transporter occupancy in the human brain has not been determined. In this study, we examined norepinephrine transporter occupancy by different doses of duloxetine. We calculated norepinephrine transporter occupancies from 2 positron emission tomography scans using (S,S)-[18F]FMeNER-D2 before and after a single oral dose of duloxetine (20 mg, n = 3; 40 mg, n = 3; 60 mg, n =2). Positron emission tomography scans were performed from 120 to 180 minutes after an i.v. bolus injection of (S,S)-[18F]FMeNER-D2. Venous blood samples were taken to measure the plasma concentration of duloxetine just before and after the second positron emission tomography scan. Norepinephrine transporter occupancy by duloxetine was 29.7% at 20 mg, 30.5% at 40 mg, and 40.0% at 60 mg. The estimated dose of duloxetine inducing 50% norepinephrine transporter occupancy was 76.8 mg, and the estimated plasma drug concentration inducing 50% norepinephrine transporter occupancy was 58.0 ng/mL. Norepinephrine transporter occupancy by clinical doses of duloxetine was approximately 30% to 40% in human brain as estimated using positron emission tomography with (S,S)-[18F]FMeNER-D2. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of CINP.

Changes in Gray Matter Density, Regional Homogeneity, and Functional Connectivity in Methamphetamine-Associated Psychosis: A Resting-State Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) Study.

PubMed

Zhang, Shengyu; Hu, Qiang; Tang, Tao; Liu, Chao; Li, Chengchong; Zang, Yin-Yin; Cai, Wei-Xiong

2018-06-13

BACKGROUND Using regional homogeneity (ReHo) blood oxygen level-dependent functional MR (BOLD-fMRI), we investigated the structural and functional alterations of brain regions among patients with methamphetamine-associated psychosis (MAP). MATERIAL AND METHODS This retrospective study included 17 MAP patients, 16 schizophrenia (SCZ) patients, and 18 healthy controls. Informed consent was obtained from all patients before the clinical assessment, the severity of clinical symptoms was evaluated prior to the fMRI scanning, and then images were acquired and preprocessed after each participant received 6-min fRMI scanning. The participants all underwent BOLD-fMRI scanning. Voxel-based morphometry was used to measure gray matter density (GMD). Resting-state fMRI (rs-fMRI) was conducted to analyze functional MR, ReHo, and functional connectivity (FC). RESULTS GMD analysis results suggest that MAP patients, SCZ patients, and healthy volunteers show different GMDs within different brain regions. Similarly, the ReHo analysis results suggest that MAP patients, SCZ patients, and healthy volunteers have different GMDs within different brain regions. Negative correlations were found between ReHo- and the PANSS-positive scores within the left orbital interior frontal gyrus (L-orb-IFG) of MAP patients. ReHo- and PANSS-negative scores of R-SFG were negatively correlated among SCZ patients. The abnormal FC of R-MFG showed a negative correlation with the PANSS score among MAP patients. CONCLUSIONS The abnormalities in brain structure and FC were associated with the development of MAP.

Resting-state fMRI correlations: From link-wise unreliability to whole brain stability.

PubMed

Pannunzi, Mario; Hindriks, Rikkert; Bettinardi, Ruggero G; Wenger, Elisabeth; Lisofsky, Nina; Martensson, Johan; Butler, Oisin; Filevich, Elisa; Becker, Maxi; Lochstet, Martyna; Kühn, Simone; Deco, Gustavo

2017-08-15

The functional architecture of spontaneous BOLD fluctuations has been characterized in detail by numerous studies, demonstrating its potential relevance as a biomarker. However, the systematic investigation of its consistency is still in its infancy. Here, we analyze within- and between-subject variability and test-retest reliability of resting-state functional connectivity (FC) in a unique data set comprising multiple fMRI scans (42) from 5 subjects, and 50 single scans from 50 subjects. We adopt a statistical framework that enables us to identify different sources of variability in FC. We show that the low reliability of single links can be significantly improved by using multiple scans per subject. Moreover, in contrast to earlier studies, we show that spatial heterogeneity in FC reliability is not significant. Finally, we demonstrate that despite the low reliability of individual links, the information carried by the whole-brain FC matrix is robust and can be used as a functional fingerprint to identify individual subjects from the population. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The neural correlates of belief-bias inhibition: the impact of logic training.

PubMed

Luo, Junlong; Tang, Xiaochen; Zhang, Entao; Stupple, Edward J N

2014-12-01

Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) was used to investigate the brain activity associated with response change in a belief bias paradigm before and after logic training. Participants completed two sets of belief biased reasoning tasks. In the first set they were instructed to respond based on their empirical beliefs, and in the second - following logic training - they were instructed to respond logically. The comparison between conflict problems in the second scan versus in the first scan revealed differing activation for the left inferior frontal gyrus, left middle frontal gyrus, cerebellum, and precuneus. The scan was time locked to the presentation of the minor premise, and thus demonstrated effects of belief-logic conflict on neural activation earlier in the time course than has previously been shown in fMRI. These data, moreover, indicated that logical training results in changes in brain activity associated with cognitive control processing. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Radiation injury vs. recurrent brain metastasis: combining textural feature radiomics analysis and standard parameters may increase 18F-FET PET accuracy without dynamic scans.

PubMed

Lohmann, Philipp; Stoffels, Gabriele; Ceccon, Garry; Rapp, Marion; Sabel, Michael; Filss, Christian P; Kamp, Marcel A; Stegmayr, Carina; Neumaier, Bernd; Shah, Nadim J; Langen, Karl-Josef; Galldiks, Norbert

2017-07-01

We investigated the potential of textural feature analysis of O-(2-[ 18 F]fluoroethyl)-L-tyrosine ( 18 F-FET) PET to differentiate radiation injury from brain metastasis recurrence. Forty-seven patients with contrast-enhancing brain lesions (n = 54) on MRI after radiotherapy of brain metastases underwent dynamic 18 F-FET PET. Tumour-to-brain ratios (TBRs) of 18 F-FET uptake and 62 textural parameters were determined on summed images 20-40 min post-injection. Tracer uptake kinetics, i.e., time-to-peak (TTP) and patterns of time-activity curves (TAC) were evaluated on dynamic PET data from 0-50 min post-injection. Diagnostic accuracy of investigated parameters and combinations thereof to discriminate between brain metastasis recurrence and radiation injury was compared. Diagnostic accuracy increased from 81 % for TBR mean alone to 85 % when combined with the textural parameter Coarseness or Short-zone emphasis. The accuracy of TBR max alone was 83 % and increased to 85 % after combination with the textural parameters Coarseness, Short-zone emphasis, or Correlation. Analysis of TACs resulted in an accuracy of 70 % for kinetic pattern alone and increased to 83 % when combined with TBR max . Textural feature analysis in combination with TBRs may have the potential to increase diagnostic accuracy for discrimination between brain metastasis recurrence and radiation injury, without the need for dynamic 18 F-FET PET scans. • Textural feature analysis provides quantitative information about tumour heterogeneity • Textural features help improve discrimination between brain metastasis recurrence and radiation injury • Textural features might be helpful to further understand tumour heterogeneity • Analysis does not require a more time consuming dynamic PET acquisition.