New insights into lung diseases using hyperpolarized gas MRI.

PubMed

Flors, L; Altes, T A; Mugler, J P; de Lange, E E; Miller, G W; Mata, J F; Ruset, I C; Hersman, F W

2015-01-01

Hyperpolarized (HP) gases are a new class of contrast agents that permit to obtain high temporal and spatial resolution magnetic resonance images (MRI) of the lung airspaces. HP gas MRI has become important research tool not only for morphological and functional evaluation of normal pulmonary physiology but also for regional quantification of pathologic changes occurring in several lung diseases. The purpose of this work is to provide an introduction to MRI using HP noble gases, describing both the basic principles of the technique and the new information about lung disease provided by clinical studies with this method. The applications of the technique in normal subjects, smoking related lung disease, asthma, and cystic fibrosis are reviewed. Copyright © 2014 SERAM. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Quantification of lung microstructure with hyperpolarized 3He diffusion MRI

PubMed Central

Sukstanskii, Alexander L.; Woods, Jason C.; Gierada, David S.; Quirk, James D.; Hogg, James C.; Cooper, Joel D.; Conradi, Mark S.

2009-01-01

The structure and integrity of pulmonary acinar airways and their changes in different diseases are of great importance and interest to a broad range of physiologists and clinicians. The introduction of hyperpolarized gases has opened a door to in vivo studies of lungs with MRI. In this study we demonstrate that MRI-based measurements of hyperpolarized 3He diffusivity in human lungs yield quantitative information on the value and spatial distribution of lung parenchyma surface-to-volume ratio, number of alveoli per unit lung volume, mean linear intercept, and acinar airway radii—parameters that have been used by lung physiologists for decades and are accepted as gold standards for quantifying emphysema. We validated our MRI-based method in six human lung specimens with different levels of emphysema against direct unbiased stereological measurements. We demonstrate for the first time MRI images of these lung microgeometric parameters in healthy lungs and lungs with different levels of emphysema (mild, moderate, and severe). Our data suggest that decreases in lung surface area per volume at the initial stages of emphysema are due to dramatic decreases in the depth of the alveolar sleeves covering the alveolar ducts and sacs, implying dramatic decreases in the lung's gas exchange capacity. Our novel methods are sufficiently sensitive to allow early detection and diagnosis of emphysema, providing an opportunity to improve patient treatment outcomes, and have the potential to provide safe and noninvasive in vivo biomarkers for monitoring drug efficacy in clinical trials. PMID:19661452

Hyperpolarized Gas MRI: Technique and Applications

PubMed Central

McAdams, Holman P.; Kaushik, S. Sivaram; Driehuys, Bastiaan

2015-01-01

Synopsis Functional imaging today offers a rich world of information that is more sensitive to changes in lung structure and function than traditionally obtained pulmonary function tests. Hyperpolarized helium (3He) and xenon (129Xe) MR imaging of the lungs provided new sensitive contrast mechanisms to probe changes in pulmonary ventilation, microstructure and gas exchange. With the recent scarcity in the supply of 3He the field of hyperpolarized gas imaging shifted to the use of cheaper and naturally available 129Xe. Xenon is well tolerated and recent technical advances have ensured that the 129Xe image quality is on par with that of 3He. The added advantage of 129Xe is its solubility in pulmonary tissue, which allows exploring specific lung function characteristics involved in gas exchange and alveolar oxygenation. With a plethora of contrast mechanisms, hyperpolarized gases and 129Xe in particular, stands to be an excellent probe of pulmonary structure and function, and provide sensitive and non-invasive biomarkers for a wide variety of pulmonary diseases. PMID:25952516

Probing Lung Microstructure with Hyperpolarized 3He Gradient Echo MRI

PubMed Central

Sukstanskii, Alexander L; Quirk, James D; Yablonskiy, Dmitriy A

2014-01-01

In this paper we demonstrate that Gradient Echo MRI with hyperpolarized 3He gas can be used for simultaneously extracting in vivo information about lung ventilation properties, alveolar geometrical parameters, and blood vessel network structure. This new approach is based on multi-gradient-echo experimental measurements of hyperpolarized 3He gas MRI signal from human lungs and a proposed theoretical model of this signal. Based on computer simulations of 3He atoms diffusing in the acinar airway tree in the presence of an inhomogeneous magnetic field induced by the susceptibility differences between lung tissue (alveolar septa, blood vessels) and lung airspaces we derive analytical expressions relating the time-dependent MR signal to the geometrical parameters of acinar airways and blood vessel network. Data obtained on 8 healthy volunteers are in good agreement with literature values. This information is complementary to the information that is obtained by means of in vivo lung morphometry technique with hyperpolarized 3He diffusion MRI previously developed by our group and opens new opportunities to study lung microstructure in health and disease. PMID:24920182

SU-E-J-120: Comparing 4D CT Computed Ventilation to Lung Function Measured with Hyperpolarized Xenon-129 MRI

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

Neal, B; Chen, Q

2015-06-15

Purpose: To correlate ventilation parameters computed from 4D CT to ventilation, profusion, and gas exchange measured with hyperpolarized Xenon-129 MRI for a set of lung cancer patients. Methods: Hyperpolarized Xe-129 MRI lung scans were acquired for lung cancer patients, before and after radiation therapy, measuring ventilation, perfusion, and gas exchange. In the standard clinical workflow, these patients also received 4D CT scans before treatment. Ventilation was computed from 4D CT using deformable image registration (DIR). All phases of the 4D CT scan were registered using a B-spline deformable registration. Ventilation at the voxel level was then computed for each phasemore » based on a Jacobian volume expansion metric, yielding phase sorted ventilation images. Ventilation based upon 4D CT and Xe-129 MRI were co-registered, allowing qualitative visual comparison and qualitative comparison via the Pearson correlation coefficient. Results: Analysis shows a weak correlation between hyperpolarized Xe-129 MRI and 4D CT DIR ventilation, with a Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.17 to 0.22. Further work will refine the DIR parameters to optimize the correlation. The weak correlation could be due to the limitations of 4D CT, registration algorithms, or the Xe-129 MRI imaging. Continued development will refine parameters to optimize correlation. Conclusion: Current analysis yields a minimal correlation between 4D CT DIR and Xe-129 MRI ventilation. Funding provided by the 2014 George Amorino Pilot Grant in Radiation Oncology at the University of Virginia.« less

MRI of the lung gas-space at very low-field using hyperpolarized noble gases

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Venkatesh, Arvind K.; Zhang, Adelaide X.; Mansour, Joey; Kubatina, Lyubov; Oh, Chang Hyun; Blasche, Gregory; Selim Unlu, M.; Balamore, Dilip; Jolesz, Ferenc A.; Goldberg, Bennett B.;

Nuclear spin imaging with hyperpolarized nuclei created by brute force method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tanaka, Masayoshi; Kunimatsu, Takayuki; Fujiwara, Mamoru; Kohri, Hideki; Ohta, Takeshi; Utsuro, Masahiko; Yosoi, Masaru; Ono, Satoshi; Fukuda, Kohji; Takamatsu, Kunihiko; Ueda, Kunihiro; Didelez, Jean-P.; Prossati, Giorgio; de Waard, Arlette

2011-05-01

We have been developing a polarized HD target for particle physics at the SPring-8 under the leadership of the RCNP, Osaka University for the past 5 years. Nuclear polarizaton is created by means of the brute force method which uses a high magnetic field (~17 T) and a low temperature (~ 10 mK). As one of the promising applications of the brute force method to life sciences we started a new project, "NSI" (Nuclear Spin Imaging), where hyperpolarized nuclei are used for the MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging). The candidate nuclei with spin ½hslash are 3He, 13C, 15N, 19F, 29Si, and 31P, which are important elements for the composition of the biomolecules. Since the NMR signals from these isotopes are enhanced by orders of magnitudes, the spacial resolution in the imaging would be much more improved compared to the practical MRI used so far. Another advantage of hyperpolarized MRI is that the MRI is basically free from the radiation, while the problems of radiation exposure caused by the X-ray CT or PET (Positron Emission Tomography) cannot be neglected. In fact, the risk of cancer for Japanese due to the radiation exposure through these diagnoses is exceptionally high among the advanced countries. As the first step of the NSI project, we are developing a system to produce hyperpolarized 3He gas for the diagnosis of serious lung diseases, for example, COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease). The system employs the same 3He/4He dilution refrigerator and superconducting solenoidal coil as those used for the polarized HD target with some modification allowing the 3He Pomeranchuk cooling and the following rapid melting of the polarized solid 3He to avoid the depolarization. In this report, the present and future steps of our project will be outlined with some latest experimental results.

Hyperpolarized xenon-129 production and applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruset, Iulian C.

Hyperpolarized 3He and 129Xe were initially developed and used in the nuclear physics community. Lately they are primarily used in Medical Resonance Imaging (MRI). Although first MRI polarized gas images were acquired using 129Xe, the research community has focused mostly on 3He, due to the well-known polarizing methods and higher polarization numbers achieved. The main purpose of this thesis is to present a novel design of a large-scale SEOP polarizer for producing large quantities of highly polarized 129Xe. High Rb-Xe spin-exchange rates through long-lived van de Waals molecules at low total pressure, implemented in a novel counterflow polarizer design, resulted in xenon polarization as high as 50% for 1.2 liters/hour, with a maximum of 64% for 0.3 l/h. We characterized and improved the polarization process by finding the optimum operating parameters of the polarizer. Two new methods to efficiently use high-power diode lasers are described: a new optical arrangement for a better beam shaping of fiber coupled lasers and the first external-cavity spectrum narrowing of a stack of laser diode arrays. A new accumulation technique for the hyperpolarized xenon was developed and full recovery of polarization after a freeze-thaw cycle was demonstrated for the first time. Two approaches for xenon delivery, frozen and gas states, were developed. Hyperpolarized xenon transportation to Brigham and Women's Hospital was successfully accomplished for collaborative research. First MRI images using hyperpolarized xenon acquired at BWH are presented. Final chapter is focused on describing a low field human MRI scanner using hyperpolarized 3He. We built a human scale imager with open access for orientational studies of the lung functionality. Horizontal and vertical human lung images were acquired as a first stage of this project.

Hyperpolarized xenon magnetic resonance of the lung and the brain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Venkatesh, Arvind Krishnamachari

2001-04-01

Hyperpolarized noble gas Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a new diagnostic modality that has been used successfully for lung imaging. Xenon is soluble in blood and inhaled xenon is transported to the brain via circulating blood. Xenon also accumulates in the lipid rich white matter of the brain. Hyperpolarized xenon can hence be used as a tissue- sensitive probe of brain function. The goals of this study were to identify the NMR resonances of xenon in the rat brain and evaluate the role of hyperpolarized xenon for brain MRI. We have developed systems to produce sufficient volumes of hyperpolarized xenon for in vivo brain experiments. The specialized instrumentation developed include an apparatus for optical pump-cell manufacture and high purity gas manifolds for filling cells. A hyperpolarized gas delivery system was designed to ventilate small animals with hyperpolarized xenon for transport to the brain. The T1 of xenon dissolved in blood indicates that the lifetime of xenon in the blood is sufficient for significant magnetization to be transferred to distal tissues. A variety of carrier agents for intravenous delivery of hyperpolarized xenon were tested for transport to distal tissues. Using our new gas delivery system, high SNR 129Xe images of rat lungs were obtained. Spectroscopy with hyperpolarized xenon indicated that xenon was transported from the lungs to the blood and tissues with intact magnetization. After preliminary studies that indicated the feasibility for in vivo rat brain studies, experiments were performed with adult rats and young rats with different stages of white matter development. Both in vivo and in vitro experiments showed the prominence of one peak from xenon in the rat brain, which was assigned to brain lipids. Cerebral brain perfusion was calculated from the wash-out of the hyperpolarized xenon signal in the brain. An increase in brain perfusion during maturation was observed. These experiments showed that hyperpolarized xenon MRI

Hyperpolarized 13C metabolic imaging using dissolution dynamic nuclear polarization.

PubMed

Hurd, Ralph E; Yen, Yi-Fen; Chen, Albert; Ardenkjaer-Larsen, Jan Henrik

2012-12-01

This article describes the basic physics of dissolution dynamic nuclear polarization (dissolution-DNP), and the impact of the resulting highly nonequilibrium spin states, on the physics of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) detection. The hardware requirements for clinical translation of this technology are also presented. For studies that allow the use of externally administered agents, hyperpolarization offers a way to overcome normal magnetic resonance sensitivity limitations, at least for a brief T(1)-dependent observation window. A 10,000-100,000-fold signal-to-noise advantage provides an avenue for real-time measurement of perfusion, metabolite transport, exchange, and metabolism. The principles behind these measurements, as well as the choice of agent, and progress toward the application of hyperpolarized (13)C metabolic imaging in oncology, cardiology, and neurology are reviewed. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Hyperpolarized Porous Silicon Nanoparticles: Potential Theragnostic Material for ²⁹Si Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

PubMed

Seo, Hyeonglim; Choi, Ikjang; Whiting, Nicholas; Hu, Jingzhe; Luu, Quy Son; Pudakalakatti, Shivanand; McCowan, Caitlin; Kim, Yaewon; Zacharias, Niki; Lee, Seunghyun; Bhattacharya, Pratip; Lee, Youngbok

2018-05-20

Porous silicon nanoparticles have recently garnered attention as potentially-promising biomedical platforms for drug delivery and medical diagnostics. Here, we demonstrate porous silicon nanoparticles as contrast agents for ²⁹Si magnetic resonance imaging. Size-controlled porous silicon nanoparticles were synthesized by magnesiothermic reduction of silica nanoparticles and were surface activated for further functionalization. Particles were hyperpolarized via dynamic nuclear polarization to enhance their ²⁹Si MR signals; the particles demonstrated long ²⁹Si spin-lattice relaxation (T₁) times (~ 25 mins), which suggests potential applicability for medical imaging. Furthermore, ²⁹Si hyperpolarization levels were sufficient to allow ²⁹Si MRI in phantoms. These results underscore the potential of porous silicon nanoparticles that, when combined with hyperpolarized magnetic resonance imaging, can be a powerful theragnostic deep tissue imaging platform to interrogate various biomolecular processes in vivo. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Hyperpolarized 129Xe MRI of the Human Lung

PubMed Central

Mugler, John P.; Altes, Talissa A.

2012-01-01

By permitting direct visualization of the airspaces of the lung, MR imaging using hyperpolarized gases provides unique strategies for evaluating pulmonary structure and function. Although the vast majority of research in humans has been performed using hyperpolarized 3He, recent contraction in the supply of 3He and consequent increases in price have turned attention to the alternative agent, hyperpolarized 129Xe. Compared to 3He, 129Xe yields reduced signal due to its smaller magnetic moment. Nonetheless, taking advantage of advances in gas-polarization technology, recent studies in humans using techniques for measuring ventilation, diffusion, and partial pressure of oxygen have demonstrated results for hyperpolarized 129Xe comparable to those previously demonstrated using hyperpolarized 3He. In addition, xenon has the advantage of readily dissolving in lung tissue and blood following inhalation, which makes hyperpolarized 129Xe particularly attractive for exploring certain characteristics of lung function, such as gas exchange and uptake, which cannot be accessed using 3He. Preliminary results from methods for imaging 129Xe dissolved in the human lung suggest that these approaches will provide new opportunities for quantifying relationships among gas delivery, exchange, and transport, and thus show substantial potential to broaden our understanding of lung disease. Finally, recent changes in the commercial landscape of the hyperpolarized-gas field now make it possible for this innovative technology to move beyond the research lab. PMID:23355432

Silicon Nanoparticles as Hyperpolarized Magnetic Resonance Imaging Agents

PubMed Central

Aptekar, Jacob W.; Cassidy, Maja C.; Johnson, Alexander C.; Barton, Robert A.; Lee, Menyoung; Ogier, Alexander C.; Vo, Chinh; Anahtar, Melis N.; Ren, Yin; Bhatia, Sangeeta N.; Ramanathan, Chandrasekhar; Cory, David G.; Hill, Alison L.; Mair, Ross W.; Rosen, Matthew S.; Walsworth, Ronald L.

2014-01-01

Magnetic resonance imaging of hyperpolarized nuclei provides high image contrast with little or no background signal. To date, in-vivo applications of pre-hyperpolarized materials have been limited by relatively short nuclear spin relaxation times. Here, we investigate silicon nanoparticles as a new type of hyperpolarized magnetic resonance imaging agent. Nuclear spin relaxation times for a variety of Si nanoparticles are found to be remarkably long, ranging from many minutes to hours at room temperature, allowing hyperpolarized nanoparticles to be transported, administered, and imaged on practical time scales. Additionally, we demonstrate that Si nanoparticles can be surface functionalized using techniques common to other biologically targeted nanoparticle systems. These results suggest that Si nanoparticles can be used as a targetable, hyperpolarized magnetic resonance imaging agent with a large range of potential applications. PMID:19950973

Noninvasive in Vivo MRI Assessment of Prostate Cancer Using Hyperpolarized 15N Choline

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-01-01

for hyperpolarized 15N NMR and MRI, and (iii) to evaluate the efficacy of using hyperpolarized 15N choline as in vivo biomarker for prostate cancer...accomplished. GOAL 3. to evaluate the efficacy of using hyperpolarized 15N choline as in vivo biomarker for prostate cancer. For this Goal, the...science and technology? We currently have no metric to evaluate that the results of this project has any significant impact on public awareness or

Comparison of air space measurement imaged by CT, small-animal CT, and hyperpolarized Xe MRI

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Madani, Aniseh; White, Steven; Santyr, Giles; Cunningham, Ian

2005-04-01

Lung disease is the third leading cause of death in the western world. Lung air volume measurements are thought to be early indicators of lung disease and markers in pharmaceutical research. The purpose of this work is to develop a lung phantom for assessing and comparing the quantitative accuracy of hyperpolarized xenon 129 magnetic resonance imaging (HP 129Xe MRI), conventional computed tomography (HRCT), and highresolution small-animal CT (μCT) in measuring lung gas volumes. We developed a lung phantom consisting of solid cellulose acetate spheres (1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 mm diameter) uniformly packed in circulated air or HP 129Xe gas. Air volume is estimated based on simple thresholding algorithm. Truth is calculated from the sphere diameters and validated using μCT. While this phantom is not anthropomorphic, it enables us to directly measure air space volume and compare these imaging methods as a function of sphere diameter for the first time. HP 129Xe MRI requires partial volume analysis to distinguish regions with and without 129Xe gas and results are within %5 of truth but settling of the heavy 129Xe gas complicates this analysis. Conventional CT demonstrated partial-volume artifacts for the 1mm spheres. μCT gives the most accurate air-volume results. Conventional CT and HP 129Xe MRI give similar results although non-uniform densities of 129Xe require more sophisticated algorithms than simple thresholding. The threshold required to give the true air volume in both HRCT and μCT, varies with sphere diameters calling into question the validity of thresholding method.

Regional alveolar partial pressure of oxygen measurement with parallel accelerated hyperpolarized gas MRI.

PubMed

Kadlecek, Stephen; Hamedani, Hooman; Xu, Yinan; Emami, Kiarash; Xin, Yi; Ishii, Masaru; Rizi, Rahim

2013-10-01

Alveolar oxygen tension (Pao2) is sensitive to the interplay between local ventilation, perfusion, and alveolar-capillary membrane permeability, and thus reflects physiologic heterogeneity of healthy and diseased lung function. Several hyperpolarized helium ((3)He) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based Pao2 mapping techniques have been reported, and considerable effort has gone toward reducing Pao2 measurement error. We present a new Pao2 imaging scheme, using parallel accelerated MRI, which significantly reduces measurement error. The proposed Pao2 mapping scheme was computer-simulated and was tested on both phantoms and five human subjects. Where possible, correspondence between actual local oxygen concentration and derived values was assessed for both bias (deviation from the true mean) and imaging artifact (deviation from the true spatial distribution). Phantom experiments demonstrated a significantly reduced coefficient of variation using the accelerated scheme. Simulation results support this observation and predict that correspondence between the true spatial distribution and the derived map is always superior using the accelerated scheme, although the improvement becomes less significant as the signal-to-noise ratio increases. Paired measurements in the human subjects, comparing accelerated and fully sampled schemes, show a reduced Pao2 distribution width for 41 of 46 slices. In contrast to proton MRI, acceleration of hyperpolarized imaging has no signal-to-noise penalty; its use in Pao2 measurement is therefore always beneficial. Comparison of multiple schemes shows that the benefit arises from a longer time-base during which oxygen-induced depolarization modifies the signal strength. Demonstration of the accelerated technique in human studies shows the feasibility of the method and suggests that measurement error is reduced here as well, particularly at low signal-to-noise levels. Copyright © 2013 AUR. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Hyperpolarized 13 C,15 N2 -Urea MRI for assessment of the urea gradient in the porcine kidney.

PubMed

Hansen, Esben S S; Stewart, Neil J; Wild, Jim M; Stødkilde-Jørgensen, Hans; Laustsen, Christoffer

2016-12-01

A decline in cortico-medullary osmolality gradient of the kidney may serve as an early indicator of pathological disruption of the tubular reabsorption process. The purpose of this study was to investigate the feasibility of hyperpolarized 13 C, 15 N 2 -urea MRI as a biomarker of renal function in healthy porcine kidneys resembling the human physiology. Five healthy female Danish domestic pigs (weight 30 kg) were scanned at 3 Tesla (T) using a 13 C 3D balanced steady-state MR pulse sequence following injection of hyperpolarized 13 C, 15 N 2 -urea via a femoral vein catheter. Images were acquired at different time points after urea injection, and following treatment with furosemide. A gradient in cortico-medullary urea was observed with an intramedullary accumulation 75 s after injection of hyperpolarized 13 C, 15 N 2 -urea, whereas images acquired at earlier time points postinjection were dominated by cortical perfusion. Furosemide treatment resulted in an increased urea accumulation in the cortical space, leading to a reduction of the medullary-to-cortical signal ratio of 49%. This study demonstrates that hyperpolarized 13 C, 15 N 2 -urea MRI is capable of identifying the intrarenal accumulation of urea and can differentiate acute renal functional states in multipapillary kidneys, highlighting the potential for human translation. Magn Reson Med 76:1895-1899, 2016. © 2016 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. © 2016 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

Dynamic MRI of Grid-Tagged Hyperpolarized Helium-3 for the Assessment of Lung Motion During Breathing

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

Cai Jing; Sheng Ke; Benedict, Stanley H.

2009-09-01

Purpose: To develop a dynamic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) tagging technique using hyperpolarized helium-3 (HP He-3) to track lung motion. Methods and Materials: An accelerated non-Cartesian k-space trajectory was used to gain acquisition speed, at the cost of introducing image artifacts, providing a viable strategy for obtaining whole-lung coverage with adequate temporal resolution. Multiple-slice two-dimensional dynamic images of the lung were obtained in three healthy subjects after inhaling He-3 gas polarized to 35%-40%. Displacement, strain, and ventilation maps were computed from the observed motion of the grid peaks. Results: Both temporal and spatial variations of pulmonary mechanics were observed inmore » normal subjects, including shear motion between different lobes of the same lung. Conclusion: These initial results suggest that dynamic imaging of grid-tagged hyperpolarized magnetization may potentially be a powerful tool for observing and quantifying pulmonary biomechanics on a regional basis and for assessing, validating, and improving lung deformable image registration algorithms.« less

Synthesis of long T₁ silicon nanoparticles for hyperpolarized ²⁹Si magnetic resonance imaging.

PubMed

Atkins, Tonya M; Cassidy, Maja C; Lee, Menyoung; Ganguly, Shreyashi; Marcus, Charles M; Kauzlarich, Susan M

2013-02-26

We describe the synthesis, materials characterization, and dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) of amorphous and crystalline silicon nanoparticles for use as hyperpolarized magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) agents. The particles were synthesized by means of a metathesis reaction between sodium silicide (Na₄Si₄) and silicon tetrachloride (SiCl₄) and were surface functionalized with a variety of passivating ligands. The synthesis scheme results in particles of diameter ∼10 nm with long size-adjusted ²⁹Si spin-lattice relaxation (T₁) times (>600 s), which are retained after hyperpolarization by low-temperature DNP.

Synthesis of Long-T1 Silicon Nanoparticles for Hyperpolarized 29Si Magnetic Resonance Imaging

PubMed Central

Atkins, Tonya M.; Cassidy, Maja C.; Lee, Menyoung; Ganguly, Shreyashi; Marcus, Charles M.; Kauzlarich, Susan M.

2013-01-01

We describe the synthesis, materials characterization and dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) of amorphous and crystalline silicon nanoparticles for use as hyperpolarized magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) agents. The particles were synthesized by means of a metathesis reaction between sodium silicide (Na4Si4) and silicon tetrachloride (SiCl4) and were surface functionalized with a variety of passivating ligands. The synthesis scheme results in particles of diameter ~10 nm with long size-adjusted 29Si spin lattice relaxation (T1) times (> 600 s), which are retained after hyperpolarization by low temperature DNP. PMID:23350651

Silicon nanoparticles as hyperpolarized magnetic resonance imaging agents.

PubMed

Aptekar, Jacob W; Cassidy, Maja C; Johnson, Alexander C; Barton, Robert A; Lee, Menyoung; Ogier, Alexander C; Vo, Chinh; Anahtar, Melis N; Ren, Yin; Bhatia, Sangeeta N; Ramanathan, Chandrasekhar; Cory, David G; Hill, Alison L; Mair, Ross W; Rosen, Matthew S; Walsworth, Ronald L; Marcus, Charles M

2009-12-22

Magnetic resonance imaging of hyperpolarized nuclei provides high image contrast with little or no background signal. To date, in vivo applications of prehyperpolarized materials have been limited by relatively short nuclear spin relaxation times. Here, we investigate silicon nanoparticles as a new type of hyperpolarized magnetic resonance imaging agent. Nuclear spin relaxation times for a variety of Si nanoparticles are found to be remarkably long, ranging from many minutes to hours at room temperature, allowing hyperpolarized nanoparticles to be transported, administered, and imaged on practical time scales. Additionally, we demonstrate that Si nanoparticles can be surface functionalized using techniques common to other biologically targeted nanoparticle systems. These results suggest that Si nanoparticles can be used as a targetable, hyperpolarized magnetic resonance imaging agent with a large range of potential applications.

[MRI methods for pulmonary ventilation and perfusion imaging].

PubMed

Sommer, G; Bauman, G

2016-02-01

Separate assessment of respiratory mechanics, gas exchange and pulmonary circulation is essential for the diagnosis and therapy of pulmonary diseases. Due to the global character of the information obtained clinical lung function tests are often not sufficiently specific in the differential diagnosis or have a limited sensitivity in the detection of early pathological changes. The standard procedures of pulmonary imaging are computed tomography (CT) for depiction of the morphology as well as perfusion/ventilation scintigraphy and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) for functional assessment. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with hyperpolarized gases, O2-enhanced MRI, MRI with fluorinated gases and Fourier decomposition MRI (FD-MRI) are available for assessment of pulmonary ventilation. For assessment of pulmonary perfusion dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI), arterial spin labeling (ASL) and FD-MRI can be used. Imaging provides a more precise insight into the pathophysiology of pulmonary function on a regional level. The advantages of MRI are a lack of ionizing radiation, which allows a protective acquisition of dynamic data as well as the high number of available contrasts and therefore accessible lung function parameters. Sufficient clinical data exist only for certain applications of DCE-MRI. For the other techniques, only feasibility studies and case series of different sizes are available. The clinical applicability of hyperpolarized gases is limited for technical reasons. The clinical application of the techniques described, except for DCE-MRI, should be restricted to scientific studies.

Fast dynamic ventilation MRI of hyperpolarized 129Xe using spiral imaging

PubMed Central

Matin, Tahreema N.; Mcintyre, Anthony; Burns, Brian; Schulte, Rolf F.; Gleeson, Fergus V.; Bulte, Daniel

2017-01-01

Purpose To develop and optimize a rapid dynamic hyperpolarized 129Xe ventilation (DXeV) MRI protocol and investigate the feasibility of capturing pulmonary signal‐time curves in human lungs. Theory and Methods Spiral k‐space trajectories were designed with the number of interleaves N int = 1, 2, 4, and 8 corresponding to voxel sizes of 8 mm, 5 mm, 4 mm, and 2.5 mm, respectively, for field of view = 15 cm. DXeV images were acquired from a gas‐flow phantom to investigate the ability of N int = 1, 2, 4, and 8 to capture signal‐time curves. A finite element model was constructed to investigate gas‐flow dynamics corroborating the experimental signal‐time curves. DXeV images were also carried out in six subjects (three healthy and three chronic obstructive pulmonary disease subjects). Results DXeV images and numerical modelling of signal‐time curves permitted the quantification of temporal and spatial resolutions for different numbers of spiral interleaves. The two‐interleaved spiral (N int = 2) was found to be the most time‐efficient to obtain DXeV images and signal‐time curves of whole lungs with a temporal resolution of 624 ms for 13 slices. Signal‐time curves were well matched in three healthy volunteers. The Spearman's correlations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease subjects were statistically different from three healthy subjects (P < 0.05). Conclusion The N int = 2 spiral demonstrates the successful acquisition of DXeV images and signal‐time curves in healthy subjects and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients. Magn Reson Med 79:2597–2606, 2018. © 2017 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 License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is

NMR/MRI with hyperpolarized gas and high Tc SQUID

DOEpatents

Schlenga, Klaus; de Souza, Ricardo E.; Wong-Foy, Annjoe; Clarke, John; Pines, Alexander

2000-01-01

A method and apparatus for the detection of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) signals and production of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) from samples combines the use of hyperpolarized inert gases to enhance the NMR signals from target nuclei in a sample and a high critical temperature (Tc) superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) to detect the NMR signals. The system operates in static magnetic fields of 3 mT or less (down to 0.1 mT), and at temperatures from liquid nitrogen (77K) to room temperature. Sample size is limited only by the size of the magnetic field coils and not by the detector. The detector is a high Tc SQUID magnetometer designed so that the SQUID detector can be very close to the sample, which can be at room temperature.

Directly detected 55Mn MRI: Application to phantoms for human hyperpolarized 13C MRI development

PubMed Central

von Morze, Cornelius; Carvajal, Lucas; Reed, Galen D.; Swisher, Christine Leon; Tropp, James; Vigneron, Daniel B.

2014-01-01

In this work we demonstrate for the first time directly detected manganese-55 (55Mn) MRI using a clinical 3T MRI scanner designed for human hyperpolarized 13C clinical studies with no additional hardware modifications. Due to the similar frequency of the 55Mn and 13C resonances, the use of aqueous permanganate for large, signal-dense, and cost-effective “13C” MRI phantoms was investigated, addressing the clear need for new phantoms for these studies. Due to 100% natural abundance, higher intrinsic sensitivity, and favorable relaxation properties, 55Mn MRI of aqueous permanganate demonstrates dramatically increased sensitivity over typical 13C phantom MRI, at greatly reduced cost as compared with large 13C-enriched phantoms. A large sensitivity advantage (22-fold) was demonstrated. A cylindrical phantom (d= 8 cm) containing concentrated aqueous sodium permanganate (2.7M) was scanned rapidly by 55Mn MRI in a human head coil tuned for 13C, using a balanced SSFP acquisition. The requisite penetration of RF magnetic fields into concentrated permanganate was investigated by experiments and high frequency electromagnetic simulations, and found to be sufficient for 55Mn MRI with reasonably sized phantoms. A sub-second slice-selective acquisition yielded mean image SNR of ~60 at 0.5cm3 spatial resolution, distributed with minimum central signal ~40% of the maximum edge signal. We anticipate that permanganate phantoms will be very useful for testing HP 13C coils and methods designed for human studies. PMID:25179135

Hyperpolarized Magnetic Resonance: A Novel Technique for the In Vivo Assessment of Cardiovascular Disease

PubMed Central

Schroeder, Marie A.; Clarke, Kieran; Neubauer, Stefan; Tyler, Damian J.

2011-01-01

Non-invasive imaging plays a central role in cardiovascular disease for determining diagnosis, prognosis, and optimizing patient management. Recent experimental studies have demonstrated that monitoring hyperpolarized 13C-labelled tracers with magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy (MRI and MRS) offers a new way to investigate the normal and diseased heart, and that the technology may be useful in patients with heart disease. In this review, we show how hyperpolarized 13C-labelled tracers are generated and have been applied experimentally, and outline the methodological advances currently underway to enable translation of hyperpolarized 13C MRI and MRS into the clinic. Using hyperpolarized 13C-labelled metabolites and metabolic MRI and MRS could help assessment of many human cardiovascular diseases, including coronary artery disease, heart failure and metabolic cardiomyopathies. We discuss the clinical areas in which the technology may, in the future, aid in the diagnosis and management of patients with cardiovascular diseases, including dynamic investigations of in vivo metabolism, coronary angiography and quantitative perfusion imaging. It is possible that, in the future, hyperpolarized magnetic resonance will play a major role in clinical cardiology. PMID:21969318

Fast dynamic ventilation MRI of hyperpolarized 129 Xe using spiral imaging.

PubMed

Doganay, Ozkan; Matin, Tahreema N; Mcintyre, Anthony; Burns, Brian; Schulte, Rolf F; Gleeson, Fergus V; Bulte, Daniel

2018-05-01

To develop and optimize a rapid dynamic hyperpolarized 129 Xe ventilation (DXeV) MRI protocol and investigate the feasibility of capturing pulmonary signal-time curves in human lungs. Spiral k-space trajectories were designed with the number of interleaves N int  = 1, 2, 4, and 8 corresponding to voxel sizes of 8 mm, 5 mm, 4 mm, and 2.5 mm, respectively, for field of view = 15 cm. DXeV images were acquired from a gas-flow phantom to investigate the ability of N int  = 1, 2, 4, and 8 to capture signal-time curves. A finite element model was constructed to investigate gas-flow dynamics corroborating the experimental signal-time curves. DXeV images were also carried out in six subjects (three healthy and three chronic obstructive pulmonary disease subjects). DXeV images and numerical modelling of signal-time curves permitted the quantification of temporal and spatial resolutions for different numbers of spiral interleaves. The two-interleaved spiral (N int  = 2) was found to be the most time-efficient to obtain DXeV images and signal-time curves of whole lungs with a temporal resolution of 624 ms for 13 slices. Signal-time curves were well matched in three healthy volunteers. The Spearman's correlations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease subjects were statistically different from three healthy subjects (P < 0.05). The N int  = 2 spiral demonstrates the successful acquisition of DXeV images and signal-time curves in healthy subjects and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients. Magn Reson Med 79:2597-2606, 2018. © 2017 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 License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. © 2017 The Authors Magnetic Resonance in Medicine

Molecular MRI in the Earth's Magnetic Field Using Continuous Hyperpolarization of a Biomolecule in Water.

PubMed

Rovedo, Philipp; Knecht, Stephan; Bäumlisberger, Tim; Cremer, Anna Lena; Duckett, Simon B; Mewis, Ryan E; Green, Gary G R; Burns, Michael; Rayner, Peter J; Leibfritz, Dieter; Korvink, Jan G; Hennig, Jürgen; Pütz, Gerhard; von Elverfeldt, Dominik; Hövener, Jan-Bernd

2016-06-30

In this work, we illustrate a method to continuously hyperpolarize a biomolecule, nicotinamide, in water using parahydrogen and signal amplification by reversible exchange (SABRE). Building on the preparation procedure described recently by Truong et al. [ J. Phys. Chem. B , 2014 , 118 , 13882 - 13889 ], aqueous solutions of nicotinamide and an Ir-IMes catalyst were prepared for low-field NMR and MRI. The (1)H-polarization was continuously renewed and monitored by NMR experiments at 5.9 mT for more than 1000 s. The polarization achieved corresponds to that induced by a 46 T magnet (P = 1.6 × 10(-4)) or an enhancement of 10(4). The polarization persisted, although reduced, if cell culture medium (DPBS with Ca(2+) and Mg(2+)) or human cells (HL-60) were added, but was no longer observable after the addition of human blood. Using a portable MRI unit, fast (1)H-MRI was enabled by cycling the magnetic field between 5 mT and the Earth's field for hyperpolarization and imaging, respectively. A model describing the underlying spin physics was developed that revealed a polarization pattern depending on both contact time and magnetic field. Furthermore, the model predicts an opposite phase of the dihydrogen and substrate signal after one exchange, which is likely to result in the cancelation of some signal at low field.

Monitoring tumor response of prostate cancer to radiation therapy by multi-parametric 1H and hyperpolarized 13C magnetic resonance imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Vickie Yi

Radiation therapy is one of the most common curative therapies for patients with localized prostate cancer, but despite excellent success rates, a significant number of patients suffer post- treatment cancer recurrence. The accurate characterization of early tumor response remains a major challenge for the clinical management of these patients. Multi-parametric MRI/1H MR spectroscopy imaging (MRSI) has been shown to increase the diagnostic performance in evaluating the effectiveness of radiation therapy. 1H MRSI can detect altered metabolic profiles in cancerous tissue. In this project, the concentrations of prostate metabolites from snap-frozen biopsies of recurrent cancer after failed radiation therapy were correlated with histopathological findings to identify quantitative biomarkers that predict for residual aggressive versus indolent cancer. The total choline to creatine ratio was significantly higher in recurrent aggressive versus indolent cancer, suggesting that use of a higher threshold tCho/Cr ratio in future in vivo 1H MRSI studies could improve the selection and therapeutic planning for patients after failed radiation therapy. Varying radiation doses may cause a diverse effect on prostate cancer micro-environment and metabolism, which could hold the key to improving treatment protocols for individual patients. The recent development and clinical translation of hyperpolarized 13C MRI have provided the ability to monitor both changes in the tumor micro-environment and its metabolism using a multi-probe approach, [1-13C]pyruvate and 13C urea, combined with 1H Multi-parametric MRI. In this thesis, hyperpolarized 13C MRI, 1H dynamic contrast enhancement, and diffusion weighted imaging were used to identify early radiation dose response in a transgenic prostate cancer model. Hyperpolarized pyruvate to lactate metabolism significantly decreased in a dose dependent fashion by 1 day after radiation therapy, prior to any changes observed using 1H DCE and diffusion

Accelerated Fractional Ventilation Imaging with Hyperpolarized Gas MRI

PubMed Central

Emami, Kiarash; Xu, Yinan; Hamedani, Hooman; Profka, Harrilla; Kadlecek, Stephen; Xin, Yi; Ishii, Masaru; Rizi, Rahim R.

2013-01-01

PURPOSE To investigate the utility of accelerated imaging to enhance multi-breath fractional ventilation (r) measurement accuracy using HP gas MRI. Undersampling shortens the breath-hold time, thereby reducing the O2-induced signal decay and allows subjects to maintain a more physiologically relevant breathing pattern. Additionally it may improve r estimation accuracy by reducing RF destruction of HP gas. METHODS Image acceleration was achieved by using an 8-channel phased array coil. Undersampled image acquisition was simulated in a series of ventilation images and images were reconstructed for various matrix sizes (48–128) using GRAPPA. Parallel accelerated r imaging was also performed on five mechanically ventilated pigs. RESULTS Optimal acceleration factor was fairly invariable (2.0–2.2×) over the range of simulated resolutions. Estimation accuracy progressively improved with higher resolutions (39–51% error reduction). In vivo r values were not significantly different between the two methods: 0.27±0.09, 0.35±0.06, 0.40±0.04 (standard) versus 0.23±0.05, 0.34±0.03, 0.37±0.02 (accelerated); for anterior, medial and posterior slices, respectively, whereas the corresponding vertical r gradients were significant (P < 0.001): 0.021±0.007 (standard) versus 0.019±0.005 (accelerated) [cm−1]. CONCLUSION Quadruple phased array coil simulations resulted in an optimal acceleration factor of ~2× independent of imaging resolution. Results advocate undersampled image acceleration to improve accuracy of fractional ventilation measurement with HP gas MRI. PMID:23400938

Multi-slice Fractional Ventilation Imaging in Large Animals with Hyperpolarized Gas MRI

PubMed Central

Emami, Kiarash; Xu, Yinan; Hamedani, Hooman; Xin, Yi; Profka, Harrilla; Rajaei, Jennia; Kadlecek, Stephen; Ishii, Masaru; Rizi, Rahim R.

2012-01-01

Noninvasive assessment of regional lung ventilation is of critical importance in quantifying the severity of disease and evaluating response to therapy in many pulmonary diseases. This work presents for the first time the implementation of a hyperpolarized (HP) gas MRI technique for measuring whole-lung regional fractional ventilation (r) in Yorkshire pigs (n = 5) through the use of a gas mixing and delivery device in supine position. The proposed technique utilizes a series of back-to-back HP gas breaths with images acquired during short end-inspiratory breath-holds. In order to decouple the RF pulse decay effect from ventilatory signal build-up in the airways, regional distribution of flip angle (α) was estimated in the imaged slices by acquiring a series of back-to-back images with no inter-scan time delay during a breath-hold at the tail-end of the ventilation sequence. Analysis was performed to assess the multi-slice ventilation model sensitivity to noise, oxygen and number of flip angle images. The optimal α value was determined based on minimizing the error in r estimation; αopt = 5–6° for the set of acquisition parameters in pigs. The mean r values for the group of pigs were 0.27±0.09, 0.35±0.06, 0.40±0.04 for ventral, middle and dorsal slices, respectively, (excluding conductive airways r > 0.9). A positive gravitational (ventral-dorsal) ventilation gradient effect was present in all animals. The trachea and major conductive airways showed a uniform near-unity r value, with progressively smaller values corresponding to smaller diameter airways, and ultimately leading to lung parenchyma. Results demonstrate the feasibility of measurements of fractional ventilation in large species, and provides a platform to address technical challenges associated with long breathing time scales through the optimization of acquisition parameters in species with a pulmonary physiology very similar to that of human beings. PMID:22290603

Passive shimming of the fringe field of a superconducting magnet for ultra-low field hyperpolarized noble gas MRI.

PubMed

Parra-Robles, Juan; Cross, Albert R; Santyr, Giles E

2005-05-01

Hyperpolarized noble gases (HNGs) provide exciting possibilities for MR imaging at ultra-low magnetic field strengths (<0.15 T) due to the extremely high polarizations available from optical pumping. The fringe field of many superconductive magnets used in clinical MR imaging can provide a stable magnetic field for this purpose. In addition to offering the benefit of HNG MR imaging alongside conventional high field proton MRI, this approach offers the other useful advantage of providing different field strengths at different distances from the magnet. However, the extremely strong field gradients associated with the fringe field present a major challenge for imaging since impractically high active shim currents would be required to achieve the necessary homogeneity. In this work, a simple passive shimming method based on the placement of a small number of ferromagnetic pieces is proposed to reduce the fringe field inhomogeneities to a level that can be corrected using standard active shims. The method explicitly takes into account the strong variations of the field over the volume of the ferromagnetic pieces used to shim. The method is used to obtain spectra in the fringe field of a high-field (1.89 T) superconducting magnet from hyperpolarized 129Xe gas samples at two different ultra-low field strengths (8.5 and 17 mT). The linewidths of spectra measured from imaging phantoms (30 Hz) indicate a homogeneity sufficient for MRI of the rat lung.

Selective spectroscopic imaging of hyperpolarized pyruvate and its metabolites using a single-echo variable phase advance method in balanced SSFP

PubMed Central

Varma, Gopal; Wang, Xiaoen; Vinogradov, Elena; Bhatt, Rupal S.; Sukhatme, Vikas; Seth, Pankaj; Lenkinski, Robert E.; Alsop, David C.; Grant, Aaron K.

2015-01-01

Purpose In balanced steady state free precession (bSSFP), the signal intensity has a well-known dependence on the off-resonance frequency, or, equivalently, the phase advance between successive radiofrequency (RF) pulses. The signal profile can be used to resolve the contributions from the spectrally separated metabolites. This work describes a method based on use of a variable RF phase advance to acquire spatial and spectral data in a time-efficient manner for hyperpolarized 13C MRI. Theory and Methods The technique relies on the frequency response from a bSSFP acquisition to acquire relatively rapid, high-resolution images that may be reconstructed to separate contributions from different metabolites. The ability to produce images from spectrally separated metabolites was demonstrated in-vitro, as well as in-vivo following administration of hyperpolarized 1-13C pyruvate in mice with xenograft tumors. Results In-vivo images of pyruvate, alanine, pyruvate hydrate and lactate were reconstructed from 4 images acquired in 2 seconds with an in-plane resolution of 1.25 × 1.25mm2 and 5mm slice thickness. Conclusions The phase advance method allowed acquisition of spectroscopically selective images with high spatial and temporal resolution. This method provides an alternative approach to hyperpolarized 13C spectroscopic MRI that can be combined with other techniques such as multi-echo or fluctuating equilibrium bSSFP. PMID:26507361

Magnetic resonance imaging with hyperpolarized agents: methods and applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adamson, Erin B.; Ludwig, Kai D.; Mummy, David G.; Fain, Sean B.

2017-07-01

In the past decade, hyperpolarized (HP) contrast agents have been under active development for MRI applications to address the twin challenges of functional and quantitative imaging. Both HP helium (3He) and xenon (129Xe) gases have reached the stage where they are under study in clinical research. HP 129Xe, in particular, is poised for larger scale clinical research to investigate asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and fibrotic lung diseases. With advances in polarizer technology and unique capabilities for imaging of 129Xe gas exchange into lung tissue and blood, HP 129Xe MRI is attracting new attention. In parallel, HP 13C and 15N MRI methods have steadily advanced in a wide range of pre-clinical research applications for imaging metabolism in various cancers and cardiac disease. The HP [1-13C] pyruvate MRI technique, in particular, has undergone phase I trials in prostate cancer and is poised for investigational new drug trials at multiple institutions in cancer and cardiac applications. This review treats the methodology behind both HP gases and HP 13C and 15N liquid state agents. Gas and liquid phase HP agents share similar technologies for achieving non-equilibrium polarization outside the field of the MRI scanner, strategies for image data acquisition, and translational challenges in moving from pre-clinical to clinical research. To cover the wide array of methods and applications, this review is organized by numerical section into (1) a brief introduction, (2) the physical and biological properties of the most common polarized agents with a brief summary of applications and methods of polarization, (3) methods for image acquisition and reconstruction specific to improving data acquisition efficiency for HP MRI, (4) the main physical properties that enable unique measures of physiology or metabolic pathways, followed by a more detailed review of the literature describing the use of HP agents to study: (5) metabolic pathways in cancer and cardiac

Imaging Human Brain Perfusion with Inhaled Hyperpolarized 129Xe MR Imaging.

PubMed

Rao, Madhwesha R; Stewart, Neil J; Griffiths, Paul D; Norquay, Graham; Wild, Jim M

2018-02-01

Purpose To evaluate the feasibility of directly imaging perfusion of human brain tissue by using magnetic resonance (MR) imaging with inhaled hyperpolarized xenon 129 ( 129 Xe). Materials and Methods In vivo imaging with 129 Xe was performed in three healthy participants. The combination of a high-yield spin-exchange optical pumping 129 Xe polarizer, custom-built radiofrequency coils, and an optimized gradient-echo MR imaging protocol was used to achieve signal sensitivity sufficient to directly image hyperpolarized 129 Xe dissolved in the human brain. Conventional T1-weighted proton (hydrogen 1 [ 1 H]) images and perfusion images by using arterial spin labeling were obtained for comparison. Results Images of 129 Xe uptake were obtained with a signal-to-noise ratio of 31 ± 9 and demonstrated structural similarities to the gray matter distribution on conventional T1-weighted 1 H images and to perfusion images from arterial spin labeling. Conclusion Hyperpolarized 129 Xe MR imaging is an injection-free means of imaging the perfusion of cerebral tissue. The proposed method images the uptake of inhaled xenon gas to the extravascular brain tissue compartment across the intact blood-brain barrier. This level of sensitivity is not readily available with contemporary MR imaging methods. © RSNA, 2017.

WE-AB-202-07: Ventilation CT: Voxel-Level Comparison with Hyperpolarized Helium-3 & Xenon-129 MRI

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

Tahir, B; Marshall, H; Hughes, P

Purpose: To compare the spatial correlation of ventilation surrogates computed from inspiratory and expiratory breath-hold CT with hyperpolarized Helium-3 & Xenon-129 MRI in a cohort of lung cancer patients. Methods: 5 patients underwent expiration & inspiration breath-hold CT. Xenon-129 & {sup 1}H MRI were also acquired at the same inflation state as inspiratory CT. This was followed immediately by acquisition of Helium-3 & {sup 1}H MRI in the same breath and at the same inflation state as inspiratory CT. Expiration CT was deformably registered to inspiration CT for calculation of ventilation CT from voxel-wise differences in Hounsfield units. Inspiration CTmore » and the Xenon-129’s corresponding anatomical {sup 1}H MRI were registered to Helium-3 MRI via the same-breath anatomical {sup 1}H MRI. This enabled direct comparison of CT ventilation with Helium-3 MRI & Xenon-129 MRI for the median values in corresponding regions of interest, ranging from finer to coarser in-plane dimensions of 10 by 10, 20 by 20, 30 by 30 and 40 by 40, located within the lungs as defined by the same-breath {sup 1}H MRI lung mask. Spearman coefficients were used to assess voxel-level correlation. Results: The median Spearman’s coefficients of ventilation CT with Helium-3 & Xenon-129 MRI for ROIs of 10 by 10, 20 by 20, 30 by 30 and 40 by 40 were 0.52, 0.56, 0.60 and 0.68 and 0.40, 0.42, 0.52 and 0.70, respectively. Conclusion: This work demonstrates a method of acquiring CT & hyperpolarized gas MRI (Helium-3 & Xenon-129 MRI) in similar breath-holds to enable direct spatial comparison of ventilation maps. Initial results show moderate correlation between ventilation CT & hyperpolarized gas MRI, improving for coarser regions which could be attributable to the inherent noise in CT intensity, non-ventilatory effects and registration errors at the voxel-level. Thus, it may be more beneficial to quantify ventilation at a more regional level.« less

Investigation of Lung Structure-Function Relationships Using Hyperpolarized Noble Gases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thomen, Robert P.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is an application of the nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) phenomenon to non-invasively generate 3D tomographic images. MRI is an emerging modality for the lung, but it suffers from low sensitivity due to inherent low tissue density and short T(*/2) . Hyperpolarization is a process by which the nuclear contribution to NMR signal is greatly enhanced to more than 100,000 times that of samples in thermal equilibrium. The noble gases 3He and 129Xe are most often hyperpolarized by transfer of light angular momentum through the electron of a vaporized alkali metal to the noble gas nucleus (called Spin Exchange Optical Pumping). The enhancement in NMR signal is so great that the gas itself can be imaged via MRI, and because noble gases are chemically inert, they can be safely inhaled by a subject, and the gas distribution within the interior of the lung can be imaged. The mechanics of respiration is an elegant physical process by which air is is brought into the distal airspaces of the lungs for oxygen/carbon dioxide gas exchange with blood. Therefore proper description of lung function is intricately related to its physical structure , and the basic mechanical operation of healthy lungs -- from pressure driven airflow, to alveolar airspace gas kinetics, to gas exchange by blood/gas concentration gradients, to elastic contraction of parenchymal tissue -- is a process decidedly governed by the laws of physics. This dissertation will describe experiments investigating the relationship of lung structure and function using hyperpolarized (HP) noble gas MRI. In particular HP gases will be applied to the study of several pulmonary diseases each of which demonstrates unique structure-function abnormalities: asthma, cystic fibrosis, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Successful implementation of an HP gas acquisition protocol for pulmonary studies is an involved and stratified undertaking which requires a solid theoretical foundation in NMR

MO-G-18C-03: Evaluation of Deformable Image Registration for Lung Motion Estimation Using Hyperpolarized Gas Tagging MRI

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

Huang, Q; Zhang, Y; Liu, Y

2014-06-15

Purpose: Hyperpolarized gas (HP) tagging MRI is a novel imaging technique for direct measurement of lung motion during breathing. This study aims to quantitatively evaluate the accuracy of deformable image registration (DIR) in lung motion estimation using HP tagging MRI as references. Methods: Three healthy subjects were imaged using the HP MR tagging, as well as a high-resolution 3D proton MR sequence (TrueFISP) at the end-of-inhalation (EOI) and the end-of-exhalation (EOE). Ground truth of lung motion and corresponding displacement vector field (tDVF) was derived from HP tagging MRI by manually tracking the displacement of tagging grids between EOI and EOE.more » Seven different DIR methods were applied to the high-resolution TrueFISP MR images (EOI and EOE) to generate the DIR-based DVFs (dDVF). The DIR methods include Velocity (VEL), MIM, Mirada, multi-grid B-spline from Elastix (MGB) and 3 other algorithms from DIRART toolbox (Double Force Demons (DFD), Improved Lucas-Kanade (ILK), and Iterative Optical Flow (IOF)). All registrations were performed by independent experts. Target registration error (TRE) was calculated as tDVF – dDVF. Analysis was performed for the entire lungs, and separately for the upper and lower lungs. Results: Significant differences between tDVF and dDVF were observed. Besides the DFD and IOF algorithms, all other dDVFs showed similarity in deformation magnitude distribution but away from the ground truth. The average TRE for entire lung ranged 2.5−23.7mm (mean=8.8mm), depending on the DIR method and subject's breathing amplitude. Larger TRE (13.3–23.7mm) was found in subject with larger breathing amplitude of 45.6mm. TRE was greater in lower lung (2.5−33.9 mm, mean=12.4mm) than that in upper lung (2.5−11.9 mm, mean=5.8mm). Conclusion: Significant differences were observed in lung motion estimation between the HP gas tagging MRI method and the DIR methods, especially when lung motion is large. Large variation among different

Concentric Rings K-Space Trajectory for Hyperpolarized 13C MR Spectroscopic Imaging

PubMed Central

Jiang, Wenwen; Lustig, Michael; Larson, Peder E.Z.

2014-01-01

Purpose To develop a robust and rapid imaging technique for hyperpolarized 13C MR Spectroscopic Imaging (MRSI) and investigate its performance. Methods A concentric rings readout trajectory with constant angular velocity is proposed for hyperpolarized 13C spectroscopic imaging and its properties are analyzed. Quantitative analyses of design tradeoffs are presented for several imaging scenarios. The first application of concentric rings on 13C phantoms and in vivo animal hyperpolarized 13C MRSI studies were performed to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed method. Finally, a parallel imaging accelerated concentric rings study is presented. Results The concentric rings MRSI trajectory has the advantages of acquisition timesaving compared to echo-planar spectroscopic imaging (EPSI). It provides sufficient spectral bandwidth with relatively high SNR efficiency compared to EPSI and spiral techniques. Phantom and in vivo animal studies showed good image quality with half the scan time and reduced pulsatile flow artifacts compared to EPSI. Parallel imaging accelerated concentric rings showed advantages over Cartesian sampling in g-factor simulations and demonstrated aliasing-free image quality in a hyperpolarized 13C in vivo study. Conclusion The concentric rings trajectory is a robust and rapid imaging technique that fits very well with the speed, bandwidth, and resolution requirements of hyperpolarized 13C MRSI. PMID:25533653

A 24-ch Phased-Array System for Hyperpolarized Helium Gas Parallel MRI to Evaluate Lung Functions.

PubMed

Lee, Ray; Johnson, Glyn; Stefanescu, Cornel; Trampel, Robert; McGuinness, Georgeann; Stoeckel, Bernd

2005-01-01

Hyperpolarized 3He gas MRI has a serious potential for assessing pulmonary functions. Due to the fact that the non-equilibrium of the gas results in a steady depletion of the signal level over the course of the excitations, the signal-tonoise ratio (SNR) can be independent of the number of the data acquisitions under certain circumstances. This provides a unique opportunity for parallel MRI for gaining both temporal and spatial resolution without reducing SNR. We have built a 24-channel receive / 2-channel transmit phased array system for 3He parallel imaging. Our in vivo experimental results proved that the significant temporal and spatial resolution can be gained at no cost to the SNR. With 3D data acquisition, eight fold (2x4) scan time reduction can be achieved without any aliasing in images. Additionally, a rigid analysis using the low impedance preamplifier for decoupling presented evidence of strong coupling.

Poster - Thur Eve - 16: Four-dimensional x-ray computed tomography and hyperpolarized 3 He magnetic resonance imaging of gas distribution in lung cancer.

PubMed

Mathew, L; Castillo, R; Castillo, E; Yaremko, B; Rodrigues, G; Etemad-Rezai, R; Guerrero, T; Parraga, G

2012-07-01

Dynamic imaging methods such as four-dimensional computed tomography (4DCT) and static imaging methods such as noble gas magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) deliver direct and regional measurements of lung function even in lung cancer patients in whom global lung function measurements are dominated by tumour burden. The purpose of this study was to directly compare quantitative measurements of gas distribution from static hyperpolarized 3 He MRI and dynamic 4DCT in a small group of lung cancer patients. MRI and 4DCT were performed in 11 subjects prior to radiation therapy. MRI was performed at 3.0T in breath-hold after inhalation 1L of hyperpolarized 3 He gas. Gas distribution in 3 He MRI was quantified using a semi-automated segmentation algorithm to generate percent-ventilated volume (PVV), reflecting the volume of gas in the lung normalized to the thoracic cavity volume. 4DCT pulmonary function maps were generated using deformable image registration of six expiratory phase images. The correspondence between identical tissue elements at inspiratory and expiratory phases was used to estimate regional gas distribution and PVV was quantified from these images. After accounting for differences in lung volumes between 3 He MRI (1.9±0.5L ipsilateral, 2.3±0.7 contralateral) and 4DCT (1.2±0.3L ipsilateral, 1.3±0.4L contralateral) during image acquisition, there was no statistically significant difference in PVV between 3 He MRI (72±11% ipsilateral, 79±12% contralateral) and 4DCT (74±3% ipsilateral, 75±4% contralateral). Our results indicate quantitative agreement in the regional distribution of inhaled gas in both static and dynamic imaging methods. PVV may be considered as a regional surrogate measurement of lung function or ventilation. © 2012 American Association of Physicists in Medicine.

In vivo detection of cucurbit[6]uril, a hyperpolarized xenon contrast agent for a xenon magnetic resonance imaging biosensor

PubMed Central

Hane, Francis T.; Li, Tao; Smylie, Peter; Pellizzari, Raiili M.; Plata, Jennifer A.; DeBoef, Brenton; Albert, Mitchell S.

2017-01-01

The Hyperpolarized gas Chemical Exchange Saturation Transfer (HyperCEST) Magnetic Resonance (MR) technique has the potential to increase the sensitivity of a hyperpolarized xenon-129 MRI contrast agent. Signal enhancement is accomplished by selectively depolarizing the xenon within a cage molecule which, upon exchange, reduces the signal in the dissolved phase pool. Herein we demonstrate the in vivo detection of the cucurbit[6]uril (CB6) contrast agent within the vasculature of a living rat. Our work may be used as a stepping stone towards using the HyperCEST technique as a molecular imaging modality. PMID:28106110

Cancer in the crosshairs: targeting cancer metabolism with hyperpolarized carbon-13 MRI technology.

PubMed

von Morze, Cornelius; Merritt, Matthew E

2018-06-05

Magnetic resonance (MR)-based hyperpolarized (HP) 13 C metabolic imaging is under active pursuit as a new clinical diagnostic method for cancer detection, grading, and monitoring of therapeutic response. Following the tremendous success of metabolic imaging by positron emission tomography, which already plays major roles in clinical oncology, the added value of HP 13 C MRI is emerging. Aberrant glycolysis and central carbon metabolism is a hallmark of many forms of cancer. The chemical transformations associated with these pathways produce metabolites ranging in general from three to six carbons, and are dependent on the redox state and energy charge of the tissue. The significant changes in chemistry associated with flux through these pathways imply that HP imaging can take advantage of the underlying chemical shift information encoded into an MR experiment to produce images of the injected substrate as well as its metabolites. However, imaging of HP metabolites poses unique constraints on pulse sequence design related to detection of X-nuclei, decay of the HP magnetization due to T 1 , and the consumption of HP signal by the inspection pulses. Advancements in the field continue to depend critically on customization of MRI systems and pulse sequences for optimized detection of HP 13 C signals, focused largely on extracting the maximum amount of information during the short lifetime of the HP magnetization. From a clinical perspective, the success of HP 13 C MRI of cancer will largely depend upon the utility of HP pyruvate for the detection of lactate pools associated with the Warburg effect, though several other agents are also under investigation, with novel agents continually being formulated. In this review, the salient aspects of HP 13 C imaging will be highlighted, with an emphasis on both technological challenges and the biochemical aspects of HP experimental design. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Whole lung morphometry with 3D multiple b-value hyperpolarized gas MRI and compressed sensing.

PubMed

Chan, Ho-Fung; Stewart, Neil J; Parra-Robles, Juan; Collier, Guilhem J; Wild, Jim M

2017-05-01

To demonstrate three-dimensional (3D) multiple b-value diffusion-weighted (DW) MRI of hyperpolarized 3 He gas for whole lung morphometry with compressed sensing (CS). A fully-sampled, two b-value, 3D hyperpolarized 3 He DW-MRI dataset was acquired from the lungs of a healthy volunteer and retrospectively undersampled in the k y and k z phase-encoding directions for CS simulations. Optimal k-space undersampling patterns were determined by minimizing the mean absolute error between reconstructed and fully-sampled 3 He apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) maps. Prospective three-fold, undersampled, 3D multiple b-value 3 He DW-MRI datasets were acquired from five healthy volunteers and one chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patient, and the mean values of maps of ADC and mean alveolar dimension (Lm D ) were validated against two-dimensional (2D) and 3D fully-sampled 3 He DW-MRI experiments. Reconstructed undersampled datasets showed no visual artifacts and good preservation of the main image features and quantitative information. A good agreement between fully-sampled and prospective undersampled datasets was found, with a mean difference of +3.4% and +5.1% observed in mean global ADC and Lm D values, respectively. These differences were within the standard deviation range and consistent with values reported from healthy and COPD lungs. Accelerated CS acquisition has facilitated 3D multiple b-value 3 He DW-MRI scans in a single breath-hold, enabling whole lung morphometry mapping. Magn Reson Med 77:1916-1925, 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 License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. © 2016 The Authors Magnetic Resonance in Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on

Towards hyperpolarized 13C-succinate imaging of brain cancer

PubMed Central

Bhattacharya, Pratip; Chekmenev, Eduard Y.; Perman, William H.; Harris, Kent C.; Lin, Alexander P.; Norton, Valerie A.; Tan, Chou T.; Ross, Brian D.; Weitekamp, Daniel P.

2009-01-01

We describe a novel 13C enriched precursor molecule, sodium 1-13C acetylenedicarboxylate, which after hydrogenation by PASADE-NA (Parahydrogen and Synthesis Allows Dramatically Enhanced Nuclear Alignment) under controlled experimental conditions, becomes hyperpolarized 13C sodium succinate. Fast in vivo 3D FIESTA MR imaging demonstrated that, following carotid arterial injection, the hyperpolarized 13C-succinate appeared in the head and cerebral circulation of normal and tumor-bearing rats. At this time, no in vivo hyperpolarized signal has been localized to normal brain or brain tumor. On the other hand, ex vivo samples of brain harvested from rats bearing a 9L brain tumor, 1 h or more following in vivo carotid injection of hyperpolarized 13C sodium succinate, contained significant concentrations of the injected substrate, 13C sodium succinate, together with 13C maleate and succinate metabolites 1-13C-glutamate, 5-13C-glutamate, 1-13C-glutamine and 5-13C-glutamine. The 13C substrates and products were below the limits of NMR detection in ex vivo samples of normal brain consistent with an intact blood–brain barrier. These ex vivo results indicate that hyperpolarized 13C sodium succinate may become a useful tool for rapid in vivo identification of brain tumors, providing novel biomarkers in 13C MR spectral-spatial images. PMID:17303454

Towards hyperpolarized 13C-succinate imaging of brain cancer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhattacharya, Pratip; Chekmenev, Eduard Y.; Perman, William H.; Harris, Kent C.; Lin, Alexander P.; Norton, Valerie A.; Tan, Chou T.; Ross, Brian D.; Weitekamp, Daniel P.

2007-05-01

We describe a novel 13C enriched precursor molecule, sodium 1- 13C acetylenedicarboxylate, which after hydrogenation by PASADENA (Parahydrogen and Synthesis Allows Dramatically Enhanced Nuclear Alignment) under controlled experimental conditions, becomes hyperpolarized 13C sodium succinate. Fast in vivo 3D FIESTA MR imaging demonstrated that, following carotid arterial injection, the hyperpolarized 13C-succinate appeared in the head and cerebral circulation of normal and tumor-bearing rats. At this time, no in vivo hyperpolarized signal has been localized to normal brain or brain tumor. On the other hand, ex vivo samples of brain harvested from rats bearing a 9L brain tumor, 1 h or more following in vivo carotid injection of hyperpolarized 13C sodium succinate, contained significant concentrations of the injected substrate, 13C sodium succinate, together with 13C maleate and succinate metabolites 1- 13C-glutamate, 5- 13C-glutamate, 1- 13C-glutamine and 5- 13C-glutamine. The 13C substrates and products were below the limits of NMR detection in ex vivo samples of normal brain consistent with an intact blood-brain barrier. These ex vivo results indicate that hyperpolarized 13C sodium succinate may become a useful tool for rapid in vivo identification of brain tumors, providing novel biomarkers in 13C MR spectral-spatial images.

Extending the Scope of 19F Hyperpolarization through Signal Amplification by Reversible Exchange in MRI and NMR Spectroscopy

PubMed Central

Olaru, Alexandra M.; Robertson, Thomas B. R.; Lewis, Jennifer S.; Antony, Alex; Iali, Wissam

2017-01-01

Abstract Fluorinated ligands have a variety of uses in chemistry and industry, but it is their medical applications as 18F‐labelled positron emission tomography (PET) tracers where they are most visible. In this work, we illustrate the potential of using 19F‐containing ligands as future magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents and as probes in magnetic resonance spectroscopy studies by significantly increasing their magnetic resonance detectability through the signal amplification by reversible exchange (SABRE) hyperpolarization method. We achieve 19F SABRE polarization in a wide range of molecules, including those essential to medication, and analyze how their steric bulk, the substrate loading, polarization transfer field, pH, and rate of ligand exchange impact the efficiency of SABRE. We conclude by presenting 19F MRI results in phantoms, which demonstrate that many of these agents show great promise as future 19F MRI contrast agents for diagnostic investigations. PMID:29318102

Distal airways in humans: dynamic hyperpolarized 3He MR imaging--feasibility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tooker, Angela C.; Hong, Kwan Soo; McKinstry, Erin L.; Costello, Philip; Jolesz, Ferenc A.; Albert, Mitchell S.

2003-01-01

Dynamic hyperpolarized helium 3 (3He) magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of the human airways is achieved by using a fast gradient-echo pulse sequence during inhalation. The resulting dynamic images show differential contrast enhancement of both distal airways and the lung periphery, unlike static hyperpolarized 3He MR images on which only the lung periphery is seen. With this technique, up to seventh-generation airway branching can be visualized. Copyright RSNA, 2003.

Thermal annihilation of photo-induced radicals following dynamic nuclear polarization to produce transportable frozen hyperpolarized 13C-substrates

PubMed Central

Capozzi, Andrea; Cheng, Tian; Boero, Giovanni; Roussel, Christophe; Comment, Arnaud

2017-01-01

Hyperpolarization via dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) is pivotal for boosting magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sensitivity and dissolution DNP can be used to perform in vivo real-time 13C MRI. The type of applications is however limited by the relatively fast decay time of the hyperpolarized spin state together with the constraint of having to polarize the 13C spins in a dedicated apparatus nearby but separated from the MRI magnet. We herein demonstrate that by polarizing 13C with photo-induced radicals, which can be subsequently annihilated using a thermalization process that maintains the sample temperature below its melting point, hyperpolarized 13C-substrates can be extracted from the DNP apparatus in the solid form, while maintaining the enhanced 13C polarization. The melting procedure necessary to transform the frozen solid into an injectable solution containing the hyperpolarized 13C-substrates can therefore be performed ex situ, up to several hours after extraction and storage of the polarized solid. PMID:28569840

Considering low-rank, sparse and gas-inflow effects constraints for accelerated pulmonary dynamic hyperpolarized 129Xe MRI

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiao, Sa; Deng, He; Duan, Caohui; Xie, Junshuai; Zhang, Huiting; Sun, Xianping; Ye, Chaohui; Zhou, Xin

2018-05-01

Dynamic hyperpolarized (HP) 129Xe MRI is able to visualize the process of lung ventilation, which potentially provides unique information about lung physiology and pathophysiology. However, the longitudinal magnetization of HP 129Xe is nonrenewable, making it difficult to achieve high image quality while maintaining high temporal-spatial resolution in the pulmonary dynamic MRI. In this paper, we propose a new accelerated dynamic HP 129Xe MRI scheme incorporating the low-rank, sparse and gas-inflow effects (L + S + G) constraints. According to the gas-inflow effects of HP gas during the lung inspiratory process, a variable-flip-angle (VFA) strategy is designed to compensate for the rapid attenuation of the magnetization. After undersampling k-space data, an effective reconstruction algorithm considering the low-rank, sparse and gas-inflow effects constraints is developed to reconstruct dynamic MR images. In this way, the temporal and spatial resolution of dynamic MR images is improved and the artifacts are lessened. Simulation and in vivo experiments implemented on the phantom and healthy volunteers demonstrate that the proposed method is not only feasible and effective to compensate for the decay of the magnetization, but also has a significant improvement compared with the conventional reconstruction algorithms (P-values are less than 0.05). This confirms the superior performance of the proposed designs and their ability to maintain high quality and temporal-spatial resolution.

Gas Phase UTE MRI of Propane and Propene

PubMed Central

Kovtunov, Kirill V.; Romanov, Alexey S.; Salnikov, Oleg G.; Barskiy, Danila A.; Chekmenev, Eduard Y.; Koptyug, Igor V.

2016-01-01

1H MRI of gases can potentially enable functional lung imaging to probe gas ventilation and other functions. In this work, 1H MR images of hyperpolarized and thermally polarized propane gas were obtained using UTE (ultrashort echo time) pulse sequence. A 2D image of thermally polarized propane gas with ~0.9×0.9 mm2 spatial resolution was obtained in less than 2 seconds, demonstrating that even non-hyperpolarized hydrocarbon gases can be successfully utilized for conventional proton MRI. The experiments were also performed with hyperpolarized propane gas and demonstrated acquisition of high-resolution multi-slice FLASH 2D images in ca. 510 s and non slice-selective 2D UTE MRI images in ca. 2 s. The UTE approach adopted in this study can be potentially used for medical lung imaging. Furthermore, the possibility to combine UTE with selective suppression of 1H signals from one of the two gases in a mixture is demonstrated in this MRI study. The latter can be useful for visualizing industrially important processes where several gases may be present, e.g., gas-solid catalytic reactions. PMID:27478870

Real-time tracking of dissociation of hyperpolarized 89Y-DTPA: a model for degradation of open-chain Gd3+ MRI contrast agents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferguson, Sarah; Niedbalski, Peter; Parish, Christopher; Kiswandhi, Andhika; Kovacs, Zoltan; Lumata, Lloyd

Gadolinium (Gd) complexes are widely used relaxation-based clinical contrast agents in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Gd-based MRI contrast agents with open-chain ligand such as Gd-DTPA, commercially known as magnevist, are less stable compared to Gd complexes with macrocyclic ligands such as GdDOTA (Dotarem). The dissociation of Gd-DPTA into Gd ion and DTPA ligand under certain biological conditions such as high zinc levels can potentially cause kidney damage. Since Gd is paramagnetic, direct NMR detection of the Gd-DTPA dissociation is quite challenging due to ultra-short relaxation times. In this work, we have investigated Y-DTPA as a model for Gd-DPTA dissociation under high zinc content solutions. Using dissolution dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP), the 89Y NMR signal is amplified by several thousand-fold. Due to the the relatively long T1 relaxation time of 89Y which translates to hyperpolarization lifetime of several minutes, the dissociation of Y-DTPA can be tracked in real-time by hyperpolarized 89Y NMR spectroscopy. Dissociation kinetic rates and implications on the degradation of open-chain Gd3+ MRI contrast agents will be discussed. This work was supported by the U.S. Department of Defense Award Number W81XWH-14-1-0048 and by the Robert A. Welch Foundation research Grant Number AT-1877.

Hyperpolarized Gas Diffusion MRI for the Study of Atelectasis and Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome

PubMed Central

Cereda, Maurizio; Xin, Yi; Kadlecek, Stephen; Hamedani, Hooman; Rajaei, Jennia; Clapp, Justin; Rizi, Rahim R.

2014-01-01

Considerable uncertainty remains about the best ventilator strategies for the mitigation of atelectasis and associated airspace stretch in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). In addition to several immediate physiological effects, atelectasis increases the risk of ventilator-associated lung injury (VALI), which has been shown to significantly worsen ARDS outcomes. A number of lung imaging techniques have made substantial headway in clarifying the mechanisms of atelectasis. This paper reviews the contributions of CT, PET, and conventional MRI to understanding this phenomenon. In doing so, it also reveals several important shortcomings inherent to each of these approaches. Once these shortcomings have been made apparent, we describe how hyperpolarized gas magnetic resonance imaging (HP MRI)—a technique that is uniquely able to assess responses to mechanical ventilation and lung injury in peripheral airspaces—is poised to fill several of these knowledge gaps. The HP-MRI-derived apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) quantifies the restriction of 3He diffusion by peripheral airspaces, thereby obtaining pulmonary structural information at an extremely small scale. Lastly, this paper reports the results of a series of experiments that measured ADC in mechanically ventilated rats in order to investigate (i) the effect of atelectasis on ventilated airspaces; (ii) the relationship between positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP), hysteresis, and the dimensions of peripheral airspaces; and (iii) the ability of PEEP and surfactant to reduce airspace dimensions after lung injury. An increase in ADC was found to be a marker of atelectasis-induced overdistension. With recruitment, higher airway pressures were shown to reduce stretch rather than worsen it. Moving forward, HP MRI has significant potential to shed further light on the atelectatic processes that occur during mechanical ventilation. PMID:24920074

Para-hydrogenated glucose derivatives as potential 13C-hyperpolarized probes for magnetic resonance imaging.

PubMed

Reineri, Francesca; Santelia, Daniela; Viale, Alessandra; Cerutti, Erika; Poggi, Luisa; Tichy, Tomas; Premkumar, Samuel S D; Gobetto, Roberto; Aime, Silvio

2010-05-26

A set of molecules in which a glucose moiety is bound to a hydrogenable synthon has been synthesized and evaluated for hydrogenation reactions and for the corresponding para-hydrogen-induced polarization (PHIP) effects, in order to select suitable candidates for an in vivo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) method for the assessment of glucose cellular uptake. It has been found that amidic derivatives do not yield any polarization enhancement, probably due to singlet-triplet state mixing along the reaction pathway. In contrast, ester derivatives are hydrogenated in high yield and afford enhanced (1)H and (13)C NMR spectra after para-hydrogenation. The obtained PHIP patterns are discussed and explained on the basis of the calculated spin level populations in the para-hydrogenated products. These molecules may find interesting applications in (13)C MRI as hyperpolarized probes for assessing the activity of glucose transporters in cells.

Signal-to-noise ratio, T2 , and T2* for hyperpolarized helium-3 MRI of the human lung at three magnetic field strengths.

PubMed

Komlosi, Peter; Altes, Talissa A; Qing, Kun; Mooney, Karen E; Miller, G Wilson; Mata, Jaime F; de Lange, Eduard E; Tobias, William A; Cates, Gordon D; Mugler, John P

2017-10-01

To evaluate T 2 , T2*, and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) for hyperpolarized helium-3 ( 3 He) MRI of the human lung at three magnetic field strengths ranging from 0.43T to 1.5T. Sixteen healthy volunteers were imaged using a commercial whole body scanner at 0.43T, 0.79T, and 1.5T. Whole-lung T 2 values were calculated from a Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill spin-echo-train acquisition. T2* maps and SNR were determined from dual-echo and single-echo gradient-echo images, respectively. Mean whole-lung SNR values were normalized by ventilated lung volume and administered 3 He dose. As expected, T 2 and T2* values demonstrated a significant inverse relationship to field strength. Hyperpolarized 3 He images acquired at all three field strengths had comparable SNR values and thus appeared visually very similar. Nonetheless, the relatively small SNR differences among field strengths were statistically significant. Hyperpolarized 3 He images of the human lung with similar image quality were obtained at three field strengths ranging from 0.43T and 1.5T. The decrease in susceptibility effects at lower fields that are reflected in longer T 2 and T2* values may be advantageous for optimizing pulse sequences inherently sensitive to such effects. The three-fold increase in T2* at lower field strength would allow lower receiver bandwidths, providing a concomitant decrease in noise and relative increase in SNR. Magn Reson Med 78:1458-1463, 2017. © 2016 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. © 2016 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

Diabetes induced renal urea transport alterations assessed with 3D hyperpolarized 13 C,15 N-Urea.

PubMed

Bertelsen, Lotte B; Nielsen, Per M; Qi, Haiyun; Nørlinger, Thomas S; Zhang, Xiaolu; Stødkilde-Jørgensen, Hans; Laustsen, Christoffer

2017-04-01

In the current study, we investigated hyperpolarized urea as a possible imaging biomarker of the renal function by means of the intrarenal osmolality gradient. Hyperpolarized three-dimensional balanced steady state 13 C MRI experiments alongside kidney function parameters and quantitative polymerase chain reaction measurements was performed on two groups of rats, a streptozotocin type 1 diabetic group and a healthy control group. A significant decline in intrarenal steepness of the urea gradient was found after 4 weeks of untreated insulinopenic diabetes in agreement with an increased urea transport transcription. MRI and hyperpolarized [ 13 C, 15 N]urea can monitor the changes in the corticomedullary urea concentration gradients in diabetic and healthy control rats. Magn Reson Med 77:1650-1655, 2017. © 2016 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. © 2016 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

Feasibility, tolerability and safety of pediatric hyperpolarized 129Xe magnetic resonance imaging in healthy volunteers and children with cystic fibrosis.

PubMed

Walkup, Laura L; Thomen, Robert P; Akinyi, Teckla G; Watters, Erin; Ruppert, Kai; Clancy, John P; Woods, Jason C; Cleveland, Zackary I

2016-11-01

Hyperpolarized 129 Xe is a promising contrast agent for MRI of pediatric lung function, but its safety and tolerability in children have not been rigorously assessed. To assess the feasibility, safety and tolerability of hyperpolarized 129 Xe gas as an inhaled contrast agent for pediatric pulmonary MRI in healthy control subjects and in children with cystic fibrosis. Seventeen healthy control subjects (ages 6-15 years, 11 boys) and 11 children with cystic fibrosis (ages 8-16 years, 4 boys) underwent 129 Xe MRI, receiving up to three doses of 129 Xe gas prepared by either a commercially available or a homebuilt 129 Xe polarizer. Subject heart rate and SpO 2 were monitored for 2 min post inhalation and compared to resting baseline values. Adverse events were reported via follow-up phone call at days 1 and 30 (range ±7 days) post-MRI. All children tolerated multiple doses of 129 Xe, and no children withdrew from the study. Relative to baseline, most children who received a full dose of gas for imaging (10 of 12 controls and 8 of 11 children with cystic fibrosis) experienced a nadir in SpO 2 (mean -6.0 ± standard deviation 7.2%, P≤0.001); however within 2 min post inhalation SpO 2 values showed no significant difference from baseline (P=0.11). There was a slight elevation in heart rate (mean +6.6 ± 13.9 beats per minute [bpm], P=0.021), which returned from baseline within 2 min post inhalation (P=0.35). Brief side effects related to the anesthetic properties of xenon were mild and quickly resolved without intervention. No serious or severe adverse events were observed; in total, four minor adverse events (14.3%) were reported following 129 Xe MRI, but all were deemed unrelated to the study. The feasibility, safety and tolerability of 129 Xe MRI has been assessed in a small group of children as young as 6 years. SpO 2 changes were consistent with the expected physiological effects of a short anoxic breath-hold, and other mild side effects were

Molecular hydrogen and catalytic combustion in the production of hyperpolarized 83Kr and 129Xe MRI contrast agents

PubMed Central

Rogers, Nicola J.; Hill-Casey, Fraser; Stupic, Karl F.; Six, Joseph S.; Lesbats, Clémentine; Rigby, Sean P.; Fraissard, Jacques; Pavlovskaya, Galina E.; Meersmann, Thomas

2016-01-01

Hyperpolarized (hp) 83Kr is a promising MRI contrast agent for the diagnosis of pulmonary diseases affecting the surface of the respiratory zone. However, the distinct physical properties of 83Kr that enable unique MRI contrast also complicate the production of hp 83Kr. This work presents a previously unexplored approach in the generation of hp 83Kr that can likewise be used for the production of hp 129Xe. Molecular nitrogen, typically used as buffer gas in spin-exchange optical pumping (SEOP), was replaced by molecular hydrogen without penalty for the achievable hyperpolarization. In this particular study, the highest obtained nuclear spin polarizations were P = 29% for 83Kr and P = 63% for 129Xe. The results were reproduced over many SEOP cycles despite the laser-induced on-resonance formation of rubidium hydride (RbH). Following SEOP, the H2 was reactively removed via catalytic combustion without measurable losses in hyperpolarized spin state of either 83Kr or 129Xe. Highly spin-polarized 83Kr can now be purified for the first time, to our knowledge, to provide high signal intensity for the advancement of in vivo hp 83Kr MRI. More generally, a chemical reaction appears as a viable alternative to the cryogenic separation process, the primary purification method of hp 129Xe for the past 2 1/2 decades. The inherent simplicity of the combustion process will facilitate hp 129Xe production and should allow for on-demand continuous flow of purified and highly spin-polarized 129Xe. PMID:26961001

Molecular hydrogen and catalytic combustion in the production of hyperpolarized 83Kr and 129Xe MRI contrast agents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rogers, Nicola J.; Hill-Casey, Fraser; Stupic, Karl F.; Six, Joseph S.; Lesbats, Clémentine; Rigby, Sean P.; Fraissard, Jacques; Pavlovskaya, Galina E.; Meersmann, Thomas

2016-03-01

Hyperpolarized (hp) 83Kr is a promising MRI contrast agent for the diagnosis of pulmonary diseases affecting the surface of the respiratory zone. However, the distinct physical properties of 83Kr that enable unique MRI contrast also complicate the production of hp 83Kr. This work presents a previously unexplored approach in the generation of hp 83Kr that can likewise be used for the production of hp 129Xe. Molecular nitrogen, typically used as buffer gas in spin-exchange optical pumping (SEOP), was replaced by molecular hydrogen without penalty for the achievable hyperpolarization. In this particular study, the highest obtained nuclear spin polarizations were P = 29% for 83Kr and P = 63% for 129Xe. The results were reproduced over many SEOP cycles despite the laser-induced on-resonance formation of rubidium hydride (RbH). Following SEOP, the H2 was reactively removed via catalytic combustion without measurable losses in hyperpolarized spin state of either 83Kr or 129Xe. Highly spin-polarized 83Kr can now be purified for the first time, to our knowledge, to provide high signal intensity for the advancement of in vivo hp 83Kr MRI. More generally, a chemical reaction appears as a viable alternative to the cryogenic separation process, the primary purification method of hp 129Xe for the past 2 1/2 decades. The inherent simplicity of the combustion process will facilitate hp 129Xe production and should allow for on-demand continuous flow of purified and highly spin-polarized 129Xe.

Lung Morphometry with Hyperpolarized 129Xe: Theoretical Background

PubMed Central

Sukstanskii, A.L.; Yablonskiy, D.A.

2011-01-01

The 3He lung morphometry technique, based on MRI measurements of hyperpolarized 3He gas diffusion in lung airspaces, provides unique information on the lung microstructure at the alveolar level. In vivo 3D tomographic images of standard morphological parameters (airspace chord length, lung parenchyma surface-to-volume ratio, number of alveoli per unit volume) can be generated from a rather short (several seconds) MRI scan. The technique is based on a theory of gas diffusion in lung acinar airways and experimental measurements of diffusion attenuated MRI signal. The present work aims at developing the theoretical background of a similar technique based on hyperpolarized 129Xe gas. As the diffusion coefficient and gyromagnetic ratio of 129Xe gas are substantially different from those of 3He gas, the specific details of the theory and experimental measurements with 129Xe should be amended. We establish phenomenological relationships between acinar airway geometrical parameters and the diffusion attenuated MR signal for human and small animal lungs, both normal lungs and lungs with mild emphysema. Optimal diffusion times are shown to be about 5 ms for human and 1.3 ms for small animals. The expected uncertainties in measuring main morphometrical parameters of the lungs are estimated in the framework of Bayesian probability theory. PMID:21713985

Observation of cardiogenic flow oscillations in healthy subjects with hyperpolarized 3He MRI

PubMed Central

Collier, Guilhem J.; Marshall, Helen; Rao, Madhwesha; Stewart, Neil J.; Capener, David

2015-01-01

Recently, dynamic MRI of hyperpolarized 3He during inhalation revealed an alternation of the image intensity between left and right lungs with a cardiac origin (Sun Y, Butler JP, Ferrigno M, Albert MS, Loring SH. Respir Physiol Neurobiol 185: 468–471, 2013). This effect is investigated further using dynamic and phase-contrast flow MRI with inhaled 3He during slow inhalations (flow rate ∼100 ml/s) to elucidate airflow dynamics in the main lobes in six healthy subjects. The ventilation MR signal and gas inflow in the left lower lobe (LLL) of the lungs were found to oscillate clearly at the cardiac frequency in all subjects, whereas the MR signals in the other parts of the lungs had a similar oscillatory behavior but were smaller in magnitude and in anti-phase to the signal in the left lower lung. The airflow in the main bronchi showed periodic oscillations at the frequency of the cardiac cycle. In four of the subjects, backflows were observed for a short period of time of the cardiac cycle, demonstrating a pendelluft effect at the carina bifurcation between the left and right lungs. Additional 1H structural MR images of the lung volume and synchronized ECG recording revealed that maximum inspiratory flow rates in the LLL of the lungs occurred during systole when the corresponding left lung volume increased, whereas the opposite effect was observed during diastole, with gas flow redirected to the other parts of the lung. In conclusion, cardiogenic flow oscillations have a significant effect on regional gas flow and distribution within the lungs. PMID:26338461

Observation of cardiogenic flow oscillations in healthy subjects with hyperpolarized 3He MRI.

PubMed

Collier, Guilhem J; Marshall, Helen; Rao, Madhwesha; Stewart, Neil J; Capener, David; Wild, Jim M

2015-11-01

Recently, dynamic MRI of hyperpolarized (3)He during inhalation revealed an alternation of the image intensity between left and right lungs with a cardiac origin (Sun Y, Butler JP, Ferrigno M, Albert MS, Loring SH. Respir Physiol Neurobiol 185: 468-471, 2013). This effect is investigated further using dynamic and phase-contrast flow MRI with inhaled (3)He during slow inhalations (flow rate ∼100 ml/s) to elucidate airflow dynamics in the main lobes in six healthy subjects. The ventilation MR signal and gas inflow in the left lower lobe (LLL) of the lungs were found to oscillate clearly at the cardiac frequency in all subjects, whereas the MR signals in the other parts of the lungs had a similar oscillatory behavior but were smaller in magnitude and in anti-phase to the signal in the left lower lung. The airflow in the main bronchi showed periodic oscillations at the frequency of the cardiac cycle. In four of the subjects, backflows were observed for a short period of time of the cardiac cycle, demonstrating a pendelluft effect at the carina bifurcation between the left and right lungs. Additional (1)H structural MR images of the lung volume and synchronized ECG recording revealed that maximum inspiratory flow rates in the LLL of the lungs occurred during systole when the corresponding left lung volume increased, whereas the opposite effect was observed during diastole, with gas flow redirected to the other parts of the lung. In conclusion, cardiogenic flow oscillations have a significant effect on regional gas flow and distribution within the lungs. Copyright © 2015 the American Physiological Society.

Metabolic Imaging of Patients with Prostate Cancer Using Hyperpolarized [1-13C]Pyruvate

PubMed Central

Nelson, Sarah J.; Kurhanewicz, John; Vigneron, Daniel B.; Larson, Peder E. Z.; Harzstark, Andrea L.; Ferrone, Marcus; van Criekinge, Mark; Chang, Jose W.; Bok, Robert; Park, Ilwoo; Reed, Galen; Carvajal, Lucas; Small, Eric J.; Munster, Pamela; Weinberg, Vivian K.; Ardenkjaer-Larsen, Jan Henrik; Chen, Albert P.; Hurd, Ralph E.; Odegardstuen, Liv-Ingrid; Robb, Fraser J.; Tropp, James; Murray, Jonathan A.

2014-01-01

This first-in-man imaging study evaluated the safety and feasibility of hyperpolarized [1-13C]pyruvate as an agent for noninvasively characterizing alterations in tumor metabolism for patients with prostate cancer. Imaging living systems with hyperpolarized agents can result in more than 10,000-fold enhancement in signal relative to conventional magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. When combined with the rapid acquisition of in vivo 13C MR data, it is possible to evaluate the distribution of agents such as [1-13C]pyruvate and its metabolic products lactate, alanine, and bicarbonate in a matter of seconds. Preclinical studies in cancer models have detected elevated levels of hyperpolarized [1-13C]lactate in tumor, with the ratio of [1-13C]lactate/[1-13C]pyruvate being increased in high-grade tumors and decreased after successful treatment. Translation of this technology into humans was achieved by modifying the instrument that generates the hyperpolarized agent, constructing specialized radio frequency coils to detect 13C nuclei, and developing new pulse sequences to efficiently capture the signal. The study population comprised patients with biopsy-proven prostate cancer, with 31 subjects being injected with hyperpolarized [1-13C]pyruvate. The median time to deliver the agent was 66 s, and uptake was observed about 20 s after injection. No dose-limiting toxicities were observed, and the highest dose (0.43 ml/kg of 230 mM agent) gave the best signal-to-noise ratio for hyperpolarized [1-13C]pyruvate. The results were extremely promising in not only confirming the safety of the agent but also showing elevated [1-13C]lactate/[1-13C]pyruvate in regions of biopsy-proven cancer. These findings will be valuable for noninvasive cancer diagnosis and treatment monitoring in future clinical trials. PMID:23946197

Two and three-dimensional segmentation of hyperpolarized 3He magnetic resonance imaging of pulmonary gas distribution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heydarian, Mohammadreza; Kirby, Miranda; Wheatley, Andrew; Fenster, Aaron; Parraga, Grace

2012-03-01

A semi-automated method for generating hyperpolarized helium-3 (3He) measurements of individual slice (2D) or whole lung (3D) gas distribution was developed. 3He MRI functional images were segmented using two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) hierarchical K-means clustering of the 3He MRI signal and in addition a seeded region-growing algorithm was employed for segmentation of the 1H MRI thoracic cavity volume. 3He MRI pulmonary function measurements were generated following two-dimensional landmark-based non-rigid registration of the 3He and 1H pulmonary images. We applied this method to MRI of healthy subjects and subjects with chronic obstructive lung disease (COPD). The results of hierarchical K-means 2D and 3D segmentation were compared to an expert observer's manual segmentation results using linear regression, Pearson correlations and the Dice similarity coefficient. 2D hierarchical K-means segmentation of ventilation volume (VV) and ventilation defect volume (VDV) was strongly and significantly correlated with manual measurements (VV: r=0.98, p<.0001 VDV: r=0.97, p<.0001) and mean Dice coefficients were greater than 92% for all subjects. 3D hierarchical K-means segmentation of VV and VDV was also strongly and significantly correlated with manual measurements (VV: r=0.98, p<.0001 VDV: r=0.64, p<.0001) and the mean Dice coefficients were greater than 91% for all subjects. Both 2D and 3D semi-automated segmentation of 3He MRI gas distribution provides a way to generate novel pulmonary function measurements.

Screening and Monitoring Response to Treatment Using Subsecond Molecular Imaging and Hyperpolarized Contrast Agents

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-05-01

Magnetization transfer MRI in multiple sclerosis . J Neuroimaging. 2007;17 Suppl 1:S22–S26. 82. Filippi M, Rocca MA. Magnetization transfer magnetic resonance... multiple sclerosis . Neuroimaging Clin N Am. 2009;19(1):27–36. 84. Lundbom N. Determination of magnetization transfer contrast in tissue: an MR... multiple RF coils intended for optimal direct and indirect detection of hyperpolarized contrast agents in vivo. 4.b. Y1Q3-Y1Q4. Low field MRI: pre

Proton magnetic resonance imaging with para-hydrogen induced polarization.

PubMed

Dechent, Jan F; Buljubasich, Lisandro; Schreiber, Laura M; Spiess, Hans W; Münnemann, Kerstin

2012-02-21

A major challenge in imaging is the detection of small amounts of molecules of interest. In the case of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) their signals are typically concealed by the large background signal of e.g. the body. This problem can be tackled by hyperpolarization which increases the NMR signals up to several orders of magnitude. However, this strategy is limited for (1)H, the most widely used nucleus in NMR and MRI, because the enormous number of protons in the body screens the small amount of hyperpolarized ones. Here, we describe a method giving rise to high (1)H MRI contrast for hyperpolarized molecules against a large background signal. The contrast is based on the J-coupling induced rephasing of the NMR signal of molecules hyperpolarized via PHIP and it can easily be implemented in common pulse sequences. We discuss several scenarios with different or equal dephasing times T(2)* for the hyperpolarized and thermally polarized compounds and verify our approach by experiments. This method may open up unprecedented opportunities to use the standard MRI nucleus (1)H for e.g. metabolic imaging in the future.

Hyperpolarized NMR: d-DNP, PHIP, and SABRE.

PubMed

Kovtunov, Kirill Viktorovich; Pokochueva, Ekaterina; Salnikov, Oleg; Cousin, Samuel; Kurzbach, Dennis; Vuichoud, Basile; Jannin, Sami; Chekmenev, Eduard; Goodson, Boyd; Barskiy, Danila; Koptyug, Igor

2018-05-23

NMR signals intensities can be enhanced by several orders of magnitude via utilization of techniques for hyperpolarization of different molecules, and it allows one to overcome the main sensitivity challenge of modern NMR/MRI techniques. Hyperpolarized fluids can be successfully used in different applications of material science and biomedicine. This focus review covers the fundamentals of the preparation of hyperpolarized liquids and gases via dissolution dynamic nuclear polarization (d-DNP) and parahydrogen-based techniques such as signal amplification by reversible exchange (SABRE) and parahydrogen-induced polarization (PHIP) in both heterogeneous and homogeneous processes. The different novel aspects of hyperpolarized fluids formation and utilization along with the possibility of NMR signal enhancement observation are described. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Cryogenics free production of hyperpolarized 129Xe and 83Kr for biomedical MRI applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hughes-Riley, Theodore; Six, Joseph S.; Lilburn, David M. L.; Stupic, Karl F.; Dorkes, Alan C.; Shaw, Dominick E.; Pavlovskaya, Galina E.; Meersmann, Thomas

2013-12-01

As an alternative to cryogenic gas handling, hyperpolarized (hp) gas mixtures were extracted directly from the spin exchange optical pumping (SEOP) process through expansion followed by compression to ambient pressure for biomedical MRI applications. The omission of cryogenic gas separation generally requires the usage of high xenon or krypton concentrations at low SEOP gas pressures to generate hp 129Xe or hp 83Kr with sufficient MR signal intensity for imaging applications. Two different extraction schemes for the hp gasses were explored with focus on the preservation of the nuclear spin polarization. It was found that an extraction scheme based on an inflatable, pressure controlled balloon is sufficient for hp 129Xe handling, while 83Kr can efficiently be extracted through a single cycle piston pump. The extraction methods were tested for ex vivo MRI applications with excised rat lungs. Precise mixing of the hp gases with oxygen, which may be of interest for potential in vivo applications, was accomplished during the extraction process using a piston pump. The 83Kr bulk gas phase T1 relaxation in the mixtures containing more than approximately 1% O2 was found to be slower than that of 129Xe in corresponding mixtures. The experimental setup also facilitated 129Xe T1 relaxation measurements as a function of O2 concentration within excised lungs.

Cryogenics free production of hyperpolarized 129Xe and 83Kr for biomedical MRI applications☆

PubMed Central

Hughes-Riley, Theodore; Six, Joseph S.; Lilburn, David M.L.; Stupic, Karl F.; Dorkes, Alan C.; Shaw, Dominick E.; Pavlovskaya, Galina E.; Meersmann, Thomas

2013-01-01

As an alternative to cryogenic gas handling, hyperpolarized (hp) gas mixtures were extracted directly from the spin exchange optical pumping (SEOP) process through expansion followed by compression to ambient pressure for biomedical MRI applications. The omission of cryogenic gas separation generally requires the usage of high xenon or krypton concentrations at low SEOP gas pressures to generate hp 129Xe or hp 83Kr with sufficient MR signal intensity for imaging applications. Two different extraction schemes for the hp gasses were explored with focus on the preservation of the nuclear spin polarization. It was found that an extraction scheme based on an inflatable, pressure controlled balloon is sufficient for hp 129Xe handling, while 83Kr can efficiently be extracted through a single cycle piston pump. The extraction methods were tested for ex vivo MRI applications with excised rat lungs. Precise mixing of the hp gases with oxygen, which may be of interest for potential in vivo applications, was accomplished during the extraction process using a piston pump. The 83Kr bulk gas phase T1 relaxation in the mixtures containing more than approximately 1% O2 was found to be slower than that of 129Xe in corresponding mixtures. The experimental setup also facilitated 129Xe T1 relaxation measurements as a function of O2 concentration within excised lungs. PMID:24135800

Hyperpolarized gas diffusion MRI for the study of atelectasis and acute respiratory distress syndrome.

PubMed

Cereda, Maurizio; Xin, Yi; Kadlecek, Stephen; Hamedani, Hooman; Rajaei, Jennia; Clapp, Justin; Rizi, Rahim R

2014-12-01

Considerable uncertainty remains about the best ventilator strategies for the mitigation of atelectasis and associated airspace stretch in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). In addition to several immediate physiological effects, atelectasis increases the risk of ventilator-associated lung injury, which has been shown to significantly worsen ARDS outcomes. A number of lung imaging techniques have made substantial headway in clarifying the mechanisms of atelectasis. This paper reviews the contributions of computed tomography, positron emission tomography, and conventional MRI to understanding this phenomenon. In doing so, it also reveals several important shortcomings inherent to each of these approaches. Once these shortcomings have been made apparent, we describe how hyperpolarized (HP) gas MRI--a technique that is uniquely able to assess responses to mechanical ventilation and lung injury in peripheral airspaces--is poised to fill several of these knowledge gaps. The HP-MRI-derived apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) quantifies the restriction of (3) He diffusion by peripheral airspaces, thereby obtaining pulmonary structural information at an extremely small scale. Lastly, this paper reports the results of a series of experiments that measured ADC in mechanically ventilated rats in order to investigate (i) the effect of atelectasis on ventilated airspaces, (ii) the relationship between positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP), hysteresis, and the dimensions of peripheral airspaces, and (iii) the ability of PEEP and surfactant to reduce airspace dimensions after lung injury. An increase in ADC was found to be a marker of atelectasis-induced overdistension. With recruitment, higher airway pressures were shown to reduce stretch rather than worsen it. Moving forward, HP MRI has significant potential to shed further light on the atelectatic processes that occur during mechanical ventilation. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

NMR Hyperpolarization Techniques for Biomedicine

PubMed Central

Nikolaou, Panayiotis; Goodson, Boyd M.

2015-01-01

Recent developments in NMR hyperpolarization have enabled a wide array of new in vivo molecular imaging modalities—ranging from functional imaging of the lungs to metabolic imaging of cancer. This Concept article explores selected advances in methods for the preparation and use of hyperpolarized contrast agents, many of which are already at or near the phase of their clinical validation in patients. PMID:25470566

Free-breathing pulmonary 1H and Hyperpolarized 3He MRI: comparison in COPD and bronchiectasis.

PubMed

Capaldi, Dante P I; Sheikh, Khadija; Guo, Fumin; Svenningsen, Sarah; Etemad-Rezai, Roya; Coxson, Harvey O; Leipsic, Jonathon A; McCormack, David G; Parraga, Grace

2015-03-01

In this proof-of-concept demonstration, we aimed to quantitatively and qualitatively compare pulmonary ventilation abnormalities derived from Fourier decomposition of free-breathing (1)H magnetic resonance imaging (FDMRI) to hyperpolarized (3)He MRI in subjects with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and bronchiectasis. All subjects provided written informed consent to a protocol approved by a local research ethics board and Health, Canada, and they underwent MRI, computed tomography (CT), spirometry, and plethysmography during a single 2-hour visit. Semiautomated segmentation was used to generate ventilation defect measurements derived from FDMRI and (3)He MRI, and these were compared using analysis of variance and Pearson correlations. Twenty-six subjects were evaluated including 12 COPD subjects (67 ± 9 years) and 14 bronchiectasis subjects (70 ± 11 years). For COPD subjects, FDMRI and (3)He MRI ventilation defect percent (VDP) was 7 ± 6% and 24 ± 14%, respectively (P < .001; bias = -16 ± 9%). In COPD subjects, FDMRI was significantly correlated with (3)He MRI VDP (r = .88; P = .0001), (3)He MRI apparent diffusion coefficient (r = .71; P < .05), airways resistance (r = .60; P < .05), and RA950 (r = .80; P < .01). In subjects with bronchiectasis, FDMRI VDP (5 ± 3%) and (3)He MRI VDP (18 ± 9%) were significantly different (P < .001) and not correlated (P > .05). The Dice similarity coefficient (DSC) for FDMRI and (3)He MRI ventilation was 86 ± 7% for COPD and 86 ± 4% for bronchiectasis subjects (P > .05); the DSC for FDMRI ventilation defects and CT RA950 was 19 ± 20% in COPD and 2 ± 3% in bronchiectasis subjects (P < .01). FDMRI and (3)He MRI VDP were strongly related in COPD but not in bronchiectasis subjects. In COPD only, FDMRI ventilation defects were spatially related with (3)He ventilation defects and emphysema. Copyright © 2015 AUR. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Hyperpolarized (129)Xe T (1) in oxygenated and deoxygenated blood

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Albert, M. S.; Balamore, D.; Kacher, D. F.; Venkatesh, A. K.; Jolesz, F. A.

2000-01-01

The viability of the new technique of hyperpolarized (129)Xe MRI (HypX-MRI) for imaging organs other than the lungs depends on whether the spin-lattice relaxation time, T(1), of (129)Xe is sufficiently long in the blood. In previous experiments by the authors, the T(1) was found to be strongly dependent upon the oxygenation of the blood, with T(1) increasing from about 3 s in deoxygenated samples to about 10 s in oxygenated samples. Contrarily, Tseng et al. (J. Magn. Reson. 1997; 126: 79-86) reported extremely long T(1) values deduced from an indirect experiment in which hyperpolarized (129)Xe was used to create a 'blood-foam'. They found that oxygenation decreased T(1). Pivotal to their experiment is the continual and rapid exchange of hyperpolarized (129)Xe between the gas phase (within blood-foam bubbles) and the dissolved phase (in the skin of the bubbles); this necessitated a complicated analysis to extract the T(1) of (129)Xe in blood. In the present study, the experimental design minimizes gas exchange after the initial bolus of hyperpolarized (129)Xe has been bubbled through the sample. This study confirms that oxygenation increases the T(1) of (129)Xe in blood, from about 4 s in freshly drawn venous blood, to about 13 s in blood oxygenated to arterial levels, and also shifts the red blood cell resonance to higher frequency. Copyright 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Abbreviations used BOLD blood oxygen level dependent NOE nuclear overhouses effect PO(2) oxygen partial pressure RBC red blood cells RF radio frequency SNR signal-to-noise ratio.

Optimal variable flip angle schemes for dynamic acquisition of exchanging hyperpolarized substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xing, Yan; Reed, Galen D.; Pauly, John M.; Kerr, Adam B.; Larson, Peder E. Z.

2013-09-01

In metabolic MRI with hyperpolarized contrast agents, the signal levels vary over time due to T1 decay, T2 decay following RF excitations, and metabolic conversion. Efficient usage of the nonrenewable hyperpolarized magnetization requires specialized RF pulse schemes. In this work, we introduce two novel variable flip angle schemes for dynamic hyperpolarized MRI in which the flip angle is varied between excitations and between metabolites. These were optimized to distribute the magnetization relatively evenly throughout the acquisition by accounting for T1 decay, prior RF excitations, and metabolic conversion. Simulation results are presented to confirm the flip angle designs and evaluate the variability of signal dynamics across typical ranges of T1 and metabolic conversion. They were implemented using multiband spectral-spatial RF pulses to independently modulate the flip angle at various chemical shift frequencies. With these schemes we observed increased SNR of [1-13C]lactate generated from [1-13C]pyruvate, particularly at later time points. This will allow for improved characterization of tissue perfusion and metabolic profiles in dynamic hyperpolarized MRI.

LIGHT-SABRE enables efficient in-magnet catalytic hyperpolarization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Theis, Thomas; Truong, Milton; Coffey, Aaron M.; Chekmenev, Eduard Y.; Warren, Warren S.

2014-11-01

Nuclear spin hyperpolarization overcomes the sensitivity limitations of traditional NMR and MRI, but the most general method demonstrated to date (dynamic nuclear polarization) has significant limitations in scalability, cost, and complex apparatus design. As an alternative, signal amplification by reversible exchange (SABRE) of parahydrogen on transition metal catalysts can hyperpolarize a variety of substrates, but to date this scheme has required transfer of the sample to low magnetic field or very strong RF irradiation. Here we demonstrate "Low-Irradiation Generation of High Tesla-SABRE" (LIGHT-SABRE) which works with simple pulse sequences and low power deposition; it should be usable at any magnetic field and for hyperpolarization of many different nuclei. This approach could drastically reduce the cost and complexity of producing hyperpolarized molecules.

In vivo lung morphometry with hyperpolarized 3He diffusion MRI: Theoretical background

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sukstanskii, A. L.; Yablonskiy, D. A.

2008-02-01

MRI-based study of 3He gas diffusion in lungs may provide important information on lung microstructure. Lung acinar airways can be described in terms of cylinders covered with alveolar sleeve [Haefeli-Bleuer, Weibel, Anat. Rec. 220 (1988) 401]. For relatively short diffusion times (on the order of a few ms) this geometry allows description of the 3He diffusion attenuated MR signal in lungs in terms of two diffusion coefficients—longitudinal (D) and transverse (D) with respect to the individual acinar airway axis [Yablonskiy et al., PNAS 99 (2002) 3111]. In this paper, empirical relationships between D and D and the geometrical parameters of airways and alveoli are found by means of computer Monte Carlo simulations. The effects of non-Gaussian signal behavior (dependence of D and D on b-value) are also taken into account. The results obtained are quantitatively valid in the physiologically important range of airway parameters characteristic of healthy lungs and lungs with mild emphysema. In lungs with advanced emphysema, the results provide only "apparent" characteristics but still could potentially be used to evaluate emphysema progression. This creates a basis for in vivo lung morphometry—evaluation of the geometrical parameters of acinar airways from hyperpolarized 3He diffusion MRI, despite the airways being too small to be resolved by direct imaging. These results also predict a rather substantial dependence of 3He ADC on the experimentally-controllable diffusion time, Δ. If Δ is decreased from 3 ms to 1 ms, the ADC in normal human lungs may increase by almost 50%. This effect should be taken into account when comparing experimental data obtained with different pulse sequences.

NMR hyperpolarization techniques for biomedicine.

PubMed

Nikolaou, Panayiotis; Goodson, Boyd M; Chekmenev, Eduard Y

2015-02-16

Recent developments in NMR hyperpolarization have enabled a wide array of new in vivo molecular imaging modalities, ranging from functional imaging of the lungs to metabolic imaging of cancer. This Concept article explores selected advances in methods for the preparation and use of hyperpolarized contrast agents, many of which are already at or near the phase of their clinical validation in patients. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Cryogenics free production of hyperpolarized 129Xe and 83Kr for biomedical MRI applications.

PubMed

Hughes-Riley, Theodore; Six, Joseph S; Lilburn, David M L; Stupic, Karl F; Dorkes, Alan C; Shaw, Dominick E; Pavlovskaya, Galina E; Meersmann, Thomas

2013-12-01

As an alternative to cryogenic gas handling, hyperpolarized (hp) gas mixtures were extracted directly from the spin exchange optical pumping (SEOP) process through expansion followed by compression to ambient pressure for biomedical MRI applications. The omission of cryogenic gas separation generally requires the usage of high xenon or krypton concentrations at low SEOP gas pressures to generate hp (129)Xe or hp (83)Kr with sufficient MR signal intensity for imaging applications. Two different extraction schemes for the hp gasses were explored with focus on the preservation of the nuclear spin polarization. It was found that an extraction scheme based on an inflatable, pressure controlled balloon is sufficient for hp (129)Xe handling, while (83)Kr can efficiently be extracted through a single cycle piston pump. The extraction methods were tested for ex vivo MRI applications with excised rat lungs. Precise mixing of the hp gases with oxygen, which may be of interest for potential in vivo applications, was accomplished during the extraction process using a piston pump. The (83)Kr bulk gas phase T1 relaxation in the mixtures containing more than approximately 1% O2 was found to be slower than that of (129)Xe in corresponding mixtures. The experimental setup also facilitated (129)Xe T1 relaxation measurements as a function of O2 concentration within excised lungs. Copyright © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Rapid assessment of pulmonary gas transport with hyperpolarized 129Xe MRI using a 3D radial double golden-means acquisition with variable flip angles.

PubMed

Ruppert, Kai; Amzajerdian, Faraz; Hamedani, Hooman; Xin, Yi; Loza, Luis; Achekzai, Tahmina; Duncan, Ian F; Profka, Harrilla; Siddiqui, Sarmad; Pourfathi, Mehrdad; Cereda, Maurizio F; Kadlecek, Stephen; Rizi, Rahim R

2018-04-22

To demonstrate the feasibility of using a 3D radial double golden-means acquisition with variable flip angles to monitor pulmonary gas transport in a single breath hold with hyperpolarized xenon-129 MRI. Hyperpolarized xenon-129 MRI scans with interleaved gas-phase and dissolved-phase excitations were performed using a 3D radial double golden-means acquisition in mechanically ventilated rabbits. The flip angle was either held fixed at 15 ° or 5 °, or it was varied linearly in ascending or descending order between 5 ° and 15 ° over a sampling interval of 1000 spokes. Dissolved-phase and gas-phase images were reconstructed at high resolution (32 × 32 × 32 matrix size) using all 1000 spokes, or at low resolution (22 × 22 × 22 matrix size) using 400 spokes at a time in a sliding-window fashion. Based on these sliding-window images, relative change maps were obtained using the highest mean flip angle as the reference, and aggregated pixel-based changes were tracked. Although the signal intensities in the dissolve-phase maps were mostly constant in the fixed flip-angle acquisitions, they varied significantly as a function of average flip angle in the variable flip-angle acquisitions. The latter trend reflects the underlying changes in observed dissolve-phase magnetization distribution due to pulmonary gas uptake and transport. 3D radial double golden-means acquisitions with variable flip angles provide a robust means for rapidly assessing lung function during a single breath hold, thereby constituting a particularly valuable tool for imaging uncooperative or pediatric patient populations. © 2018 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

Transport and imaging of brute-force 13C hyperpolarization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hirsch, Matthew L.; Smith, Bryce A.; Mattingly, Mark; Goloshevsky, Artem G.; Rosay, Melanie; Kempf, James G.

2015-12-01

We demonstrate transport of hyperpolarized frozen 1-13C pyruvic acid from its site of production to a nearby facility, where a time series of 13C images was acquired from the aqueous dissolution product. Transportability is tied to the hyperpolarization (HP) method we employ, which omits radical electron species used in other approaches that would otherwise relax away the HP before reaching the imaging center. In particular, we attained 13C HP by 'brute-force', i.e., using only low temperature and high-field (e.g., T < ∼2 K and B ∼ 14 T) to pre-polarize protons to a large Boltzmann value (∼0.4% 1H polarization). After polarizing the neat, frozen sample, ejection quickly (<1 s) passed it through a low field (B < 100 G) to establish the 1H pre-polarization spin temperature on 13C via the process known as low-field thermal mixing (yielding ∼0.1% 13C polarization). By avoiding polarization agents (a.k.a. relaxation agents) that are needed to hyperpolarize by the competing method of dissolution dynamic nuclear polarization (d-DNP), the 13C relaxation time was sufficient to transport the sample for ∼10 min before finally dissolving in warm water and obtaining a 13C image of the hyperpolarized, dilute, aqueous product (∼0.01% 13C polarization, a >100-fold gain over thermal signals in the 1 T scanner). An annealing step, prior to polarizing the sample, was also key for increasing T1 ∼ 30-fold during transport. In that time, HP was maintained using only modest cryogenics and field (T ∼ 60 K and B = 1.3 T), for T1(13C) near 5 min. Much greater time and distance (with much smaller losses) may be covered using more-complete annealing and only slight improvements on transport conditions (e.g., yielding T1 ∼ 5 h at 30 K, 2 T), whereas even intercity transfer is possible (T1 > 20 h) at reasonable conditions of 6 K and 2 T. Finally, it is possible to increase the overall enhancement near d-DNP levels (i.e., 102-fold more) by polarizing below 100 mK, where

LIGHT-SABRE enables efficient in-magnet catalytic hyperpolarization.

PubMed

Theis, Thomas; Truong, Milton; Coffey, Aaron M; Chekmenev, Eduard Y; Warren, Warren S

2014-11-01

Nuclear spin hyperpolarization overcomes the sensitivity limitations of traditional NMR and MRI, but the most general method demonstrated to date (dynamic nuclear polarization) has significant limitations in scalability, cost, and complex apparatus design. As an alternative, signal amplification by reversible exchange (SABRE) of parahydrogen on transition metal catalysts can hyperpolarize a variety of substrates, but to date this scheme has required transfer of the sample to low magnetic field or very strong RF irradiation. Here we demonstrate "Low-Irradiation Generation of High Tesla-SABRE" (LIGHT-SABRE) which works with simple pulse sequences and low power deposition; it should be usable at any magnetic field and for hyperpolarization of many different nuclei. This approach could drastically reduce the cost and complexity of producing hyperpolarized molecules. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Volumetric spiral chemical shift imaging of hyperpolarized [2-(13) c]pyruvate in a rat c6 glioma model.

PubMed

Park, Jae Mo; Josan, Sonal; Jang, Taichang; Merchant, Milton; Watkins, Ron; Hurd, Ralph E; Recht, Lawrence D; Mayer, Dirk; Spielman, Daniel M

2016-03-01

MRS of hyperpolarized [2-(13)C]pyruvate can be used to assess multiple metabolic pathways within mitochondria as the (13)C label is not lost with the conversion of pyruvate to acetyl-CoA. This study presents the first MR spectroscopic imaging of hyperpolarized [2-(13)C]pyruvate in glioma-bearing brain. Spiral chemical shift imaging with spectrally undersampling scheme (1042 Hz) and a hard-pulse excitation was exploited to simultaneously image [2-(13)C]pyruvate, [2-(13)C]lactate, and [5-(13)C]glutamate, the metabolites known to be produced in brain after an injection of hyperpolarized [2-(13)C]pyruvate, without chemical shift displacement artifacts. A separate undersampling scheme (890 Hz) was also used to image [1-(13)C]acetyl-carnitine. Healthy and C6 glioma-implanted rat brains were imaged at baseline and after dichloroacetate administration, a drug that modulates pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase activity. The baseline metabolite maps showed higher lactate and lower glutamate in tumor as compared to normal-appearing brain. Dichloroacetate led to an increase in glutamate in both tumor and normal-appearing brain. Dichloroacetate-induced %-decrease of lactate/glutamate was comparable to the lactate/bicarbonate decrease from hyperpolarized [1-(13)C]pyruvate studies. Acetyl-carnitine was observed in the muscle/fat tissue surrounding the brain. Robust volumetric imaging with hyperpolarized [2-(13)C]pyruvate and downstream products was performed in glioma-bearing rat brains, demonstrating changes in mitochondrial metabolism with dichloroacetate. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Analysis of Cancer Metabolism by Imaging Hyperpolarized Nuclei: Prospects for Translation to Clinical Research

PubMed Central

Kurhanewicz, John; Vigneron, Daniel B; Brindle, Kevin; Chekmenev, Eduard Y; Comment, Arnaud; Cunningham, Charles H; DeBerardinis, Ralph J; Green, Gary G; Leach, Martin O; Rajan, Sunder S; Rizi, Rahim R; Ross, Brian D; Warren, Warren S; Malloy, Craig R

2011-01-01

A major challenge in cancer biology is to monitor and understand cancer metabolism in vivo with the goal of improved diagnosis and perhaps therapy. Because of the complexity of biochemical pathways, tracer methods are required for detecting specific enzyme-catalyzed reactions. Stable isotopes such as 13C or 15N with detection by nuclear magnetic resonance provide the necessary information about tissue biochemistry, but the crucial metabolites are present in low concentration and therefore are beyond the detection threshold of traditional magnetic resonance methods. A solution is to improve sensitivity by a factor of 10,000 or more by temporarily redistributing the populations of nuclear spins in a magnetic field, a process termed hyperpolarization. Although this effect is short-lived, hyperpolarized molecules can be generated in an aqueous solution and infused in vivo where metabolism generates products that can be imaged. This discovery lifts the primary constraint on magnetic resonance imaging for monitoring metabolism—poor sensitivity—while preserving the advantage of biochemical information. The purpose of this report was to briefly summarize the known abnormalities in cancer metabolism, the value and limitations of current imaging methods for metabolism, and the principles of hyperpolarization. Recent preclinical applications are described. Hyperpolarization technology is still in its infancy, and current polarizer equipment and methods are suboptimal. Nevertheless, there are no fundamental barriers to rapid translation of this exciting technology to clinical research and perhaps clinical care. PMID:21403835

EPR oxygen imaging and hyperpolarized 13C MRI of pyruvate metabolism as noninvasive biomarkers of tumor treatment response to a glycolysis inhibitor 3-bromopyruvate.

PubMed

Matsumoto, Shingo; Saito, Keita; Yasui, Hironobu; Morris, H Douglas; Munasinghe, Jeeva P; Lizak, Martin; Merkle, Hellmut; Ardenkjaer-Larsen, Jan Henrik; Choudhuri, Rajani; Devasahayam, Nallathamby; Subramanian, Sankaran; Koretsky, Alan P; Mitchell, James B; Krishna, Murali C

2013-05-01

The hypoxic nature of tumors results in treatment resistance and poor prognosis. To spare limited oxygen for more crucial pathways, hypoxic cancerous cells suppress mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation and promote glycolysis for energy production. Thereby, inhibition of glycolysis has the potential to overcome treatment resistance of hypoxic tumors. Here, EPR imaging was used to evaluate oxygen dependent efficacy on hypoxia-sensitive drug. The small molecule 3-bromopyruvate blocks glycolysis pathway by inhibiting hypoxia inducible enzymes and enhanced cytotoxicity of 3-bromopyruvate under hypoxic conditions has been reported in vitro. However, the efficacy of 3-bromopyruvate was substantially attenuated in hypoxic tumor regions (pO2<10 mmHg) in vivo using squamous cell carcinoma (SCCVII)-bearing mouse model. Metabolic MRI studies using hyperpolarized 13C-labeled pyruvate showed that monocarboxylate transporter-1 is the major transporter for pyruvate and the analog 3-bromopyruvate in SCCVII tumor. The discrepant results between in vitro and in vivo data were attributed to biphasic oxygen dependent expression of monocarboxylate transporter-1 in vivo. Expression of monocarboxylate transporter-1 was enhanced in moderately hypoxic (8-15 mmHg) tumor regions but down regulated in severely hypoxic (<5 mmHg) tumor regions. These results emphasize the importance of noninvasive imaging biomarkers to confirm the action of hypoxia-activated drugs. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Continuous flow Overhauser dynamic nuclear polarization of water in the fringe field of a clinical magnetic resonance imaging system for authentic image contrast

PubMed Central

Lingwood, Mark D.; Siaw, Ting Ann; Sailasuta, Napapon; Ross, Brian D.; Bhattacharya, Pratip; Han, Songi

2016-01-01

We describe and demonstrate a system to generate hyperpolarized water in the 0.35 T fringe field of a clinical 1.5 T whole-body magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) magnet. Once generated, the hyperpolarized water is quickly and continuously transferred from the 0.35 T fringe to the 1.5 T center field of the same magnet for image acquisition using standard MRI equipment. The hyperpolarization is based on Overhauser dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP), which effectively and quickly transfers the higher spin polarization of free radicals to nuclear spins at ambient temperatures. We visualize the dispersion of hyperpolarized water as it flows through water-saturated systems by utilizing an observed −15 fold DNP signal enhancement with respect to the unenhanced 1H MRI signal of water at 1.5 T. The experimental DNP apparatus presented here is readily portable and can be brought to and used with any conventional unshielded MRI system. A new method of immobilizing radicals to gel beads via polyelectrolyte linker arms is described, which led to superior flow Overhauser DNP performance compared to previously presented gels. We discuss the general applicability of Overhauser DNP hyperpolarization of water and aqueous solutions in the fringe field of commercially available magnets with central fields up to 4.7 Tesla. PMID:20541445

Advances in Magnetic Resonance Imaging Contrast Agents for Biomarker Detection

PubMed Central

Sinharay, Sanhita; Pagel, Mark D.

2016-01-01

Recent advances in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents have provided new capabilities for biomarker detection through molecular imaging. MRI contrast agents based on the T2 exchange mechanism have more recently expanded the armamentarium of agents for molecular imaging. Compared with T1 and T2* agents, T2 exchange agents have a slower chemical exchange rate, which improves the ability to design these MRI contrast agents with greater specificity for detecting the intended biomarker. MRI contrast agents that are detected through chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) have even slower chemical exchange rates. Another emerging class of MRI contrast agents uses hyperpolarized 13C to detect the agent with outstanding sensitivity. These hyperpolarized 13C agents can be used to track metabolism and monitor characteristics of the tissue microenvironment. Together, these various MRI contrast agents provide excellent opportunities to develop molecular imaging for biomarker detection. PMID:27049630

Hyperpolarized 15N-pyridine Derivatives as pH-Sensitive MRI Agents

PubMed Central

Jiang, Weina; Lumata, Lloyd; Chen, Wei; Zhang, Shanrong; Kovacs, Zoltan; Sherry, A. Dean; Khemtong, Chalermchai

2015-01-01

Highly sensitive MR imaging agents that can accurately and rapidly monitor changes in pH would have diagnostic and prognostic value for many diseases. Here, we report an investigation of hyperpolarized 15N-pyridine derivatives as ultrasensitive pH-sensitive imaging probes. These molecules are easily polarized to high levels using standard dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) techniques and their 15N chemical shifts were found to be highly sensitive to pH. These probes displayed sharp 15N resonances and large differences in chemical shifts (Δδ >90 ppm) between their free base and protonated forms. These favorable features make these agents highly suitable candidates for the detection of small changes in tissue pH near physiological values. PMID:25774436

15N Hyperpolarization by Reversible Exchange Using SABRE-SHEATH

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

NMR signal amplification by reversible exchange (SABRE) is a NMR hyperpolarization technique that enables nuclear spin polarization enhancement of molecules via concurrent chemical exchange of a target substrate and parahydrogen (the source of spin order) on an iridium catalyst. Recently, we demonstrated that conducting SABRE in microtesla fields provided by a magnetic shield enables up to 10% 15N-polarization (Theis, T.; et al. J. Am. Chem. Soc.2015, 137, 1404). Hyperpolarization on 15N (and heteronuclei in general) may be advantageous because of the long-lived nature of the hyperpolarization on 15N relative to the short-lived hyperpolarization of protons conventionally hyperpolarized by SABRE, in addition to wider chemical shift dispersion and absence of background signal. Here we show that these unprecedented polarization levels enable 15N magnetic resonance imaging. We also present a theoretical model for the hyperpolarization transfer to heteronuclei, and detail key parameters that should be optimized for efficient 15N-hyperpolarization. The effects of parahydrogen pressure, flow rate, sample temperature, catalyst-to-substrate ratio, relaxation time (T1), and reversible oxygen quenching are studied on a test system of 15N-pyridine in methanol-d4. Moreover, we demonstrate the first proof-of-principle 13C-hyperpolarization using this method. This simple hyperpolarization scheme only requires access to parahydrogen and a magnetic shield, and it provides large enough signal gains to enable one of the first 15N images (2 × 2 mm2 resolution). Importantly, this method enables hyperpolarization of molecular sites with NMR T1 relaxation times suitable for biomedical imaging and spectroscopy. PMID:25960823

15N Hyperpolarization by Reversible Exchange Using SABRE-SHEATH.

PubMed

Truong, Milton L; Theis, Thomas; Coffey, Aaron M; Shchepin, Roman V; Waddell, Kevin W; Shi, Fan; Goodson, Boyd M; Warren, Warren S; Chekmenev, Eduard Y

2015-04-23

NMR signal amplification by reversible exchange (SABRE) is a NMR hyperpolarization technique that enables nuclear spin polarization enhancement of molecules via concurrent chemical exchange of a target substrate and parahydrogen (the source of spin order) on an iridium catalyst. Recently, we demonstrated that conducting SABRE in microtesla fields provided by a magnetic shield enables up to 10% 15 N-polarization (Theis, T.; et al. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2015 , 137 , 1404). Hyperpolarization on 15 N (and heteronuclei in general) may be advantageous because of the long-lived nature of the hyperpolarization on 15 N relative to the short-lived hyperpolarization of protons conventionally hyperpolarized by SABRE, in addition to wider chemical shift dispersion and absence of background signal. Here we show that these unprecedented polarization levels enable 15 N magnetic resonance imaging. We also present a theoretical model for the hyperpolarization transfer to heteronuclei, and detail key parameters that should be optimized for efficient 15 N-hyperpolarization. The effects of parahydrogen pressure, flow rate, sample temperature, catalyst-to-substrate ratio, relaxation time ( T 1 ), and reversible oxygen quenching are studied on a test system of 15 N-pyridine in methanol- d 4 . Moreover, we demonstrate the first proof-of-principle 13 C-hyperpolarization using this method. This simple hyperpolarization scheme only requires access to parahydrogen and a magnetic shield, and it provides large enough signal gains to enable one of the first 15 N images (2 × 2 mm 2 resolution). Importantly, this method enables hyperpolarization of molecular sites with NMR T 1 relaxation times suitable for biomedical imaging and spectroscopy.

EPR oxygen imaging and hyperpolarized 13C MRI of pyruvate metabolism as non-invasive biomarkers of tumor treatment response to a glycolysis inhibitor 3-bromopyruvate

PubMed Central

Matsumoto, Shingo; Saito, Keita; Yasui, Hironobu; Morris, H. Douglas; Munasinghe, Jeeva P.; Lizak, Martin; Merkle, Hellmut; Ardenkjaer-Larsen, Jan Henrik; Choudhuri, Rajani; Devasahayam, Nallathamby; Subramanian, Sankaran; Koretsky, Alan P.; Mitchell, James B.; Krishna, Murali C.

2012-01-01

The hypoxic nature of tumors results in treatment resistance and poor prognosis. To spare limited oxygen for more crucial pathways, hypoxic cancerous cells suppress mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation, and promote glycolysis for energy production. Thereby, inhibition of glycolysis has the potential to overcome treatment resistance of hypoxic tumors. Here, EPR imaging was used to evaluate oxygen dependent efficacy on hypoxia-sensitive drug. The small molecule 3-bromopyruvate (3-BP) blocks glycolysis pathway by inhibiting hypoxia inducible enzymes, and enhanced cytotoxicity of 3-BP under hypoxic conditions has been reported in vitro. However, the efficacy of 3-BP was substantially attenuated in hypoxic tumor regions (pO2 < 10 mmHg) in vivo using squamous cell carcinoma (SCCVII)-bearing mouse model. Metabolic MRI studies using hyperpolarized 13C-labeled pyruvate showed that monocarboxylate transporter-1 (MCT1) is the major transporter for pyruvate and the analog 3-BP in SCCVII tumor. The discrepant results between in vitro and in vivo data were attributed to biphasic oxygen dependent expression of MCT1 in vivo. Expression of MCT1 was enhanced in moderately hypoxic (8–15 mmHg) tumor regions, but down regulated in severely hypoxic (< 5 mmHg) tumor regions. These results emphasize the importance of non-invasive imaging biomarkers to confirm the action of hypoxia-activated drugs. PMID:22692861

WE-FG-206-07: Assessing the Lung Function of Patients with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Using Hyperpolarized Xenon-129 Dissolved-Phase MRI

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

Qing, K; Mugler, J; Chen, Q

Purpose: Hyperpolarized xenon-129 dissolved-phase MRI is the first imaging technique that allows 3-dimensional regional mapping of ventilation and gas uptake by tissue and blood the in human lung. Multiple outcome measures can be produced from this method. Existing studies in subjects with major lung diseases compared to healthy controls demonstrated high sensitivities of this method to pulmonary physiological factors including ventilation, alveolar tissue density, surface-to-volume ratio, pulmonary perfusion and gas-blood barrier thickness. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the utility of this new imaging tool to assess the lung function in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).more » Methods: Ten healthy controls (age: 63±10) and five patients (age: 62±13) with NSCLC underwent the xenon-129 dissolved-phase MRI, pulmonary function test (PFT) and CT for clinical purpose. Three outcome measures were produced from xenon-129 dissolved-phase MRI, including ventilation defect fraction (Vdef%) reflecting the airflow obstruction, tissue-to-gas ratio reflecting lung tissue density, and RBC-to-tissue ratio reflecting pulmonary perfusion and gas exchange. Results: Compared to healthy controls, patients with NSCLC showed more ventilation defects (NSCLC: 22±6%; control: 40±18%; P=0.01), lower tissue-to-gas (NSCLC: 0.82±0.31%; control: 1.07±0.13%; P=0.05) and RBC-to-tissue ratios (NSCLC: 0.82±0.31%; control: 1.07±0.13%; P=0.01). Maps for ventilation and gas uptake by tissue and blood were highly heterogeneous in the lungs of patients. Vdef% and RBC-to-tissue ratios in all 15 subjects correlated with corresponding global lung functional measures from PFT: FEV1/FVC (R=−0.91, P<0.001) and DLCO % predicted (R=0.54, P=0.03), respectively. The tissue-to-gas ratios correlated with tissue density (HU) measured by CT (R=0.88, P<0.001). Conclusion: With the unique ability to provide detailed information about lung function including ventilation, tissue

Hyperpolarized Xenon-129 Gas-Exchange Imaging of Lung Microstructure: First Case Studies in Subjects with Obstructive Lung Disease

PubMed Central

Dregely, Isabel; Mugler, John P.; Ruset, Iulian C.; Altes, Talissa A.; Mata, Jaime F.; Miller, G. Wilson; Ketel, Jeffrey; Ketel, Steve; Distelbrink, Jan; Hersman, F.W.; Ruppert, Kai

2011-01-01

Purpose To develop and test a method to non-invasively assess the functional lung microstructure. Materials and Methods The Multiple exchange time Xenon polarization Transfer Contrast technique (MXTC) encodes xenon gas-exchange contrast at multiple delay times permitting two lung-function parameters to be derived: 1) MXTC-F, the long exchange-time depolarization value, which is proportional to the tissue to alveolar-volume ratio and 2) MXTC-S, the square root of the xenon exchange-time constant, which characterizes thickness and composition of alveolar septa. Three healthy volunteers, one asthmatic and two COPD (GOLD stage I and II) subjects were imaged with MXTC MRI. In a subset of subjects, hyperpolarized xenon-129 ADC MRI and CT imaging were also performed. Results The MXTC-S parameter was found to be elevated in subjects with lung disease (p-value = 0.018). In the MXTC-F parameter map it was feasible to identify regional loss of functional tissue in a COPD patient. Further, the MXTC-F map showed excellent regional correlation with CT and ADC (ρ ≥ 0.90) in one COPD subject. Conclusion The functional tissue-density parameter MXTC-F showed regional agreement with other imaging techniques. The newly developed parameter MXTC-S, which characterizes the functional thickness of alveolar septa, has potential as a novel biomarker for regional parenchymal inflammation or thickening. PMID:21509861

Hyperpolarized xenon NMR and MRI signal amplification by gas extraction

PubMed Central

Zhou, Xin; Graziani, Dominic; Pines, Alexander

2009-01-01

A method is reported for enhancing the sensitivity of NMR of dissolved xenon by detecting the signal after extraction to the gas phase. We demonstrate hyperpolarized xenon signal amplification by gas extraction (Hyper-SAGE) in both NMR spectra and magnetic resonance images with time-of-flight information. Hyper-SAGE takes advantage of a change in physical phase to increase the density of polarized gas in the detection coil. At equilibrium, the concentration of gas-phase xenon is ≈10 times higher than that of the dissolved-phase gas. After extraction the xenon density can be further increased by several orders of magnitude by compression and/or liquefaction. Additionally, being a remote detection technique, the Hyper-SAGE effect is further enhanced in situations where the sample of interest would occupy only a small proportion of the traditional NMR receiver. Coupled with targeted xenon biosensors, Hyper-SAGE offers another path to highly sensitive molecular imaging of specific cell markers by detection of exhaled xenon gas. PMID:19805177

Low-field MRI can be more sensitive than high-field MRI

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coffey, Aaron M.; Truong, Milton L.; Chekmenev, Eduard Y.

2013-12-01

MRI signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is the key factor for image quality. Conventionally, SNR is proportional to nuclear spin polarization, which scales linearly with magnetic field strength. Yet ever-stronger magnets present numerous technical and financial limitations. Low-field MRI can mitigate these constraints with equivalent SNR from non-equilibrium ‘hyperpolarization' schemes, which increase polarization by orders of magnitude independently of the magnetic field. Here, theory and experimental validation demonstrate that combination of field independent polarization (e.g. hyperpolarization) with frequency optimized MRI detection coils (i.e. multi-turn coils using the maximum allowed conductor length) results in low-field MRI sensitivity approaching and even rivaling that of high-field MRI. Four read-out frequencies were tested using samples with identical numbers of 1H and 13C spins. Experimental SNRs at 0.0475 T were ∼40% of those obtained at 4.7 T. Conservatively, theoretical SNRs at 0.0475 T 1.13-fold higher than those at 4.7 T were possible despite an ∼100-fold lower detection frequency, indicating feasibility of high-sensitivity MRI without technically challenging, expensive high-field magnets. The data at 4.7 T and 0.0475 T was obtained from different spectrometers with different RF probes. The SNR comparison between the two field strengths accounted for many differences in parameters such as system noise figures and variations in the probe detection coils including Q factors and coil diameters.

Level anti-crossings are a key factor for understanding para-hydrogen-induced hyperpolarization in SABRE experiments.

PubMed

Pravdivtsev, Andrey N; Yurkovskaya, Alexandra V; Vieth, Hans-Martin; Ivanov, Konstantin L; Kaptein, Robert

2013-10-07

Various hyperpolarization methods are able to enhance the sensitivity of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) by several orders of magnitude. Among these methods are para-hydrogen-induced polarization (PHIP) and signal amplification by reversible exchange (SABRE), which exploit the strong nuclear alignment of para-hydrogen. Several SABRE experiments have been reported but, so far, it has not been possible to account for the experimentally observed sign and magnetic-field dependence of substrate polarization. Herein, we present an analysis based on level anti-crossings (LACs), which provides a complete understanding of the SABRE effect. The field-dependence of both net and anti-phase polarization is measured for several ligands, which can be reproduced by the theory. The similar SABRE field-dependence for different ligands is also explained. In general, the LAC concept allows complex spin dynamics to be unraveled, and is crucial for optimizing the performance of novel hyperpolarization methods in NMR and MRI techniques. Copyright © 2013 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

An optimized microfabricated platform for the optical generation and detection of hyperpolarized 129Xe

PubMed Central

Kennedy, Daniel J.; Seltzer, Scott J.; Jiménez-Martínez, Ricardo; Ring, Hattie L.; Malecek, Nicolas S.; Knappe, Svenja; Donley, Elizabeth A.; Kitching, John; Bajaj, Vikram S.; Pines, Alexander

2017-01-01

Low thermal-equilibrium nuclear spin polarizations and the need for sophisticated instrumentation render conventional nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and imaging (MRI) incompatible with small-scale microfluidic devices. Hyperpolarized 129Xe gas has found use in the study of many materials but has required very large and expensive instrumentation. Recently a microfabricated device with modest instrumentation demonstrated all-optical hyperpolarization and detection of 129Xe gas. This device was limited by 129Xe polarizations less than 1%, 129Xe NMR signals smaller than 20 nT, and transport of hyperpolarized 129Xe over millimeter lengths. Higher polarizations, versatile detection schemes, and flow of 129Xe over larger distances are desirable for wider applications. Here we demonstrate an ultra-sensitive microfabricated platform that achieves 129Xe polarizations reaching 7%, NMR signals exceeding 1 μT, lifetimes up to 6 s, and simultaneous two-mode detection, consisting of a high-sensitivity in situ channel with signal-to-noise of 105 and a lower-sensitivity ex situ detection channel which may be useful in a wider variety of conditions. 129Xe is hyperpolarized and detected in locations more than 1 cm apart. Our versatile device is an optimal platform for microfluidic magnetic resonance in particular, but equally attractive for wider nuclear spin applications benefitting from ultra-sensitive detection, long coherences, and simple instrumentation. PMID:28266629

An optimized microfabricated platform for the optical generation and detection of hyperpolarized 129Xe

DOE PAGES

Kennedy, Daniel J.; Seltzer, Scott J.; Jiménez-Martínez, Ricardo; ...

2017-03-07

Low thermal-equilibrium nuclear spin polarizations and the need for sophisticated instrumentation render conventional nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and imaging (MRI) incompatible with small-scale microfluidic devices. Hyperpolarized 129Xe gas has found use in the study of many materials but has required very large and expensive instrumentation. Recently a microfabricated device with modest instrumentation demonstrated all-optical hyperpolarization and detection of 129Xe gas. This device was limited by 129Xe polarizations less than 1%, 129Xe NMR signals smaller than 20 nT, and transport of hyperpolarized 129Xe over millimeter lengths. Higher polarizations, versatile detection schemes, and flow of 129Xe over larger distances are desirablemore » for wider applications. Here we demonstrate an ultra-sensitive microfabricated platform that achieves 129Xe polarizations reaching 7%, NMR signals exceeding 1 μT, lifetimes up to 6 s, and simultaneous two-mode detection, consisting of a high-sensitivity in situ channel with signal-to-noise of 10 5 and a lower-sensitivity ex situ detection channel which may be useful in a wider variety of conditions. 129Xe is hyperpolarized and detected in locations more than 1 cm apart. Our versatile device is an optimal platform for microfluidic magnetic resonance in particular, but equally attractive for wider nuclear spin applications benefitting from ultra-sensitive detection, long coherences, and simple instrumentation.« less

A 32-Channel Phased-Array Receive with Asymmetric Birdcage Transmit RF Coil for Hyperpolarized Xenon-129 Lung Imaging

PubMed Central

Dregely, Isabel; Ruset, Iulian C.; Wiggins, Graham; Mareyam, Azma; Mugler, John P.; Altes, Talissa A.; Meyer, Craig; Ruppert, Kai; Wald, Lawrence L.; Hersman, F. William

2012-01-01

Hyperpolarized xenon-129 (HP Xe) has the potential to become a non-invasive contrast agent for lung MRI. In addition to its utility for imaging of ventilated airspaces, the property of xenon to dissolve in lung tissue and blood upon inhalation provides the opportunity to study gas exchange. Implementations of imaging protocols for obtaining regional parameters that exploit the dissolved phase are limited by the available signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), excitation homogeneity, and length of acquisition times. To address these challenges, a 32-channel receive-array coil complemented by an asymmetric birdcage transmit coil tuned to the HP Xe resonance at 3T was developed. First results of spin-density imaging in healthy subjects and subjects with obstructive lung disease demonstrated the improvements in image quality by high resolution ventilation images with high SNR. Parallel imaging performance of the phased-array coil was demonstrated by acceleration factors up to three in 2D acquisitions and up to six in 3D acquisitions. Transmit-field maps showed a regional variation of only 8% across the whole lung. The newly developed phased-array receive coil with the birdcage transmit coil will lead to an improvement in existing imaging protocols, but moreover enable the development of new, functional lung imaging protocols based on the improvements in excitation homogeneity, SNR, and acquisition speed. PMID:23132336

Measurement of xenon diffusing capacity in the rat lung by hyperpolarized 129Xe MRI and dynamic spectroscopy in a single breath-hold.

PubMed

Abdeen, Nishard; Cross, Albert; Cron, Gregory; White, Steven; Rand, Thomas; Miller, David; Santyr, Giles

2006-08-01

We used the dual capability of hyperpolarized 129Xe for spectroscopy and imaging to develop new measures of xenon diffusing capacity in the rat lung that (analogously to the diffusing capacity of carbon monoxide or DLCO) are calculated as a product of total lung volume and gas transfer rate constants divided by the pressure gradient. Under conditions of known constant pressure breath-hold, the volume is measured by hyperpolarized 129Xe MRI, and the transfer rate is measured by dynamic spectroscopy. The new quantities (xenon diffusing capacity in lung parenchyma (DLXeLP)), xenon diffusing capacity in RBCs (DLXeRBC), and total lung xenon diffusing capacity (DLXe)) were measured in six normal rats and six rats with lung inflammation induced by instillation of fungal spores of Stachybotrys chartarum. DLXeLP, DLXeRBC, and DLXe were 56 +/- 10 ml/min/mmHg, 64 +/- 35 ml/min/mmHg, and 29 +/- 9 ml/min/mmHg, respectively, for normal rats, and 27 +/- 9 ml/min/mmHg, 42 +/- 27 ml/min/mmHg, and 16 +/- 7 ml/min/mmHg, respectively, for diseased rats. Lung volumes and gas transfer times for LP (TtrLP) were 16 +/- 2 ml and 22 +/- 3 ms, respectively, for normal rats and 12 +/- 2 ml and 35 +/- 8 ms, respectively, for diseased rats. Xenon diffusing capacities may be useful for measuring changes in gas exchange associated with inflammation and other lung diseases. Copyright 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

A comparison of quantitative methods for clinical imaging with hyperpolarized (13)C-pyruvate.

PubMed

Daniels, Charlie J; McLean, Mary A; Schulte, Rolf F; Robb, Fraser J; Gill, Andrew B; McGlashan, Nicholas; Graves, Martin J; Schwaiger, Markus; Lomas, David J; Brindle, Kevin M; Gallagher, Ferdia A

2016-04-01

Dissolution dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) enables the metabolism of hyperpolarized (13)C-labelled molecules, such as the conversion of [1-(13)C]pyruvate to [1-(13)C]lactate, to be dynamically and non-invasively imaged in tissue. Imaging of this exchange reaction in animal models has been shown to detect early treatment response and correlate with tumour grade. The first human DNP study has recently been completed, and, for widespread clinical translation, simple and reliable methods are necessary to accurately probe the reaction in patients. However, there is currently no consensus on the most appropriate method to quantify this exchange reaction. In this study, an in vitro system was used to compare several kinetic models, as well as simple model-free methods. Experiments were performed using a clinical hyperpolarizer, a human 3 T MR system, and spectroscopic imaging sequences. The quantitative methods were compared in vivo by using subcutaneous breast tumours in rats to examine the effect of pyruvate inflow. The two-way kinetic model was the most accurate method for characterizing the exchange reaction in vitro, and the incorporation of a Heaviside step inflow profile was best able to describe the in vivo data. The lactate time-to-peak and the lactate-to-pyruvate area under the curve ratio were simple model-free approaches that accurately represented the full reaction, with the time-to-peak method performing indistinguishably from the best kinetic model. Finally, extracting data from a single pixel was a robust and reliable surrogate of the whole region of interest. This work has identified appropriate quantitative methods for future work in the analysis of human hyperpolarized (13)C data. © 2016 The Authors. NMR in Biomedicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Imaging of pH in vivo using hyperpolarized 13C-labelled zymonic acid

PubMed Central

Düwel, Stephan; Hundshammer, Christian; Gersch, Malte; Feuerecker, Benedikt; Steiger, Katja; Buck, Achim; Walch, Axel; Haase, Axel; Glaser, Steffen J.; Schwaiger, Markus; Schilling, Franz

2017-01-01

Natural pH regulatory mechanisms can be overruled during several pathologies such as cancer, inflammation and ischaemia, leading to local pH changes in the human body. Here we demonstrate that 13C-labelled zymonic acid (ZA) can be used as hyperpolarized magnetic resonance pH imaging sensor. ZA is synthesized from [1-13C]pyruvic acid and its 13C resonance frequencies shift up to 3.0 p.p.m. per pH unit in the physiological pH range. The long lifetime of the hyperpolarized signal enhancement enables monitoring of pH, independent of concentration, temperature, ionic strength and protein concentration. We show in vivo pH maps within rat kidneys and subcutaneously inoculated tumours derived from a mammary adenocarcinoma cell line and characterize ZA as non-toxic compound predominantly present in the extracellular space. We suggest that ZA represents a reliable and non-invasive extracellular imaging sensor to localize and quantify pH, with the potential to improve understanding, diagnosis and therapy of diseases characterized by aberrant acid-base balance. PMID:28492229

Latest advances in molecular imaging instrumentation.

PubMed

Pichler, Bernd J; Wehrl, Hans F; Judenhofer, Martin S

2008-06-01

This review concentrates on the latest advances in molecular imaging technology, including PET, MRI, and optical imaging. In PET, significant improvements in tumor detection and image resolution have been achieved by introducing new scintillation materials, iterative image reconstruction, and correction methods. These advances enabled the first clinical scanners capable of time-of-flight detection and incorporating point-spread-function reconstruction to compensate for depth-of-interaction effects. In the field of MRI, the most important developments in recent years have mainly been MRI systems with higher field strengths and improved radiofrequency coil technology. Hyperpolarized imaging, functional MRI, and MR spectroscopy provide molecular information in vivo. A special focus of this review article is multimodality imaging and, in particular, the emerging field of combined PET/MRI.

Physiological response of rats to delivery of helium and xenon: implications for hyperpolarized noble gas imaging

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ramirez, M. P.; Sigaloff, K. C.; Kubatina, L. V.; Donahue, M. A.; Venkatesh, A. K.; Albert, M. S.; ALbert, M. S. (Principal Investigator)

2000-01-01

The physiological effects of various hyperpolarized helium and xenon MRI-compatible breathing protocols were investigated in 17 Sprague-Dawley rats, by continuous monitoring of blood oxygen saturation, heart rate, EKG, temperature and endotracheal pressure. The protocols included alternating breaths of pure noble gas and oxygen, continuous breaths of pure noble gas, breath-holds of pure noble gas for varying durations, and helium breath-holds preceded by two helium rinses. Alternate-breath protocols up to 128 breaths caused a decrease in oxygen saturation level of less than 5% for either helium or xenon, whereas 16 continuous-breaths caused a 31.5% +/- 2.3% decrease in oxygen saturation for helium and a 30.7% +/- 1. 3% decrease for xenon. Breath-hold protocols up to 25 s did not cause the oxygen saturation to fall below 90% for either of the noble gases. Oxygen saturation values below 90% are considered pathological. At 30 s of breath-hold, the blood oxygen saturation dropped precipitously to 82% +/- 0.6% for helium, and to 76.5% +/- 7. 4% for xenon. Breath-holds longer than 10 s preceded by pre-rinses caused oxygen saturation to drop below 90%. These findings demonstrate the need for standardized noble gas inhalation procedures that have been carefully tested, and for continuous physiological monitoring to ensure the safety of the subject. We find short breath-hold and alternate-breath protocols to be safe procedures for use in hyperpolarized noble gas MRI experiments. Copyright 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Quantified pH imaging with hyperpolarized (13) C-bicarbonate.

PubMed

Scholz, David Johannes; Janich, Martin A; Köllisch, Ulrich; Schulte, Rolf F; Ardenkjaer-Larsen, Jan H; Frank, Annette; Haase, Axel; Schwaiger, Markus; Menzel, Marion I

2015-06-01

Because pH plays a crucial role in several diseases, it is desirable to measure pH in vivo noninvasively and in a spatially localized manner. Spatial maps of pH were quantified in vitro, with a focus on method-based errors, and applied in vivo. In vitro and in vivo (13) C mapping were performed for various flip angles for bicarbonate (BiC) and CO2 with spectral-spatial excitation and spiral readout in healthy Lewis rats in five slices. Acute subcutaneous sterile inflammation was induced with Concanavalin A in the right leg of Buffalo rats. pH and proton images were measured 2 h after induction. After optimizing the signal to noise ratio of the hyperpolarized (13) C-bicarbonate, error estimation of the spectral-spatial excited spectrum reveals that the method covers the biologically relevant pH range of 6 to 8 with low pH error (< 0.2). Quantification of pH maps shows negligible impact of the residual bicarbonate signal. pH maps reflect the induction of acute metabolic alkalosis. Inflamed, infected regions exhibit lower pH. Hyperpolarized (13) C-bicarbonate pH mapping was shown to be sensitive in the biologically relevant pH range. The mapping of pH was applied to healthy in vivo organs and interpreted within inflammation and acute metabolic alkalosis models. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Hyperpolarized nanodiamond with long spin-relaxation times

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rej, Ewa; Gaebel, Torsten; Boele, Thomas; Waddington, David E. J.; Reilly, David J.

2015-10-01

The use of hyperpolarized agents in magnetic resonance, such as 13C-labelled compounds, enables powerful new imaging and detection modalities that stem from a 10,000-fold boost in signal. A major challenge for the future of the hyperpolarization technique is the inherently short spin-relaxation times, typically <60 s for 13C liquid-state compounds, which limit the time that the signal remains boosted. Here we demonstrate that 1.1% natural abundance 13C spins in synthetic nanodiamond can be hyperpolarized at cryogenic and room temperature without the use of free radicals, and, owing to their solid-state environment, exhibit relaxation times exceeding 1 h. Combined with the already established applications of nanodiamonds in the life sciences as inexpensive fluorescent markers and non-cytotoxic substrates for gene and drug delivery, these results extend the theranostic capabilities of nanoscale diamonds into the domain of hyperpolarized magnetic resonance.

Slice profile effects in 2D slice-selective MRI of hyperpolarized nuclei.

PubMed

Deppe, Martin H; Teh, Kevin; Parra-Robles, Juan; Lee, Kuan J; Wild, Jim M

2010-02-01

This work explores slice profile effects in 2D slice-selective gradient-echo MRI of hyperpolarized nuclei. Two different sequences were investigated: a Spoiled Gradient Echo sequence with variable flip angle (SPGR-VFA) and a balanced Steady-State Free Precession (SSFP) sequence. It is shown that in SPGR-VFA the distribution of flip angles across the slice present in any realistically shaped radiofrequency (RF) pulse leads to large excess signal from the slice edges in later RF views, which results in an undesired non-constant total transverse magnetization, potentially exceeding the initial value by almost 300% for the last RF pulse. A method to reduce this unwanted effect is demonstrated, based on dynamic scaling of the slice selection gradient. SSFP sequences with small to moderate flip angles (<40 degrees ) are also shown to preserve the slice profile better than the most commonly used SPGR sequence with constant flip angle (SPGR-CFA). For higher flip angles, the slice profile in SSFP evolves in a manner similar to SPGR-CFA, with depletion of polarization in the center of the slice. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Rapid in vivo apparent diffusion coefficient mapping of hyperpolarized (13) C metabolites.

PubMed

Koelsch, Bertram L; Reed, Galen D; Keshari, Kayvan R; Chaumeil, Myriam M; Bok, Robert; Ronen, Sabrina M; Vigneron, Daniel B; Kurhanewicz, John; Larson, Peder E Z

2015-09-01

Hyperpolarized (13) C magnetic resonance allows for the study of real-time metabolism in vivo, including significant hyperpolarized (13) C lactate production in many tumors. Other studies have shown that aggressive and highly metastatic tumors rapidly transport lactate out of cells. Thus, the ability to not only measure the production of hyperpolarized (13) C lactate but also understand its compartmentalization using diffusion-weighted MR will provide unique information for improved tumor characterization. We used a bipolar, pulsed-gradient, double spin echo imaging sequence to rapidly generate diffusion-weighted images of hyperpolarized (13) C metabolites. Our methodology included a simultaneously acquired B1 map to improve apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) accuracy and a diffusion-compensated variable flip angle scheme to improve ADC precision. We validated this sequence and methodology in hyperpolarized (13) C phantoms. Next, we generated ADC maps of several hyperpolarized (13) C metabolites in a normal rat, rat brain tumor, and prostate cancer mouse model using both preclinical and clinical trial-ready hardware. ADC maps of hyperpolarized (13) C metabolites provide information about the localization of these molecules in the tissue microenvironment. The methodology presented here allows for further studies to investigate ADC changes due to disease state that may provide unique information about cancer aggressiveness and metastatic potential. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Diazirines as Potential Molecular Imaging Tags: Probing the Requirements for Efficient and Long-Lived SABRE-Induced Hyperpolarization.

PubMed

Shen, Kun; Logan, Angus W J; Colell, Johannes F P; Bae, Junu; Ortiz, Gerardo X; Theis, Thomas; Warren, Warren S; Malcolmson, Steven J; Wang, Qiu

2017-09-25

Diazirines are an attractive class of potential molecular tags for magnetic resonance imaging owing to their biocompatibility and ease of incorporation into a large variety of molecules. As recently reported, 15 N 2 -diazirine can be hyperpolarized by the SABRE-SHEATH method, sustaining both singlet and magnetization states, thus offering a path to long-lived polarization storage. Herein, we show the generality of this approach by illustrating that the diazirine tag alone is sufficient for achieving excellent signal enhancements with long-lasting polarization. Our investigations reveal the critical role of Lewis basic additives, including water, on achieving SABRE-promoted hyperpolarization. The application of this strategy to a 15 N 2 -diazirine-containing choline derivative demonstrates the potential of 15 N 2 -diazirines as molecular imaging tags for biomedical applications. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Using parahydrogen to hyperpolarize amines, amides, carboxylic acids, alcohols, phosphates, and carbonates

PubMed Central

Iali, Wissam; Rayner, Peter J.; Duckett, Simon B.

2018-01-01

Hyperpolarization turns weak nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) responses into strong signals, so normally impractical measurements are possible. We use parahydrogen to rapidly hyperpolarize appropriate 1H, 13C, 15N, and 31P responses of analytes (such as NH3) and important amines (such as phenylethylamine), amides (such as acetamide, urea, and methacrylamide), alcohols spanning methanol through octanol and glucose, the sodium salts of carboxylic acids (such as acetic acid and pyruvic acid), sodium phosphate, disodium adenosine 5′-triphosphate, and sodium hydrogen carbonate. The associated signal gains are used to demonstrate that it is possible to collect informative single-shot NMR spectra of these analytes in seconds at the micromole level in a 9.4-T observation field. To achieve these wide-ranging signal gains, we first use the signal amplification by reversible exchange (SABRE) process to hyperpolarize an amine or ammonia and then use their exchangeable NH protons to relay polarization into the analyte without changing its identity. We found that the 1H signal gains reach as high as 650-fold per proton, whereas for 13C, the corresponding signal gains achieved in a 1H-13C refocused insensitive nuclei enhanced by polarization transfer (INEPT) experiment exceed 570-fold and those in a direct-detected 13C measurement exceed 400-fold. Thirty-one examples are described to demonstrate the applicability of this technique. PMID:29326984

Simultaneous magnetic resonance imaging of ventilation distribution and gas uptake in the human lung using hyperpolarized xenon-129

PubMed Central

Mugler, John P.; Altes, Talissa A.; Ruset, Iulian C.; Dregely, Isabel M.; Mata, Jaime F.; Miller, G. Wilson; Ketel, Stephen; Ketel, Jeffrey; Hersman, F. William; Ruppert, Kai

2010-01-01

Despite a myriad of technical advances in medical imaging, as well as the growing need to address the global impact of pulmonary diseases, such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, on health and quality of life, it remains challenging to obtain in vivo regional depiction and quantification of the most basic physiological functions of the lung—gas delivery to the airspaces and gas uptake by the lung parenchyma and blood—in a manner suitable for routine application in humans. We report a method based on MRI of hyperpolarized xenon-129 that permits simultaneous observation of the 3D distributions of ventilation (gas delivery) and gas uptake, as well as quantification of regional gas uptake based on the associated ventilation. Subjects with lung disease showed variations in gas uptake that differed from those in ventilation in many regions, suggesting that gas uptake as measured by this technique reflects such features as underlying pathological alterations of lung tissue or of local blood flow. Furthermore, the ratio of the signal associated with gas uptake to that associated with ventilation was substantially altered in subjects with lung disease compared with healthy subjects. This MRI-based method provides a way to quantify relationships among gas delivery, exchange, and transport, and appears to have significant potential to provide more insight into lung disease. PMID:21098267

Quantification of regional early stage gas exchange changes using hyperpolarized (129)Xe MRI in a rat model of radiation-induced lung injury.

PubMed

Doganay, Ozkan; Stirrat, Elaine; McKenzie, Charles; Schulte, Rolf F; Santyr, Giles E

2016-05-01

To assess the feasibility of hyperpolarized (HP) (129)Xe MRI for detection of early stage radiation-induced lung injury (RILI) in a rat model involving unilateral irradiation by assessing differences in gas exchange dynamics between irradiated and unirradiated lungs. The dynamics of gas exchange between alveolar air space and pulmonary tissue (PT), PT and red blood cells (RBCs) was measured using single-shot spiral iterative decomposition of water and fat with echo asymmetry and least-squares estimation images of the right and left lungs of two age-matched cohorts of Sprague Dawley rats. The first cohort (n = 5) received 18 Gy irradiation to the right lung using a (60)Co source and the second cohort (n = 5) was not irradiated and served as the healthy control. Both groups were imaged two weeks following irradiation when radiation pneumonitis (RP) was expected to be present. The gas exchange data were fit to a theoretical gas exchange model to extract measurements of pulmonary tissue thickness (LPT) and relative blood volume (VRBC) from each of the right and left lungs of both cohorts. Following imaging, lung specimens were retrieved and percent tissue area (PTA) was assessed histologically to confirm RP and correlate with MRI measurements. Statistically significant differences in LPT and VRBC were observed between the irradiated and non-irradiated cohorts. In particular, LPT of the right and left lungs was increased approximately 8.2% and 5.0% respectively in the irradiated cohort. Additionally, VRBC of the right and left lungs was decreased approximately 36.1% and 11.7% respectively for the irradiated cohort compared to the non-irradiated cohort. PTA measurements in both right and left lungs were increased in the irradiated group compared to the non-irradiated cohort for both the left (P < 0.05) and right lungs (P < 0.01) confirming the presence of RP. PTA measurements also correlated with the MRI measurements for both the non-irradiated (r = 0.79, P < 0.01) and

Lung morphometry using hyperpolarized 129 Xe multi-b diffusion MRI with compressed sensing in healthy subjects and patients with COPD.

PubMed

Zhang, Huiting; Xie, Junshuai; Xiao, Sa; Zhao, Xiuchao; Zhang, Ming; Shi, Lei; Wang, Ke; Wu, Guangyao; Sun, Xianping; Ye, Chaohui; Zhou, Xin

2018-05-04

To demonstrate the feasibility of compressed sensing (CS) to accelerate the acquisition of hyperpolarized (HP) 129 Xe multi-b diffusion MRI for quantitative assessments of lung microstructural morphometry. Six healthy subjects and six chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) subjects underwent HP 129 Xe multi-b diffusion MRI (b = 0, 10, 20, 30, and 40 s/cm 2 ). First, a fully sampled (FS) acquisition of HP 129 Xe multi-b diffusion MRI was conducted in one healthy subject. The acquired FS dataset was retrospectively undersampled in the phase encoding direction, and an optimal twofold undersampled pattern was then obtained by minimizing mean absolute error (MAE) between retrospective CS (rCS) and FS MR images. Next, the FS and CS acquisitions during separate breath holds were performed on five healthy subjects (including the above one). Additionally, the FS and CS synchronous acquisitions during a single breath hold were performed on the sixth healthy subject and one COPD subject. However, only CS acquisitions were conducted in the rest of the five COPD subjects. Finally, all the acquired FS, rCS and CS MR images were used to obtain morphometric parameters, including acinar duct radius (R), acinar lumen radius (r), alveolar sleeve depth (h), mean linear intercept (L m ), and surface-to-volume ratio (SVR). The Wilcoxon signed-rank test and the Bland-Altman plot were employed to assess the fidelity of the CS reconstruction. Moreover, the t-test was used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the multi-b diffusion MRI with CS in clinical applications. The retrospective results demonstrated that there was no statistically significant difference between rCS and FS measurements using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test (P > 0.05). Good agreement between measurements obtained with the CS and FS acquisitions during separate breath holds was demonstrated in Bland-Altman plots of slice differences. Specifically, the mean biases of the R, r, h, L m , and SVR between the CS and

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Safety

MedlinePlus

... News Physician Resources Professions Site Index A-Z Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Safety What is MRI and how does ... What is MRI and how does it work? Magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI, is a way of obtaining detailed ...

Spontaneous 15N Nuclear Spin Hyperpolarization in Metal-Free Activation of Parahydrogen by Molecular Tweezers

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

The ability of frustrated Lewis pairs (FLPs) to activate H2 is of significant interest for metal-free catalysis. The activation of H2 is also the key element of parahydrogen-induced polarization (PHIP), one of the nuclear spin hyperpolarization techniques. It is demonstrated that o-phenylene-based ansa-aminoboranes (AABs) can produce 1H nuclear spin hyperpolarization through a reversible interaction with parahydrogen at ambient temperatures. Heteronuclei are useful in NMR and MRI as well because they have a broad chemical shift range and long relaxation times and may act as background-free labels. We report spontaneous formation of 15N hyperpolarization of the N–H site for a family of AABs. The process is efficient at the high magnetic field of an NMR magnet (7 T), and it provides up to 350-fold 15N signal enhancements. Different hyperpolarization effects are observed with various AAB structures and in a broad temperature range. Spontaneous hyperpolarization, albeit an order of magnitude weaker than that for 15N, was also observed for 11B nuclei. PMID:29401399

Dynamic metabolic imaging of hyperpolarized [2-(13) C]pyruvate using spiral chemical shift imaging with alternating spectral band excitation.

PubMed

Josan, Sonal; Hurd, Ralph; Park, Jae Mo; Yen, Yi-Fen; Watkins, Ron; Pfefferbaum, Adolf; Spielman, Daniel; Mayer, Dirk

2014-06-01

In contrast to [1-(13) C]pyruvate, hyperpolarized [2-(13) C]pyruvate permits the ability to follow the (13) C label beyond flux through pyruvate dehydrogenase complex and investigate the incorporation of acetyl-coenzyme A into different metabolic pathways. However, chemical shift imaging (CSI) with [2-(13) C]pyruvate is challenging owing to the large spectral dispersion of the resonances, which also leads to severe chemical shift displacement artifacts for slice-selective acquisitions. This study introduces a sequence for three-dimensional CSI of [2-(13) C]pyruvate using spectrally selective excitation of limited frequency bands containing a subset of metabolites. Dynamic CSI data were acquired alternately from multiple frequency bands in phantoms for sequence testing and in vivo in rat heart. Phantom experiments verified the radiofrequency pulse design and demonstrated that the signal behavior of each group of resonances was unaffected by excitation of the other frequency bands. Dynamic three-dimensional (13) C CSI data demonstrated the sequence capability to image pyruvate, lactate, acetylcarnitine, glutamate, and acetoacetate, enabling the analysis of organ-specific spectra and metabolite time courses. The presented method allows CSI of widely separated resonances without chemical shift displacement artifact, acquiring multiple frequency bands alternately to obtain dynamic time-course information. This approach enables robust imaging of downstream metabolic products of acetyl-coenzyme A with hyperpolarized [2-(13) C]pyruvate. Copyright © 2013 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.

Vertical Gradients in Regional Alveolar Oxygen Tension in Supine Human Lung Imaged by Hyperpolarized 3He MRI

PubMed Central

Hamedani, Hooman; Shaghaghi, Hoora; Kadlecek, Stephen J.; Xin, Yi; Han, Biao; Siddiqui, Sarmad; Rajaei, Jennia; Ishii, Masaru; Rossman, Milton; Rizi, Rahim R.

2015-01-01

Purpose To evaluate whether regional alveolar oxygen tension (PAO2) vertical gradients imaged with hyperpolarized 3He can identify smoking-induced pulmonary alterations. To compare these gradients with common clinical measurements including pulmonary function tests, the six minute walk test, and the St. George’s Respiratory Questionnaire. Materials and Methods 8 healthy nonsmokers, 12 asymptomatic smokers, and 7 symptomatic subjects with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) underwent two sets of back-to-back PAO2 imaging acquisitions in supine position with two opposite directions (top to bottom and bottom to top), followed by clinically standard pulmonary tests. The whole-lung mean, standard deviation (DPAO2) and vertical gradients of PAO2 along the slices were extracted, and the results were compared with clinically derived metrics. Statistical tests were performed to analyze the differences between cohorts. Results The anterior-posterior vertical gradients and DPAO2 effectively differentiated all three cohorts (p<0.05). The average vertical gradient PAO2 in healthy subjects was −1.03 ± 0.51 Torr/cm toward lower values in the posterior/dependent regions. The directional gradient was absent in smokers (0.36 ± 1.22 Torr/cm) and was in the opposite direction in COPD subjects (2.18 ± 1.54 Torr/cm). The vertical gradients correlated with Smoking History (p=0.004); BMI (p=0.037), PFT metrics (FEV1, p=0.025; and %RV/TLC, p=0.033) and with distance walked in six minutes (p=0.009). Discussion Regional PAO2 data indicate that cigarette smoke induces physiological alterations that are not being detected by the most widely used physiologic tests. PMID:25395184

Using Hyperpolarized 129Xe MRI to Quantify the Pulmonary Ventilation Distribution

PubMed Central

He, Mu; Driehuys, Bastiaan; Que, Loretta G.; Huang, Yuh-Chin T.

2017-01-01

Background Ventilation heterogeneity is impossible to detect with spirometry. Alternatively, pulmonary ventilation can be imaged 3-dimensionally using inhaled 129Xe MRI. To date such images have been quantified primarily based on ventilation defects. Here, we introduce a robust means to transform 129Xe MRI scans such that the underlying ventilation distribution and its heterogeneity can be quantified. Methods Quantitative 129Xe ventilation MRI was conducted in 12 younger (24.7±5.2 yrs), and 10 older (62.2±7.2 yrs) healthy individuals, as well as 9 younger (25.9±6.4 yrs) and 10 older (63.2±6.1 yrs) asthmatics. The younger healthy population was used to establish a reference ventilation distribution and thresholds for 6 intensity bins. These were used to display and quantify regions of ventilation defect (VDR), low ventilation (LVR) and high ventilation (HVR). Results The ventilation distribution in young subjects was roughly Gaussian with a mean and SD of 0.52±0.18, resulting in VDR=2.1±1.3%, LVR=15.6±5.4% and HVR=17.4±3.1%. Older healthy volunteers exhibited a significantly right-skewed distribution (0.46±0.20, p=0.034), resulting in significantly increased VDR (7.0±4.8%, p=0.008) and LVR (24.5±11.5%, p=0.025). In the asthmatics, VDR and LVR increased in the older population, and HVR was significantly reduced (13.5±4.6% vs 18.9±4.5%, p=0.009). Quantitative 129Xe MRI also revealed different ventilation distribution patterns in response to albuterol in two asthmatics with normal FEV1. Conclusions Quantitative 129Xe MRI provides a robust and objective means to display and quantify the pulmonary ventilation distribution, even in subjects who have airway function impairment not appreciated by spirometry. PMID:27617823

Application of Double Spin-Echo Spiral Chemical Shift Imaging to Rapid Metabolic Mapping of Hyperpolarized [1-13C]-Pyruvate

PubMed Central

Josan, Sonal; Yen, Yi-Fen; Hurd, Ralph; Pfefferbaum, Adolf; Spielman, Daniel; Mayer, Dirk

2011-01-01

Undersampled spiral CSI (spCSI) using a free induction decay (FID) acquisition allows sub-second metabolic imaging of hyperpolarized 13C. Phase correction of the FID acquisition can be difficult, especially with contributions from aliased out-of-phase peaks. This work extends the spCSI sequence by incorporating double spin-echo radiofrequency (RF) pulses to eliminate the need for phase correction and obtain high quality spectra in magnitude mode. The sequence also provides an added benefit of attenuating signal from flowing spins, which can otherwise contaminate signal in the organ of interest. The refocusing pulses can potentially lead to a loss of hyperpolarized magnetization in dynamic imaging due to flow of spins through the fringe field of the RF coil, where the refocusing pulses fail to provide complete refocusing. Care must be taken for dynamic imaging to ensure that the spins remain within the B1-homogeneous sensitive volume of the RF coil. PMID:21316280

MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)

MedlinePlus

... IV in the arm. MRI Research Programs at FDA Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Safety Electromagnetic Modeling Related ... Resonance Imaging Equipment in Clinical Use (March 2015) FDA/CDER: Information on Gadolinium-Based Contrast Agents Safety ...

Renal MR angiography and perfusion in the pig using hyperpolarized water.

PubMed

Wigh Lipsø, Kasper; Hansen, Esben Søvsø Szocska; Tougaard, Rasmus Stilling; Laustsen, Christoffer; Ardenkjaer-Larsen, Jan Henrik

2017-09-01

To study hyperpolarized water as an angiography and perfusion tracer in a large animal model. Protons dissolved in deuterium oxide (D 2 O) were hyperpolarized in a SPINlab dissolution dynamic nuclear polarization (dDNP) polarizer and subsequently investigated in vivo in a pig model at 3 Tesla (T). Approximately 15 mL of hyperpolarized water was injected in the renal artery by hand over 4-5 s. A liquid state polarization of 5.3 ± 0.9% of 3.8 M protons in 15 mL of deuterium oxide was achieved with a T 1 of 24 ± 1 s. This allowed injection through an arterial catheter into the renal artery and subsequently high-contrast imaging of the entire kidney parenchyma over several seconds. The dynamic images allow quantification of tissue perfusion, with a mean cortical perfusion of 504 ± 123 mL/100 mL/min. Hyperpolarized water MR imaging was successfully demonstrated as a renal angiography and perfusion method. Quantitative perfusion maps of the kidney were obtained in agreement with literature and control experiments with gadolinium contrast. Magn Reson Med 78:1131-1135, 2017. © 2016 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. © 2016 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

Physical interactions of hyperpolarized gas in the lung

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Xiu-Hao Josette

1999-09-01

This thesis addresses key interactions of hyperpolarized (HP) gas within the biological environment of the lung using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The first excised lung image was obtained in 1994 by Albert et al ., indicating the relative youth of the HP gas MRI field. Thus, there are a multitude of parameters which need to be explored to optimize contrast mechanisms and pulse sequences for in vivo applications. To perform HP gas MRI, both the production of HP gas and development of appropriate MRI pulse sequences were necessary. The apparatus for gas polarization was transferred from Princeton University, then modified and optimized to provide larger quantities and higher polarizations. It was ultimately replaced by a prototype commercial apparatus. Existing MRI pulse sequences were changed to accommodate and exploit the unique situation of non-equilibrium polarized gas. Several physical parameters of the gas relating to structure and function in the lung were investigated. It was found that using a range of excitation powers, acquisition windows, and ventilatory cycle segments yielded dramatically different types of images in the guinea pig. Spatially localized lineshapes of HP 3He showed differentiated peaks (corresponding to frequency shifts) which represent gas in major airways (2 ppm) and alveoli (1-2 ppm). Quantitative maps of the diffusion coefficient (D) showed evidence of free diffusion in the trachea (average of 2.4 cm2/s for 3He and 0.68 cm2/s for 129Xe) and restricted diffusion combined with effects of gas mixtures in the distal pulmonary airspaces (average of 0.16 cm2/s for 3He and 0.021 cm2/s for 129Xe). Experimental measurements were verified with gas mixture and porous media theory for both 3He and 129Xe. The dephasing parameter, T*2 , was mapped showing sensitivity to changes in tidal volume and oxygen level. The T*2 values ranged from 9.2 to 15.9 ms in the intrapulmonary airspaces depending on the breathing paradigm. Experimental results

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI): Dynamic Pelvic Floor

MedlinePlus

... Site Index A-Z Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) – Dynamic Pelvic Floor Dynamic pelvic floor magnetic resonance imaging ( ... the limitations of pelvic floor MRI? What is dynamic pelvic floor MRI? Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is ...

Targeted Molecular Imaging of Cancer Cells Using MS2-Based 129 Xe NMR

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

Jeong, Keunhong; Netirojjanakul, Chawita; Munch, Henrik K.

Targeted, selective, and highly sensitive 129Xe NMR nanoscale biosensors have been synthesized using a spherical MS2 viral capsid, Cryptophane A molecules, and DNA aptamers. The biosensors showed strong binding specificity toward targeted lymphoma cells (Ramos line). Hyperpolarized 129Xe NMR signal contrast and hyper-CEST 129Xe MRI image contrast indicated its promise as highly sensitive hyperpolarized 129Xe NMR nanoscale biosensor for future applications in cancer detection in vivo.

Rapid Catalyst Capture Enables Metal-Free para-Hydrogen-Based Hyperpolarized Contrast Agents.

PubMed

Barskiy, Danila A; Ke, Lucia A; Li, Xingyang; Stevenson, Vincent; Widarman, Nevin; Zhang, Hao; Truxal, Ashley; Pines, Alexander

2018-05-10

Hyperpolarization techniques based on the use of para-hydrogen provide orders of magnitude signal enhancement for magnetic resonance spectroscopy and imaging. The main drawback limiting widespread applicability of para-hydrogen-based techniques in biomedicine is the presence of organometallic compounds (the polarization transfer catalysts) in solution with hyperpolarized contrast agents. These catalysts are typically complexes of platinum-group metals, and their administration in vivo should be avoided. Herein, we show how extraction of a hyperpolarized compound from an organic phase to an aqueous phase combined with a rapid (less than 10 s) Ir-based catalyst capture by metal scavenging agents can produce pure para-hydrogen-based hyperpolarized contrast agents, as demonstrated by high-resolution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES). The presented methodology enables fast and efficient means of producing pure hyperpolarized aqueous solutions for biomedical and other uses.

Parameterization of hyperpolarized (13)C-bicarbonate-dissolution dynamic nuclear polarization.

PubMed

Scholz, David Johannes; Otto, Angela M; Hintermair, Josef; Schilling, Franz; Frank, Annette; Köllisch, Ulrich; Janich, Martin A; Schulte, Rolf F; Schwaiger, Markus; Haase, Axel; Menzel, Marion I

2015-12-01

(13)C metabolic MRI using hyperpolarized (13)C-bicarbonate enables preclinical detection of pH. To improve signal-to-noise ratio, experimental procedures were refined, and the influence of pH, buffer capacity, temperature, and field strength were investigated. Bicarbonate preparation was investigated. Bicarbonate was prepared and applied in spectroscopy at 1, 3, 14 T using pure dissolution, culture medium, and MCF-7 cell spheroids. Healthy rats were imaged by spectral-spatial spiral acquisition for spatial and temporal bicarbonate distribution, pH mapping, and signal decay analysis. An optimized preparation technique for maximum solubility of 6 mol/L and polarization levels of 19-21% is presented; T1 and SNR dependency on field strength, buffer capacity, and pH was investigated. pH mapping in vivo is demonstrated. An optimized bicarbonate preparation and experimental procedure provided improved T1 and SNR values, allowing in vitro and in vivo applications.

Cellular Imaging With MRI.

PubMed

Makela, Ashley V; Murrell, Donna H; Parkins, Katie M; Kara, Jenna; Gaudet, Jeffrey M; Foster, Paula J

2016-10-01

Cellular magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an evolving field of imaging with strong translational and research potential. The ability to detect, track, and quantify cells in vivo and over time allows for studying cellular events related to disease processes and may be used as a biomarker for decisions about treatments and for monitoring responses to treatments. In this review, we discuss methods for labeling cells, various applications for cellular MRI, the existing limitations, strategies to address these shortcomings, and clinical cellular MRI.

High-throughput hyperpolarized 13C metabolic investigations using a multi-channel acquisition system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Jaehyuk; Ramirez, Marc S.; Walker, Christopher M.; Chen, Yunyun; Yi, Stacey; Sandulache, Vlad C.; Lai, Stephen Y.; Bankson, James A.

2015-11-01

Magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy of hyperpolarized (HP) compounds such as [1-13C]-pyruvate have shown tremendous potential for offering new insight into disease and response to therapy. New applications of this technology in clinical research and care will require extensive validation in cells and animal models, a process that may be limited by the high cost and modest throughput associated with dynamic nuclear polarization. Relatively wide spectral separation between [1-13C]-pyruvate and its chemical endpoints in vivo are conducive to simultaneous multi-sample measurements, even in the presence of a suboptimal global shim. Multi-channel acquisitions could conserve costs and accelerate experiments by allowing acquisition from multiple independent samples following a single dissolution. Unfortunately, many existing preclinical MRI systems are equipped with only a single channel for broadband acquisitions. In this work, we examine the feasibility of this concept using a broadband multi-channel digital receiver extension and detector arrays that allow concurrent measurement of dynamic spectroscopic data from ex vivo enzyme phantoms, in vitro anaplastic thyroid carcinoma cells, and in vivo in tumor-bearing mice. Throughput and the cost of consumables were improved by up to a factor of four. These preliminary results demonstrate the potential for efficient multi-sample studies employing hyperpolarized agents.

Hyperpolarized 13C pyruvate mouse brain metabolism with absorptive-mode EPSI at 1 T

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miloushev, Vesselin Z.; Di Gialleonardo, Valentina; Salamanca-Cardona, Lucia; Correa, Fabian; Granlund, Kristin L.; Keshari, Kayvan R.

2017-02-01

The expected signal in echo-planar spectroscopic imaging experiments was explicitly modeled jointly in spatial and spectral dimensions. Using this as a basis, absorptive-mode type detection can be achieved by appropriate choice of spectral delays and post-processing techniques. We discuss the effects of gradient imperfections and demonstrate the implementation of this sequence at low field (1.05 T), with application to hyperpolarized [1-13C] pyruvate imaging of the mouse brain. The sequence achieves sufficient signal-to-noise to monitor the conversion of hyperpolarized [1-13C] pyruvate to lactate in the mouse brain. Hyperpolarized pyruvate imaging of mouse brain metabolism using an absorptive-mode EPSI sequence can be applied to more sophisticated murine disease and treatment models. The simple modifications presented in this work, which permit absorptive-mode detection, are directly translatable to human clinical imaging and generate improved absorptive-mode spectra without the need for refocusing pulses.

Pulmonary hyperpolarized (129) Xe morphometry for mapping xenon gas concentrations and alveolar oxygen partial pressure: Proof-of-concept demonstration in healthy and COPD subjects.

PubMed

Ouriadov, A; Farag, A; Kirby, M; McCormack, D G; Parraga, G; Santyr, G E

2015-12-01

Diffusion-weighted (DW) hyperpolarized (129) Xe morphometry magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can be used to map regional differences in lung tissue micro-structure. We aimed to generate absolute xenon concentration ([Xe]) and alveolar oxygen partial pressure (pA O2 ) maps by extracting the unrestricted diffusion coefficient (D0 ) of xenon as a morphometric parameter. In this proof-of-concept demonstration, morphometry was performed using multi b-value (0, 12, 20, 30 s/cm(2) ) DW hyperpolarized (129) Xe images obtained in four never-smokers and four COPD ex-smokers. Morphometric parameters and D0 maps were computed and the latter used to generate [Xe] and pA O2 maps. Xenon concentration phantoms estimating a range of values mimicking those observed in vivo were also investigated. Xenon D0 was significantly increased (P = 0.035) in COPD (0.14 ± 0.03 cm(2) /s) compared with never-smokers (0.12 ± 0.02 cm(2) /s). COPD ex-smokers also had significantly decreased [Xe] (COPD = 8 ± 7% versus never-smokers = 13 ± 8%, P = 0.012) and increased pA O2 (COPD = 18 ± 3% versus never-smokers = 15 ± 3%, P = 0.009) compared with never-smokers. Phantom measurements showed the expected dependence of D0 on [Xe] over the range of concentrations anticipated in vivo. DW hyperpolarized (129) Xe MRI morphometry can be used to simultaneously map [Xe] and pA O2 in addition to providing micro-structural biomarkers of emphysematous destruction in COPD. Phantom measurements of D0 ([Xe]) supported the hypotheses that differences in subjects may reflect differences in functional residual capacity. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Generalizing, Extending, and Maximizing Nitrogen-15 Hyperpolarization Induced by Parahydrogen in Reversible Exchange

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Signal Amplification by Reversible Exchange (SABRE) is a fast and convenient NMR hyperpolarization method that uses cheap and readily available para-hydrogen as a hyperpolarization source. SABRE can hyperpolarize protons and heteronuclei. Here we focus on the heteronuclear variant introduced as SABRE-SHEATH (SABRE in SHield Enables Alignment Transfer to Heteronuclei) and nitrogen-15 targets in particular. We show that 15N-SABRE works more efficiently and on a wider range of substrates than 1H-SABRE, greatly generalizing the SABRE approach. In addition, we show that nitrogen-15 offers significantly extended T1 times of up to 12 minutes. Long T1 times enable higher hyperpolarization levels but also hold the promise of hyperpolarized molecular imaging for several tens of minutes. Detailed characterization and optimization are presented, leading to nitrogen-15 polarization levels in excess of 10% on several compounds. PMID:28392884

Optical Pumping Spin Exchange 3He Gas Cells for Magnetic Resonance Imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, W.; Stepanyan, S. S.; Kim, A.; Jung, Y.; Woo, S.; Yurov, M.; Jang, J.

2009-08-01

We present a device for spin-exchange optical pumping system to produce large quantities of polarized noble gases for Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). A method and design of apparatus for pumping the polarization of noble gases is described. The method and apparatus enable production, storage and usage of hyperpolarized noble gases for different purposes, including Magnetic Resonance Imaging of human and animal subjects. Magnetic imaging agents breathed into lungs can be observed by the radio waves of the MRI scanner and report back physical and functional information about lung's health and desease. The technique known as spin exchange optical pumping is used. Nuclear magnetic resonance is implemented to measure the polarization of hyperpolarized gas. The cells prepared and sealed under high vacuum after handling Alkali metals into the cell and filling with the 3He-N2 mixture. The cells could be refilled. The 3He reaches around 50% polarization in 5-15 hours.

Cell tracking with caged xenon: using cryptophanes as MRI reporters upon cellular internalization.

PubMed

Klippel, Stefan; Döpfert, Jörg; Jayapaul, Jabadurai; Kunth, Martin; Rossella, Federica; Schnurr, Matthias; Witte, Christopher; Freund, Christian; Schröder, Leif

2014-01-07

Caged xenon has great potential in overcoming sensitivity limitations for solution-state NMR detection of dilute molecules. However, no application of such a system as a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agent has yet been performed with live cells. We demonstrate MRI localization of cells labeled with caged xenon in a packed-bed bioreactor working under perfusion with hyperpolarized-xenon-saturated medium. Xenon hosts enable NMR/MRI experiments with switchable contrast and selectivity for cell-associated versus unbound cages. We present MR images with 10(3) -fold sensitivity enhancement for cell-internalized, dual-mode (fluorescence/MRI) xenon hosts at low micromolar concentrations. Our results illustrate the capability of functionalized xenon to act as a highly sensitive cell tracer for MRI detection even without signal averaging. The method will bridge the challenging gap for translation to in vivo studies for the optimization of targeted biosensors and their multiplexing applications. Copyright © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Longitudinal assessment of treatment effects on pulmonary ventilation using 1H/3He MRI multivariate templates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tustison, Nicholas J.; Contrella, Benjamin; Altes, Talissa A.; Avants, Brian B.; de Lange, Eduard E.; Mugler, John P.

2013-03-01

The utitlity of pulmonary functional imaging techniques, such as hyperpolarized 3He MRI, has encouraged their inclusion in research studies for longitudinal assessment of disease progression and the study of treatment effects. We present methodology for performing voxelwise statistical analysis of ventilation maps derived from hyper­ polarized 3He MRI which incorporates multivariate template construction using simultaneous acquisition of IH and 3He images. Additional processing steps include intensity normalization, bias correction, 4-D longitudinal segmentation, and generation of expected ventilation maps prior to voxelwise regression analysis. Analysis is demonstrated on a cohort of eight individuals with diagnosed cystic fibrosis (CF) undergoing treatment imaged five times every two weeks with a prescribed treatment schedule.

Magnetic resonance imaging of (1)H long lived states derived from parahydrogen induced polarization in a clinical system.

PubMed

Graafen, Dirk; Franzoni, María Belén; Schreiber, Laura M; Spiess, Hans W; Münnemann, Kerstin

2016-01-01

Hyperpolarization is a powerful tool to overcome the low sensitivity of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). However, applications are limited due to the short lifetime of this non equilibrium spin state caused by relaxation processes. This issue can be addressed by storing hyperpolarization in slowly decaying singlet spin states which was so far mostly demonstrated for non-proton spin pairs, e.g. (13)C-(13)C. Protons hyperpolarized by parahydrogen induced polarization (PHIP) in symmetrical molecules, are very well suited for this strategy because they naturally exhibit a long-lived singlet state. The conversion of the NMR silent singlet spin state to observable magnetization can be achieved by making use of singlet-triplet level anticrossings. In this study, a low-power radiofrequency pulse sequence is used for this purpose, which allows multiple successive singlet-triplet conversions. The generated magnetization is used to record proton images in a clinical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system, after 3min waiting time. Our results may open unprecedented opportunities to use the standard MRI nucleus (1)H for e.g. metabolic imaging in the future. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

A catalyzing phantom for reproducible dynamic conversion of hyperpolarized [1-¹³C]-pyruvate.

PubMed

Walker, Christopher M; Lee, Jaehyuk; Ramirez, Marc S; Schellingerhout, Dawid; Millward, Steven; Bankson, James A

2013-01-01

In vivo real time spectroscopic imaging of hyperpolarized ¹³C labeled metabolites shows substantial promise for the assessment of physiological processes that were previously inaccessible. However, reliable and reproducible methods of measurement are necessary to maximize the effectiveness of imaging biomarkers that may one day guide personalized care for diseases such as cancer. Animal models of human disease serve as poor reference standards due to the complexity, heterogeneity, and transient nature of advancing disease. In this study, we describe the reproducible conversion of hyperpolarized [1-¹³C]-pyruvate to [1-¹³C]-lactate using a novel synthetic enzyme phantom system. The rate of reaction can be controlled and tuned to mimic normal or pathologic conditions of varying degree. Variations observed in the use of this phantom compare favorably against within-group variations observed in recent animal studies. This novel phantom system provides crucial capabilities as a reference standard for the optimization, comparison, and certification of quantitative imaging strategies for hyperpolarized tracers.

Membrane hyperpolarization during human sperm capacitation

PubMed Central

López-González, I.; Torres-Rodríguez, P.; Sánchez-Carranza, O.; Solís-López, A.; Santi, C.M.; Darszon, A.; Treviño, C.L.

2014-01-01

Sperm capacitation is a complex and indispensable physiological process that spermatozoa must undergo in order to acquire fertilization capability. Spermatozoa from several mammalian species, including mice, exhibit a capacitation-associated plasma membrane hyperpolarization, which is necessary for the acrosome reaction to occur. Despite its importance, this hyperpolarization event has not been adequately examined in human sperm. In this report we used flow cytometry to show that a subpopulation of human sperm indeed undergo a plasma membrane hyperpolarization upon in vitro capacitation. This hyperpolarization correlated with two other well-characterized capacitation parameters, namely an increase in intracellular pH and Ca2+ concentration, measured also by flow cytometry. We found that sperm membrane hyperpolarization was completely abolished in the presence of a high external K+ concentration (60 mM), indicating the participation of K+ channels. In order to identify, which of the potential K+ channels were involved in this hyperpolarization, we used different K+ channel inhibitors including charybdotoxin, slotoxin and iberiotoxin (which target Slo1) and clofilium (a more specific blocker for Slo3). All these K+ channel antagonists inhibited membrane hyperpolarization to a similar extent, suggesting that both members of the Slo family may potentially participate. Two very recent papers recorded K+ currents in human sperm electrophysiologically, with some contradictory results. In the present work, we show through immunoblotting that Slo3 channels are present in the human sperm membrane. In addition, we found that human Slo3 channels expressed in CHO cells were sensitive to clofilium (50 μM). Considered altogether, our data indicate that Slo1 and Slo3 could share the preponderant role in the capacitation-associated hyperpolarization of human sperm in contrast to what has been previously reported for mouse sperm, where Slo3 channels are the main contributors to the

Nuclear spin hyperpolarization of the solvent using signal amplification by reversible exchange (SABRE).

PubMed

Moreno, Karlos X; Nasr, Khaled; Milne, Mark; Sherry, A Dean; Goux, Warren J

2015-08-01

Here we report the polarization of the solvent OH protons by SABRE using standard iridium-based catalysts under slightly acidic conditions. Solvent polarization was observed in the presence of a variety of structurally similar N-donor substrates while no solvent enhancement was observed in the absence of substrate or para-hydrogen (p-H2). Solvent polarization was sensitive to the polarizing field and catalyst:substrate ratio in a manner similar to that of substrate protons. SABRE experiments with pyridine-d5 suggest a mechanism where hyperpolarization is transferred from the free substrate to the solvent by chemical exchange while measured hyperpolarization decay times suggest a complimentary mechanism which occurs by direct coordination of the solvent to the catalytic complex. We found the solvent hyperpolarization to decay nearly 3 times more slowly than its characteristic spin-lattice relaxation time suggesting that the hyperpolarized state of the solvent may be sufficiently long lived (∼20s) to hyperpolarize biomolecules having exchangeable protons. This route may offer future opportunities for SABRE to impact metabolic imaging. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Nuclear spin hyperpolarization of the solvent using signal amplification by reversible exchange (SABRE)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moreno, Karlos X.; Nasr, Khaled; Milne, Mark; Sherry, A. Dean; Goux, Warren J.

2015-08-01

Here we report the polarization of the solvent OH protons by SABRE using standard iridium-based catalysts under slightly acidic conditions. Solvent polarization was observed in the presence of a variety of structurally similar N-donor substrates while no solvent enhancement was observed in the absence of substrate or para-hydrogen (p-H2). Solvent polarization was sensitive to the polarizing field and catalyst:substrate ratio in a manner similar to that of substrate protons. SABRE experiments with pyridine-d5 suggest a mechanism where hyperpolarization is transferred from the free substrate to the solvent by chemical exchange while measured hyperpolarization decay times suggest a complimentary mechanism which occurs by direct coordination of the solvent to the catalytic complex. We found the solvent hyperpolarization to decay nearly 3 times more slowly than its characteristic spin-lattice relaxation time suggesting that the hyperpolarized state of the solvent may be sufficiently long lived (∼20 s) to hyperpolarize biomolecules having exchangeable protons. This route may offer future opportunities for SABRE to impact metabolic imaging.

Studies to enhance the hyperpolarization level in PHIP-SAH-produced C13-pyruvate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cavallari, Eleonora; Carrera, Carla; Aime, Silvio; Reineri, Francesca

2018-04-01

The use of [1-13C]pyruvate, hyperpolarized by dissolution-Dynamic Nuclear Polarization (d-DNP), in in vivo metabolic studies has developed quickly, thanks to the imaging probe's diagnostic relevance. Nevertheless, the cost of a d-DNP polarizer is quite high and the speed of hyperpolarization process is relatively slow, meaning that its use is limited to few research laboratories. ParaHydrogen Induced Polarization Side Arm Hydrogenation (PHIP-SAH) (Reineri et al., 2015) is a cost effective and easy-to-handle method that produces 13C-MR hyperpolarization in [1-13C]pyruvate and other metabolites. This work aims to identify the main determinants of the hyperpolarization levels observed in C13-pyruvate using this method. By dissecting the various steps of the PHIP-SAH procedure, it has been possible to assess the role of several experimental parameters whose optimization must be pursued if this method is to be made suitable for future translational steps. The search for possible solutions has led to improvements in the polarization of sodium [1-13C]pyruvate from 2% to 5%. Moreover, these results suggest that observed polarization levels could be increased considerably by an automatized procedure which would reduce the time required for the work-up passages that are currently carried out manually. The results reported herein mean that the attainment of polarization levels suitable for the metabolic imaging applications of these hyperpolarized substrates show significant promise.

The Role of PDH Inhibition in the Development of Hypertrophy in the Hyperthyroid Rat Heart: A Combined MRI and Hyperpolarized MRS Study

PubMed Central

Atherton, Helen J.; Dodd, Michael S.; Heather, Lisa C.; Schroeder, Marie A.; Griffin, Julian L.; Radda, George K.; Clarke, Kieran; Tyler, Damian J.

2015-01-01

Background Hyperthyroidism increases heart rate, contractility and cardiac output, as well as metabolic rate. It is also accompanied by alterations in the regulation of cardiac substrate utilisation. Specifically, hyperthyroidism increases the ex vivo activity of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase (PDK), thereby inhibiting glucose oxidation via pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH). Cardiac hypertrophy is another effect of hyperthyroidism, with an increase in the abundance of mitochondria. Although the hypertrophy is initially beneficial, it can eventually lead to heart failure. The aim of this study was to use hyperpolarized magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) to investigate the rate and regulation of in vivo pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) flux in the hyperthyroid heart, and to establish whether modulation of flux through PDH would alter cardiac hypertrophy. Methods & Results Hyperthyroidism was induced in 18 male Wistar rats with 7 daily intraperitoneal injections of freshly prepared triiodothyronine (T3; 0.2 mg/kg/day). In vivo PDH flux, assessed using hyperpolarized MRS, was reduced by 59% in hyperthyroid animals (0.0022 ± 0.0002 s−1 vs 0.0055 ± 0.0005 s−1, P = 0.0003) and this reduction was completely reversed by both acute and chronic delivery of the PDK inhibitor, dichloroacetic acid (DCA). Hyperpolarized [2-13C]pyruvate was also used to evaluate Krebs cycle metabolism and demonstrated a unique marker of anaplerosis, the level of which was significantly increased in the hyperthyroid heart. Cine MRI showed that chronic DCA treatment significantly reduced the hypertrophy observed in hyperthyroid animals (100 ± 20 mg vs 200 ± 30 mg; P = 0.04) despite no change to the increase observed in cardiac output. Conclusions This work has demonstrated that inhibition of glucose oxidation in the hyperthyroid heart in vivo is PDK mediated. Relieving this inhibition can increase the metabolic flexibility of the hyperthyroid heart and reduce the level of hypertrophy that develops

Micro-imaging of the Mouse Lung via MRI

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Wei

inflammation, particularly in the lung periphery, indicating airspace enlargement after virus infection. Another important application of the imaging technique is the study of lung regeneration in a pneumonectomy (PNX) model. Partial resection of the lung by unilateral PNX is a robust model of compensatory lung growth. It is typically studied by postmortem morphometry in which longitudinal assessment in the same animal cannot be achieved. Here we successfully assess the microstructural changes and quantify the compensatory lung growth in vivo in the PNX mouse model via 1H and hyperpolarized 3He diffusion MRI. Our results show complete restoration in lung volume and total alveolar number with enlargement of alveolar size, which is consistent with prior histological studies conducted in different animals at various time points. This dissertation demonstrates that 3He lung morphometry has good sensitivity in quantifying small microstructural changes in the mouse lung and can be applied to a variety of mouse pulmonary models. Particularly, it has great potential to become a valuable tool in understanding the time course and the mechanism of lung growth in individual animals and may provide insight into post-natal lung growth and lung regeneration.

Medical image segmentation using 3D MRI data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Voronin, V.; Marchuk, V.; Semenishchev, E.; Cen, Yigang; Agaian, S.

2017-05-01

Precise segmentation of three-dimensional (3D) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) image can be a very useful computer aided diagnosis (CAD) tool in clinical routines. Accurate automatic extraction a 3D component from images obtained by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a challenging segmentation problem due to the small size objects of interest (e.g., blood vessels, bones) in each 2D MRA slice and complex surrounding anatomical structures. Our objective is to develop a specific segmentation scheme for accurately extracting parts of bones from MRI images. In this paper, we use a segmentation algorithm to extract the parts of bones from Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) data sets based on modified active contour method. As a result, the proposed method demonstrates good accuracy in a comparison between the existing segmentation approaches on real MRI data.

In Vivo MR Imaging of Pulmonary Perfusion and Gas Exchange in Rats via Continuous Extracorporeal Infusion of Hyperpolarized 129Xe

PubMed Central

Cleveland, Zackary I.; Möller, Harald E.; Hedlund, Laurence W.; Nouls, John C.; Freeman, Matthew S.; Qi, Yi; Driehuys, Bastiaan

2012-01-01

Background Hyperpolarized (HP) 129Xe magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) permits high resolution, regional visualization of pulmonary ventilation. Additionally, its reasonably high solubility (>10%) and large chemical shift range (>200 ppm) in tissues allow HP 129Xe to serve as a regional probe of pulmonary perfusion and gas transport, when introduced directly into the vasculature. In earlier work, vascular delivery was accomplished in rats by first dissolving HP 129Xe in a biologically compatible carrier solution, injecting the solution into the vasculature, and then detecting HP 129Xe as it emerged into the alveolar airspaces. Although easily implemented, this approach was constrained by the tolerable injection volume and the duration of the HP 129Xe signal. Methods and Principal Findings Here, we overcome the volume and temporal constraints imposed by injection, by using hydrophobic, microporous, gas-exchange membranes to directly and continuously infuse 129Xe into the arterial blood of live rats with an extracorporeal (EC) circuit. The resulting gas-phase 129Xe signal is sufficient to generate diffusive gas exchange- and pulmonary perfusion-dependent, 3D MR images with a nominal resolution of 2×2×2 mm3. We also show that the 129Xe signal dynamics during EC infusion are well described by an analytical model that incorporates both mass transport into the blood and longitudinal relaxation. Conclusions Extracorporeal infusion of HP 129Xe enables rapid, 3D MR imaging of rat lungs and, when combined with ventilation imaging, will permit spatially resolved studies of the ventilation-perfusion ratio in small animals. Moreover, EC infusion should allow 129Xe to be delivered elsewhere in the body and make possible functional and molecular imaging approaches that are currently not feasible using inhaled HP 129Xe. PMID:22363613

Hyperpolarized (129) Xe imaging of the rat lung using spiral IDEAL.

PubMed

Doganay, Ozkan; Wade, Trevor; Hegarty, Elaine; McKenzie, Charles; Schulte, Rolf F; Santyr, Giles E

2016-08-01

To implement and optimize a single-shot spiral encoding strategy for rapid 2D IDEAL projection imaging of hyperpolarized (Hp) (129) Xe in the gas phase, and in the pulmonary tissue (PT) and red blood cells (RBCs) compartments of the rat lung, respectively. A theoretical and experimental point spread function analysis was used to optimize the spiral k-space read-out time in a phantom. Hp (129) Xe IDEAL images from five healthy rats were used to: (i) optimize flip angles by a Bloch equation analysis using measured kinetics of gas exchange and (ii) investigate the feasibility of the approach to characterize the exchange of Hp (129) Xe. A read-out time equal to approximately 1.8 × T2* was found to provide the best trade-off between spatial resolution and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Spiral IDEAL approaches that use the entire dissolved phase magnetization should give an SNR improvement of a factor of approximately three compared with Cartesian approaches with similar spatial resolution. The IDEAL strategy allowed imaging of gas, PT, and RBC compartments with sufficient SNR and temporal resolution to permit regional gas exchange measurements in healthy rats. Single-shot spiral IDEAL imaging of gas, PT and RBC compartments and gas exchange is feasible in rat lung using Hp (129) Xe. Magn Reson Med 76:566-576, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Oxygen-weighted Hyperpolarized 3He MR Imaging: A Short-term Reproducibility Study in Human Subjects

PubMed Central

Ishii, Masaru; Hamedani, Hooman; Clapp, Justin T.; Kadlecek, Stephen J.; Xin, Yi; Gefter, Warren B.; Rossman, Milton D.

2015-01-01

Purpose To determine whether hyperpolarized helium 3 magnetic resonance (MR) imaging to measure alveolar partial pressure of oxygen (Pao2) shows sufficient test-retest repeatability and between-cohort differences to be used as a reliable technique for detection of alterations in gas exchange in asymptomatic smokers. Materials and Methods The protocol was approved by the local institutional review board and was HIPAA compliant. Informed consent was obtained from all subjects. Two sets of MR images were obtained 10 minutes apart in 25 subjects: 10 nonsmokers (five men, five women; mean ± standard deviation age, 50 years ± 6) and 15 smokers (seven women, eight men; mean age, 50 years ± 8). A mixed-effects model was developed to identify the regional repeatability of Pao2 measurements as an intraclass correlation coefficient. Ten smokers were matched with the 10 nonsmokers on the basis of signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Three separate models were generated: one for nonsmokers, one for the SNR-matched smokers, and one for the five remaining smokers, who were imaged with a significantly higher SNR. Results Short-term back-to-back regional reproducibility was assessed by using intraclass correlation coefficients, which were 0.67 and 0.65 for SNR case-matched nonsmokers and smokers, respectively. Repeatability was a strong function of SNR; a 50% increase in SNR in the remaining smokers improved the intraclass correlation coefficient to 0.82. Although repeatability was not significantly different between the SNR-matched cohorts (P = .44), the smoker group showed higher spatial and temporal variability in Pao2. Conclusion The short-term test-retest repeatability of hyperpolarized gas MR imaging of regional Pao2 was good. Asymptomatic smokers exhibited greater spatial and temporal variability in Pao2 than did the nonsmokers, which suggests that this parameter allows detection of small functional alterations associated with smoking. © RSNA, 2015 Online supplemental material

XeNA: an automated 'open-source' (129)Xe hyperpolarizer for clinical use.

PubMed

Nikolaou, Panayiotis; Coffey, Aaron M; Walkup, Laura L; Gust, Brogan M; Whiting, Nicholas; Newton, Hayley; Muradyan, Iga; Dabaghyan, Mikayel; Ranta, Kaili; Moroz, Gregory D; Rosen, Matthew S; Patz, Samuel; Barlow, Michael J; Chekmenev, Eduard Y; Goodson, Boyd M

2014-06-01

Here we provide a full report on the construction, components, and capabilities of our consortium's "open-source" large-scale (~1L/h) (129)Xe hyperpolarizer for clinical, pre-clinical, and materials NMR/MRI (Nikolaou et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 110, 14150 (2013)). The 'hyperpolarizer' is automated and built mostly of off-the-shelf components; moreover, it is designed to be cost-effective and installed in both research laboratories and clinical settings with materials costing less than $125,000. The device runs in the xenon-rich regime (up to 1800Torr Xe in 0.5L) in either stopped-flow or single-batch mode-making cryo-collection of the hyperpolarized gas unnecessary for many applications. In-cell (129)Xe nuclear spin polarization values of ~30%-90% have been measured for Xe loadings of ~300-1600Torr. Typical (129)Xe polarization build-up and T1 relaxation time constants were ~8.5min and ~1.9h respectively under our spin-exchange optical pumping conditions; such ratios, combined with near-unity Rb electron spin polarizations enabled by the high resonant laser power (up to ~200W), permit such high PXe values to be achieved despite the high in-cell Xe densities. Importantly, most of the polarization is maintained during efficient HP gas transfer to other containers, and ultra-long (129)Xe relaxation times (up to nearly 6h) were observed in Tedlar bags following transport to a clinical 3T scanner for MR spectroscopy and imaging as a prelude to in vivo experiments. The device has received FDA IND approval for a clinical study of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease subjects. The primary focus of this paper is on the technical/engineering development of the polarizer, with the explicit goals of facilitating the adaptation of design features and operative modes into other laboratories, and of spurring the further advancement of HP-gas MR applications in biomedicine. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Optimizing MRI for imaging peripheral arthritis.

PubMed

Hodgson, Richard J; O'Connor, Philip J; Ridgway, John P

2012-11-01

MRI is increasingly used for the assessment of both inflammatory arthritis and osteoarthritis. The wide variety of MRI systems in use ranges from low-field, low-cost extremity units to whole-body high-field 7-T systems, each with different strengths for specific applications. The availability of dedicated radiofrequency phased-array coils allows the rapid acquisition of high-resolution images of one or more peripheral joints. MRI is uniquely flexible in its ability to manipulate image contrast, and individual MR sequences may be combined into protocols to sensitively visualize multiple features of arthritis including synovitis, bone marrow lesions, erosions, cartilage changes, and tendinopathy. Careful choice of the imaging parameters allows images to be generated with optimal quality while minimizing unwanted artifacts. Finally, there are many novel MRI techniques that can quantify disease levels in arthritis in tissues including synovitis and cartilage. Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Optical/MRI Multimodality Molecular Imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Lixin; Smith, Charles; Yu, Ping

2007-03-01

Multimodality molecular imaging that combines anatomical and functional information has shown promise in development of tumor-targeted pharmaceuticals for cancer detection or therapy. We present a new multimodality imaging technique that combines fluorescence molecular tomography (FMT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for in vivo molecular imaging of preclinical tumor models. Unlike other optical/MRI systems, the new molecular imaging system uses parallel phase acquisition based on heterodyne principle. The system has a higher accuracy of phase measurements, reduced noise bandwidth, and an efficient modulation of the fluorescence diffuse density waves. Fluorescent Bombesin probes were developed for targeting breast cancer cells and prostate cancer cells. Tissue phantom and small animal experiments were performed for calibration of the imaging system and validation of the targeting probes.

How to design 13C para-hydrogen-induced polarization experiments for MRI applications.

PubMed

Reineri, Francesca; Viale, Alessandra; Dastrù, Walter; Gobetto, Roberto; Aime, Silvio

2011-01-01

The application of hyperpolarization techniques for MRI purposes is gathering increasing attention, especially for nuclei such as (13)C or (129)Xe. Among the different proposed methods, ParaHydrogen Induced Polarization requires relatively cheap equipment. The setup of an MRI experiment by means of parahydrogen requires the application of skills and methodologies that derive from different fields of knowledge. The basic theory and a practical insight of this method are presented here. Parahydrogenation of alkynes, having a labelled (13)CO group adjacent to the triple bond, catalyzed by Rh(I) complexes containing a chelating phosphine, represents the best choice for producing and maintaining high heteronuclear polarization effect. In order to transform anti-phase into in-phase (net) (13)C polarization for MRI application it is necessary to set up the described magnetic field cycle procedure. In vitro and in vivo images have been acquired using fast imaging sequences (RARE and trueFISP). Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Assessment of radiofrequency ablation margin by MRI-MRI image fusion in hepatocellular carcinoma.

PubMed

Wang, Xiao-Li; Li, Kai; Su, Zhong-Zhen; Huang, Ze-Ping; Wang, Ping; Zheng, Rong-Qin

2015-05-07

To investigate the feasibility and clinical value of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-MRI image fusion in assessing the ablative margin (AM) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). A newly developed ultrasound workstation for MRI-MRI image fusion was used to evaluate the AM of 62 tumors in 52 HCC patients after radiofrequency ablation (RFA). The lesions were divided into two groups: group A, in which the tumor was completely ablated and 5 mm AM was achieved (n = 32); and group B, in which the tumor was completely ablated but 5 mm AM was not achieved (n = 29). To detect local tumor progression (LTP), all patients were followed every two months by contrast-enhanced ultrasound, contrast-enhanced MRI or computed tomography (CT) in the first year after RFA. Then, the follow-up interval was prolonged to every three months after the first year. Of the 62 tumors, MRI-MRI image fusion was successful in 61 (98.4%); the remaining case had significant deformation of the liver and massive ascites after RFA. The time required for creating image fusion and AM evaluation was 15.5 ± 5.5 min (range: 8-22 min) and 9.6 ± 3.2 min (range: 6-14 min), respectively. The follow-up period ranged from 1-23 mo (14.2 ± 5.4 mo). In group A, no LTP was detected in 32 lesions, whereas in group B, LTP was detected in 4 of 29 tumors, which occurred at 2, 7, 9, and 15 mo after RFA. The frequency of LTP in group B (13.8%; 4/29) was significantly higher than that in group A (0/32, P = 0.046). All of the LTPs occurred in the area in which the 5 mm AM was not achieved. The MRI-MRI image fusion using an ultrasound workstation is feasible and useful for evaluating the AM after RFA for HCC.

Functional Imaging of the Lungs with Gas Agents

PubMed Central

Kruger, Stanley J.; Nagle, Scott K.; Couch, Marcus J.; Ohno, Yoshiharu; Albert, Mitchell; Fain, Sean B.

2015-01-01

This review focuses on the state-of-the-art of the three major classes of gas contrast agents used in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) – hyperpolarized (HP) gas, molecular oxygen, and fluorinated gas – and their application to clinical pulmonary research. During the past several years there has been accelerated development of pulmonary MRI. This has been driven in part by concerns regarding ionizing radiation using multi-detector computed tomography (CT). However, MRI also offers capabilities for fast multi-spectral and functional imaging using gas agents that are not technically feasible with CT. Recent improvements in gradient performance and radial acquisition methods using ultra-short echo time (UTE) have contributed to advances in these functional pulmonary MRI techniques. Relative strengths and weaknesses of the main functional imaging methods and gas agents are compared and applications to measures of ventilation, diffusion, and gas exchange are presented. Functional lung MRI methods using these gas agents are improving our understanding of a wide range of chronic lung diseases, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, and cystic fibrosis (CF) in both adults and children. PMID:26218920

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Safety and Tolerability of Hyperpolarized 129Xe MR Imaging in Healthy Volunteers and Patients

PubMed Central

Martinez-Jimenez, Santiago; Cleveland, Zackary I.; Metz, Gregory M.; Beaver, Denise M.; Nouls, John C.; Kaushik, S. Sivaram; Firszt, Rafael; Willis, Christine; Kelly, Kevin T.; Wolber, Jan; Kraft, Monica; McAdams, H. Page

2012-01-01

Purpose: To evaluate the safety and tolerability of inhaling multiple 1-L volumes of undiluted hyperpolarized xenon 129 (129Xe) followed by up to a 16-second breath hold and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. Materials and Methods: This study was approved by the institutional review board and was HIPAA compliant. Written informed consent was obtained. Forty-four subjects (19 men, 25 women; mean age, 46.1 years ± 18.8 [standard deviation]) were enrolled, consisting of 24 healthy volunteers, 10 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and 10 age-matched control subjects. All subjects received three or four 1-L volumes of undiluted hyperpolarized 129Xe, followed by breath-hold MR imaging. Oxygen saturation, heart rate and rhythm, and blood pressure were continuously monitored. These parameters, along with respiratory rate and subjective symptoms, were assessed after each dose. Subjects’ serum biochemistry and hematology were recorded at screening and at 24-hour follow-up. A 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) was obtained at these times and also within 2 hours prior to and 1 hour after 129Xe MR imaging. Xenon-related symptoms were evaluated for relationship to subject group by using a χ2 test and to subject age by using logistic regression. Changes in vital signs were tested for significance across subject group and time by using a repeated-measures multivariate analysis of variance test. Results: The 44 subjects tolerated all xenon inhalations, no subjects withdrew, and no serious adverse events occurred. No significant changes in vital signs (P > .27) were observed, and no subjects exhibited changes in laboratory test or ECG results at follow-up that were deemed clinically important or required intervention. Most subjects (91%) did experience transient xenon-related symptoms, most commonly dizziness (59%), paresthesia (34%), euphoria (30%), and hypoesthesia (30%). All symptoms resolved without clinical intervention in 1.6 minutes ± 0.9. Conclusion

Simultaneous MRI and PET imaging of a rat brain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raylman, Raymond R.; Majewski, Stan; Lemieux, Susan K.; Sendhil Velan, S.; Kross, Brian; Popov, Vladimir; Smith, Mark F.; Weisenberger, Andrew G.; Zorn, Carl; Marano, Gary D.

2006-12-01

Multi-modality imaging is rapidly becoming a valuable tool in the diagnosis of disease and in the development of new drugs. Functional images produced with PET fused with anatomical structure images created by MRI will allow the correlation of form with function. Our group is developing a system to acquire MRI and PET images contemporaneously. The prototype device consists of two opposed detector heads, operating in coincidence mode. Each MRI-PET detector module consists of an array of LSO detector elements coupled through a long fibre optic light guide to a single Hamamatsu flat panel position-sensitive photomultiplier tube (PSPMT). The use of light guides allows the PSPMTs to be positioned outside the bore of a 3T MRI scanner where the magnetic field is relatively small. To test the device, simultaneous MRI and PET images of the brain of a male Sprague Dawley rat injected with FDG were successfully obtained. The images revealed no noticeable artefacts in either image set. Future work includes the construction of a full ring PET scanner, improved light guides and construction of a specialized MRI coil to permit higher quality MRI imaging.

Hyperpolarized carbon-13 magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging: a clinical tool for studying tumour metabolism.

PubMed

Zaccagna, Fulvio; Grist, James T; Deen, Surrin S; Woitek, Ramona; Lechermann, Laura Mt; McLean, Mary A; Basu, Bristi; Gallagher, Ferdia A

2018-05-01

Glucose metabolism in tumours is reprogrammed away from oxidative metabolism, even in the presence of oxygen. Non-invasive imaging techniques can probe these alterations in cancer metabolism providing tools to detect tumours and their response to therapy. Although Positron Emission Tomography with ( 18 F)2-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose ( 18 F-FDG PET) is an established clinical tool to probe cancer metabolism, it has poor spatial resolution and soft tissue contrast, utilizes ionizing radiation and only probes glucose uptake and phosphorylation and not further downstream metabolism. Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) has the capability to non-invasively detect and distinguish molecules within tissue but has low sensitivity and can only detect selected nuclei. Dynamic Nuclear Polarization (DNP) is a technique which greatly increases the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) achieved with MR by significantly increasing nuclear spin polarization and this method has now been translated into human imaging. This review provides a brief overview of this process, also termed Hyperpolarized Carbon-13 Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopic Imaging (HP 13 C-MRSI), its applications in preclinical imaging, an outline of the current human trials that are ongoing, as well as future potential applications in oncology.

Application unit for the administration of contrast gases for pulmonary magnetic resonance imaging: optimization of ventilation distribution for (3) He-MRI.

PubMed

Güldner, M; Becker, St; Wolf, U; Düber, C; Friesenecker, A; Gast, K K; Heil, W; Hoffmann, C; Karpuk, S; Otten, E W; Rivoire, J; Salhi, Z; Scholz, A; Schreiber, L M; Terekhov, M

2015-09-01

MRI of lung airspaces using gases with MR-active nuclei ((3) He, (129) Xe, and (19) F) is an important area of research in pulmonary imaging. The volume-controlled administration of gas mixtures is important for obtaining quantitative information from MR images. State-of-the-art gas administration using plastic bags (PBs) does not allow for a precise determination of both the volume and timing of a (3) He bolus. A novel application unit (AU) was built according to the requirements of the German medical devices law. Integrated spirometers enable the monitoring of the inhaled gas flow. The device is particularly suited for hyperpolarized (HP) gases (e.g., storage and administration with minimal HP losses). The setup was tested in a clinical trial (n = 10 healthy volunteers) according to the German medicinal products law using static and dynamic ventilation HP-(3) He MRI. The required specifications for the AU were successfully realized. Compared to PB-administration, better reproducibility of gas intrapulmonary distribution was observed when using the AU for both static and dynamic ventilation imaging. The new AU meets the special requirements for HP gases, which are storage and administration with minimal losses. Our data suggest that gas AU-administration is superior to manual modes for determining the key parameters of dynamic ventilation measurements. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

SU-E-QI-11: Measurement of Renal Pyruvate-To-Lactate Exchange with Hyperpolarized 13C MRI

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

Adamson, E; Johnson, K; Fain, S

Purpose: Previous work [1] modeling the metabolic flux between hyperpolarized [1-13C]pyruvate and [1-13C]lactate in magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) experiments failed to account for vascular signal artifacts. Here, we investigate a method to minimize the vascular signal and its impact on the fidelity of metabolic modeling. Methods: MRSI was simulated for renal metabolism in MATLAB both with and without bipolar gradients. The resulting data were fit to a two-site exchange model [1], and the effects of vascular partial volume artifacts on kinetic modeling were assessed. Bipolar gradients were then incorporated into a gradient echo sequence to validate the simulations experimentally.more » The degree of diffusion weighting (b = 32 s/mm{sup 2}) was determined empirically from 1H imaging of murine renal vascular signal. The method was then tested in vivo using MRSI with bipolar gradients following injection of hyperpolarized [1-{sup 13}C]pyruvate (∼80 mM at 20% polarization). Results: In simulations, vascular signal contaminated the renal metabolic signal at resolutions as high as 2 × 2 mm{sup 2} due to partial volume effects. The apparent exchange rate from pyruvate to lactate (k{sub p}) was underestimated in the presence of these artifacts due to contaminating pyruvate signal. Incorporation of bipolar gradients suppressed vascular signal and improved the accuracy of kp estimation. Experimentally, the in vivo results supported the ability of bipolar gradients to suppress vascular signal. The in vivo exchange rate increased, as predicted in simulations, from k{sub p} = 0.012 s-{sup 1} to k{sub p} = 0.020-{sup 1} after vascular signal suppression. Conclusion: We have demonstrated the limited accuracy of the two-site exchange model in the presence of vascular partial volume artifacts. The addition of bipolar gradients suppressed vascular signal and improved model accuracy in simulations. Bipolar gradients largely affected kp estimation in vivo

Optical hyperpolarization of 13C nuclear spins in nanodiamond ensembles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Q.; Schwarz, I.; Jelezko, F.; Retzker, A.; Plenio, M. B.

2015-11-01

Dynamical nuclear polarization holds the key for orders of magnitude enhancements of nuclear magnetic resonance signals which, in turn, would enable a wide range of novel applications in biomedical sciences. However, current implementations of DNP require cryogenic temperatures and long times for achieving high polarization. Here we propose and analyze in detail protocols that can achieve rapid hyperpolarization of 13C nuclear spins in randomly oriented ensembles of nanodiamonds at room temperature. Our protocols exploit a combination of optical polarization of electron spins in nitrogen-vacancy centers and the transfer of this polarization to 13C nuclei by means of microwave control to overcome the severe challenges that are posed by the random orientation of the nanodiamonds and their nitrogen-vacancy centers. Specifically, these random orientations result in exceedingly large energy variations of the electron spin levels that render the polarization and coherent control of the nitrogen-vacancy center electron spins as well as the control of their coherent interaction with the surrounding 13C nuclear spins highly inefficient. We address these challenges by a combination of an off-resonant microwave double resonance scheme in conjunction with a realization of the integrated solid effect which, together with adiabatic rotations of external magnetic fields or rotations of nanodiamonds, leads to a protocol that achieves high levels of hyperpolarization of the entire nuclear-spin bath in a randomly oriented ensemble of nanodiamonds even at room temperature. This hyperpolarization together with the long nuclear-spin polarization lifetimes in nanodiamonds and the relatively high density of 13C nuclei has the potential to result in a major signal enhancement in 13C nuclear magnetic resonance imaging and suggests functionalized and hyperpolarized nanodiamonds as a unique probe for molecular imaging both in vitro and in vivo.

Evaluation of Heterogeneous Metabolic Profile in an Orthotopic Human Glioblastoma Xenograft Model Using Compressed Sensing Hyperpolarized 3D 13C Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopic Imaging

PubMed Central

Park, Ilwoo; Hu, Simon; Bok, Robert; Ozawa, Tomoko; Ito, Motokazu; Mukherjee, Joydeep; Phillips, Joanna J.; James, C. David; Pieper, Russell O.; Ronen, Sabrina M.; Vigneron, Daniel B.; Nelson, Sarah J.

2013-01-01

High resolution compressed sensing hyperpolarized 13C magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging was applied in orthotopic human glioblastoma xenografts for quantitative assessment of spatial variations in 13C metabolic profiles and comparison with histopathology. A new compressed sensing sampling design with a factor of 3.72 acceleration was implemented to enable a factor of 4 increase in spatial resolution. Compressed sensing 3D 13C magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging data were acquired from a phantom and 10 tumor-bearing rats following injection of hyperpolarized [1-13C]-pyruvate using a 3T scanner. The 13C metabolic profiles were compared with hematoxylin and eosin staining and carbonic anhydrase 9 staining. The high-resolution compressed sensing 13C magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging data enabled the differentiation of distinct 13C metabolite patterns within abnormal tissues with high specificity in similar scan times compared to the fully sampled method. The results from pathology confirmed the different characteristics of 13C metabolic profiles between viable, non-necrotic, nonhypoxic tumor, and necrotic, hypoxic tissue. PMID:22851374

Evaluation of heterogeneous metabolic profile in an orthotopic human glioblastoma xenograft model using compressed sensing hyperpolarized 3D 13C magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging.

PubMed

Park, Ilwoo; Hu, Simon; Bok, Robert; Ozawa, Tomoko; Ito, Motokazu; Mukherjee, Joydeep; Phillips, Joanna J; James, C David; Pieper, Russell O; Ronen, Sabrina M; Vigneron, Daniel B; Nelson, Sarah J

2013-07-01

High resolution compressed sensing hyperpolarized (13)C magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging was applied in orthotopic human glioblastoma xenografts for quantitative assessment of spatial variations in (13)C metabolic profiles and comparison with histopathology. A new compressed sensing sampling design with a factor of 3.72 acceleration was implemented to enable a factor of 4 increase in spatial resolution. Compressed sensing 3D (13)C magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging data were acquired from a phantom and 10 tumor-bearing rats following injection of hyperpolarized [1-(13)C]-pyruvate using a 3T scanner. The (13)C metabolic profiles were compared with hematoxylin and eosin staining and carbonic anhydrase 9 staining. The high-resolution compressed sensing (13)C magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging data enabled the differentiation of distinct (13)C metabolite patterns within abnormal tissues with high specificity in similar scan times compared to the fully sampled method. The results from pathology confirmed the different characteristics of (13)C metabolic profiles between viable, non-necrotic, nonhypoxic tumor, and necrotic, hypoxic tissue. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Probing alanine transaminase catalysis with hyperpolarized 13CD3-pyruvate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barb, A. W.; Hekmatyar, S. K.; Glushka, J. N.; Prestegard, J. H.

2013-03-01

Hyperpolarized metabolites offer a tremendous sensitivity advantage (>104 fold) when measuring flux and enzyme activity in living tissues by magnetic resonance methods. These sensitivity gains can also be applied to mechanistic studies that impose time and metabolite concentration limitations. Here we explore the use of hyperpolarization by dissolution dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) in mechanistic studies of alanine transaminase (ALT), a well-established biomarker of liver disease and cancer that converts pyruvate to alanine using glutamate as a nitrogen donor. A specific deuterated, 13C-enriched analog of pyruvic acid, 13C3D3-pyruvic acid, is demonstrated to have advantages in terms of detection by both direct 13C observation and indirect observation through methyl protons introduced by ALT-catalyzed H-D exchange. Exchange on injecting hyperpolarized 13C3D3-pyruvate into ALT dissolved in buffered 1H2O, combined with an experimental approach to measure proton incorporation, provided information on mechanistic details of transaminase action on a 1.5 s timescale. ALT introduced, on average, 0.8 new protons into the methyl group of the alanine produced, indicating the presence of an off-pathway enamine intermediate. The opportunities for exploiting mechanism-dependent molecular signatures as well as indirect detection of hyperpolarized 13C3-pyruvate and products in imaging applications are discussed.

The Spin-Lattice Relaxation of Hyperpolarized 89Y Complexes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jindal, Ashish; Lumata, Lloyd; Xing, Yixun; Merritt, Matthew; Zhao, Piyu; Malloy, Craig; Sherry, Dean; Kovacs, Zoltan

2011-03-01

The low sensitivity of NMR can be overcome by dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP). However, a limitation to the use of hyperpolarized materials is the signal decay due to T1 relaxation. Among NMR-active nuclei, 89 Y is potentially valuable in medical imaging because in chelated form, pH-sensitive agents can be developed. 89 Y also offers many attractive features -- 100 % abundance, a 1/2 spin, and a long T1 , up to 10 min. Yet, developing new 89 Y complexes with even longer T1 values is desirable. Designing such complexes relies upon understanding the mechanism(s) responsible for T1 relaxation. We report an approach to hyperpolarized T1 measurements that enabled an analysis of relaxation mechanisms by selective deuteration of the ligand backbone, the solvent or both. Hyperpolarized 89 Y -- DTPA, DOTA, EDTA, and deuterated EDTA complexes were studied. Results suggest that substitution of low-gamma nuclei on the ligand backbone as opposed to that of the solvent most effectively increase the 89 Y T1 . These results are encouraging for in vivo applications as the presence of bound water may not dramatically affect the T1 .

Assessment of radiofrequency ablation margin by MRI-MRI image fusion in hepatocellular carcinoma

PubMed Central

Wang, Xiao-Li; Li, Kai; Su, Zhong-Zhen; Huang, Ze-Ping; Wang, Ping; Zheng, Rong-Qin

2015-01-01

AIM: To investigate the feasibility and clinical value of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-MRI image fusion in assessing the ablative margin (AM) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS: A newly developed ultrasound workstation for MRI-MRI image fusion was used to evaluate the AM of 62 tumors in 52 HCC patients after radiofrequency ablation (RFA). The lesions were divided into two groups: group A, in which the tumor was completely ablated and 5 mm AM was achieved (n = 32); and group B, in which the tumor was completely ablated but 5 mm AM was not achieved (n = 29). To detect local tumor progression (LTP), all patients were followed every two months by contrast-enhanced ultrasound, contrast-enhanced MRI or computed tomography (CT) in the first year after RFA. Then, the follow-up interval was prolonged to every three months after the first year. RESULTS: Of the 62 tumors, MRI-MRI image fusion was successful in 61 (98.4%); the remaining case had significant deformation of the liver and massive ascites after RFA. The time required for creating image fusion and AM evaluation was 15.5 ± 5.5 min (range: 8-22 min) and 9.6 ± 3.2 min (range: 6-14 min), respectively. The follow-up period ranged from 1-23 mo (14.2 ± 5.4 mo). In group A, no LTP was detected in 32 lesions, whereas in group B, LTP was detected in 4 of 29 tumors, which occurred at 2, 7, 9, and 15 mo after RFA. The frequency of LTP in group B (13.8%; 4/29) was significantly higher than that in group A (0/32, P = 0.046). All of the LTPs occurred in the area in which the 5 mm AM was not achieved. CONCLUSION: The MRI-MRI image fusion using an ultrasound workstation is feasible and useful for evaluating the AM after RFA for HCC. PMID:25954109

TH-A-BRF-11: Image Intensity Non-Uniformities Between MRI Simulation and Diagnostic MRI

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

Paulson, E

2014-06-15

Purpose: MRI simulation for MRI-based radiotherapy demands that patients be setup in treatment position, which frequently involves use of alternative radiofrequency (RF) coil configurations to accommodate immobilized patients. However, alternative RF coil geometries may exacerbate image intensity non-uniformities (IINU) beyond those observed in diagnostic MRI, which may challenge image segmentation and registration accuracy as well as confound studies assessing radiotherapy response when MR simulation images are used as baselines for evaluation. The goal of this work was to determine whether differences in IINU exist between MR simulation and diagnostic MR images. Methods: ACR-MRI phantom images were acquired at 3T usingmore » a spin-echo sequence (TE/TR:20/500ms, rBW:62.5kHz, TH/skip:5/5mm). MR simulation images were obtained by wrapping two flexible phased-array RF coils around the phantom. Diagnostic MR images were obtained by placing the phantom into a commercial phased-array head coil. Pre-scan normalization was enabled in both cases. Images were transferred offline and corrected for IINU using the MNI N3 algorithm. Coefficients of variation (CV=σ/μ) were calculated for each slice. Wilcoxon matched-pairs and Mann-Whitney tests compared CV values between original and N3 images and between MR simulation and diagnostic MR images. Results: Significant differences in CV were detected between original and N3 images in both MRI simulation and diagnostic MRI groups (p=0.010, p=0.010). In addition, significant differences in CV were detected between original MR simulation and original and N3 diagnostic MR images (p=0.0256, p=0.0016). However, no significant differences in CV were detected between N3 MR simulation images and original or N3 diagnostic MR images, demonstrating the importance of correcting MR simulation images beyond pre-scan normalization prior to use in radiotherapy. Conclusions: Alternative RF coil configurations used in MRI simulation can Result in

Compressed Sensing for Resolution Enhancement of Hyperpolarized 13C Flyback 3D-MRSI

PubMed Central

Hu, Simon; Lustig, Michael; Chen, Albert P.; Crane, Jason; Kerr, Adam; Kelley, Douglas A.C.; Hurd, Ralph; Kurhanewicz, John; Nelson, Sarah J.; Pauly, John M.; Vigneron, Daniel B.

2008-01-01

High polarization of nuclear spins in liquid state through dynamic nuclear polarization has enabled the direct monitoring of 13C metabolites in vivo at very high signal to noise, allowing for rapid assessment of tissue metabolism. The abundant SNR afforded by this hyperpolarization technique makes high resolution 13C 3D-MRSI feasible. However, the number of phase encodes that can be fit into the short acquisition time for hyperpolarized imaging limits spatial coverage and resolution. To take advantage of the high SNR available from hyperpolarization, we have applied compressed sensing to achieve a factor of 2 enhancement in spatial resolution without increasing acquisition time or decreasing coverage. In this paper, the design and testing of compressed sensing suited for a flyback 13C 3D-MRSI sequence are presented. The key to this design was the undersampling of spectral k-space using a novel blipped scheme, thus taking advantage of the considerable sparsity in typical hyperpolarized 13C spectra. Phantom tests validated the accuracy of the compressed sensing approach and initial mouse experiments demonstrated in vivo feasibility. PMID:18367420

Microtesla MRI with dynamic nuclear polarization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zotev, Vadim S.; Owens, Tuba; Matlashov, Andrei N.; Savukov, Igor M.; Gomez, John J.; Espy, Michelle A.

2010-11-01

Magnetic resonance imaging at microtesla fields is a promising imaging method that combines the pre-polarization technique and broadband signal reception by superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) sensors to enable in vivo MRI at microtesla-range magnetic fields similar in strength to the Earth magnetic field. Despite significant advances in recent years, the potential of microtesla MRI for biomedical imaging is limited by its insufficient signal-to-noise ratio due to a relatively low sample polarization. Dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) is a widely used approach that allows polarization enhancement by 2-4 orders of magnitude without an increase in the polarizing field strength. In this work, the first implementation of microtesla MRI with Overhauser DNP and SQUID signal detection is described. The first measurements of carbon-13 NMR spectra at microtesla fields are also reported. The experiments were performed at the measurement field of 96 μT, corresponding to Larmor frequency of 4 kHz for protons and 1 kHz for carbon-13. The Overhauser DNP was carried out at 3.5-5.7 mT fields using rf irradiation at 120 MHz. Objects for imaging included water phantoms and a cactus plant. Aqueous solutions of metabolically relevant sodium bicarbonate, pyruvate, alanine, and lactate, labeled with carbon-13, were used for NMR studies. All the samples were doped with TEMPO free radicals. The Overhauser DNP enabled nuclear polarization enhancement by factor as large as -95 for protons and as large as -200 for carbon-13, corresponding to thermal polarizations at 0.33 T and 1.1 T fields, respectively. These results demonstrate that SQUID-based microtesla MRI can be naturally combined with Overhauser DNP in one system, and that its signal-to-noise performance is greatly improved in this case. They also suggest that microtesla MRI can become an efficient tool for in vivo imaging of hyperpolarized carbon-13, produced by low-temperature dissolution DNP.

PCA-based groupwise image registration for quantitative MRI.

PubMed

Huizinga, W; Poot, D H J; Guyader, J-M; Klaassen, R; Coolen, B F; van Kranenburg, M; van Geuns, R J M; Uitterdijk, A; Polfliet, M; Vandemeulebroucke, J; Leemans, A; Niessen, W J; Klein, S

2016-04-01

Quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (qMRI) is a technique for estimating quantitative tissue properties, such as the T1 and T2 relaxation times, apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), and various perfusion measures. This estimation is achieved by acquiring multiple images with different acquisition parameters (or at multiple time points after injection of a contrast agent) and by fitting a qMRI signal model to the image intensities. Image registration is often necessary to compensate for misalignments due to subject motion and/or geometric distortions caused by the acquisition. However, large differences in image appearance make accurate image registration challenging. In this work, we propose a groupwise image registration method for compensating misalignment in qMRI. The groupwise formulation of the method eliminates the requirement of choosing a reference image, thus avoiding a registration bias. The method minimizes a cost function that is based on principal component analysis (PCA), exploiting the fact that intensity changes in qMRI can be described by a low-dimensional signal model, but not requiring knowledge on the specific acquisition model. The method was evaluated on 4D CT data of the lungs, and both real and synthetic images of five different qMRI applications: T1 mapping in a porcine heart, combined T1 and T2 mapping in carotid arteries, ADC mapping in the abdomen, diffusion tensor mapping in the brain, and dynamic contrast-enhanced mapping in the abdomen. Each application is based on a different acquisition model. The method is compared to a mutual information-based pairwise registration method and four other state-of-the-art groupwise registration methods. Registration accuracy is evaluated in terms of the precision of the estimated qMRI parameters, overlap of segmented structures, distance between corresponding landmarks, and smoothness of the deformation. In all qMRI applications the proposed method performed better than or equally well as

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI): Lumbar Spine (For Parents)

MedlinePlus

... Staying Safe Videos for Educators Search English Español Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI): Lumbar Spine KidsHealth / For Parents / Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI): Lumbar Spine What's in this article? What ...

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) -- Head

MedlinePlus Videos and Cool Tools

... are clearer and more detailed than other imaging methods. This exam does not use ionizing radiation and ... clearer and more detailed than with other imaging methods. This detail makes MRI an invaluable tool in ...

MO-DE-206-03: Quantifying Metabolism with Hyperpolarized MR

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

Bankson, J.

In this symposium jointly sponsored by the World Molecular Imaging Society (WMIS) and the AAPM, luminary speakers on imaging metabolism will discuss three impactful topics. The first presentation on Cellular Metabolism of FDG will be given by Guillem Pratx (Stanford). This presentation will detail new work on looking at how the most common molecular imaging agent, fluoro-deoxy-glucose is metabolized at a cellular level. This will be followed by a talk on an improved approach to whole-body PET imaging by Simon Cherry (UC Davis). Simon’s work on a new whole-body PET imaging system promises to have dramatic improvement in our abilitymore » to detect and characterize cancer using PET. Finally, Jim Bankson (MD Anderson) will discuss extremely sophisticated approaches to quantifying hyperpolarized-13-C pyruvate metabolism using MR imaging. This technology promises to compliment the exquisite sensitivity of PET with an ability to measure not just uptake, but tumor metabolism. Learning Objectives: Understand the metabolism of FDG at a cellular level. Appreciate the engineering related to a novel new high-sensitivity whole-body PET imaging system. Understand the process of hyperpolarization, how pyruvate relates to metabolism and how advanced modeling can be used to better quantify this data. G. Pratx, Funding: 5R01CA186275, 1R21CA193001, and Damon Runyon Cancer Foundation. S. Cherry, National Institutes of Health; University of California, Davis; Siemens Medical SolutionsJ. Bankson, GE Healthcare; NCI P30-CA016672; CPRIT PR140021-P5.« less

Hybrid MRI-Ultrasound acquisitions, and scannerless real-time imaging.

PubMed

Preiswerk, Frank; Toews, Matthew; Cheng, Cheng-Chieh; Chiou, Jr-Yuan George; Mei, Chang-Sheng; Schaefer, Lena F; Hoge, W Scott; Schwartz, Benjamin M; Panych, Lawrence P; Madore, Bruno

2017-09-01

To combine MRI, ultrasound, and computer science methodologies toward generating MRI contrast at the high frame rates of ultrasound, inside and even outside the MRI bore. A small transducer, held onto the abdomen with an adhesive bandage, collected ultrasound signals during MRI. Based on these ultrasound signals and their correlations with MRI, a machine-learning algorithm created synthetic MR images at frame rates up to 100 per second. In one particular implementation, volunteers were taken out of the MRI bore with the ultrasound sensor still in place, and MR images were generated on the basis of ultrasound signal and learned correlations alone in a "scannerless" manner. Hybrid ultrasound-MRI data were acquired in eight separate imaging sessions. Locations of liver features, in synthetic images, were compared with those from acquired images: The mean error was 1.0 pixel (2.1 mm), with best case 0.4 and worst case 4.1 pixels (in the presence of heavy coughing). For results from outside the bore, qualitative validation involved optically tracked ultrasound imaging with/without coughing. The proposed setup can generate an accurate stream of high-speed MR images, up to 100 frames per second, inside or even outside the MR bore. Magn Reson Med 78:897-908, 2017. © 2016 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. © 2016 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

RF-SABRE: A Way to Continuous Spin Hyperpolarization at High Magnetic Fields.

PubMed

Pravdivtsev, Andrey N; Yurkovskaya, Alexandra V; Vieth, Hans-Martin; Ivanov, Konstantin L

2015-10-29

A new technique is developed that allows one to carry out the signal amplification by reversible exchange (SABRE) experiments at high magnetic field. SABRE is a hyperpolarization method, which utilizes transfer of spin order from para-hydrogen to the spins of a substrate in transient iridium complexes. Previously, it has been thought that such a transfer of spin order is only efficient at low magnetic fields, notably, at level anti-crossing (LAC) regions. Here it is demonstrated that LAC conditions can also be fulfilled at high fields under the action of a RF field. The high-field RF-SABRE experiment can be implemented using commercially available nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machines and does not require technically demanding field-cycling. The achievable NMR enhancements are around 100 for several substrates as compared to their NMR signals at thermal equilibrium conditions at 4.7 T. The frequency dependence of RF-SABRE is comprised of well pronounced peaks and dips, whose position and amplitude are conditioned solely by the magnetic resonance parameters such as chemical shifts and scalar coupling of the spin system involved in the polarization transfer and by the amplitude of the RF field. Thus, the proposed method can serve as a new sensitive tool for probing transient complexes. Simulations of the dependence of magnetization transfer (i.e., NMR signal amplifications) on the frequency and amplitude of the RF field are in good agreement with the developed theoretical approach. Furthermore, the method enables continuous re-hyperpolarization of the SABRE substrate over a long period of time, giving a straightforward way to repetitive NMR experiments.

Hyperpolarized Amino Acid Derivatives as Multivalent Magnetic Resonance pH Sensor Molecules.

PubMed

Hundshammer, Christian; Düwel, Stephan; Ruseckas, David; Topping, Geoffrey; Dzien, Piotr; Müller, Christoph; Feuerecker, Benedikt; Hövener, Jan B; Haase, Axel; Schwaiger, Markus; Glaser, Steffen J; Schilling, Franz

2018-02-15

pH is a tightly regulated physiological parameter that is often altered in diseased states like cancer. The development of biosensors that can be used to non-invasively image pH with hyperpolarized (HP) magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging has therefore recently gained tremendous interest. However, most of the known HP-sensors have only individually and not comprehensively been analyzed for their biocompatibility, their pH sensitivity under physiological conditions, and the effects of chemical derivatization on their logarithmic acid dissociation constant (p K a ). Proteinogenic amino acids are biocompatible, can be hyperpolarized and have at least two pH sensitive moieties. However, they do not exhibit a pH sensitivity in the physiologically relevant pH range. Here, we developed a systematic approach to tailor the p K a of molecules using modifications of carbon chain length and derivatization rendering these molecules interesting for pH biosensing. Notably, we identified several derivatives such as [1- 13 C]serine amide and [1- 13 C]-2,3-diaminopropionic acid as novel pH sensors. They bear several spin-1/2 nuclei ( 13 C, 15 N, 31 P) with high sensitivity up to 4.8 ppm/pH and we show that 13 C spins can be hyperpolarized with dissolution dynamic polarization (DNP). Our findings elucidate the molecular mechanisms of chemical shift pH sensors that might help to design tailored probes for specific pH in vivo imaging applications.

Phase-Contrast MRI and CFD Modeling of Apparent 3He Gas Flow in Rat Pulmonary Airways

PubMed Central

Minard, Kevin R.; Kuprat, Andrew P.; Kabilan, Senthil; Jacob, Richard E.; Einstein, Daniel R.; Carson, James P.; Corley, Richard A.

2012-01-01

Phase-contrast (PC) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with hyperpolarized 3He is potentially useful for developing and testing patient-specific models of pulmonary airflow. One challenge, however, is that PC-MRI provides apparent values of local 3He velocity that not only depend on actual airflow but also on gas diffusion. This not only blurs laminar flow patterns in narrow airways but also introduces anomalous airflow structure that reflects gas-wall interactions. Here, both effects are predicted in a live rat using computational fluid dynamics (CFD), and for the first time, simulated patterns of apparent 3He gas velocity are compared with in-vivo PC-MRI. Results show 1) that correlations (R2) between measured and simulated airflow patterns increase from 0.23 to 0.79 simply by accounting for apparent 3He transport, and 2) that remaining differences are mainly due to uncertain airway segmentation and partial volume effects stemming from relatively coarse MRI resolution. Higher-fidelity testing of pulmonary airflow predictions should therefore be possible with future imaging improvements. PMID:22771528

Phase-contrast MRI and CFD modeling of apparent 3He gas flow in rat pulmonary airways

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Minard, Kevin R.; Kuprat, Andrew P.; Kabilan, Senthil; Jacob, Richard E.; Einstein, Daniel R.; Carson, James P.; Corley, Richard A.

2012-08-01

Phase-contrast (PC) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with hyperpolarized 3He is potentially useful for developing and testing patient-specific models of pulmonary airflow. One challenge, however, is that PC-MRI provides apparent values of local 3He velocity that not only depend on actual airflow but also on gas diffusion. This not only blurs laminar flow patterns in narrow airways but also introduces anomalous airflow structure that reflects gas-wall interactions. Here, both effects are predicted in a live rat using computational fluid dynamics (CFD), and for the first time, simulated patterns of apparent 3He gas velocity are compared with in vivo PC-MRI. Results show (1) that correlations (R2) between measured and simulated airflow patterns increase from 0.23 to 0.79 simply by accounting for apparent 3He transport, and (2) that remaining differences are mainly due to uncertain airway segmentation and partial volume effects stemming from relatively coarse MRI resolution. Higher-fidelity testing of pulmonary airflow predictions should therefore be possible with future imaging improvements.

Regional Ventilation Changes in the Lung: Treatment Response Mapping by Using Hyperpolarized Gas MR Imaging as a Quantitative Biomarker.

PubMed

Horn, Felix C; Marshall, Helen; Collier, Guilhem J; Kay, Richard; Siddiqui, Salman; Brightling, Christopher E; Parra-Robles, Juan; Wild, Jim M

2017-09-01

Purpose To assess the magnitude of regional response to respiratory therapeutic agents in the lungs by using treatment response mapping (TRM) with hyperpolarized gas magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. TRM was used to quantify regional physiologic response in adults with asthma who underwent a bronchodilator challenge. Materials and Methods This study was approved by the national research ethics committee and was performed with informed consent. Imaging was performed in 20 adult patients with asthma by using hyperpolarized helium 3 ( 3 He) ventilation MR imaging. Two sets of baseline images were acquired before inhalation of a bronchodilating agent (salbutamol 400 μg), and one set was acquired after. All images were registered for voxelwise comparison. Regional treatment response, ΔR(r), was calculated as the difference in regional gas distribution (R[r] = ratio of inhaled gas to total volume of a voxel when normalized for lung inflation volume) before and after intervention. A voxelwise activation threshold from the variability of the baseline images was applied to ΔR(r) maps. The summed global treatment response map (ΔR net ) was then used as a global lung index for comparison with metrics of bronchodilator response measured by using spirometry and the global imaging metric percentage ventilated volume (%VV). Results ΔR net showed significant correlation (P < .01) with changes in forced expiratory volume in 1 second (r = 0.70), forced vital capacity (r = 0.84), and %VV (r = 0.56). A significant (P < .01) positive treatment effect was detected with all metrics; however, ΔR net showed a lower intersubject coefficient of variation (64%) than all of the other tests (coefficient of variation, ≥99%). Conclusion TRM provides regional quantitative information on changes in inhaled gas ventilation in response to therapy. This method could be used as a sensitive regional outcome metric for novel respiratory interventions. © RSNA, 2017 Online supplemental material is

Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and MRI Tractography in Progressive Supranuclear Palsy-Like Syndrome

PubMed Central

Vaphiades, Michael S.; Visscher, Kristina; Rucker, Janet C.; Vattoth, Surjith; Roberson, Glenn H.

2015-01-01

ABSTRACT An 18-year-old woman underwent an uneventful ascending aortic aneurysm repair then developed progressive supranuclear palsy-like syndrome. Extensive neuroimaging including contrasted fat-suppressed cranial and orbital magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), MRI tractography, and functional MRI (fMRI) revealed no clear radiographic involvement except for a single tiny hypoechoic midbrain dot on the T2*-weighted gradient-echo imaging, which is not considered sufficient to account for the patient’s deficits. This case attests to the occult nature of this rare and devastating syndrome. PMID:27928334

MRI scout images can detect the acute intracerebral hemorrhage on CT.

PubMed

Hayashi, Toshiyuki; Aoki, Junya; Suzuki, Kentaro; Sakamoto, Yuki; Suda, Satoshi; Okubo, Seiji; Mishina, Masahiro; Kimura, Kazumi

2018-04-15

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has recently emerged as a first-line tool for investigating acute stroke. However, MRI requires long scan times, which could be detrimental for severe stroke patients with a large intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). MRI scout images, which are taken prior to a study to determine the range of subsequent images, can be used to rapidly screen the whole brain. We examined whether MRI scout imaging can detect ICHs observed by computed tomography (CT). Between September 2014 and March 2016, consecutive acute ICH patients who underwent both MRI scout and CT imaging in the acute setting were studied. ICHs on MRI scout images were defined as space-occupying lesions. Two neurologists independently assessed the scout images. We investigated whether ICHs on CT scans can be detected on MRI scout images and the characteristics of ICHs not detected by MRI scout images. One hundred and forty-eight ICH patients (median age, 68 [interquartile range, 59-77] years; 99 [67%] males; median National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score, 11 [4-17]) were enrolled. Among these, 138 (93%) patients were diagnosed as having ICH by MRI scout imaging (positive group), and 10 (7%) patients were not (negative group). The bleeding volume was 9.3 [4.5-22.4] ml in the positive group and 1.0 [0.4-2.0] ml in the negative group (p < .001). The cut-off value of bleeding volume calculated from the receiver operating characteristic curve was 2.0 ml. Regarding ICH lesions, 4 (44%) of the 9 pontine hemorrhages were detected on MRI scout images, whereas 134 (96%) of the 139 other hemorrhages were diagnosed (p < .001). We diagnosed >90% of ICHs using MRI scout images. Low levels of ICH and pontine hemorrhaging might be difficult to detect using MRI scout imaging. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Pathway to Cryogen Free Production of Hyperpolarized Krypton-83 and Xenon-129

PubMed Central

Six, Joseph S.; Hughes-Riley, Theodore; Stupic, Karl F.; Pavlovskaya, Galina E.; Meersmann, Thomas

2012-01-01

Hyperpolarized (hp) 129Xe and hp 83Kr for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are typically obtained through spin-exchange optical pumping (SEOP) in gas mixtures with dilute concentrations of the respective noble gas. The usage of dilute noble gases mixtures requires cryogenic gas separation after SEOP, a step that makes clinical and preclinical applications of hp 129Xe MRI cumbersome. For hp 83Kr MRI, cryogenic concentration is not practical due to depolarization that is caused by quadrupolar relaxation in the condensed phase. In this work, the concept of stopped flow SEOP with concentrated noble gas mixtures at low pressures was explored using a laser with 23.3 W of output power and 0.25 nm linewidth. For 129Xe SEOP without cryogenic separation, the highest obtained MR signal intensity from the hp xenon-nitrogen gas mixture was equivalent to that arising from 15.5±1.9% spin polarized 129Xe in pure xenon gas. The production rate of the hp gas mixture, measured at 298 K, was 1.8 cm3/min. For hp 83Kr, the equivalent of 4.4±0.5% spin polarization in pure krypton at a production rate of 2 cm3/min was produced. The general dependency of spin polarization upon gas pressure obtained in stopped flow SEOP is reported for various noble gas concentrations. Aspects of SEOP specific to the two noble gas isotopes are discussed and compared with current theoretical opinions. A non-linear pressure broadening of the Rb D1 transition was observed and taken into account for the qualitative description of the SEOP process. PMID:23209620

PET/MRI in Oncological Imaging: State of the Art

PubMed Central

Bashir, Usman; Mallia, Andrew; Stirling, James; Joemon, John; MacKewn, Jane; Charles-Edwards, Geoff; Goh, Vicky; Cook, Gary J.

2015-01-01

Positron emission tomography (PET) combined with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a hybrid technology which has recently gained interest as a potential cancer imaging tool. Compared with CT, MRI is advantageous due to its lack of ionizing radiation, superior soft-tissue contrast resolution, and wider range of acquisition sequences. Several studies have shown PET/MRI to be equivalent to PET/CT in most oncological applications, possibly superior in certain body parts, e.g., head and neck, pelvis, and in certain situations, e.g., cancer recurrence. This review will update the readers on recent advances in PET/MRI technology and review key literature, while highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of PET/MRI in cancer imaging. PMID:26854157

Edge-oriented dual-dictionary guided enrichment (EDGE) for MRI-CT image reconstruction.

PubMed

Li, Liang; Wang, Bigong; Wang, Ge

2016-01-01

In this paper, we formulate the joint/simultaneous X-ray CT and MRI image reconstruction. In particular, a novel algorithm is proposed for MRI image reconstruction from highly under-sampled MRI data and CT images. It consists of two steps. First, a training dataset is generated from a series of well-registered MRI and CT images on the same patients. Then, an initial MRI image of a patient can be reconstructed via edge-oriented dual-dictionary guided enrichment (EDGE) based on the training dataset and a CT image of the patient. Second, an MRI image is reconstructed using the dictionary learning (DL) algorithm from highly under-sampled k-space data and the initial MRI image. Our algorithm can establish a one-to-one correspondence between the two imaging modalities, and obtain a good initial MRI estimation. Both noise-free and noisy simulation studies were performed to evaluate and validate the proposed algorithm. The results with different under-sampling factors show that the proposed algorithm performed significantly better than those reconstructed using the DL algorithm from MRI data alone.

Imaging features of colovesical fistulae on MRI.

PubMed

Tang, Y Z; Booth, T C; Swallow, D; Shahabuddin, K; Thomas, M; Hanbury, D; Chang, S; King, C

2012-10-01

MRI is routinely used in the investigation of colovesical fistulae at our institute. Several papers have alluded to its usefulness in achieving the diagnosis; however, there is a paucity of literature on its imaging findings. Our objective was to quantify the MRI characteristics of these fistulae. We selected all cases over a 4-year period with a final clinical diagnosis of colovesical fistula which had been investigated with MRI. The MRI scans were reviewed in a consensus fashion by two consultant uroradiologists. Their MRI features were quantified. There were 40 cases of colovesical fistulae. On MRI, the fistula morphology consistently fell into three patterns. The most common pattern (71%) demonstrated an intervening abscess between the bowel wall and bladder wall. The second pattern (15%) had a visible track between the affected bowel and bladder. The third pattern (13%) was a complete loss of fat plane between the affected bladder and bowel wall. MRI correctly determined the underlying aetiology in 63% of cases. MRI is a useful imaging modality in the diagnosis of colovesical fistulae. The fistulae appear to have three characteristic morphological patterns that may aid future diagnoses of colovesical fistulae. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first publication of the MRI findings in colovesical fistulae.

4D flow imaging with MRI

PubMed Central

Stankovic, Zoran; Allen, Bradley D.; Garcia, Julio; Jarvis, Kelly B.

2014-01-01

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has become an important tool for the clinical evaluation of patients with cardiovascular disease. Since its introduction in the late 1980s, 2-dimensional phase contrast MRI (2D PC-MRI) has become a routine part of standard-of-care cardiac MRI for the assessment of regional blood flow in the heart and great vessels. More recently, time-resolved PC-MRI with velocity encoding along all three flow directions and three-dimensional (3D) anatomic coverage (also termed ‘4D flow MRI’) has been developed and applied for the evaluation of cardiovascular hemodynamics in multiple regions of the human body. 4D flow MRI allows for the comprehensive evaluation of complex blood flow patterns by 3D blood flow visualization and flexible retrospective quantification of flow parameters. Recent technical developments, including the utilization of advanced parallel imaging techniques such as k-t GRAPPA, have resulted in reasonable overall scan times, e.g., 8-12 minutes for 4D flow MRI of the aorta and 10-20 minutes for whole heart coverage. As a result, the application of 4D flow MRI in a clinical setting has become more feasible, as documented by an increased number of recent reports on the utility of the technique for the assessment of cardiac and vascular hemodynamics in patient studies. A number of studies have demonstrated the potential of 4D flow MRI to provide an improved assessment of hemodynamics which might aid in the diagnosis and therapeutic management of cardiovascular diseases. The purpose of this review is to describe the methods used for 4D flow MRI acquisition, post-processing and data analysis. In addition, the article provides an overview of the clinical applications of 4D flow MRI and includes a review of applications in the heart, thoracic aorta and hepatic system. PMID:24834414

TH-CD-202-09: Free-Breathing Proton MRI Functional Lung Avoidance Maps to Guide Radiation Therapy

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

Capaldi, D; Sheikh, K; Parraga, G

Purpose: Pulmonary functional MRI using inhaled gas contrast agents was previously investigated as a way to identify well-functioning lung in patients with NSCLC who are clinical candidates for radiotherapy. Hyperpolarized noble-gas ({sup 3}He and {sup 129}Xe) MRI has also been optimized to measure functional lung information, but for a number of reasons, the clinical translation of this approach to guide radiotherapy planning has been limited. As an alternative, free-breathing pulmonary 1H MRI using clinically available MRI systems and pulse sequences provides a non-contrast-enhanced method to generate both ventilation and perfusion maps. Free-breathing {sup 1}H MRI exploits non-rigid registration and Fouriermore » decomposition of MRI signal intensity differences (Bauman et al., MRM, 2009) that may be generated during normal tidal breathing. Here, our objective was to generate free-breathing {sup 1}H MRI ventilation and lung function avoidance maps in patients with NSCLC as a way to guide radiation therapy planning. Methods: Stage IIIA/IIIB NSCLC patients (n=8, 68±9yr) provided written informed consent to a randomized controlled clinical trial ( https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02002052 ) that aimed to compare outcomes related to image-guided versus conventional radiation therapy planning. Hyperpolarized {sup 3}He/{sup 129}Xe and dynamic free tidal-breathing {sup 1}H MRI were acquired as previously described (Capaldi et al., Acad Radiol, 2015). Non-rigid registration was performed using the modality-independent-neighbourhood-descriptor (MIND) deformable approach (Heinrich et al., Med Image Anal, 2012). Ventilation-defect-percent ({sup 3}He:VDP{sub He}, {sup 129}Xe:VDP{sub Xe}, Free-breathing-{sup 1}H:VDP{sub FB}) and the corresponding ventilation maps were compared using Pearson correlation coefficients (r) and the Dice similarity coefficient (DSC). Results: VDP{sub FB} was significantly related to VDP{sub He} (r=.71; p=.04) and VDP{sub Xe} (r=.80; p=.01

Irreversible Catalyst Activation Enables Hyperpolarization and Water Solubility for NMR Signal Amplification by Reversible Exchange

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-09-12

Phys. Rev. Lett. 1986 , 57, 2645−2648. (8) Goldman, M.; Johannesson, H. Conversion of a Proton Pair Para Order into C-13 Polarization by Rf...A.; Harris, K.; Batchelder, L. S.; Bhattacharya, P.; Ross , B. D.; Weitekamp, D. P. PASADENA Hyperpolarization of Succinic Acid for MRI and NMR...Bhattacharya, P.; Chekmenev, E. Y.; Perman, W. H.; Harris, K. C.; Lin, A. P.; Norton, V. A.; Tan, C. T.; Ross , B. D.; Weitekamp, D. P. Towards

Using a local low rank plus sparse reconstruction to accelerate dynamic hyperpolarized 13C imaging using the bSSFP sequence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Milshteyn, Eugene; von Morze, Cornelius; Reed, Galen D.; Shang, Hong; Shin, Peter J.; Larson, Peder E. Z.; Vigneron, Daniel B.

2018-05-01

Acceleration of dynamic 2D (T2 Mapping) and 3D hyperpolarized 13C MRI acquisitions using the balanced steady-state free precession sequence was achieved with a specialized reconstruction method, based on the combination of low rank plus sparse and local low rank reconstructions. Methods were validated using both retrospectively and prospectively undersampled in vivo data from normal rats and tumor-bearing mice. Four-fold acceleration of 1-2 mm isotropic 3D dynamic acquisitions with 2-5 s temporal resolution and two-fold acceleration of 0.25-1 mm2 2D dynamic acquisitions was achieved. This enabled visualization of the biodistribution of [2-13C]pyruvate, [1-13C]lactate, [13C, 15N2]urea, and HP001 within heart, kidneys, vasculature, and tumor, as well as calculation of high resolution T2 maps.

Image formation in diffusion MRI: A review of recent technical developments

PubMed Central

Miller, Karla L.

2017-01-01

Diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a standard imaging tool in clinical neurology, and is becoming increasingly important for neuroscience studies due to its ability to depict complex neuroanatomy (eg, white matter connectivity). Single‐shot echo‐planar imaging is currently the predominant formation method for diffusion MRI, but suffers from blurring, distortion, and low spatial resolution. A number of methods have been proposed to address these limitations and improve diffusion MRI acquisition. Here, the recent technical developments for image formation in diffusion MRI are reviewed. We discuss three areas of advance in diffusion MRI: improving image fidelity, accelerating acquisition, and increasing the signal‐to‐noise ratio. Level of Evidence: 5 Technical Efficacy: Stage 1 J. MAGN. RESON. IMAGING 2017;46:646–662 PMID:28194821

Brain Tumor Image Segmentation in MRI Image

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peni Agustin Tjahyaningtijas, Hapsari

2018-04-01

Brain tumor segmentation plays an important role in medical image processing. Treatment of patients with brain tumors is highly dependent on early detection of these tumors. Early detection of brain tumors will improve the patient’s life chances. Diagnosis of brain tumors by experts usually use a manual segmentation that is difficult and time consuming because of the necessary automatic segmentation. Nowadays automatic segmentation is very populer and can be a solution to the problem of tumor brain segmentation with better performance. The purpose of this paper is to provide a review of MRI-based brain tumor segmentation methods. There are number of existing review papers, focusing on traditional methods for MRI-based brain tumor image segmentation. this paper, we focus on the recent trend of automatic segmentation in this field. First, an introduction to brain tumors and methods for brain tumor segmentation is given. Then, the state-of-the-art algorithms with a focus on recent trend of full automatic segmentaion are discussed. Finally, an assessment of the current state is presented and future developments to standardize MRI-based brain tumor segmentation methods into daily clinical routine are addressed.

Dynamic nuclear polarization and optimal control spatial-selective 13C MRI and MRS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vinding, Mads S.; Laustsen, Christoffer; Maximov, Ivan I.; Søgaard, Lise Vejby; Ardenkjær-Larsen, Jan H.; Nielsen, Niels Chr.

2013-02-01

Aimed at 13C metabolic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and spectroscopy (MRS) applications, we demonstrate that dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) may be combined with optimal control 2D spatial selection to simultaneously obtain high sensitivity and well-defined spatial restriction. This is achieved through the development of spatial-selective single-shot spiral-readout MRI and MRS experiments combined with dynamic nuclear polarization hyperpolarized [1-13C]pyruvate on a 4.7 T pre-clinical MR scanner. The method stands out from related techniques by facilitating anatomic shaped region-of-interest (ROI) single metabolite signals available for higher image resolution or single-peak spectra. The 2D spatial-selective rf pulses were designed using a novel Krotov-based optimal control approach capable of iteratively fast providing successful pulse sequences in the absence of qualified initial guesses. The technique may be important for early detection of abnormal metabolism, monitoring disease progression, and drug research.

Hyperpolarized 89Y NMR spectroscopic detection of yttrium ion and DOTA macrocyclic ligand complexation: pH dependence and Y-DOTA intermediates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferguson, Sarah; Kiswandhi, Andhika; Niedbalski, Peter; Parish, Christopher; Kovacs, Zoltan; Lumata, Lloyd

Dissolution dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) is a rapidly emerging physics technique used to enhance the signal strength in nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and imaging (MRI) experiments for nuclear spins such as yttrium-89 by >10,000-fold. One of the most common and stable MRI contrast agents used in the clinic is Gd-DOTA. In this work, we have investigated the binding of the yttrium and DOTA ligand as a model for complexation of Gd ion and DOTA ligand. The macrocyclic ligand DOTA is special because its complexation with lanthanide ions such as Gd3+ or Y3+ is highly pH dependent. Using this physics technology, we have tracked the complexation kinetics of hyperpolarized Y-triflate and DOTA ligand in real-time and detected the Y-DOTA intermediates. Different kinds of buffers were used (lactate, acetate, citrate, oxalate) and the pseudo-first order complexation kinetic calculations will be discussed. The authors would like to acknowledge the support by US Dept of Defense Award No. W81XWH-14-1-0048 and Robert A. Welch Foundation Grant No. AT-1877.

Achieving High Levels of NMR-Hyperpolarization in Aqueous Media With Minimal Catalyst Contamination Using SABRE.

PubMed

Iali, Wissam; Olaru, Alexandra M; Green, Gary G R; Duckett, Simon B

2017-08-04

Signal amplification by reversible exchange (SABRE) is shown to allow access to strongly enhanced 1 H NMR signals in a range of substrates in aqueous media. To achieve this outcome, phase-transfer catalysis is exploited, which leads to less than 1.5×10 -6  mol dm -3 of the iridium catalyst in the aqueous phase. These observations reflect a compelling route to produce a saline-based hyperpolarized bolus in just a few seconds for subsequent in vivo MRI monitoring. The new process has been called catalyst separated hyperpolarization through signal amplification by reversible exchange or CASH-SABRE. We illustrate this method for the substrates pyrazine, 5-methylpyrimidine, 4,6-d 2 -methyl nicotinate, 4,6-d 2 -nicotinamide and pyridazine achieving 1 H signal gains of approximately 790-, 340-, 3000-, 260- and 380-fold per proton at 9.4 T at the time point at which phase separation is complete. © 2017 The Authors. Published by Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.

Initial tests of a prototype MRI-compatible PET imager

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raylman, Raymond R.; Majewski, Stan; Lemieux, Susan; Velan, S. Sendhil; Kross, Brain; Popov, Vladimir; Smith, Mark F.; Weisenberger, Andrew G.; Wojcik, Randy

2006-12-01

Multi-modality imaging is rapidly becoming a valuable tool in the diagnosis of disease and in the development of new drugs. Functional images produced with PET fused with anatomical structure images created by MRI, will allow the correlation of form with function. Our group (a collaboration of West Virginia University and Jefferson Lab) is developing a system to acquire MRI and PET images contemporaneously. The prototype device consists of two opposed detector heads, operating in coincidence mode with an active FOV of 5×5×4 cm 3. Each MRI-PET detector module consists of an array of LSO detector elements (2.5×2.5×15 mm 3) coupled through a long fiber optic light guide to a single Hamamatsu flat panel PSPMT. The fiber optic light guide is made of a glued assembly of 2 mm diameter acrylic fibers with a total length of 2.5 m. The use of a light guides allows the PSPMTs to be positioned outside the bore of the 3 T General Electric MRI scanner used in the tests. Photon attenuation in the light guides resulted in an energy resolution of ˜60% FWHM, interaction of the magnetic field with PSPMT further reduced energy resolution to ˜85% FWHM. Despite this effect, excellent multi-plane PET and MRI images of a simple disk phantom were acquired simultaneously. Future work includes improved light guides, optimized magnetic shielding for the PSPMTs, construction of specialized coils to permit high-resolution MRI imaging, and use of the system to perform simultaneous PET and MRI or MR-spectroscopy .

Wavelet-based de-noising algorithm for images acquired with parallel magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

PubMed

Delakis, Ioannis; Hammad, Omer; Kitney, Richard I

2007-07-07

Wavelet-based de-noising has been shown to improve image signal-to-noise ratio in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) while maintaining spatial resolution. Wavelet-based de-noising techniques typically implemented in MRI require that noise displays uniform spatial distribution. However, images acquired with parallel MRI have spatially varying noise levels. In this work, a new algorithm for filtering images with parallel MRI is presented. The proposed algorithm extracts the edges from the original image and then generates a noise map from the wavelet coefficients at finer scales. The noise map is zeroed at locations where edges have been detected and directional analysis is also used to calculate noise in regions of low-contrast edges that may not have been detected. The new methodology was applied on phantom and brain images and compared with other applicable de-noising techniques. The performance of the proposed algorithm was shown to be comparable with other techniques in central areas of the images, where noise levels are high. In addition, finer details and edges were maintained in peripheral areas, where noise levels are low. The proposed methodology is fully automated and can be applied on final reconstructed images without requiring sensitivity profiles or noise matrices of the receiver coils, therefore making it suitable for implementation in a clinical MRI setting.

WHAT MAKES A GOOD PEDIATRIC TRANSPLANT LUNG: INSIGHTS FROM IN VIVO LUNG MORPHOMETRY WITH HYPERPOLARIZED 3HE MRI (WHAT MAKES A GOOD PEDIATRIC TRANSPLANT LUNG)

PubMed Central

Fishman, Emily F.; Quirk, James D.; Sweet, Stuart C.; Woods, Jason C.; Gierada, David S.; Conradi, Mark S.; Siegel, Marilyn J.; Yablonskiy, Dmitriy A.

2016-01-01

Background Obtaining information on transplanted lung microstructure is an important part of the current care for monitoring transplant recipients. However, until now this information was only available from invasive lung biopsy. The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of an innovative non-invasive technique in vivo lung morphometry with hyperpolarized 3He MRI - to characterize lung microstructure in the pediatric lung transplant population. This technique yields quantitative measurements of acinar airways’ (alveolar ducts and sacs) parameters, such as acinar airways radii and alveolar depth. Methods Six pediatric lung transplant recipients with cystic fibrosis underwent in vivo lung morphometry MRI, pulmonary function testing, and quantitative CT. Results We found a strong correlation between lung lifespan and alveolar depth - patients with more shallow alveoli were likely to have a negative outcome sooner than those with larger alveolar depth. Combining morphometric results with CT we also determined mean alveolar wall thickness and found substantial increases in this parameter in some patients that negatively correlated with DLCO. Conclusion In vivo lung morphometry uniquely provides previously unavailable information on lung microstructure that may be predictive of a negative outcome and has a potential to aid in lung selection for transplantation. PMID:28120553

Technique development of 3D dynamic CS-EPSI for hyperpolarized 13 C pyruvate MR molecular imaging of human prostate cancer.

PubMed

Chen, Hsin-Yu; Larson, Peder E Z; Gordon, Jeremy W; Bok, Robert A; Ferrone, Marcus; van Criekinge, Mark; Carvajal, Lucas; Cao, Peng; Pauly, John M; Kerr, Adam B; Park, Ilwoo; Slater, James B; Nelson, Sarah J; Munster, Pamela N; Aggarwal, Rahul; Kurhanewicz, John; Vigneron, Daniel B

2018-03-25

The purpose of this study was to develop a new 3D dynamic carbon-13 compressed sensing echoplanar spectroscopic imaging (EPSI) MR sequence and test it in phantoms, animal models, and then in prostate cancer patients to image the metabolic conversion of hyperpolarized [1- 13 C]pyruvate to [1- 13 C]lactate with whole gland coverage at high spatial and temporal resolution. A 3D dynamic compressed sensing (CS)-EPSI sequence with spectral-spatial excitation was designed to meet the required spatial coverage, time and spatial resolution, and RF limitations of the 3T MR scanner for its clinical translation for prostate cancer patient imaging. After phantom testing, animal studies were performed in rats and transgenic mice with prostate cancers. For patient studies, a GE SPINlab polarizer (GE Healthcare, Waukesha, WI) was used to produce hyperpolarized sterile GMP [1- 13 C]pyruvate. 3D dynamic 13 C CS-EPSI data were acquired starting 5 s after injection throughout the gland with a spatial resolution of 0.5 cm 3 , 18 time frames, 2-s temporal resolution, and 36 s total acquisition time. Through preclinical testing, the 3D CS-EPSI sequence developed in this project was shown to provide the desired spectral, temporal, and spatial 5D HP 13 C MR data. In human studies, the 3D dynamic HP CS-EPSI approach provided first-ever simultaneously volumetric and dynamic images of the LDH-catalyzed conversion of [1- 13 C]pyruvate to [1- 13 C]lactate in a biopsy-proven prostate cancer patient with full gland coverage. The results demonstrate the feasibility to characterize prostate cancer metabolism in animals, and now patients using this new 3D dynamic HP MR technique to measure k PL , the kinetic rate constant of [1- 13 C]pyruvate to [1- 13 C]lactate conversion. © 2018 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

Do twisted laser beams evoke nuclear hyperpolarization?

PubMed

Schmidt, A B; Andrews, D L; Rohrbach, A; Gohn-Kreuz, C; Shatokhin, V N; Kiselev, V G; Hennig, J; von Elverfeldt, D; Hövener, J-B

2016-07-01

The hyperpolarization of nuclear spins promises great advances in chemical analysis and medical diagnosis by substantially increasing the sensitivity of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Current methods to produce a hyperpolarized sample, however, are arduous, time-consuming or costly and require elaborate equipment. Recently, a much simpler approach was introduced that holds the potential, if harnessed appropriately, to revolutionize the production of hyperpolarized spins. It was reported that high levels of hyperpolarization in nuclear spins can be created by irradiation with a laser beam carrying orbital angular momentum (twisted light). Aside from these initial reports however, no further experimental verification has been presented. In addition, this effect has so far evaded a critical theoretical examination. In this contribution, we present the first independent attempt to reproduce the effect. We exposed a sample of immersion oil or a fluorocarbon liquid that was placed within a low-field NMR spectrometer to Laguerre-Gaussian and Bessel laser beams at a wavelength of 514.5nm and various topological charges. We acquired (1)H and (19)F NMR free induction decay data, either during or alternating with the irradiation that was parallel to B0. We observed an irregular increase in NMR signal in experiments where the sample was exposed to beams with higher values of the topological charge. However, at no time did the effect reach statistical significance of 95%. Given the measured sensitivity of our setup, we estimate that a possible effect did not exceed a hyperpolarization (at 5mT) of 0.14-6%, depending on the assumed hyperpolarized volume. It should be noted though, that there were some differences between our setup and the previous implementation of the experiment, which may have inhibited the full incidence of this effect. To approach a theoretical description of this effect, we considered the interaction of an electron with a plane wave, which is known to be

Direct Measurement of Lung Motion Using Hyperpolarized Helium-3 MR Tagging

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

Cai Jing; Miller, G. Wilson; Altes, Talissa A.

2007-07-01

Purpose: To measure lung motion between end-inhalation and end-exhalation using a hyperpolarized helium-3 (HP {sup 3}He) magnetic resonance (MR) tagging technique. Methods and Materials: Three healthy volunteers underwent MR tagging studies after inhalation of 1 L HP {sup 3}He gas diluted with nitrogen. Multiple-slice two-dimensional and volumetric three-dimensional MR tagged images of the lungs were obtained at end-inhalation and end-exhalation, and displacement vector maps were computed. Results: The grids of tag lines in the HP {sup 3}He MR images were well defined at end-inhalation and remained evident at end-exhalation. Displacement vector maps clearly demonstrated the regional lung motion and deformationmore » that occurred during exhalation. Discontinuity and differences in motion pattern between two adjacent lung lobes were readily resolved. Conclusions: Hyperpolarized helium-3 MR tagging technique can be used for direct in vivo measurement of respiratory lung motion on a regional basis. This technique may lend new insights into the regional pulmonary biomechanics and thus provide valuable information for the deformable registration of lung.« less

Fusion of PET and MRI for Hybrid Imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cho, Zang-Hee; Son, Young-Don; Kim, Young-Bo; Yoo, Seung-Schik

Recently, the development of the fusion PET-MRI system has been actively studied to meet the increasing demand for integrated molecular and anatomical imaging. MRI can provide detailed anatomical information on the brain, such as the locations of gray and white matter, blood vessels, axonal tracts with high resolution, while PET can measure molecular and genetic information, such as glucose metabolism, neurotransmitter-neuroreceptor binding and affinity, protein-protein interactions, and gene trafficking among biological tissues. State-of-the-art MRI systems, such as the 7.0 T whole-body MRI, now can visualize super-fine structures including neuronal bundles in the pons, fine blood vessels (such as lenticulostriate arteries) without invasive contrast agents, in vivo hippocampal substructures, and substantia nigra with excellent image contrast. High-resolution PET, known as High-Resolution Research Tomograph (HRRT), is a brain-dedicated system capable of imaging minute changes of chemicals, such as neurotransmitters and -receptors, with high spatial resolution and sensitivity. The synergistic power of the two, i.e., ultra high-resolution anatomical information offered by a 7.0 T MRI system combined with the high-sensitivity molecular information offered by HRRT-PET, will significantly elevate the level of our current understanding of the human brain, one of the most delicate, complex, and mysterious biological organs. This chapter introduces MRI, PET, and PET-MRI fusion system, and its algorithms are discussed in detail.

Hyperpolarized ketone body metabolism in the rat heart.

PubMed

Miller, Jack J; Ball, Daniel R; Lau, Angus Z; Tyler, Damian J

2018-06-01

The aim of this work was to investigate the use of 13 C-labelled acetoacetate and β-hydroxybutyrate as novel hyperpolarized substrates in the study of cardiac metabolism. [1- 13 C]Acetoacetate was synthesized by catalysed hydrolysis, and both it and [1- 13 C]β-hydroxybutyrate were hyperpolarized by dissolution dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP). Their metabolism was studied in isolated, perfused rat hearts. Hyperpolarized [1- 13 C]acetoacetate metabolism was also studied in the in vivo rat heart in the fed and fasted states. Hyperpolarization of [1- 13 C]acetoacetate and [1- 13 C]β-hydroxybutyrate provided liquid state polarizations of 8 ± 2% and 3 ± 1%, respectively. The hyperpolarized T 1 values for the two substrates were 28 ± 3 s (acetoacetate) and 20 ± 1 s (β-hydroxybutyrate). Multiple downstream metabolites were observed within the perfused heart, including acetylcarnitine, citrate and glutamate. In the in vivo heart, an increase in acetylcarnitine production from acetoacetate was observed in the fed state, as well as a potential reduction in glutamate. In this work, methods for the generation of hyperpolarized [1- 13 C]acetoacetate and [1- 13 C]β-hydroxybutyrate were investigated, and their metabolism was assessed in both isolated, perfused rat hearts and in the in vivo rat heart. These preliminary investigations show that DNP can be used as an effective in vivo probe of ketone body metabolism in the heart. © 2018 The Authors. NMR in Biomedicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Using a local low rank plus sparse reconstruction to accelerate dynamic hyperpolarized 13C imaging using the bSSFP sequence.

PubMed

Milshteyn, Eugene; von Morze, Cornelius; Reed, Galen D; Shang, Hong; Shin, Peter J; Larson, Peder E Z; Vigneron, Daniel B

2018-05-01

Acceleration of dynamic 2D (T 2 Mapping) and 3D hyperpolarized 13 C MRI acquisitions using the balanced steady-state free precession sequence was achieved with a specialized reconstruction method, based on the combination of low rank plus sparse and local low rank reconstructions. Methods were validated using both retrospectively and prospectively undersampled in vivo data from normal rats and tumor-bearing mice. Four-fold acceleration of 1-2 mm isotropic 3D dynamic acquisitions with 2-5 s temporal resolution and two-fold acceleration of 0.25-1 mm 2 2D dynamic acquisitions was achieved. This enabled visualization of the biodistribution of [2- 13 C]pyruvate, [1- 13 C]lactate, [ 13 C,  15 N 2 ]urea, and HP001 within heart, kidneys, vasculature, and tumor, as well as calculation of high resolution T 2 maps. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Designing Image Operators for MRI-PET Image Fusion of the Brain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Márquez, Jorge; Gastélum, Alfonso; Padilla, Miguel A.

2006-09-01

Our goal is to obtain images combining in a useful and precise way the information from 3D volumes of medical imaging sets. We address two modalities combining anatomy (Magnetic Resonance Imaging or MRI) and functional information (Positron Emission Tomography or PET). Commercial imaging software offers image fusion tools based on fixed blending or color-channel combination of two modalities, and color Look-Up Tables (LUTs), without considering the anatomical and functional character of the image features. We used a sensible approach for image fusion taking advantage mainly from the HSL (Hue, Saturation and Luminosity) color space, in order to enhance the fusion results. We further tested operators for gradient and contour extraction to enhance anatomical details, plus other spatial-domain filters for functional features corresponding to wide point-spread-function responses in PET images. A set of image-fusion operators was formulated and tested on PET and MRI acquisitions.

Virtual phantom magnetic resonance imaging (ViP MRI) on a clinical MRI platform.

PubMed

Saint-Jalmes, Hervé; Bordelois, Alejandro; Gambarota, Giulio

2018-01-01

The purpose of this study was to implement Virtual Phantom Magnetic Resonance Imaging (ViP MRI), a technique that allows for generating reference signals in MR images using radiofrequency (RF) signals, on a clinical MR system and to test newly designed virtual phantoms. MRI experiments were conducted on a 1.5 T MRI scanner. Electromagnetic modelling of the ViP system was done using the principle of reciprocity. The ViP RF signals were generated using a compact waveform generator (dimensions of 26 cm × 18 cm × 16 cm), connected to a homebuilt 25 mm-diameter RF coil. The ViP RF signals were transmitted to the MRI scanner bore, simultaneously with the acquisition of the signal from the object of interest. Different types of MRI data acquisition (2D and 3D gradient-echo) as well as different phantoms, including the Shepp-Logan phantom, were tested. Furthermore, a uniquely designed virtual phantom - in the shape of a grid - was generated; this newly proposed phantom allows for the investigations of the vendor distortion correction field. High quality MR images of virtual phantoms were obtained. An excellent agreement was found between the experimental data and the inverse cube law, which was the expected functional dependence obtained from the electromagnetic modelling of the ViP system. Short-term time stability measurements yielded a coefficient of variation in the signal intensity over time equal to 0.23% and 0.13% for virtual and physical phantom, respectively. MR images of the virtual grid-shaped phantom were reconstructed with the vendor distortion correction; this allowed for a direct visualization of the vendor distortion correction field. Furthermore, as expected from the electromagnetic modelling of the ViP system, a very compact coil (diameter ~ cm) and very small currents (intensity ~ mA) were sufficient to generate a signal comparable to that of physical phantoms in MRI experiments. The ViP MRI technique was successfully implemented on a clinical MR

Evaluation of high intensity focused ultrasound ablation of prostate tumor with hyperpolarized 13C imaging biomarkers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Jessie E.; Diederich, Chris J.; Salgaonkar, Vasant A.; Bok, Robert; Taylor, Andrew G.; Kurhanewicz, John

2015-03-01

Real-time hyperpolarized (HP) 13C MR can be utilized during high-intensity focal ultrasound (HIFU) therapy to improve treatment delivery strategies, provide treatment verification, and thus reduce the need for more radical therapies for lowand intermediate-risk prostate cancers. The goal is to develop imaging biomarkers specific to thermal therapies of prostate cancer using HIFU, and to predict the success of thermal coagulation and identify tissues potentially sensitized to adjuvant treatment by sub-ablative hyperthermic heat doses. Mice with solid prostate tumors received HIFU treatment (5.6 MHz, 160W/cm2, 60 s), and the MR imaging follow-ups were performed on a wide-bore 14T microimaging system. 13C-labeled pyruvate and urea were used to monitor tumor metabolism and perfusion accordingly. After treatment, the ablated tumor tissue had a loss in metabolism and perfusion. In the regions receiving sub-ablative heat dose, a timedependent change in metabolism and perfusion was observed. The untreated regions behaved as a normal untreated TRAMP prostate tumor would. This promising preliminary study shows the potential of using 13C MR imaging as biomarkers of HIFU/thermal therapies.

Guidelines for imaging retinoblastoma: imaging principles and MRI standardization.

PubMed

de Graaf, Pim; Göricke, Sophia; Rodjan, Firazia; Galluzzi, Paolo; Maeder, Philippe; Castelijns, Jonas A; Brisse, Hervé J

2012-01-01

Retinoblastoma is the most common intraocular tumor in children. The diagnosis is usually established by the ophthalmologist on the basis of fundoscopy and US. Together with US, high-resolution MRI has emerged as an important imaging modality for pretreatment assessment, i.e. for diagnostic confirmation, detection of local tumor extent, detection of associated developmental malformation of the brain and detection of associated intracranial primitive neuroectodermal tumor (trilateral retinoblastoma). Minimum requirements for pretreatment diagnostic evaluation of retinoblastoma or mimicking lesions are presented, based on consensus among members of the European Retinoblastoma Imaging Collaboration (ERIC). The most appropriate techniques for imaging in a child with leukocoria are reviewed. CT is no longer recommended. Implementation of a standardized MRI protocol for retinoblastoma in clinical practice may benefit children worldwide, especially those with hereditary retinoblastoma, since a decreased use of CT reduces the exposure to ionizing radiation.

Wavelet-space correlation imaging for high-speed MRI without motion monitoring or data segmentation.

PubMed

Li, Yu; Wang, Hui; Tkach, Jean; Roach, David; Woods, Jason; Dumoulin, Charles

2015-12-01

This study aims to (i) develop a new high-speed MRI approach by implementing correlation imaging in wavelet-space, and (ii) demonstrate the ability of wavelet-space correlation imaging to image human anatomy with involuntary or physiological motion. Correlation imaging is a high-speed MRI framework in which image reconstruction relies on quantification of data correlation. The presented work integrates correlation imaging with a wavelet transform technique developed originally in the field of signal and image processing. This provides a new high-speed MRI approach to motion-free data collection without motion monitoring or data segmentation. The new approach, called "wavelet-space correlation imaging", is investigated in brain imaging with involuntary motion and chest imaging with free-breathing. Wavelet-space correlation imaging can exceed the speed limit of conventional parallel imaging methods. Using this approach with high acceleration factors (6 for brain MRI, 16 for cardiac MRI, and 8 for lung MRI), motion-free images can be generated in static brain MRI with involuntary motion and nonsegmented dynamic cardiac/lung MRI with free-breathing. Wavelet-space correlation imaging enables high-speed MRI in the presence of involuntary motion or physiological dynamics without motion monitoring or data segmentation. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

MRI and CBCT image registration of temporomandibular joint: a systematic review.

PubMed

Al-Saleh, Mohammed A Q; Alsufyani, Noura A; Saltaji, Humam; Jaremko, Jacob L; Major, Paul W

2016-05-10

The purpose of the present review is to systematically and critically analyze the available literature regarding the importance, applicability, and practicality of (MRI), computerized tomography (CT) or cone-beam CT (CBCT) image registration for TMJ anatomy and assessment. A systematic search of 4 databases; MEDLINE, EMBASE, EBM reviews and Scopus, was conducted by 2 reviewers. An additional manual search of the bibliography was performed. All articles discussing the magnetic resonance imaging MRI and CT or CBCT image registration for temporomandibular joint (TMJ) visualization or assessment were included. Only 3 articles satisfied the inclusion criteria. All included articles were published within the last 7 years. Two articles described MRI to CT multimodality image registration as a complementary tool to visualize TMJ. Both articles used images of one patient only to introduce the complementary concept of MRI-CT fused image. One article assessed the reliability of using MRI-CBCT registration to evaluate the TMJ disc position and osseous pathology for 10 temporomandibular disorder (TMD) patients. There are very limited studies of MRI-CT/CBCT registration to reach a conclusion regarding its accuracy or clinical use in the temporomandibular joints.

Wavelet-space Correlation Imaging for High-speed MRI without Motion Monitoring or Data Segmentation

PubMed Central

Li, Yu; Wang, Hui; Tkach, Jean; Roach, David; Woods, Jason; Dumoulin, Charles

2014-01-01

Purpose This study aims to 1) develop a new high-speed MRI approach by implementing correlation imaging in wavelet-space, and 2) demonstrate the ability of wavelet-space correlation imaging to image human anatomy with involuntary or physiological motion. Methods Correlation imaging is a high-speed MRI framework in which image reconstruction relies on quantification of data correlation. The presented work integrates correlation imaging with a wavelet transform technique developed originally in the field of signal and image processing. This provides a new high-speed MRI approach to motion-free data collection without motion monitoring or data segmentation. The new approach, called “wavelet-space correlation imaging”, is investigated in brain imaging with involuntary motion and chest imaging with free-breathing. Results Wavelet-space correlation imaging can exceed the speed limit of conventional parallel imaging methods. Using this approach with high acceleration factors (6 for brain MRI, 16 for cardiac MRI and 8 for lung MRI), motion-free images can be generated in static brain MRI with involuntary motion and nonsegmented dynamic cardiac/lung MRI with free-breathing. Conclusion Wavelet-space correlation imaging enables high-speed MRI in the presence of involuntary motion or physiological dynamics without motion monitoring or data segmentation. PMID:25470230

High Resolution 13C MRI With Hyperpolarized Urea: In Vivo T2 Mapping and 15N Labeling Effects

PubMed Central

Reed, Galen D.; von Morze, Cornelius; Bok, Robert; Koelsch, Bertram L.; Van Criekinge, Mark; Smith, Kenneth J.; Shang, Hong; Larson, Peder E. Z.; Kurhanewicz, John; Vigneron, Daniel B.

2014-01-01

13C steady state free precession (SSFP) magnetic resonance imaging and effective spin-spin relaxation time (T2) mapping were performed using hyperpolarized [13C] urea and [13C, 15N2] urea injected intravenously in rats. 15N labeling gave large T2 increases both in solution and in vivo due to the elimination of a strong scalar relaxation pathway. The T2 increase was pronounced in the kidney, with [13C, 15N2] urea giving T2 values of 6.3±1.3 s in the cortex and medulla, and 11±2 s in the renal pelvis. The measured T2 in the aorta was 1.3±0.3 s. [13C] urea showed shortened T2 values in the kidney of 0.23±0.03 s compared to 0.28±0.03 s measured in the aorta. The enhanced T2 of [13C, 15N2] urea was utilized to generate large signal enhancement by SSFP acquisitions with flip angles approaching the fully refocused regime. Projection images at 0.94 mm in-plane resolution were acquired with both urea isotopes, with [13C, 15N2] urea giving a greater than four-fold increase in signal-to-noise ratio [13C] over urea. PMID:24235273

Measuring glomerular number from kidney MRI images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thiagarajan, Jayaraman J.; Natesan Ramamurthy, Karthikeyan; Kanberoglu, Berkay; Frakes, David; Bennett, Kevin; Spanias, Andreas

2016-03-01

Measuring the glomerular number in the entire, intact kidney using non-destructive techniques is of immense importance in studying several renal and systemic diseases. Commonly used approaches either require destruction of the entire kidney or perform extrapolation from measurements obtained from a few isolated sections. A recent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) method, based on the injection of a contrast agent (cationic ferritin), has been used to effectively identify glomerular regions in the kidney. In this work, we propose a robust, accurate, and low-complexity method for estimating the number of glomeruli from such kidney MRI images. The proposed technique has a training phase and a low-complexity testing phase. In the training phase, organ segmentation is performed on a few expert-marked training images, and glomerular and non-glomerular image patches are extracted. Using non-local sparse coding to compute similarity and dissimilarity graphs between the patches, the subspace in which the glomerular regions can be discriminated from the rest are estimated. For novel test images, the image patches extracted after pre-processing are embedded using the discriminative subspace projections. The testing phase is of low computational complexity since it involves only matrix multiplications, clustering, and simple morphological operations. Preliminary results with MRI data obtained from five kidneys of rats show that the proposed non-invasive, low-complexity approach performs comparably to conventional approaches such as acid maceration and stereology.

Room-temperature in situ nuclear spin hyperpolarization from optically pumped nitrogen vacancy centres in diamond

DOE PAGES

King, Jonathan P.; Jeong, Keunhong; Vassiliou, Christophoros C.; ...

2015-12-07

Low detection sensitivity stemming from the weak polarization of nuclear spins is a primary limitation of magnetic resonance spectroscopy and imaging. Methods have been developed to enhance nuclear spin polarization but they typically require high magnetic fields, cryogenic temperatures or sample transfer between magnets. Here we report bulk, room-temperature hyperpolarization of 13C nuclear spins observed via high-field magnetic resonance. The technique harnesses the high optically induced spin polarization of diamond nitrogen vacancy centres at room temperature in combination with dynamic nuclear polarization. We observe bulk nuclear spin polarization of 6%, an enhancement of ~170,000 over thermal equilibrium. The signal ofmore » the hyperpolarized spins was detected in situ with a standard nuclear magnetic resonance probe without the need for sample shuttling or precise crystal orientation. In conclusion, hyperpolarization via optical pumping/dynamic nuclear polarization should function at arbitrary magnetic fields enabling orders of magnitude sensitivity enhancement for nuclear magnetic resonance of solids and liquids under ambient conditions.« less

Regional Mapping of Gas Uptake by Blood and Tissue in the Human Lung using Hyperpolarized Xenon-129 MRI

PubMed Central

Qing, Kun; Ruppert, Kai; Jiang, Yun; Mata, Jaime F.; Miller, G. Wilson; Shim, Y. Michael; Wang, Chengbo; Ruset, Iulian C.; Hersman, F. William; Altes, Talissa A.; Mugler, John P.

2013-01-01

Purpose To develop a breath-hold acquisition for regional mapping of ventilation and the fractions of hyperpolarized xenon-129 (Xe129) dissolved in tissue (lung parenchyma and plasma) and red blood cells (RBCs), and to perform an exploratory study to characterize data obtained in human subjects. Materials and Methods A three-dimensional, multi-echo, radial-trajectory pulse sequence was developed to obtain ventilation (gaseous Xe129), tissue and RBC images in healthy subjects, smokers and asthmatics. Signal ratios (total dissolved Xe129 to gas, tissue-to-gas, RBC-to-gas and RBC-to-tissue) were calculated from the images for quantitative comparison. Results Healthy subjects demonstrated generally uniform values within coronal slices, and a gradient in values along the anterior-to-posterior direction. In contrast, images and associated ratio maps in smokers and asthmatics were generally heterogeneous and exhibited values mostly lower than those in healthy subjects. Whole-lung values of total dissolved Xe129 to gas, tissue-to-gas, and RBC-to-gas ratios in healthy subjects were significantly larger than those in diseased subjects. Conclusion Regional maps of tissue and RBC fractions of dissolved Xe129 were obtained from a short breath-hold acquisition, well tolerated by healthy volunteers and subjects with obstructive lung disease. Marked differences were observed in spatial distributions and overall amounts of Xe129 dissolved in tissue and RBCs among healthy subjects, smokers and asthmatics. PMID:23681559

MRI-guided brain PET image filtering and partial volume correction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Jianhua; Chu-Shern Lim, Jason; Townsend, David W.

2015-02-01

Positron emission tomography (PET) image quantification is a challenging problem due to limited spatial resolution of acquired data and the resulting partial volume effects (PVE), which depend on the size of the structure studied in relation to the spatial resolution and which may lead to over or underestimation of the true tissue tracer concentration. In addition, it is usually necessary to perform image smoothing either during image reconstruction or afterwards to achieve a reasonable signal-to-noise ratio. Typically, an isotropic Gaussian filtering (GF) is used for this purpose. However, the noise suppression is at the cost of deteriorating spatial resolution. As hybrid imaging devices such as PET/MRI have become available, the complementary information derived from high definition morphologic images could be used to improve the quality of PET images. In this study, first of all, we propose an MRI-guided PET filtering method by adapting a recently proposed local linear model and then incorporate PVE into the model to get a new partial volume correction (PVC) method without parcellation of MRI. In addition, both the new filtering and PVC are voxel-wise non-iterative methods. The performance of the proposed methods were investigated with simulated dynamic FDG brain dataset and 18F-FDG brain data of a cervical cancer patient acquired with a simultaneous hybrid PET/MR scanner. The initial simulation results demonstrated that MRI-guided PET image filtering can produce less noisy images than traditional GF and bias and coefficient of variation can be further reduced by MRI-guided PET PVC. Moreover, structures can be much better delineated in MRI-guided PET PVC for real brain data.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Positron Emission Tomography (PET)/MRI for Lung Cancer Staging.

PubMed

Ohno, Yoshiharu; Koyama, Hisanobu; Lee, Ho Yun; Yoshikawa, Takeshi; Sugimura, Kazuro

2016-07-01

Tumor, lymph node, and metastasis (TNM) classification of lung cancer is typically performed with the TNM staging system, as recommended by the Union Internationale Contre le Cancer (UICC), the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC), and the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC). Radiologic examinations for TNM staging of lung cancer patients include computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), positron emission tomography with 2-[fluorine-18] fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG-PET), and FDG-PET combined with CT (FDG-PET/CT) and are used for pretherapeutic assessments. Recent technical advances in MR systems, application of fast and parallel imaging and/or introduction of new MR techniques, and utilization of contrast media have markedly improved the diagnostic utility of MRI in this setting. In addition, FDG-PET can be combined or fused with MRI (PET/MRI) for clinical practice. This review article will focus on these recent advances in MRI as well as on PET/MRI for lung cancer staging, in addition to a discussion of their potential and limitations for routine clinical practice in comparison with other modalities such as CT, FDG-PET, and PET/CT.

Free Radical Imaging Using In Vivo Dynamic Nuclear Polarization-MRI.

PubMed

Utsumi, Hideo; Hyodo, Fuminori

2015-01-01

Redox reactions that generate free radical intermediates are essential to metabolic processes, and their intermediates can produce reactive oxygen species, which may promote diseases related to oxidative stress. The development of an in vivo electron spin resonance (ESR) spectrometer and its imaging enables us noninvasive and direct measurement of in vivo free radical reactions in living organisms. The dynamic nuclear polarization magnetic resonance imaging (DNP-MRI), also called PEDRI or OMRI, is also a new imaging method for observing free radical species in vivo. The spatiotemporal resolution of free radical imaging with DNP-MRI is comparable with that in MRI, and each of the radical species can be distinguished in the spectroscopic images by changing the frequency or magnetic field of ESR irradiation. Several kinds of stable nitroxyl radicals were used as spin probes to detect in vivo redox reactions. The signal decay of nitroxyl probes, which is determined with in vivo DNP-MRI, reflects the redox status under oxidative stress, and the signal decay is suppressed by prior administration of antioxidants. In addition, DNP-MRI can also visualize various intermediate free radicals from the intrinsic redox molecules. This noninvasive method, in vivo DNP-MRI, could become a useful tool for investigating the mechanism of oxidative injuries in animal disease models and the in vivo effects of antioxidant drugs. © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Incorporation of Prior Knowledge of Signal Behavior Into the Reconstruction to Accelerate the Acquisition of Diffusion MRI Data.

PubMed

Abascal, Juan F P J; Desco, Manuel; Parra-Robles, Juan

2018-02-01

Diffusion MRI data are generally acquired using hyperpolarized gases during patient breath-hold, which yields a compromise between achievable image resolution, lung coverage, and number of -values. In this paper, we propose a novel method that accelerates the acquisition of diffusion MRI data by undersampling in both the spatial and -value dimensions and incorporating knowledge about signal decay into the reconstruction (SIDER). SIDER is compared with total variation (TV) reconstruction by assessing its effect on both the recovery of ventilation images and the estimated mean alveolar dimensions (MADs). Both methods are assessed by retrospectively undersampling diffusion data sets ( =8) of healthy volunteers and patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) for acceleration factors between x2 and x10. TV led to large errors and artifacts for acceleration factors equal to or larger than x5. SIDER improved TV, with a lower solution error and MAD histograms closer to those obtained from fully sampled data for acceleration factors up to x10. SIDER preserved image quality at all acceleration factors, although images were slightly smoothed and some details were lost at x10. In conclusion, we developed and validated a novel compressed sensing method for lung MRI imaging and achieved high acceleration factors, which can be used to increase the amount of data acquired during breath-hold. This methodology is expected to improve the accuracy of estimated lung microstructure dimensions and provide more options in the study of lung diseases with MRI.

A feature-based approach to combine functional MRI, structural MRI and EEG brain imaging data.

PubMed

Calhoun, V; Adali, T; Liu, J

2006-01-01

The acquisition of multiple brain imaging types for a given study is a very common practice. However these data are typically examined in separate analyses, rather than in a combined model. We propose a novel methodology to perform joint independent component analysis across image modalities, including structural MRI data, functional MRI activation data and EEG data, and to visualize the results via a joint histogram visualization technique. Evaluation of which combination of fused data is most useful is determined by using the Kullback-Leibler divergence. We demonstrate our method on a data set composed of functional MRI data from two tasks, structural MRI data, and EEG data collected on patients with schizophrenia and healthy controls. We show that combining data types can improve our ability to distinguish differences between groups.

Atlas-guided generation of pseudo-CT images for MRI-only and hybrid PET-MRI-guided radiotherapy treatment planning.

PubMed

Arabi, Hossein; Koutsouvelis, Nikolaos; Rouzaud, Michel; Miralbell, Raymond; Zaidi, Habib

2016-09-07

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-guided attenuation correction (AC) of positron emission tomography (PET) data and/or radiation therapy (RT) treatment planning is challenged by the lack of a direct link between MRI voxel intensities and electron density. Therefore, even if this is not a trivial task, a pseudo-computed tomography (CT) image must be predicted from MRI alone. In this work, we propose a two-step (segmentation and fusion) atlas-based algorithm focusing on bone tissue identification to create a pseudo-CT image from conventional MRI sequences and evaluate its performance against the conventional MRI segmentation technique and a recently proposed multi-atlas approach. The clinical studies consisted of pelvic CT, PET and MRI scans of 12 patients with loco-regionally advanced rectal disease. In the first step, bone segmentation of the target image is optimized through local weighted atlas voting. The obtained bone map is then used to assess the quality of deformed atlases to perform voxel-wise weighted atlas fusion. To evaluate the performance of the method, a leave-one-out cross-validation (LOOCV) scheme was devised to find optimal parameters for the model. Geometric evaluation of the produced pseudo-CT images and quantitative analysis of the accuracy of PET AC were performed. Moreover, a dosimetric evaluation of volumetric modulated arc therapy photon treatment plans calculated using the different pseudo-CT images was carried out and compared to those produced using CT images serving as references. The pseudo-CT images produced using the proposed method exhibit bone identification accuracy of 0.89 based on the Dice similarity metric compared to 0.75 achieved by the other atlas-based method. The superior bone extraction resulted in a mean standard uptake value bias of  -1.5  ±  5.0% (mean  ±  SD) in bony structures compared to  -19.9  ±  11.8% and  -8.1  ±  8.2% achieved by MRI segmentation-based (water

Atlas-guided generation of pseudo-CT images for MRI-only and hybrid PET-MRI-guided radiotherapy treatment planning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arabi, Hossein; Koutsouvelis, Nikolaos; Rouzaud, Michel; Miralbell, Raymond; Zaidi, Habib

2016-09-01

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-guided attenuation correction (AC) of positron emission tomography (PET) data and/or radiation therapy (RT) treatment planning is challenged by the lack of a direct link between MRI voxel intensities and electron density. Therefore, even if this is not a trivial task, a pseudo-computed tomography (CT) image must be predicted from MRI alone. In this work, we propose a two-step (segmentation and fusion) atlas-based algorithm focusing on bone tissue identification to create a pseudo-CT image from conventional MRI sequences and evaluate its performance against the conventional MRI segmentation technique and a recently proposed multi-atlas approach. The clinical studies consisted of pelvic CT, PET and MRI scans of 12 patients with loco-regionally advanced rectal disease. In the first step, bone segmentation of the target image is optimized through local weighted atlas voting. The obtained bone map is then used to assess the quality of deformed atlases to perform voxel-wise weighted atlas fusion. To evaluate the performance of the method, a leave-one-out cross-validation (LOOCV) scheme was devised to find optimal parameters for the model. Geometric evaluation of the produced pseudo-CT images and quantitative analysis of the accuracy of PET AC were performed. Moreover, a dosimetric evaluation of volumetric modulated arc therapy photon treatment plans calculated using the different pseudo-CT images was carried out and compared to those produced using CT images serving as references. The pseudo-CT images produced using the proposed method exhibit bone identification accuracy of 0.89 based on the Dice similarity metric compared to 0.75 achieved by the other atlas-based method. The superior bone extraction resulted in a mean standard uptake value bias of  -1.5  ±  5.0% (mean  ±  SD) in bony structures compared to  -19.9  ±  11.8% and  -8.1  ±  8.2% achieved by MRI segmentation-based (water

Multi-modal image registration: matching MRI with histology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alic, Lejla; Haeck, Joost C.; Klein, Stefan; Bol, Karin; van Tiel, Sandra T.; Wielopolski, Piotr A.; Bijster, Magda; Niessen, Wiro J.; Bernsen, Monique; Veenland, Jifke F.; de Jong, Marion

2010-03-01

Spatial correspondence between histology and multi sequence MRI can provide information about the capabilities of non-invasive imaging to characterize cancerous tissue. However, shrinkage and deformation occurring during the excision of the tumor and the histological processing complicate the co registration of MR images with histological sections. This work proposes a methodology to establish a detailed 3D relation between histology sections and in vivo MRI tumor data. The key features of the methodology are a very dense histological sampling (up to 100 histology slices per tumor), mutual information based non-rigid B-spline registration, the utilization of the whole 3D data sets, and the exploitation of an intermediate ex vivo MRI. In this proof of concept paper, the methodology was applied to one tumor. We found that, after registration, the visual alignment of tumor borders and internal structures was fairly accurate. Utilizing the intermediate ex vivo MRI, it was possible to account for changes caused by the excision of the tumor: we observed a tumor expansion of 20%. Also the effects of fixation, dehydration and histological sectioning could be determined: 26% shrinkage of the tumor was found. The annotation of viable tissue, performed in histology and transformed to the in vivo MRI, matched clearly with high intensity regions in MRI. With this methodology, histological annotation can be directly related to the corresponding in vivo MRI. This is a vital step for the evaluation of the feasibility of multi-spectral MRI to depict histological groundtruth.

Quantitative assessment of lung ventilation and microstructure in an animal model of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis using hyperpolarized gas MRI.

PubMed

Stephen, Michael J; Emami, Kiarash; Woodburn, John M; Chia, Elaine; Kadlecek, Stephen; Zhu, Jianliang; Pickup, Stephen; Ishii, Masaru; Rizi, Rahim R; Rossman, Milton

2010-11-01

The use of hyperpolarized (3)He magnetic resonance imaging as a quantitative lung imaging tool has progressed rapidly in the past decade, mostly in the assessment of the airway diseases chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma. This technique has shown potential to assess both structural and functional information in healthy and diseased lungs. In this study, the regional measurements of structure and function were applied to a bleomycin rat model of interstitial lung disease. Male Sprague-Dawley rats (weight, 300-350 g) were administered intratracheal bleomycin. After 3 weeks, apparent diffusion coefficient and fractional ventilation were measured by (3)He magnetic resonance imaging and pulmonary function testing using a rodent-specific plethysmography chamber. Sensitized and healthy animals were then compared using threshold analysis to assess the potential sensitivity of these techniques to pulmonary abnormalities. No significant changes were observed in total lung volume and compliance between the two groups. Airway resistance elevated and forced expiratory volume significantly declined in the 3-week bleomycin rats, and fractional ventilation was significantly decreased compared to control animals (P < .0004). The apparent diffusion coefficient of (3)He showed a smaller change but still a significant decrease in 3-week bleomycin animals (P < .05). Preliminary results suggest that quantitative (3)He magnetic resonance imaging can be a sensitive and noninvasive tool to assess changes in an animal interstitial lung disease model. This technique may be useful for longitudinal animal studies and also in the investigation of human interstitial lung diseases. Copyright © 2010 AUR. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Amyloid imaging using fluorine-19 magnetic resonance imaging ((19)F-MRI).

PubMed

Tooyama, Ikuo; Yanagisawa, Daijiro; Taguchi, Hiroyasu; Kato, Tomoko; Hirao, Koichi; Shirai, Nobuaki; Sogabe, Takayuki; Ibrahim, Nor Faeizah; Inubushi, Toshiro; Morikawa, Shigehiro

2016-09-01

The formation of senile plaques followed by the deposition of amyloid-β is the earliest pathological change in Alzheimer's disease. Thus, the detection of senile plaques remains the most important early diagnostic indicator of Alzheimer's disease. Amyloid imaging is a noninvasive technique for visualizing senile plaques in the brains of Alzheimer's patients using positron emission tomography (PET) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Because fluorine-19 ((19)F) displays an intense nuclear magnetic resonance signal and is almost non-existent in the body, targets are detected with a higher signal-to-noise ratio using appropriate fluorinated contrast agents. The recent introduction of high-field MRI allows us to detect amyloid depositions in the brain of living mouse using (19)F-MRI. So far, at least three probes have been reported to detect amyloid deposition in the brain of transgenic mouse models of Alzheimer's disease; (E,E)-1-fluoro-2,5-bis-(3-hydroxycarbonyl-4-hydroxy)styrylbenzene (FSB), 1,7-bis(4'-hydroxy-3'-trifluoromethoxyphenyl)-4-methoxycarbonylethyl-1,6-heptadiene3,5-dione (FMeC1, Shiga-Y5) and 6-(3',6',9',15',18',21'-heptaoxa-23',23',23'-trifluorotricosanyloxy)-2-(4'-dimethylaminostyryl)benzoxazole (XP7, Shiga-X22). This review presents the recent advances in amyloid imaging using (19)F-MRI, including our own studies. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

CT, MRI and PET imaging in peritoneal malignancy

PubMed Central

Sahdev, Anju; Reznek, Rodney H.

2011-01-01

Abstract Imaging plays a vital role in the evaluation of patients with suspected or proven peritoneal malignancy. Nevertheless, despite significant advances in imaging technology and protocols, assessment of peritoneal pathology remains challenging. The combination of complex peritoneal anatomy, an extensive surface area that may host tumour deposits and the considerable overlap of imaging appearances of various peritoneal diseases often makes interpretation difficult. Contrast-enhanced multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) remains the most versatile tool in the imaging of peritoneal malignancy. However, conventional and emerging magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET)/CT techniques offer significant advantages over MDCT in detection and surveillance. This article reviews established and new techniques in CT, MRI and PET imaging in both primary and secondary peritoneal malignancies and provides an overview of peritoneal anatomy, function and modes of disease dissemination with illustration of common sites and imaging features of peritoneal malignancy. PMID:21865109

Anatomic study of the canine stifle using low-field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and MRI arthrography.

PubMed

Pujol, Esteban; Van Bree, Henri; Cauzinille, Laurent; Poncet, Cyrill; Gielen, Ingrid; Bouvy, Bernard

2011-06-01

To investigate the use of low-field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and MR arthrography in normal canine stifles and to compare MRI images to gross dissection. Descriptive study. Adult canine pelvic limbs (n=17). Stifle joints from 12 dogs were examined by orthopedic and radiographic examination, synovial fluid analysis, and MRI performed using a 0.2 T system. Limbs 1 to 7 were used to develop the MR and MR arthrography imaging protocol. Limbs 8-17 were studied with the developed MR and MR arthrography protocol and by gross dissection. Three sequences were obtained: T1-weighted spin echo (SE) in sagittal, dorsal, and transverse plane; T2-weighted SE in sagittal plane and T1-gradient echo in sagittal plane. Specific bony and soft tissue structures were easily identifiable with the exception of articular cartilage. The cranial and caudal cruciate ligaments were identified. Medial and lateral menisci were seen as wedge-shaped hypointense areas. MR arthrography permitted further delineation of specific structures. MR images corresponded with gross dissection morphology. With the exception of poor delineation of articular cartilage, a low-field MRI and MR arthrography protocol provides images of adequate quality to assess the normal canine stifle joint. © Copyright 2011 by The American College of Veterinary Surgeons.

New Technologies for Human Cancer Imaging

PubMed Central

Frangioni, John V.

2008-01-01

Despite technical advances in many areas of diagnostic radiology, the detection and imaging of human cancer remains poor. A meaningful impact on cancer screening, staging, and treatment is unlikely to occur until the tumor-to-background ratio improves by three to four orders of magnitude (ie, 103- to 104-fold), which in turn will require proportional improvements in sensitivity and contrast agent targeting. This review analyzes the physics and chemistry of cancer imaging and highlights the fundamental principles underlying the detection of malignant cells within a background of normal cells. The use of various contrast agents and radiotracers for cancer imaging is reviewed, as are the current limitations of ultrasound, x-ray imaging, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), single-photon emission computed tomography, positron emission tomography (PET), and optical imaging. Innovative technologies are emerging that hold great promise for patients, such as positron emission mammography of the breast and spectroscopy-enhanced colonoscopy for cancer screening, hyperpolarization MRI and time-of-flight PET for staging, and ion beam-induced PET scanning and near-infrared fluorescence-guided surgery for cancer treatment. This review explores these emerging technologies and considers their potential impact on clinical care. Finally, those cancers that are currently difficult to image and quantify, such as ovarian cancer and acute leukemia, are discussed. PMID:18711192

Imaging industry expectations for compressed sensing in MRI

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

King, Kevin F.; Kanwischer, Adriana; Peters, Rob

2015-09-01

Compressed sensing requires compressible data, incoherent acquisition and a nonlinear reconstruction algorithm to force creation of a compressible image consistent with the acquired data. MRI images are compressible using various transforms (commonly total variation or wavelets). Incoherent acquisition of MRI data by appropriate selection of pseudo-random or non-Cartesian locations in k-space is straightforward. Increasingly, commercial scanners are sold with enough computing power to enable iterative reconstruction in reasonable times. Therefore integration of compressed sensing into commercial MRI products and clinical practice is beginning. MRI frequently requires the tradeoff of spatial resolution, temporal resolution and volume of spatial coverage to obtain reasonable scan times. Compressed sensing improves scan efficiency and reduces the need for this tradeoff. Benefits to the user will include shorter scans, greater patient comfort, better image quality, more contrast types per patient slot, the enabling of previously impractical applications, and higher throughput. Challenges to vendors include deciding which applications to prioritize, guaranteeing diagnostic image quality, maintaining acceptable usability and workflow, and acquisition and reconstruction algorithm details. Application choice depends on which customer needs the vendor wants to address. The changing healthcare environment is putting cost and productivity pressure on healthcare providers. The improved scan efficiency of compressed sensing can help alleviate some of this pressure. Image quality is strongly influenced by image compressibility and acceleration factor, which must be appropriately limited. Usability and workflow concerns include reconstruction time and user interface friendliness and response. Reconstruction times are limited to about one minute for acceptable workflow. The user interface should be designed to optimize workflow and minimize additional customer training. Algorithm

Low-Cost, High-Throughput 3-D Pulmonary Imager Using Hyperpolarized Contrast Agents and Low-Field MRI

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-10-01

Body MRI Experiments. Enc. Magn. Reson. 2007, DOI: 10.1002/9780470034590.emrstm0491. (59) Minard, K. R.; Wind , R. A. Solenoidal microcoil designPart II...Optimizing winding parameters for maximum signal-to-noise perform- ance. Concepts Magn. Reson. 2001, 13, 190−210. (60) Danieli, E.; Perlo, J...NMR spinner turbine was adjusted for the detection of the gas phase just above the liquid (Figure S2). Next, the displacement of HP propane from the

An MRI system for imaging neonates in the NICU: initial feasibility study.

PubMed

Tkach, Jean A; Hillman, Noah H; Jobe, Alan H; Loew, Wolfgang; Pratt, Ron G; Daniels, Barret R; Kallapur, Suhas G; Kline-Fath, Beth M; Merhar, Stephanie L; Giaquinto, Randy O; Winter, Patrick M; Li, Yu; Ikegami, Machiko; Whitsett, Jeffrey A; Dumoulin, Charles L

2012-11-01

Transporting premature infants from a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) to a radiology department for MRI has medical risks and logistical challenges. To develop a small 1.5-T MRI system for neonatal imaging that can be easily installed in the NICU and to evaluate its performance using a sheep model of human prematurity. A 1.5-T MRI system designed for orthopedic use was adapted for neonatal imaging. The system was used for MRI examinations of the brain, chest and abdomen in 12 premature lambs during the first hours of life. Spin-echo, fast spin-echo and gradient-echo MR images were evaluated by two pediatric radiologists. All animals remained physiologically stable throughout the imaging sessions. Animals were imaged at two or three time points. Seven brain MRI examinations were performed in seven different animals, 23 chest examinations in 12 animals and 19 abdominal examinations in 11 animals. At each anatomical location, high-quality images demonstrating good spatial resolution, signal-to-noise ratio and tissue contrast were routinely obtained within 30 min using standard clinical protocols. Our preliminary experience demonstrates the feasibility and potential of the neonatal MRI system to provide state-of-the-art MRI capabilities within the NICU. Advantages include overall reduced cost and site demands, lower acoustic noise, improved ease of access and reduced medical risk to the neonate.

Detailed Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Analysis in Infantile Spasms.

PubMed

Harini, Chellamani; Sharda, Sonal; Bergin, Ann Marie; Poduri, Annapurna; Yuskaitis, Christopher J; Peters, Jurriaan M; Rakesh, Kshitiz; Kapur, Kush; Pearl, Phillip L; Prabhu, Sanjay P

2018-05-01

To evaluate initial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) abnormalities in infantile spasms, correlate them to clinical characteristics, and describe repeat imaging findings. A retrospective review of infantile spasm patients was conducted, classifying abnormal MRI into developmental, acquired, and nonspecific subgroups. MRIs were abnormal in 52 of 71 infantile spasm patients (23 developmental, 23 acquired, and 6 nonspecific) with no correlation to the clinical infantile spasm characteristics. Both developmental and acquired subgroups exhibited cortical gray and/or white matter abnormalities. Additional abnormalities of deep gray structures, brain stem, callosum, and volume loss occurred in the structural acquired subgroup. Repeat MRI showed better definition of the extent of existing malformations. In structural infantile spasms, developmental/acquired subgroups showed differences in pattern of MRI abnormalities but did not correlate with clinical characteristics.

Hemorrhage detection in MRI brain images using images features

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moraru, Luminita; Moldovanu, Simona; Bibicu, Dorin; Stratulat (Visan), Mirela

2013-11-01

The abnormalities appear frequently on Magnetic Resonance Images (MRI) of brain in elderly patients presenting either stroke or cognitive impairment. Detection of brain hemorrhage lesions in MRI is an important but very time-consuming task. This research aims to develop a method to extract brain tissue features from T2-weighted MR images of the brain using a selection of the most valuable texture features in order to discriminate between normal and affected areas of the brain. Due to textural similarity between normal and affected areas in brain MR images these operation are very challenging. A trauma may cause microstructural changes, which are not necessarily perceptible by visual inspection, but they could be detected by using a texture analysis. The proposed analysis is developed in five steps: i) in the pre-processing step: the de-noising operation is performed using the Daubechies wavelets; ii) the original images were transformed in image features using the first order descriptors; iii) the regions of interest (ROIs) were cropped from images feature following up the axial symmetry properties with respect to the mid - sagittal plan; iv) the variation in the measurement of features was quantified using the two descriptors of the co-occurrence matrix, namely energy and homogeneity; v) finally, the meaningful of the image features is analyzed by using the t-test method. P-value has been applied to the pair of features in order to measure they efficacy.

TH-A-BRF-08: Deformable Registration of MRI and CT Images for MRI-Guided Radiation Therapy

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

Zhong, H; Wen, N; Gordon, J

2014-06-15

Purpose: To evaluate the quality of a commercially available MRI-CT image registration algorithm and then develop a method to improve the performance of this algorithm for MRI-guided prostate radiotherapy. Methods: Prostate contours were delineated on ten pairs of MRI and CT images using Eclipse. Each pair of MRI and CT images was registered with an intensity-based B-spline algorithm implemented in Velocity. A rectangular prism that contains the prostate volume was partitioned into a tetrahedral mesh which was aligned to the CT image. A finite element method (FEM) was developed on the mesh with the boundary constraints assigned from the Velocitymore » generated displacement vector field (DVF). The resultant FEM displacements were used to adjust the Velocity DVF within the prism. Point correspondences between the CT and MR images identified within the prism could be used as additional boundary constraints to enforce the model deformation. The FEM deformation field is smooth in the interior of the prism, and equal to the Velocity displacements at the boundary of the prism. To evaluate the Velocity and FEM registration results, three criteria were used: prostate volume conservation and center consistence under contour mapping, and unbalanced energy of their deformation maps. Results: With the DVFs generated by the Velocity and FEM simulations, the prostate contours were warped from MRI to CT images. With the Velocity DVFs, the prostate volumes changed 10.2% on average, in contrast to 1.8% induced by the FEM DVFs. The average of the center deviations was 0.36 and 0.27 cm, and the unbalance energy was 2.65 and 0.38 mJ/cc3 for the Velocity and FEM registrations, respectively. Conclusion: The adaptive FEM method developed can be used to reduce the error of the MIbased registration algorithm implemented in Velocity in the prostate region, and consequently may help improve the quality of MRI-guided radiation therapy.« less

Gradient-induced Longitudinal Relaxation of Hyperpolarized Noble Gases in the Fringe Fields of Superconducting Magnets Used for Magnetic Resonance

PubMed Central

Zheng, Wangzhi; Cleveland, Zackary I.; Möller, Harald E.; Driehuys, Bastiaan

2010-01-01

When hyperpolarized noble gases are brought into the bore of a superconducting magnet for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or spectroscopy studies, the gases must pass through substantial field gradients, which can cause rapid longitudinal relaxation. In this communication, we present a means of calculating this spatially dependent relaxation rate in the fringe field of typical magnets. We then compare these predictions to experimental measurements of 3He relaxation at various positions near a medium-bore 2-T small animal MRI system. The calculated and measured relaxation rates on the central axis of the magnet agree well and show a maximum 3He relaxation rate of 3.83 × 10−3 s−1 (T1 = 4.4 min) at a distance of 47 cm from the magnet isocenter. We also show that if this magnet were self-shielded, its minimum T1 would drop to 1.2 min. In contrast, a typical self-shielded 1.5-T clinical MRI scanner will induce a minimum on-axis T1 of 12 min. Additionally, we show that the cylindrically symmetric fields of these magnets enable gradient-induced relaxation to be calculated using only knowledge of the on-axis longitudinal field, which can either be measured directly or calculated from a simple field model. Thus, while most MRI magnets employ complex and proprietary current configurations, we show that their fringe fields and the resulting gradient induced relaxation are well approximated by simple solenoid models. Finally, our modeling also demonstrates that relaxation rates can increase by nearly an order of magnitude at radial distances equivalent to the solenoid radius. PMID:21134771

Gradient-induced longitudinal relaxation of hyperpolarized noble gases in the fringe fields of superconducting magnets used for magnetic resonance.

PubMed

Zheng, Wangzhi; Cleveland, Zackary I; Möller, Harald E; Driehuys, Bastiaan

2011-02-01

When hyperpolarized noble gases are brought into the bore of a superconducting magnet for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or spectroscopy studies, the gases must pass through substantial field gradients, which can cause rapid longitudinal relaxation. In this communication, we present a means of calculating this spatially dependent relaxation rate in the fringe field of typical magnets. We then compare these predictions to experimental measurements of (3)He relaxation at various positions near a medium-bore 2-T small animal MRI system. The calculated and measured relaxation rates on the central axis of the magnet agree well and show a maximum (3)He relaxation rate of 3.83×10(-3) s(-1) (T(1)=4.4 min) at a distance of 47 cm from the magnet isocenter. We also show that if this magnet were self-shielded, its minimum T(1) would drop to 1.2 min. In contrast, a typical self-shielded 1.5-T clinical MRI scanner will induce a minimum on-axis T(1) of 12 min. Additionally, we show that the cylindrically symmetric fields of these magnets enable gradient-induced relaxation to be calculated using only knowledge of the on-axis longitudinal field, which can either be measured directly or calculated from a simple field model. Thus, while most MRI magnets employ complex and proprietary current configurations, we show that their fringe fields and the resulting gradient-induced relaxation are well approximated by simple solenoid models. Finally, our modeling also demonstrates that relaxation rates can increase by nearly an order of magnitude at radial distances equivalent to the solenoid radius. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Reconstruction of 7T-Like Images From 3T MRI

PubMed Central

Bahrami, Khosro; Shi, Feng; Zong, Xiaopeng; Shin, Hae Won; An, Hongyu

2016-01-01

In the recent MRI scanning, ultra-high-field (7T) MR imaging provides higher resolution and better tissue contrast compared to routine 3T MRI, which may help in more accurate and early brain diseases diagnosis. However, currently, 7T MRI scanners are more expensive and less available at clinical and research centers. These motivate us to propose a method for the reconstruction of images close to the quality of 7T MRI, called 7T-like images, from 3T MRI, to improve the quality in terms of resolution and contrast. By doing so, the post-processing tasks, such as tissue segmentation, can be done more accurately and brain tissues details can be seen with higher resolution and contrast. To do this, we have acquired a unique dataset which includes paired 3T and 7T images scanned from same subjects, and then propose a hierarchical reconstruction based on group sparsity in a novel multi-level Canonical Correlation Analysis (CCA) space, to improve the quality of 3T MR image to be 7T-like MRI. First, overlapping patches are extracted from the input 3T MR image. Then, by extracting the most similar patches from all the aligned 3T and 7T images in the training set, the paired 3T and 7T dictionaries are constructed for each patch. It is worth noting that, for the training, we use pairs of 3T and 7T MR images from each training subject. Then, we propose multi-level CCA to map the paired 3T and 7T patch sets to a common space to increase their correlations. In such space, each input 3T MRI patch is sparsely represented by the 3T dictionary and then the obtained sparse coefficients are used together with the corresponding 7T dictionary to reconstruct the 7T-like patch. Also, to have the structural consistency between adjacent patches, the group sparsity is employed. This reconstruction is performed with changing patch sizes in a hierarchical framework. Experiments have been done using 13 subjects with both 3T and 7T MR images. The results show that our method outperforms previous

Potential of PET-MRI for imaging of non-oncologic musculoskeletal disease.

PubMed

Kogan, Feliks; Fan, Audrey P; Gold, Garry E

2016-12-01

Early detection of musculoskeletal disease leads to improved therapies and patient outcomes, and would benefit greatly from imaging at the cellular and molecular level. As it becomes clear that assessment of multiple tissues and functional processes are often necessary to study the complex pathogenesis of musculoskeletal disorders, the role of multi-modality molecular imaging becomes increasingly important. New positron emission tomography-magnetic resonance imaging (PET-MRI) systems offer to combine high-resolution MRI with simultaneous molecular information from PET to study the multifaceted processes involved in numerous musculoskeletal disorders. In this article, we aim to outline the potential clinical utility of hybrid PET-MRI to these non-oncologic musculoskeletal diseases. We summarize current applications of PET molecular imaging in osteoarthritis (OA), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), metabolic bone diseases and neuropathic peripheral pain. Advanced MRI approaches that reveal biochemical and functional information offer complementary assessment in soft tissues. Additionally, we discuss technical considerations for hybrid PET-MR imaging including MR attenuation correction, workflow, radiation dose, and quantification.

Complementary aspects of diffusion imaging and fMRI; I: structure and function.

PubMed

Mulkern, Robert V; Davis, Peter E; Haker, Steven J; Estepar, Raul San Jose; Panych, Lawrence P; Maier, Stephan E; Rivkin, Michael J

2006-05-01

Studying the intersection of brain structure and function is an important aspect of modern neuroscience. The development of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) over the last 25 years has provided new and powerful tools for the study of brain structure and function. Two tools in particular, diffusion imaging and functional MRI (fMRI), are playing increasingly important roles in elucidating the complementary aspects of brain structure and function. In this work, we review basic technical features of diffusion imaging and fMRI for studying the integrity of white matter structural components and for determining the location and extent of cortical activation in gray matter, respectively. We then review a growing body of literature in which the complementary aspects of diffusion imaging and fMRI, applied as separate examinations but analyzed in tandem, have been exploited to enhance our knowledge of brain structure and function.

Strategies for Rapid in vivo 1H and hyperpolarized 13C MR Spectroscopic Imaging

PubMed Central

Nelson, Sarah J.; Ozhinsky, Eugene; Li, Yan; Park, Il woo; Crane, Jason

2013-01-01

In vivo MRSI is an important imaging modality that has been shown in numerous research studies to give biologically relevant information for assessing the underlying mechanisms of disease and for monitoring response to therapy. The increasing availability of high field scanners and multichannel radiofrequency coils has provided the opportunity to acquire in vivo data with significant improvements in sensitivity and signal to noise ratio. These capabilities may be used to shorten acquisition time and provide increase coverage. The ability to acquire rapid, volumetric MRSI data is critical for examining heterogeneity in metabolic profiles and for relating serial changes in metabolism within the same individual during the course of the disease. In this review we discuss the implementation of strategies that use alternative k-space sampling trajectories and parallel imaging methods in order to speed up data acquisition. The impact of such methods is demonstrated using three recent examples of how these methods have been applied. These are to the acquisition of robust 3D 1H MRSI data within 5 –10 minutes at a field strength of 3T, to obtaining higher sensitivity for 1H MRSI at 7T and to using ultrafast volumetric and dynamic 13C MRSI for monitoring the changes in signals that occur following the injection of hyperpolarized 13C agents. PMID:23453759

LabVIEW-based control software for para-hydrogen induced polarization instrumentation.

PubMed

Agraz, Jose; Grunfeld, Alexander; Li, Debiao; Cunningham, Karl; Willey, Cindy; Pozos, Robert; Wagner, Shawn

2014-04-01

The elucidation of cell metabolic mechanisms is the modern underpinning of the diagnosis, treatment, and in some cases the prevention of disease. Para-Hydrogen induced polarization (PHIP) enhances magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) signals over 10,000 fold, allowing for the MRI of cell metabolic mechanisms. This signal enhancement is the result of hyperpolarizing endogenous substances used as contrast agents during imaging. PHIP instrumentation hyperpolarizes Carbon-13 ((13)C) based substances using a process requiring control of a number of factors: chemical reaction timing, gas flow, monitoring of a static magnetic field (Bo), radio frequency (RF) irradiation timing, reaction temperature, and gas pressures. Current PHIP instruments manually control the hyperpolarization process resulting in the lack of the precise control of factors listed above, resulting in non-reproducible results. We discuss the design and implementation of a LabVIEW based computer program that automatically and precisely controls the delivery and manipulation of gases and samples, monitoring gas pressures, environmental temperature, and RF sample irradiation. We show that the automated control over the hyperpolarization process results in the hyperpolarization of hydroxyethylpropionate. The implementation of this software provides the fast prototyping of PHIP instrumentation for the evaluation of a myriad of (13)C based endogenous contrast agents used in molecular imaging.

Emerging Imaging Tools for Use with Traumatic Brain Injury Research

PubMed Central

Wilde, Elisabeth A.; Tong, Karen A.; Holshouser, Barbara A.

2012-01-01

Abstract This article identifies emerging neuroimaging measures considered by the inter-agency Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Neuroimaging Workgroup. This article attempts to address some of the potential uses of more advanced forms of imaging in TBI as well as highlight some of the current considerations and unresolved challenges of using them. We summarize emerging elements likely to gain more widespread use in the coming years, because of 1) their utility in diagnosis, prognosis, and understanding the natural course of degeneration or recovery following TBI, and potential for evaluating treatment strategies; 2) the ability of many centers to acquire these data with scanners and equipment that are readily available in existing clinical and research settings; and 3) advances in software that provide more automated, readily available, and cost-effective analysis methods for large scale data image analysis. These include multi-slice CT, volumetric MRI analysis, susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI), diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), magnetization transfer imaging (MTI), arterial spin tag labeling (ASL), functional MRI (fMRI), including resting state and connectivity MRI, MR spectroscopy (MRS), and hyperpolarization scanning. However, we also include brief introductions to other specialized forms of advanced imaging that currently do require specialized equipment, for example, single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), positron emission tomography (PET), encephalography (EEG), and magnetoencephalography (MEG)/magnetic source imaging (MSI). Finally, we identify some of the challenges that users of the emerging imaging CDEs may wish to consider, including quality control, performing multi-site and longitudinal imaging studies, and MR scanning in infants and children. PMID:21787167

Emerging imaging tools for use with traumatic brain injury research.

PubMed

Hunter, Jill V; Wilde, Elisabeth A; Tong, Karen A; Holshouser, Barbara A

2012-03-01

This article identifies emerging neuroimaging measures considered by the inter-agency Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Neuroimaging Workgroup. This article attempts to address some of the potential uses of more advanced forms of imaging in TBI as well as highlight some of the current considerations and unresolved challenges of using them. We summarize emerging elements likely to gain more widespread use in the coming years, because of 1) their utility in diagnosis, prognosis, and understanding the natural course of degeneration or recovery following TBI, and potential for evaluating treatment strategies; 2) the ability of many centers to acquire these data with scanners and equipment that are readily available in existing clinical and research settings; and 3) advances in software that provide more automated, readily available, and cost-effective analysis methods for large scale data image analysis. These include multi-slice CT, volumetric MRI analysis, susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI), diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), magnetization transfer imaging (MTI), arterial spin tag labeling (ASL), functional MRI (fMRI), including resting state and connectivity MRI, MR spectroscopy (MRS), and hyperpolarization scanning. However, we also include brief introductions to other specialized forms of advanced imaging that currently do require specialized equipment, for example, single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), positron emission tomography (PET), encephalography (EEG), and magnetoencephalography (MEG)/magnetic source imaging (MSI). Finally, we identify some of the challenges that users of the emerging imaging CDEs may wish to consider, including quality control, performing multi-site and longitudinal imaging studies, and MR scanning in infants and children.

Pharmaceutical applications of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

PubMed

Richardson, J Craig; Bowtell, Richard W; Mäder, Karsten; Melia, Colin D

2005-06-15

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a powerful imaging modality that provides internal images of materials and living organisms on a microscopic and macroscopic scale. It is non-invasive and non-destructive, and one of very few techniques that can observe internal events inside undisturbed specimens in situ. It is versatile, as a wide range of NMR modalities can be accessed, and 2D and 3D imaging can be undertaken. Despite widespread use and major advances in clinical MRI, it has seen limited application in the pharmaceutical sciences. In vitro studies have focussed on drug release mechanisms in polymeric delivery systems, but isolated studies of bioadhesion, tablet properties, and extrusion and mixing processes illustrate the wider potential. Perhaps the greatest potential however, lies in investigations of pharmaceuticals in vivo, where pilot human and animal studies have demonstrated we can obtain unique insights into the behaviour of gastrointestinal, topical, colloidal, and targeted drug delivery systems.

Brain tumor segmentation using holistically nested neural networks in MRI images.

PubMed

Zhuge, Ying; Krauze, Andra V; Ning, Holly; Cheng, Jason Y; Arora, Barbara C; Camphausen, Kevin; Miller, Robert W

2017-10-01

Gliomas are rapidly progressive, neurologically devastating, largely fatal brain tumors. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a widely used technique employed in the diagnosis and management of gliomas in clinical practice. MRI is also the standard imaging modality used to delineate the brain tumor target as part of treatment planning for the administration of radiation therapy. Despite more than 20 yr of research and development, computational brain tumor segmentation in MRI images remains a challenging task. We are presenting a novel method of automatic image segmentation based on holistically nested neural networks that could be employed for brain tumor segmentation of MRI images. Two preprocessing techniques were applied to MRI images. The N4ITK method was employed for correction of bias field distortion. A novel landmark-based intensity normalization method was developed so that tissue types have a similar intensity scale in images of different subjects for the same MRI protocol. The holistically nested neural networks (HNN), which extend from the convolutional neural networks (CNN) with a deep supervision through an additional weighted-fusion output layer, was trained to learn the multiscale and multilevel hierarchical appearance representation of the brain tumor in MRI images and was subsequently applied to produce a prediction map of the brain tumor on test images. Finally, the brain tumor was obtained through an optimum thresholding on the prediction map. The proposed method was evaluated on both the Multimodal Brain Tumor Image Segmentation (BRATS) Benchmark 2013 training datasets, and clinical data from our institute. A dice similarity coefficient (DSC) and sensitivity of 0.78 and 0.81 were achieved on 20 BRATS 2013 training datasets with high-grade gliomas (HGG), based on a two-fold cross-validation. The HNN model built on the BRATS 2013 training data was applied to ten clinical datasets with HGG from a locally developed database. DSC and sensitivity of

Magnetic Particle Imaging (MPI) for NMR and MRI researchers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saritas, Emine U.; Goodwill, Patrick W.; Croft, Laura R.; Konkle, Justin J.; Lu, Kuan; Zheng, Bo; Conolly, Steven M.

2013-04-01

Magnetic Particle Imaging (MPI) is a new tracer imaging modality that is gaining significant interest from NMR and MRI researchers. While the physics of MPI differ substantially from MRI, it employs hardware and imaging concepts that are familiar to MRI researchers, such as magnetic excitation and detection, pulse sequences, and relaxation effects. Furthermore, MPI employs the same superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) contrast agents that are sometimes used for MR angiography and are often used for MRI cell tracking studies. These SPIOs are much safer for humans than iodine or gadolinium, especially for Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) patients. The weak kidneys of CKD patients cannot safely excrete iodine or gadolinium, leading to increased morbidity and mortality after iodinated X-ray or CT angiograms, or after gadolinium-MRA studies. Iron oxides, on the other hand, are processed in the liver, and have been shown to be safe even for CKD patients. Unlike the “black blood” contrast generated by SPIOs in MRI due to increased T2∗ dephasing, SPIOs in MPI generate positive, “bright blood” contrast. With this ideal contrast, even prototype MPI scanners can already achieve fast, high-sensitivity, and high-contrast angiograms with millimeter-scale resolutions in phantoms and in animals. Moreover, MPI shows great potential for an exciting array of applications, including stem cell tracking in vivo, first-pass contrast studies to diagnose or stage cancer, and inflammation imaging in vivo. So far, only a handful of prototype small-animal MPI scanners have been constructed worldwide. Hence, MPI is open to great advances, especially in hardware, pulse sequence, and nanoparticle improvements, with the potential to revolutionize the biomedical imaging field.

XeNA: An automated ‘open-source’ 129Xe hyperpolarizer for clinical use

PubMed Central

Nikolaou, Panayiotis; Coffey, Aaron M.; Walkup, Laura L.; Gust, Brogan M.; Whiting, Nicholas; Newton, Hayley; Muradyan, Iga; Dabaghyan, Mikayel; Ranta, Kaili; Moroz, Gregory D.; Rosen, Matthew S.; Patz, Samuel; Barlow, Michael J.; Chekmenev, Eduard Y.; Goodson, Boyd M.

2014-01-01

Here we provide a full report on the construction, components, and capabilities of our consortium’s “open-source” large-scale (~1 L/hr) 129Xe hyperpolarizer for clinical, pre-clinical, and materials NMR/MRI (Nikolaou et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 110, 14150 (2013)). The ‘hyperpolarizer’ is automated and built mostly of off-the-shelf components; moreover, it is designed to be cost-effective and installed in both research laboratories and clinical settings with materials costing less than $125,000. The device runs in the xenon-rich regime (up to 1800 Torr Xe in 0.5 L) in either stopped-flow or single-batch mode—making cryo-collection of the hyperpolarized gas unnecessary for many applications. In-cell 129Xe nuclear spin polarization values of ~30-90% have been measured for Xe loadings of ~300-1600 Torr. Typical 129Xe polarization build-up and T1 relaxation time constants were ~8.5 min and ~1.9 hr respectively under our SEOP conditions; such ratios, combined with near-unity Rb electron spin polarizations enabled by the high resonant laser power (up to ~200 W), permits such high PXe values to be achieved despite the high in-cell Xe densities. Importantly, most of the polarization is maintained during efficient HP gas transfer to other containers, and ultra-long 129Xe relaxation times (up to nearly 6 hr) were observed in Tedlar bags following transport to a clinical 3 T scanner for MR spectroscopy and imaging as a prelude to in vivo experiments. The device has received FDA IND approval for a clinical study of COPD subjects. The primary focus of this paper is on the technical / engineering development of the polarizer, with the explicit goals of facilitating the adaptation of design features and operative modes into other laboratories, and of spurring the further advancement of HP-gas MR applications in biomedicine. PMID:24631715

Testing the quality of images for permanent magnet desktop MRI systems using specially designed phantoms.

PubMed

Qiu, Jianfeng; Wang, Guozhu; Min, Jiao; Wang, Xiaoyan; Wang, Pengcheng

2013-12-21

Our aim was to measure the performance of desktop magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) systems using specially designed phantoms, by testing imaging parameters and analysing the imaging quality. We designed multifunction phantoms with diameters of 18 and 60 mm for desktop MRI scanners in accordance with the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) report no. 28. We scanned the phantoms with three permanent magnet 0.5 T desktop MRI systems, measured the MRI image parameters, and analysed imaging quality by comparing the data with the AAPM criteria and Chinese national standards. Image parameters included: resonance frequency, high contrast spatial resolution, low contrast object detectability, slice thickness, geometrical distortion, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and image uniformity. The image parameters of three desktop MRI machines could be measured using our specially designed phantoms, and most parameters were in line with MRI quality control criterion, including: resonance frequency, high contrast spatial resolution, low contrast object detectability, slice thickness, geometrical distortion, image uniformity and slice position accuracy. However, SNR was significantly lower than in some references. The imaging test and quality control are necessary for desktop MRI systems, and should be performed with the applicable phantom and corresponding standards.

Multi-channel metabolic imaging, with SENSE reconstruction, of hyperpolarized [1- 13C] pyruvate in a live rat at 3.0 tesla on a clinical MR scanner

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tropp, James; Lupo, Janine M.; Chen, Albert; Calderon, Paul; McCune, Don; Grafendorfer, Thomas; Ozturk-Isik, Esin; Larson, Peder E. Z.; Hu, Simon; Yen, Yi-Fen; Robb, Fraser; Bok, Robert; Schulte, Rolf; Xu, Duan; Hurd, Ralph; Vigneron, Daniel; Nelson, Sarah

2011-01-01

We report metabolic images of 13C, following injection of a bolus of hyperpolarized [1-13C] pyruvate in a live rat. The data were acquired on a clinical scanner, using custom coils for volume transmission and array reception. Proton blocking of all carbon resonators enabled proton anatomic imaging with the system body coil, to allow for registration of anatomic and metabolic images, for which good correlation was achieved, with some anatomic features (kidney and heart) clearly visible in a carbon image, without reference to the corresponding proton image. Parallel imaging with sensitivity encoding was used to increase the spatial resolution in the SI direction of the rat. The signal to noise ratio in was in some instances unexpectedly high in the parallel images; variability of the polarization among different trials, plus partial volume effects, are noted as a possible cause of this.

Simultaneous CT-MRI Reconstruction for Constrained Imaging Geometries using Structural Coupling and Compressive Sensing

PubMed Central

Xi, Yan; Zhao, Jun; Bennett, James R.; Stacy, Mitchel R.; Sinusas, Albert J.; Wang, Ge

2016-01-01

Objective A unified reconstruction framework is presented for simultaneous CT-MRI reconstruction. Significance Combined CT-MRI imaging has the potential for improved results in existing preclinical and clinical applications, as well as opening novel research directions for future applications. Methods In an ideal CT-MRI scanner, CT and MRI acquisitions would occur simultaneously, and hence would be inherently registered in space and time. Alternatively, separately acquired CT and MRI scans can be fused to simulate an instantaneous acquisition. In this study, structural coupling and compressive sensing techniques are combined to unify CT and MRI reconstructions. A bidirectional image estimation method was proposed to connect images from different modalities. Hence, CT and MRI data serve as prior knowledge to each other for better CT and MRI image reconstruction than what could be achieved with separate reconstruction. Results Our integrated reconstruction methodology is demonstrated with numerical phantom and real-dataset based experiments, and has yielded promising results. PMID:26672028

Vision 20/20: Simultaneous CT-MRI — Next chapter of multimodality imaging

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

Wang, Ge, E-mail: wangg6@rpi.edu; Xi, Yan; Gjesteby, Lars

Multimodality imaging systems such as positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) and MRI-PET are widely available, but a simultaneous CT-MRI instrument has not been developed. Synergies between independent modalities, e.g., CT, MRI, and PET/SPECT can be realized with image registration, but such postprocessing suffers from registration errors that can be avoided with synchronized data acquisition. The clinical potential of simultaneous CT-MRI is significant, especially in cardiovascular and oncologic applications where studies of the vulnerable plaque, response to cancer therapy, and kinetic and dynamic mechanisms of targeted agents are limited by current imaging technologies. The rationale, feasibility, and realization of simultaneous CT-MRImore » are described in this perspective paper. The enabling technologies include interior tomography, unique gantry designs, open magnet and RF sequences, and source and detector adaptation. Based on the experience with PET-CT, PET-MRI, and MRI-LINAC instrumentation where hardware innovation and performance optimization were instrumental to construct commercial systems, the authors provide top-level concepts for simultaneous CT-MRI to meet clinical requirements and new challenges. Simultaneous CT-MRI fills a major gap of modality coupling and represents a key step toward the so-called “omnitomography” defined as the integration of all relevant imaging modalities for systems biology and precision medicine.« less

Fast Dynamic 3D MRSI with Compressed Sensing and Multiband Excitation Pulses for Hyperpolarized 13C Studies

PubMed Central

Larson, Peder E. Z.; Hu, Simon; Lustig, Michael; Kerr, Adam B.; Nelson, Sarah J.; Kurhanewicz, John; Pauly, John M.; Vigneron, Daniel B.

2010-01-01

Hyperpolarized 13C MRSI can detect not only the uptake of the pre-polarized molecule but also its metabolic products in vivo, thus providing a powerful new method to study cellular metabolism. Imaging the dynamic perfusion and conversion of these metabolites provides additional tissue information but requires methods for efficient hyperpolarization usage and rapid acquisitions. In this work, we have developed a time-resolved 3D MRSI method for acquiring hyperpolarized 13C data by combining compressed sensing methods for acceleration and multiband excitation pulses to efficiently use the magnetization. This method achieved a 2 sec temporal resolution with full volumetric coverage of a mouse, and metabolites were observed for up to 60 sec following injection of hyperpolarized [1-13C]-pyruvate. The compressed sensing acquisition used random phase encode gradient blips to create a novel random undersampling pattern tailored to dynamic MRSI with sampling incoherency in four (time, frequency and two spatial) dimensions. The reconstruction was also tailored to dynamic MRSI by applying a temporal wavelet sparsifying transform in order to exploit the inherent temporal sparsity. Customized multiband excitation pulses were designed with a lower flip angle for the [1-13C]-pyruvate substrate given its higher concentration than its metabolic products ([1-13C]-lactate and [1-13C]-alanine), thus using less hyperpolarization per excitation. This approach has enabled the monitoring of perfusion and uptake of the pyruvate, and the conversion dynamics to lactate and alanine throughout a volume with high spatial and temporal resolution. PMID:20939089

Image segmentation and 3D visualization for MRI mammography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Lihua; Chu, Yong; Salem, Angela F.; Clark, Robert A.

2002-05-01

MRI mammography has a number of advantages, including the tomographic, and therefore three-dimensional (3-D) nature, of the images. It allows the application of MRI mammography to breasts with dense tissue, post operative scarring, and silicon implants. However, due to the vast quantity of images and subtlety of difference in MR sequence, there is a need for reliable computer diagnosis to reduce the radiologist's workload. The purpose of this work was to develop automatic breast/tissue segmentation and visualization algorithms to aid physicians in detecting and observing abnormalities in breast. Two segmentation algorithms were developed: one for breast segmentation, the other for glandular tissue segmentation. In breast segmentation, the MRI image is first segmented using an adaptive growing clustering method. Two tracing algorithms were then developed to refine the breast air and chest wall boundaries of breast. The glandular tissue segmentation was performed using an adaptive thresholding method, in which the threshold value was spatially adaptive using a sliding window. The 3D visualization of the segmented 2D slices of MRI mammography was implemented under IDL environment. The breast and glandular tissue rendering, slicing and animation were displayed.

Rapid ex vivo imaging of PAIII prostate to bone tumor with SWIFT-MRI.

PubMed

Luhach, Ihor; Idiyatullin, Djaudat; Lynch, Conor C; Corum, Curt; Martinez, Gary V; Garwood, Michael; Gillies, Robert J

2014-09-01

The limiting factor for MRI of skeletal/mineralized tissue is fast transverse relaxation. A recent advancement in MRI technology, SWIFT (Sweep Imaging with Fourier Transform), is emerging as a new approach to overcome this difficulty. Among other techniques like UTE, ZTE, and WASPI, the application of SWIFT technology has the strong potential to impact preclinical and clinical imaging, particularly in the context of primary or metastatic bone cancers because it has the added advantage of imaging water in mineralized tissues of bone allowing MRI images to be obtained of tissues previously visible only with modalities such as computed tomography (CT). The goal of the current study is to examine the feasibility of SWIFT for the assessment of the prostate cancer induced changes in bone formation (osteogenesis) and destruction (osteolysis) in ex vivo specimens. A luciferase expressing prostate cancer cell line (PAIII) or saline control was inoculated directly into the tibia of 6-week-old immunocompromised male mice. Tumor growth was assessed weekly for 3 weeks before euthanasia and dissection of the tumor bearing and sham tibias. The ex vivo mouse tibia specimens were imaged with a 9.4 Tesla (T) and 7T MRI systems. SWIFT images are compared with traditional gradient-echo and spin-echo MRI images as well as CT and histological sections. SWIFT images with nominal resolution of 78 μm are obtained with the tumor and different bone structures identified. Prostate cancer induced changes in the bone microstructure are visible in SWIFT images, which is supported by spin-echo, high resolution CT and histological analysis. SWIFT MRI is capable of high-quality high-resolution ex vivo imaging of bone tumor and surrounding bone and soft tissues. Furthermore, SWIFT MRI shows promise for in vivo bone tumor imaging, with the added benefits of nonexposure to ionizing radiation, quietness, and speed. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Opening the black box: imaging nanoparticle transport with MRI

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Phoenix, V.; Holmes, W. M.

2009-12-01

While most renown for its use in medicine, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has tremendous potential in the study of environmental processes. Its ability to non-invasively image inside materials that are opaque to other imaging methods (in particular light based techniques) is a particular strength. MRI has already been used, for example, to study fluid flow in rocks and image mass transport and biogeochemical processes in biofilms [1-4]. Here, we report of the use of MRI to image nanoparticle transport through porous geologic media (in this case packed gravel columns). Packed column experiments are key to understanding nanoparticulate transport in porous geologic media. Whilst highly informative, the data obtained can be a bulk average of a complex and heterogeneous array of interactions within the column. Natural environmental systems are often complex, displaying heterogeneity in geometry, hydrodynamics, geochemistry and microbiology throughout. MRI enables us to quantify better how this heterogeneity may influence nanoparticle transport and fate by enabling us to look inside the column and image the movement of nanoparticles within. To make the nanoparticle readily visible to MRI, it is labelled with a paramagnetic tag (commonly gadolinium). Indeed, a wide variety of off-the-shelf paramagnetically tagged nanoparticles and macromolecules are available, each with different properties enabling us to explore the impact of particle charge, size etc on their transport behaviour. In this preliminary study, packed columns of quartz or marble based gravels (approx 5 mm diameter) were first imaged to check their suitability for MR imaging. This was done as geologic material can contain sufficiently high concentrations of ferro- and paramagnetic ions to induce unwanted artefacts in the MR image. All gravels imaged (Rose quartz, Creswick quartz gravel and Ben Deulin white marble) produced minimal or no artefacts. A solution of the nanoparticle GadoCELLTrack (BioPAL), was

Fetal cerebral imaging - ultrasound vs. MRI: an update.

PubMed

Blondiaux, Eléonore; Garel, Catherine

2013-11-01

The purpose of this article is to analyze the advantages and limitations of prenatal ultrasonography (US) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the evaluation of the fetal brain. These imaging modalities should not be seen as competitive but rather as complementary. There are wide variations in the world regarding screening policies, technology, skills, and legislation about termination of pregnancy, and these variations markedly impact on the way of using prenatal imaging. According to the contribution expected from each technique and to local working conditions, one should choose the most appropriate imaging modality on a case-by-case basis. The advantages and limitations of US and MRI in the setting of fetal brain imaging are displayed. Different anatomical regions (midline, ventricles, subependymal area, cerebral parenchyma, pericerebral space, posterior fossa) and pathological conditions are analyzed and illustrated in order to compare the respective contribution of each technique. An accurate prenatal diagnosis of cerebral abnormalities is of utmost importance for prenatal counseling.

Lung function imaging methods in Cystic Fibrosis pulmonary disease.

PubMed

Kołodziej, Magdalena; de Veer, Michael J; Cholewa, Marian; Egan, Gary F; Thompson, Bruce R

2017-05-17

Monitoring of pulmonary physiology is fundamental to the clinical management of patients with Cystic Fibrosis. The current standard clinical practise uses spirometry to assess lung function which delivers a clinically relevant functional readout of total lung function, however does not supply any visible or localised information. High Resolution Computed Tomography (HRCT) is a well-established current 'gold standard' method for monitoring lung anatomical changes in Cystic Fibrosis patients. HRCT provides excellent morphological information, however, the X-ray radiation dose can become significant if multiple scans are required to monitor chronic diseases such as cystic fibrosis. X-ray phase-contrast imaging is another emerging X-ray based methodology for Cystic Fibrosis lung assessment which provides dynamic morphological and functional information, albeit with even higher X-ray doses than HRCT. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a non-ionising radiation imaging method that is garnering growing interest among researchers and clinicians working with Cystic Fibrosis patients. Recent advances in MRI have opened up the possibilities to observe lung function in real time to potentially allow sensitive and accurate assessment of disease progression. The use of hyperpolarized gas or non-contrast enhanced MRI can be tailored to clinical needs. While MRI offers significant promise it still suffers from poor spatial resolution and the development of an objective scoring system especially for ventilation assessment.

WE-DE-206-03: MRI Image Formation - Slice Selection, Phase Encoding, Frequency Encoding, K-Space, SNR

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

Lin, C.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has become an essential part of clinical imaging due to its ability to render high soft tissue contrast. Instead of ionizing radiation, MRI use strong magnetic field, radio frequency waves and field gradients to create diagnostic useful images. It can be used to image the anatomy and also functional and physiological activities within the human body. Knowledge of the basic physical principles underlying MRI acquisition is vitally important to successful image production and proper image interpretation. This lecture will give an overview of the spin physics, imaging principle of MRI, the hardware of the MRI scanner,more » and various pulse sequences and their applications. It aims to provide a conceptual foundation to understand the image formation process of a clinical MRI scanner. Learning Objectives: Understand the origin of the MR signal and contrast from the spin physics level. Understand the main hardware components of a MRI scanner and their purposes Understand steps for MR image formation including spatial encoding and image reconstruction Understand the main kinds of MR pulse sequences and their characteristics.« less

7T MRI in focal epilepsy with unrevealing conventional field strength imaging.

PubMed

De Ciantis, Alessio; Barba, Carmen; Tassi, Laura; Cosottini, Mirco; Tosetti, Michela; Costagli, Mauro; Bramerio, Manuela; Bartolini, Emanuele; Biagi, Laura; Cossu, Massimo; Pelliccia, Veronica; Symms, Mark R; Guerrini, Renzo

2016-03-01

To assess the diagnostic yield of 7T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in detecting and characterizing structural lesions in patients with intractable focal epilepsy and unrevealing conventional (1.5 or 3T) MRI. We conducted an observational clinical imaging study on 21 patients (17 adults and 4 children) with intractable focal epilepsy, exhibiting clinical and electroencephalographic features consistent with a single seizure-onset zone (SOZ) and unrevealing conventional MRI. Patients were enrolled at two tertiary epilepsy surgery centers and imaged at 7T, including whole brain (three-dimensional [3D] T1 -weighted [T1W] fast-spoiled gradient echo (FSPGR), 3D susceptibility-weighted angiography [SWAN], 3D fluid-attenuated inversion recovery [FLAIR]) and targeted imaging (2D T2*-weighted dual-echo gradient-recalled echo [GRE] and 2D gray-white matter tissue border enhancement [TBE] fast spin echo inversion recovery [FSE-IR]). MRI studies at 1.5 or 3T deemed unrevealing at the referral center were reviewed by three experts in epilepsy imaging. Reviewers were provided information regarding the suspected localization of the SOZ. The same team subsequently reviewed 7T images. Agreement in imaging interpretation was reached through consensus-based discussions based on visual identification of structural abnormalities and their likely correlation with clinical and electrographic data. 7T MRI revealed structural lesions in 6 (29%) of 21 patients. The diagnostic gain in detection was obtained using GRE and FLAIR images. Four of the six patients with abnormal 7T underwent epilepsy surgery. Histopathology revealed focal cortical dysplasia (FCD) in all. In the remaining 15 patients (71%), 7T MRI remained unrevealing; 4 of the patients underwent epilepsy surgery and histopathologic evaluation revealed gliosis. 7T MRI improves detection of epileptogenic FCD that is not visible at conventional field strengths. A dedicated protocol including whole brain FLAIR and GRE images at 7T

Software Toolbox for Low-Frequency Conductivity and Current Density Imaging Using MRI.

PubMed

Sajib, Saurav Z K; Katoch, Nitish; Kim, Hyung Joong; Kwon, Oh In; Woo, Eung Je

2017-11-01

Low-frequency conductivity and current density imaging using MRI includes magnetic resonance electrical impedance tomography (MREIT), diffusion tensor MREIT (DT-MREIT), conductivity tensor imaging (CTI), and magnetic resonance current density imaging (MRCDI). MRCDI and MREIT provide current density and isotropic conductivity images, respectively, using current-injection phase MRI techniques. DT-MREIT produces anisotropic conductivity tensor images by incorporating diffusion weighted MRI into MREIT. These current-injection techniques are finding clinical applications in diagnostic imaging and also in transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), deep brain stimulation (DBS), and electroporation where treatment currents can function as imaging currents. To avoid adverse effects of nerve and muscle stimulations due to injected currents, conductivity tensor imaging (CTI) utilizes B1 mapping and multi-b diffusion weighted MRI to produce low-frequency anisotropic conductivity tensor images without injecting current. This paper describes numerical implementations of several key mathematical functions for conductivity and current density image reconstructions in MRCDI, MREIT, DT-MREIT, and CTI. To facilitate experimental studies of clinical applications, we developed a software toolbox for these low-frequency conductivity and current density imaging methods. This MR-based conductivity imaging (MRCI) toolbox includes 11 toolbox functions which can be used in the MATLAB environment. The MRCI toolbox is available at http://iirc.khu.ac.kr/software.html . Its functions were tested by using several experimental datasets, which are provided together with the toolbox. Users of the toolbox can focus on experimental designs and interpretations of reconstructed images instead of developing their own image reconstruction softwares. We expect more toolbox functions to be added from future research outcomes. Low-frequency conductivity and current density imaging using MRI includes

Image Restoration Using Functional and Anatomical Information Fusion with Application to SPECT-MRI Images

PubMed Central

Benameur, S.; Mignotte, M.; Meunier, J.; Soucy, J. -P.

2009-01-01

Image restoration is usually viewed as an ill-posed problem in image processing, since there is no unique solution associated with it. The quality of restored image closely depends on the constraints imposed of the characteristics of the solution. In this paper, we propose an original extension of the NAS-RIF restoration technique by using information fusion as prior information with application in SPECT medical imaging. That extension allows the restoration process to be constrained by efficiently incorporating, within the NAS-RIF method, a regularization term which stabilizes the inverse solution. Our restoration method is constrained by anatomical information extracted from a high resolution anatomical procedure such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This structural anatomy-based regularization term uses the result of an unsupervised Markovian segmentation obtained after a preliminary registration step between the MRI and SPECT data volumes from each patient. This method was successfully tested on 30 pairs of brain MRI and SPECT acquisitions from different subjects and on Hoffman and Jaszczak SPECT phantoms. The experiments demonstrated that the method performs better, in terms of signal-to-noise ratio, than a classical supervised restoration approach using a Metz filter. PMID:19812704

Prediction of standard-dose brain PET image by using MRI and low-dose brain [18F]FDG PET images.

PubMed

Kang, Jiayin; Gao, Yaozong; Shi, Feng; Lalush, David S; Lin, Weili; Shen, Dinggang

2015-09-01

Positron emission tomography (PET) is a nuclear medical imaging technology that produces 3D images reflecting tissue metabolic activity in human body. PET has been widely used in various clinical applications, such as in diagnosis of brain disorders. High-quality PET images play an essential role in diagnosing brain diseases/disorders. In practice, in order to obtain high-quality PET images, a standard-dose radionuclide (tracer) needs to be used and injected into a living body. As a result, it will inevitably increase the patient's exposure to radiation. One solution to solve this problem is predicting standard-dose PET images using low-dose PET images. As yet, no previous studies with this approach have been reported. Accordingly, in this paper, the authors propose a regression forest based framework for predicting a standard-dose brain [(18)F]FDG PET image by using a low-dose brain [(18)F]FDG PET image and its corresponding magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) image. The authors employ a regression forest for predicting the standard-dose brain [(18)F]FDG PET image by low-dose brain [(18)F]FDG PET and MRI images. Specifically, the proposed method consists of two main steps. First, based on the segmented brain tissues (i.e., cerebrospinal fluid, gray matter, and white matter) in the MRI image, the authors extract features for each patch in the brain image from both low-dose PET and MRI images to build tissue-specific models that can be used to initially predict standard-dose brain [(18)F]FDG PET images. Second, an iterative refinement strategy, via estimating the predicted image difference, is used to further improve the prediction accuracy. The authors evaluated their algorithm on a brain dataset, consisting of 11 subjects with MRI, low-dose PET, and standard-dose PET images, using leave-one-out cross-validations. The proposed algorithm gives promising results with well-estimated standard-dose brain [(18)F]FDG PET image and substantially enhanced image quality of low

Prediction of standard-dose brain PET image by using MRI and low-dose brain [18F]FDG PET images

PubMed Central

Kang, Jiayin; Gao, Yaozong; Shi, Feng; Lalush, David S.; Lin, Weili; Shen, Dinggang

2015-01-01

Purpose: Positron emission tomography (PET) is a nuclear medical imaging technology that produces 3D images reflecting tissue metabolic activity in human body. PET has been widely used in various clinical applications, such as in diagnosis of brain disorders. High-quality PET images play an essential role in diagnosing brain diseases/disorders. In practice, in order to obtain high-quality PET images, a standard-dose radionuclide (tracer) needs to be used and injected into a living body. As a result, it will inevitably increase the patient’s exposure to radiation. One solution to solve this problem is predicting standard-dose PET images using low-dose PET images. As yet, no previous studies with this approach have been reported. Accordingly, in this paper, the authors propose a regression forest based framework for predicting a standard-dose brain [18F]FDG PET image by using a low-dose brain [18F]FDG PET image and its corresponding magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) image. Methods: The authors employ a regression forest for predicting the standard-dose brain [18F]FDG PET image by low-dose brain [18F]FDG PET and MRI images. Specifically, the proposed method consists of two main steps. First, based on the segmented brain tissues (i.e., cerebrospinal fluid, gray matter, and white matter) in the MRI image, the authors extract features for each patch in the brain image from both low-dose PET and MRI images to build tissue-specific models that can be used to initially predict standard-dose brain [18F]FDG PET images. Second, an iterative refinement strategy, via estimating the predicted image difference, is used to further improve the prediction accuracy. Results: The authors evaluated their algorithm on a brain dataset, consisting of 11 subjects with MRI, low-dose PET, and standard-dose PET images, using leave-one-out cross-validations. The proposed algorithm gives promising results with well-estimated standard-dose brain [18F]FDG PET image and substantially enhanced

Ex vivo hyperpolarized MR spectroscopy on isolated renal tubular cells: A novel technique for cell energy phenotyping.

PubMed

Juul, Troels; Palm, Fredrik; Nielsen, Per Mose; Bertelsen, Lotte Bonde; Laustsen, Christoffer

2017-08-01

It has been demonstrated that hyperpolarized 13 C MR is a useful tool to study cultured cells. However, cells in culture can alter phenotype, which raises concerns regarding the in vivo significance of such findings. Here we investigate if metabolic phenotyping using hyperpolarized 13 C MR is suitable for cells isolated from kidney tissue, without prior cell culture. Isolation of tubular cells from freshly excised kidney tissue and treatment with either ouabain or antimycin A was investigated with hyperpolarized MR spectroscopy on a 9.4 Tesla preclinical imaging system. Isolation of tubular cells from less than 2 g of kidney tissue generally resulted in more than 10 million live tubular cells. This amount of cells was enough to yield robust signals from the conversion of 13 C-pyruvate to lactate, bicarbonate and alanine, demonstrating that metabolic flux by means of both anaerobic and aerobic pathways can be quantified using this technique. Ex vivo metabolic phenotyping using hyperpolarized 13 C MR in a preclinical system is a useful technique to study energy metabolism in freshly isolated renal tubular cells. This technique has the potential to advance our understanding of both normal cell physiology as well as pathological processes contributing to kidney disease. Magn Reson Med 78:457-461, 2017. © 2016 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. © 2016 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

Removal of intensity bias in magnitude spin-echo MRI images by nonlinear diffusion filtering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Samsonov, Alexei A.; Johnson, Chris R.

2004-05-01

MRI data analysis is routinely done on the magnitude part of complex images. While both real and imaginary image channels contain Gaussian noise, magnitude MRI data are characterized by Rice distribution. However, conventional filtering methods often assume image noise to be zero mean and Gaussian distributed. Estimation of an underlying image using magnitude data produces biased result. The bias may lead to significant image errors, especially in areas of low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). The incorporation of the Rice PDF into a noise filtering procedure can significantly complicate the method both algorithmically and computationally. In this paper, we demonstrate that inherent image phase smoothness of spin-echo MRI images could be utilized for separate filtering of real and imaginary complex image channels to achieve unbiased image denoising. The concept is demonstrated with a novel nonlinear diffusion filtering scheme developed for complex image filtering. In our proposed method, the separate diffusion processes are coupled through combined diffusion coefficients determined from the image magnitude. The new method has been validated with simulated and real MRI data. The new method has provided efficient denoising and bias removal in conventional and black-blood angiography MRI images obtained using fast spin echo acquisition protocols.

Complete fourier direct magnetic resonance imaging (CFD-MRI) for diffusion MRI

PubMed Central

Özcan, Alpay

2013-01-01

The foundation for an accurate and unifying Fourier-based theory of diffusion weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DW–MRI) is constructed by carefully re-examining the first principles of DW–MRI signal formation and deriving its mathematical model from scratch. The derivations are specifically obtained for DW–MRI signal by including all of its elements (e.g., imaging gradients) using complex values. Particle methods are utilized in contrast to conventional partial differential equations approach. The signal is shown to be the Fourier transform of the joint distribution of number of the magnetic moments (at a given location at the initial time) and magnetic moment displacement integrals. In effect, the k-space is augmented by three more dimensions, corresponding to the frequency variables dual to displacement integral vectors. The joint distribution function is recovered by applying the Fourier transform to the complete high-dimensional data set. In the process, to obtain a physically meaningful real valued distribution function, phase corrections are applied for the re-establishment of Hermitian symmetry in the signal. Consequently, the method is fully unconstrained and directly presents the distribution of displacement integrals without any assumptions such as symmetry or Markovian property. The joint distribution function is visualized with isosurfaces, which describe the displacement integrals, overlaid on the distribution map of the number of magnetic moments with low mobility. The model provides an accurate description of the molecular motion measurements via DW–MRI. The improvement of the characterization of tissue microstructure leads to a better localization, detection and assessment of biological properties such as white matter integrity. The results are demonstrated on the experimental data obtained from an ex vivo baboon brain. PMID:23596401

LabVIEW-based control software for para-hydrogen induced polarization instrumentation

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

Agraz, Jose, E-mail: joseagraz@ucla.edu; Grunfeld, Alexander; Li, Debiao

2014-04-15

The elucidation of cell metabolic mechanisms is the modern underpinning of the diagnosis, treatment, and in some cases the prevention of disease. Para-Hydrogen induced polarization (PHIP) enhances magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) signals over 10 000 fold, allowing for the MRI of cell metabolic mechanisms. This signal enhancement is the result of hyperpolarizing endogenous substances used as contrast agents during imaging. PHIP instrumentation hyperpolarizes Carbon-13 ({sup 13}C) based substances using a process requiring control of a number of factors: chemical reaction timing, gas flow, monitoring of a static magnetic field (B{sub o}), radio frequency (RF) irradiation timing, reaction temperature, and gas pressures.more » Current PHIP instruments manually control the hyperpolarization process resulting in the lack of the precise control of factors listed above, resulting in non-reproducible results. We discuss the design and implementation of a LabVIEW based computer program that automatically and precisely controls the delivery and manipulation of gases and samples, monitoring gas pressures, environmental temperature, and RF sample irradiation. We show that the automated control over the hyperpolarization process results in the hyperpolarization of hydroxyethylpropionate. The implementation of this software provides the fast prototyping of PHIP instrumentation for the evaluation of a myriad of {sup 13}C based endogenous contrast agents used in molecular imaging.« less

The Potential of Metabolic Imaging

PubMed Central

Di Gialleonardo, Valentina; Wilson, David M.; Keshari, Kayvan R.

2015-01-01

Metabolic imaging is a field of molecular imaging that focuses and targets changes in metabolic pathways for the evaluation of different clinical conditions. Targeting and quantifying metabolic changes non-invasively is a powerful approach to facilitate diagnosis and evaluate therapeutic response. This review addresses only techniques targeting metabolic pathways. Other molecular imaging strategies, such as affinity/receptor imaging or microenvironment-dependent methods are beyond the scope of this review. Here we describe the current state of the art in clinically translatable metabolic imaging modalities. Specifically, we will focus on positron emission tomography (PET) and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), including conventional 1H and 13C MRS at thermal equilibrium and hyperpolarized magnetic resonance imaging (HP MRI). In this paper, we first provide an overview of metabolic pathways that are altered in many pathological conditions and the corresponding probes and techniques used to study those alterations. We will then describe the application of metabolic imaging to several common diseases including cancer, neurodegeneration, cardiac ischemia, and infection/inflammation. PMID:26687855

Multiparametric imaging of brain hemodynamics and function using gas-inhalation MRI

PubMed Central

Liu, Peiying; Welch, Babu G.; Li, Yang; Gu, Hong; King, Darlene; Yang, Yihong; Pinho, Marco; Lu, Hanzhang

2016-01-01

Diagnosis and treatment monitoring of cerebrovascular diseases routinely require hemodynamic imaging of the brain. Current methods either only provide part of the desired information or require the injection of multiple exogenous agents. In this study, we developed a multiparametric imaging scheme for the imaging of brain hemodynamics and function using gas-inhalation MRI. The proposed technique uses a single MRI scan to provide simultaneous measurements of baseline venous cerebral blood volume (vCBV), cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR), bolus arrival time (BAT), and resting-state functional connectivity (fcMRI). This was achieved with a novel, concomitant O2 and CO2 gas inhalation paradigm, rapid MRI image acquisition with a 9.3 min BOLD sequence, and an advanced algorithm to extract multiple hemodynamic information from the same dataset. In healthy subjects, CVR and vCBV values were 0.23±0.03 %/mmHg and 0.0056±0.0006 %/mmHg, respectively, with a strong correlation (r=0.96 for CVR and r=0.91 for vCBV) with more conventional, separate acquisitions that take twice the scan time. In patients with Moyamoya syndrome, CVR in the stenosis-affected flow territories (typically anterior-cerebral-artery, ACA, and middle-cerebral-artery, MCA, territories) was significantly lower than that in posterior-cerebral-artery (PCA), which typically has minimal stenosis, flow territories (0.12±0.06 %/mmHg vs. 0.21±0.05 %/mmHg, p<0.001). BAT of the gas bolus was significantly longer (p=0.008) in ACA/MCA territories, compared to PCA, and the maps were consistent with the conventional contrast-enhanced CT perfusion method. FcMRI networks were robustly identified from the gas-inhalation MRI data after factoring out the influence of CO2 and O2 on the signal time course. The spatial correspondence between the gas-data-derived fcMRI maps and those using a separate, conventional fcMRI scan was excellent, showing a spatial correlation of 0.58±0.17 and 0.64±0.20 for default mode network and

Effects of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles on the longitudinal and transverse relaxation of hyperpolarized xenon gas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burant, Alex; Antonacci, Michael; McCallister, Drew; Zhang, Le; Branca, Rosa Tamara

2018-06-01

SuperParamagnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles (SPIONs) are often used in magnetic resonance imaging experiments to enhance Magnetic Resonance (MR) sensitivity and specificity. While the effect of SPIONs on the longitudinal and transverse relaxation time of 1H spins has been well characterized, their effect on highly diffusive spins, like those of hyperpolarized gases, has not. For spins diffusing in linear magnetic field gradients, the behavior of the magnetization is characterized by the relative size of three length scales: the diffusion length, the structural length, and the dephasing length. However, for spins diffusing in non-linear gradients, such as those generated by iron oxide nanoparticles, that is no longer the case, particularly if the diffusing spins experience the non-linearity of the gradient. To this end, 3D Monte Carlo simulations are used to simulate the signal decay and the resulting image contrast of hyperpolarized xenon gas near SPIONs. These simulations reveal that signal loss near SPIONs is dominated by transverse relaxation, with little contribution from T1 relaxation, while simulated image contrast and experiments show that diffusion provides no appreciable sensitivity enhancement to SPIONs.

Sensitivity enhancement for detection of hyperpolarized 13 C MRI probes with 1 H spin coupling introduced by enzymatic transformation in vivo.

PubMed

von Morze, Cornelius; Tropp, James; Chen, Albert P; Marco-Rius, Irene; Van Criekinge, Mark; Skloss, Timothy W; Mammoli, Daniele; Kurhanewicz, John; Vigneron, Daniel B; Ohliger, Michael A; Merritt, Matthew E

2018-07-01

Although 1 H spin coupling is generally avoided in probes for hyperpolarized (HP) 13 C MRI, enzymatic transformations of biological interest can introduce large 13 C- 1 H couplings in vivo. The purpose of this study was to develop and investigate the application of 1 H decoupling for enhancing the sensitivity for detection of affected HP 13 C metabolic products. A standalone 1 H decoupler system and custom concentric 13 C/ 1 H paddle coil setup were integrated with a clinical 3T MRI scanner for in vivo 13 C MR studies using HP [2- 13 C]dihydroxyacetone, a novel sensor of hepatic energy status. Major 13 C- 1 H coupling J CH  = ∼150 Hz) is introduced after adenosine triphosphate-dependent enzymatic transformation of HP [2- 13 C]dihydroxyacetone to [2- 13 C]glycerol-3-phosphate in vivo. Application of WALTZ-16 1 H decoupling for elimination of large 13 C- 1 H couplings was first tested in thermally polarized glycerol phantoms and then for in vivo HP MR studies in three rats, scanned both with and without decoupling. As configured, 1 H-decoupled 13 C MR of thermally polarized glycerol and the HP metabolic product [2- 13 C]glycerol-3-phosphate was achieved at forward power of approximately 15 W. High-quality 3-s dynamic in vivo HP 13 C MR scans were acquired with decoupling duty cycle of 5%. Application of 1 H decoupling resulted in sensitivity enhancement of 1.7-fold for detection of metabolic conversion of [2- 13 C]dihydroxyacetone to HP [2- 13 C]glycerol-3-phosphate in vivo. Application of 1 H decoupling provides significant sensitivity enhancement for detection of HP 13 C metabolic products with large 1 H spin couplings, and is therefore expected to be useful for preclinical and potentially clinical HP 13 C MR studies. Magn Reson Med 80:36-41, 2018. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

[Magnetic resonance imaging in facial injuries and digital fusion CT/MRI].

PubMed

Kozakiewicz, Marcin; Olszycki, Marek; Arkuszewski, Piotr; Stefańczyk, Ludomir

2006-01-01

Magnetic resonance images [MRI] and their digital fusion with computed tomography [CT] data, observed in patients affected with facial injuries, are presented in this study. The MR imaging of 12 posttraumatic patients was performed in the same plains as their previous CT scans. Evaluation focused on quality of the facial soft tissues depicting, which was unsatisfactory in CT. Using the own "Dental Studio" programme the digital fusion of the both modalities was performed. Pathologic dislocations and injures of facial soft tissues are visualized better in MRI than in CT examination. Especially MRI properly reveals disturbances in intraorbital soft structures. MRI-based assessment is valuable in patients affected with facial soft tissues injuries, especially in case of orbita/sinuses hernia. Fusion CT/MRI scans allows to evaluate simultaneously bone structure and soft tissues of the same region.

Characterizing Response to Elemental Unit of Acoustic Imaging Noise: An fMRI Study

PubMed Central

Luh, Wen-Ming; Talavage, Thomas M.

2010-01-01

Acoustic imaging noise produced during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies can hinder auditory fMRI research analysis by altering the properties of the acquired time-series data. Acoustic imaging noise can be especially confounding when estimating the time course of the hemodynamic response (HDR) in auditory event-related fMRI (fMRI) experiments. This study is motivated by the desire to establish a baseline function that can serve not only as a comparison to other quantities of acoustic imaging noise for determining how detrimental is one's experimental noise, but also as a foundation for a model that compensates for the response to acoustic imaging noise. Therefore, the amplitude and spatial extent of the HDR to the elemental unit of acoustic imaging noise (i.e., a single ping) associated with echoplanar acquisition were characterized and modeled. Results from this fMRI study at 1.5 T indicate that the group-averaged HDR in left and right auditory cortex to acoustic imaging noise (duration of 46 ms) has an estimated peak magnitude of 0.29% (right) to 0.48% (left) signal change from baseline, peaks between 3 and 5 s after stimulus presentation, and returns to baseline and remains within the noise range approximately 8 s after stimulus presentation. PMID:19304477

Automatic delineation of brain regions on MRI and PET images from the pig.

PubMed

Villadsen, Jonas; Hansen, Hanne D; Jørgensen, Louise M; Keller, Sune H; Andersen, Flemming L; Petersen, Ida N; Knudsen, Gitte M; Svarer, Claus

2018-01-15

The increasing use of the pig as a research model in neuroimaging requires standardized processing tools. For example, extraction of regional dynamic time series from brain PET images requires parcellation procedures that benefit from being automated. Manual inter-modality spatial normalization to a MRI atlas is operator-dependent, time-consuming, and can be inaccurate with lack of cortical radiotracer binding or skull uptake. A parcellated PET template that allows for automatic spatial normalization to PET images of any radiotracer. MRI and [ 11 C]Cimbi-36 PET scans obtained in sixteen pigs made the basis for the atlas. The high resolution MRI scans allowed for creation of an accurately averaged MRI template. By aligning the within-subject PET scans to their MRI counterparts, an averaged PET template was created in the same space. We developed an automatic procedure for spatial normalization of the averaged PET template to new PET images and hereby facilitated transfer of the atlas regional parcellation. Evaluation of the automatic spatial normalization procedure found the median voxel displacement to be 0.22±0.08mm using the MRI template with individual MRI images and 0.92±0.26mm using the PET template with individual [ 11 C]Cimbi-36 PET images. We tested the automatic procedure by assessing eleven PET radiotracers with different kinetics and spatial distributions by using perfusion-weighted images of early PET time frames. We here present an automatic procedure for accurate and reproducible spatial normalization and parcellation of pig PET images of any radiotracer with reasonable blood-brain barrier penetration. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Understanding Patient Preference in Female Pelvic Imaging: Transvaginal Ultrasound and MRI.

PubMed

Sakala, Michelle D; Carlos, Ruth C; Mendiratta-Lala, Mishal; Quint, Elisabeth H; Maturen, Katherine E

2018-04-01

Women with pelvic pain or abnormal uterine bleeding may undergo diagnostic imaging. This study evaluates patient experience in transvaginal ultrasound (TVUS) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and explores correlations between preference and symptom severity. Institutional review board approval was obtained for this Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act-compliant prospective study. Fifty premenopausal women with pelvic symptoms evaluated by recent TVUS and MRI and without history of gynecologic cancer or hysterectomy were included. A phone questionnaire used validated survey instruments including Uterine Fibroid Symptoms Quality of Life index, Testing Morbidities Index, and Wait Trade Off for TVUS and MRI examinations. Using Wait Trade Off, patients preferred TVUS over MRI (3.58 vs 2.80 weeks, 95% confidence interval [CI] -1.63, 0.12; P = .08). Summary test utility of Testing Morbidities Index for MRI was worse than for TVUS (81.64 vs 87.42, 95%CI 0.41, 11.15; P = .03). Patients reported greater embarrassment during TVUS than during MRI (P <.0001), but greater fear and anxiety both before (P <.0001) and during (P <.001) MRI, and greater mental (P = .02) and physical (P = .02) problems after MRI versus TVUS. Subscale correlations showed physically inactive women rated TVUS more negatively (R = -0.32, P = .03), whereas women with more severe symptoms of loss of control of health (R = -0.28, P = .04) and sexual dysfunction (R = -0.30, P = .03) rated MRI more negatively. Women with pelvic symptoms had a slight but significant preference for TVUS over MRI. Identifying specific distressing aspects of each test and patient factors contributing to negative perceptions can direct improvement in both test environment and patient preparation. Improved patient experience may increase imaging value. Copyright © 2018 The Association of University Radiologists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Blockade of hyperpolarizing currents produces a dose-dependent effect on heart rate.

PubMed

Ziyatdinova, N I; Giniatullin, R A; Svyatova, N V; Zefirov, T L

2001-03-01

Intravenous injection of ZD 7288, a new specific hyperpolarizing current blocker, dose-dependently reduces heart rate in adult rats. The autonomic nervous system modulates changes in heart rate caused by hyperpolarizing currents.

Diffusion Weighted/Tensor Imaging, Functional MRI and Perfusion Weighted Imaging in Glioblastoma-Foundations and Future.

PubMed

Salama, Gayle R; Heier, Linda A; Patel, Praneil; Ramakrishna, Rohan; Magge, Rajiv; Tsiouris, Apostolos John

2017-01-01

In this article, we review the basics of diffusion tensor imaging and functional MRI, their current utility in preoperative neurosurgical mapping, and their limitations. We also discuss potential future applications, including implementation of resting state functional MRI. We then discuss perfusion and diffusion-weighted imaging and their application in advanced neuro-oncologic practice. We explain how these modalities can be helpful in guiding surgical biopsies and differentiating recurrent tumor from treatment related changes.

Diffusion Weighted/Tensor Imaging, Functional MRI and Perfusion Weighted Imaging in Glioblastoma—Foundations and Future

PubMed Central

Salama, Gayle R.; Heier, Linda A.; Patel, Praneil; Ramakrishna, Rohan; Magge, Rajiv; Tsiouris, Apostolos John

2018-01-01

In this article, we review the basics of diffusion tensor imaging and functional MRI, their current utility in preoperative neurosurgical mapping, and their limitations. We also discuss potential future applications, including implementation of resting state functional MRI. We then discuss perfusion and diffusion-weighted imaging and their application in advanced neuro-oncologic practice. We explain how these modalities can be helpful in guiding surgical biopsies and differentiating recurrent tumor from treatment related changes. PMID:29403420

Co-registration of In-Vivo Human MRI Brain Images to Postmortem Histological Microscopic Images

PubMed Central

Singh, M.; Rajagopalan, A.; Kim, T.-S.; Hwang, D.; Chui, H.; Zhang, X.-L.; Lee, A.-Y.; Zarow, C.

2009-01-01

Certain features such as small vascular lesions seen in human MRI are detected reliably only in postmortem histological samples by microscopic imaging. Co-registration of these microscopically detected features to their corresponding locations in the in-vivo images would be of great benefit to understanding the MRI signatures of specific diseases. Using non-linear Polynomial transformation, we report a method to co-register in-vivo MRIs to microscopic images of histological samples drawn off the postmortem brain. The approach utilizes digital photographs of postmortem slices as an intermediate reference to co-register the MRIs to microscopy. The overall procedure is challenging due to gross structural deformations in the postmortem brain during extraction and subsequent distortions in the histological preparations. Hemispheres of the brain were co-registered separately to mitigate these effects. Approaches relying on matching single-slices, multiple-slices and entire volumes in conjunction with different similarity measures suggested that using four slices at a time in combination with two sequential measures, Pearson correlation coefficient followed by mutual information, produced the best MRI-postmortem co-registration according to a voxel mismatch count. The accuracy of the overall registration was evaluated by measuring the 3D Euclidean distance between the locations of microscopically identified lesions on postmortem slices and their MRI-postmortem co-registered locations. The results show a mean 3D displacement of 5.1 ± 2.0 mm between the in-vivo MRI and microscopically determined locations for 21 vascular lesions in 11 subjects. PMID:19169415

Whole-body diffusion-weighted MR image stitching and alignment to anatomical MRI

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ceranka, Jakub; Polfliet, Mathias; Lecouvet, Frederic; Michoux, Nicolas; Vandemeulebroucke, Jef

2017-02-01

Whole-body diffusion-weighted (WB-DW) MRI in combination with anatomical MRI has shown a great poten- tial in bone and soft tissue tumour detection, evaluation of lymph nodes and treatment response assessment. Because of the vast body coverage, whole-body MRI is acquired in separate stations, which are subsequently combined into a whole-body image. However, inter-station and inter-modality image misalignments can occur due to image distortions and patient motion during acquisition, which may lead to inaccurate representations of patient anatomy and hinder visual assessment. Automated and accurate whole-body image formation and alignment of the multi-modal MRI images is therefore crucial. We investigated several registration approaches for the formation or stitching of the whole-body image stations, followed by a deformable alignment of the multi- modal whole-body images. We compared a pairwise approach, where diffusion-weighted (DW) image stations were sequentially aligned to a reference station (pelvis), to a groupwise approach, where all stations were simultaneously mapped to a common reference space while minimizing the overall transformation. For each, a choice of input images and corresponding metrics was investigated. Performance was evaluated by assessing the quality of the obtained whole-body images, and by verifying the accuracy of the alignment with whole-body anatomical sequences. The groupwise registration approach provided the best compromise between the formation of WB- DW images and multi-modal alignment. The fully automated method was found to be robust, making its use in the clinic feasible.

Framework for 2D-3D image fusion of infrared thermography with preoperative MRI.

PubMed

Hoffmann, Nico; Weidner, Florian; Urban, Peter; Meyer, Tobias; Schnabel, Christian; Radev, Yordan; Schackert, Gabriele; Petersohn, Uwe; Koch, Edmund; Gumhold, Stefan; Steiner, Gerald; Kirsch, Matthias

2017-11-27

Multimodal medical image fusion combines information of one or more images in order to improve the diagnostic value. While previous applications mainly focus on merging images from computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), ultrasonic and single-photon emission computed tomography, we propose a novel approach for the registration and fusion of preoperative 3D MRI with intraoperative 2D infrared thermography. Image-guided neurosurgeries are based on neuronavigation systems, which further allow us track the position and orientation of arbitrary cameras. Hereby, we are able to relate the 2D coordinate system of the infrared camera with the 3D MRI coordinate system. The registered image data are now combined by calibration-based image fusion in order to map our intraoperative 2D thermographic images onto the respective brain surface recovered from preoperative MRI. In extensive accuracy measurements, we found that the proposed framework achieves a mean accuracy of 2.46 mm.

Feasibility study on 3D image reconstruction from 2D orthogonal cine-MRI for MRI-guided radiotherapy.

PubMed

Paganelli, Chiara; Lee, Danny; Kipritidis, John; Whelan, Brendan; Greer, Peter B; Baroni, Guido; Riboldi, Marco; Keall, Paul

2018-02-11

In-room MRI is a promising image guidance strategy in external beam radiotherapy to acquire volumetric information for moving targets. However, limitations in spatio-temporal resolution led several authors to use 2D orthogonal images for guidance. The aim of this work is to present a method to concurrently compensate for non-rigid tumour motion and provide an approach for 3D reconstruction from 2D orthogonal cine-MRI slices for MRI-guided treatments. Free-breathing sagittal/coronal interleaved 2D cine-MRI were acquired in addition to a pre-treatment 3D volume in two patients. We performed deformable image registration (DIR) between cine-MRI slices and corresponding slices in the pre-treatment 3D volume. Based on an extrapolation of the interleaved 2D motion fields, the 3D motion field was estimated and used to warp the pre-treatment volume. Due to the lack of a ground truth for patients, the method was validated on a digital 4D lung phantom. On the phantom, the 3D reconstruction method was able to compensate for tumour motion and compared favourably to the results of previously adopted strategies. The difference in the 3D motion fields between the phantom and the extrapolated motion was 0.4 ± 0.3 mm for tumour and 0.8 ± 1.5 mm for whole anatomy, demonstrating feasibility of performing a 3D volumetric reconstruction directly from 2D orthogonal cine-MRI slices. Application of the method to patient data confirmed the feasibility of utilizing this method in real world scenarios. Preliminary results on phantom and patient cases confirm the feasibility of the proposed approach in an MRI-guided scenario, especially for non-rigid tumour motion compensation. © 2018 The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists.

[From Brownian motion to mind imaging: diffusion MRI].

PubMed

Le Bihan, Denis

2006-11-01

The success of diffusion MRI, which was introduced in the mid 1980s is deeply rooted in the powerful concept that during their random, diffusion-driven movements water molecules probe tissue structure at a microscopic scale well beyond the usual image resolution. The observation of these movements thus provides valuable information on the structure and the geometric organization of tissues. The most successful application of diffusion MRI has been in brain ischemia, following the discovery that water diffusion drops at a very early stage of the ischemic event. Diffusion MRI provides some patients with the opportunity to receive suitable treatment at a very acute stage when brain tissue might still be salvageable. On the other hand, diffusion is modulated by the spatial orientation of large bundles of myelinated axons running in parallel through in brain white matter. This feature can be exploited to map out the orientation in space of the white matter tracks and to visualize the connections between different parts of the brain on an individual basis. Furthermore, recent data suggest that diffusion MRI may also be used to visualize rapid dynamic tissue changes, such as neuronal swelling, associated with cortical activation, offering a new and direct approach to brain functional imaging.

Image to physical space registration of supine breast MRI for image guided breast surgery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Conley, Rebekah H.; Meszoely, Ingrid M.; Pheiffer, Thomas S.; Weis, Jared A.; Yankeelov, Thomas E.; Miga, Michael I.

2014-03-01

Breast conservation therapy (BCT) is a desirable option for many women diagnosed with early stage breast cancer and involves a lumpectomy followed by radiotherapy. However, approximately 50% of eligible women will elect for mastectomy over BCT despite equal survival benefit (provided margins of excised tissue are cancer free) due to uncertainty in outcome with regards to complete excision of cancerous cells, risk of local recurrence, and cosmesis. Determining surgical margins intraoperatively is difficult and achieving negative margins is not as robust as it needs to be, resulting in high re-operation rates and often mastectomy. Magnetic resonance images (MRI) can provide detailed information about tumor margin extents, however diagnostic images are acquired in a fundamentally different patient presentation than that used in surgery. Therefore, the high quality diagnostic MRIs taken in the prone position with pendant breast are not optimal for use in surgical planning/guidance due to the drastic shape change between preoperative images and the common supine surgical position. This work proposes to investigate the value of supine MRI in an effort to localize tumors intraoperatively using image-guidance. Mock intraoperative setups (realistic patient positioning in non-sterile environment) and preoperative imaging data were collected from a patient scheduled for a lumpectomy. The mock intraoperative data included a tracked laser range scan of the patient's breast surface, tracked center points of MR visible fiducials on the patient's breast, and tracked B-mode ultrasound and strain images. The preoperative data included a supine MRI with visible fiducial markers. Fiducial markers localized in the MRI were rigidly registered to their mock intraoperative counterparts using an optically tracked stylus. The root mean square (RMS) fiducial registration error using the tracked markers was 3.4mm. Following registration, the average closest point distance between the MR

Origin of 5-hydroxytryptamine-induced hyperpolarization of the rat superior cervical ganglion and vagus nerve.

PubMed Central

Ireland, S. J.

1987-01-01

1 5-Hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)-induced membrane potential changes were recorded extracellularly from rat superior cervical ganglia (SCG) and cervical vagus nerves in vitro. 2 On the SCG, low concentrations of 5-HT (1 X 10(-8)-3 X 10(-7) M) induced concentration-related hyperpolarization responses. Higher concentrations of 5-HT (1 X 10(-6) 1 X 10(-4) M) induced complex responses which typically consisted of an initial hyperpolarization, followed by a depolarization and subsequent after-hyperpolarization. The depolarization, but not the initial hyperpolarization, was blocked by metoclopramide (3 X 10(-5) M), quipazine (1 X 10(-6) M) or MDL 72222 (1 X 10(-5) M). 3 5-HT-induced hyperpolarization of the SCG was potentiated when the amount of calcium chloride added to the superfusion medium was reduced from 2.5 to 0.15 mmol l-1. Hyperpolarization responses recorded from SCG preparations superfused with this low-calcium medium were unaffected by the substitution of lithium chloride for sodium chloride and were potentiated by the omission of potassium ions. Ouabain (1 X 10(-3) M) abolished both the hyperpolarization and the depolarization induced by 5-HT. 4 On the vagus nerve, 5-HT (1 X 10(-7) - 3 X 10(-5)M) did not induce initial hyperpolarization in either normal or low-calcium Krebs-Henseleit medium. However, in the latter solution only, depolarization responses induced by 5-HT at concentrations of 1 X 10(-6)M or greater were followed by hyperpolarization. Both the depolarization and the post-5-HT hyperpolarization were blocked by metoclopramide (3 X 10(-5)M) but were unaffected by spiperone (1 X 10(-7)M). 5 On the vagus nerve, post-5-HT hyperpolarization responses were selectively and reversibly inhibited by ouabain, and by superfusion with Krebs-Henseleit medium that was either potassium-free or contained lithium chloride in place of sodium chloride. 7 These results demonstrate the generation in the rat SCG of a 5-HT-induced hyperpolarization response that is not

Single voxel localization for dynamic hyperpolarized 13C MR spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Albert P.; Cunningham, Charles H.

2015-09-01

The PRESS technique has been widely used to achieve voxel localization for in vivo1H MRS acquisitions. However, for dynamic hyperpolarized 13C MRS experiments, the transition bands of the refocusing pulses may saturate the pre-polarized substrate spins flowing into the voxel. This limitation may be overcome by designing refocusing pulses that do not perturb the resonance of the hyperpolarized substrate, but selectively refocuses the spins of the metabolic products. In this study, a PRESS pulse sequence incorporating spectral-spatial refocusing pulses that have a stop band ('notch') at the substrate resonance is tested in vivo using hyperpolarized [1-13C]pyruvate. Higher metabolite SNR was observed in experiments using the spectral-spatial refocusing pulses as compared to conventional refocusing pulses.

Multiparametric imaging of brain hemodynamics and function using gas-inhalation MRI.

PubMed

Liu, Peiying; Welch, Babu G; Li, Yang; Gu, Hong; King, Darlene; Yang, Yihong; Pinho, Marco; Lu, Hanzhang

2017-02-01

Diagnosis and treatment monitoring of cerebrovascular diseases routinely require hemodynamic imaging of the brain. Current methods either only provide part of the desired information or require the injection of multiple exogenous agents. In this study, we developed a multiparametric imaging scheme for the imaging of brain hemodynamics and function using gas-inhalation MRI. The proposed technique uses a single MRI scan to provide simultaneous measurements of baseline venous cerebral blood volume (vCBV), cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR), bolus arrival time (BAT), and resting-state functional connectivity (fcMRI). This was achieved with a novel, concomitant O 2 and CO 2 gas inhalation paradigm, rapid MRI image acquisition with a 9.3min BOLD sequence, and an advanced algorithm to extract multiple hemodynamic information from the same dataset. In healthy subjects, CVR and vCBV values were 0.23±0.03%/mmHg and 0.0056±0.0006%/mmHg, respectively, with a strong correlation (r=0.96 for CVR and r=0.91 for vCBV) with more conventional, separate acquisitions that take twice the scan time. In patients with Moyamoya syndrome, CVR in the stenosis-affected flow territories (typically anterior-cerebral-artery, ACA, and middle-cerebral-artery, MCA, territories) was significantly lower than that in posterior-cerebral-artery (PCA), which typically has minimal stenosis, flow territories (0.12±0.06%/mmHg vs. 0.21±0.05%/mmHg, p<0.001). BAT of the gas bolus was significantly longer (p=0.008) in ACA/MCA territories, compared to PCA, and the maps were consistent with the conventional contrast-enhanced CT perfusion method. FcMRI networks were robustly identified from the gas-inhalation MRI data after factoring out the influence of CO 2 and O 2 on the signal time course. The spatial correspondence between the gas-data-derived fcMRI maps and those using a separate, conventional fcMRI scan was excellent, showing a spatial correlation of 0.58±0.17 and 0.64±0.20 for default mode network and

The physics of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buxton, Richard B.

2013-09-01

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is a methodology for detecting dynamic patterns of activity in the working human brain. Although the initial discoveries that led to fMRI are only about 20 years old, this new field has revolutionized the study of brain function. The ability to detect changes in brain activity has a biophysical basis in the magnetic properties of deoxyhemoglobin, and a physiological basis in the way blood flow increases more than oxygen metabolism when local neural activity increases. These effects translate to a subtle increase in the local magnetic resonance signal, the blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) effect, when neural activity increases. With current techniques, this pattern of activation can be measured with resolution approaching 1 mm3 spatially and 1 s temporally. This review focuses on the physical basis of the BOLD effect, the imaging methods used to measure it, the possible origins of the physiological effects that produce a mismatch of blood flow and oxygen metabolism during neural activation, and the mathematical models that have been developed to understand the measured signals. An overarching theme is the growing field of quantitative fMRI, in which other MRI methods are combined with BOLD methods and analyzed within a theoretical modeling framework to derive quantitative estimates of oxygen metabolism and other physiological variables. That goal is the current challenge for fMRI: to move fMRI from a mapping tool to a quantitative probe of brain physiology.

The physics of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)

PubMed Central

Buxton, Richard B

2015-01-01

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is a methodology for detecting dynamic patterns of activity in the working human brain. Although the initial discoveries that led to fMRI are only about 20 years old, this new field has revolutionized the study of brain function. The ability to detect changes in brain activity has a biophysical basis in the magnetic properties of deoxyhemoglobin, and a physiological basis in the way blood flow increases more than oxygen metabolism when local neural activity increases. These effects translate to a subtle increase in the local magnetic resonance signal, the blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) effect, when neural activity increases. With current techniques, this pattern of activation can be measured with resolution approaching 1 mm3 spatially and 1 s temporally. This review focuses on the physical basis of the BOLD effect, the imaging methods used to measure it, the possible origins of the physiological effects that produce a mismatch of blood flow and oxygen metabolism during neural activation, and the mathematical models that have been developed to understand the measured signals. An overarching theme is the growing field of quantitative fMRI, in which other MRI methods are combined with BOLD methods and analyzed within a theoretical modeling framework to derive quantitative estimates of oxygen metabolism and other physiological variables. That goal is the current challenge for fMRI: to move fMRI from a mapping tool to a quantitative probe of brain physiology. PMID:24006360

The physics of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).

PubMed

Buxton, Richard B

2013-09-01

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is a methodology for detecting dynamic patterns of activity in the working human brain. Although the initial discoveries that led to fMRI are only about 20 years old, this new field has revolutionized the study of brain function. The ability to detect changes in brain activity has a biophysical basis in the magnetic properties of deoxyhemoglobin, and a physiological basis in the way blood flow increases more than oxygen metabolism when local neural activity increases. These effects translate to a subtle increase in the local magnetic resonance signal, the blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) effect, when neural activity increases. With current techniques, this pattern of activation can be measured with resolution approaching 1 mm(3) spatially and 1 s temporally. This review focuses on the physical basis of the BOLD effect, the imaging methods used to measure it, the possible origins of the physiological effects that produce a mismatch of blood flow and oxygen metabolism during neural activation, and the mathematical models that have been developed to understand the measured signals. An overarching theme is the growing field of quantitative fMRI, in which other MRI methods are combined with BOLD methods and analyzed within a theoretical modeling framework to derive quantitative estimates of oxygen metabolism and other physiological variables. That goal is the current challenge for fMRI: to move fMRI from a mapping tool to a quantitative probe of brain physiology.

Nondisruptive Dissolution of Hyperpolarized 129 Xe into Viscous Aqueous and Organic Liquid Crystalline Environments

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

Truxal, Ashley E.; Slack, Clancy C.; Gomes, Muller D.

2016-03-08

Studies of hyperpolarized xenon-129 in media such as liquid crystals and cell suspensions are in demand for applications ranging from biomedical imaging to materials engineering but have been hindered by the inability to bubble Xe through the desired media as a result of viscosity or perturbations caused by bubbles. This research reports on a device that can be reliably used to dissolve hp- 129 Xe into viscous aqueous and organic samples without bubbling. This method is robust, requires small sample volumes ( < 60 μL), is compatible with existing NMR hardware, and is made from readily available materials. Experiments showmore » that Xe can be introduced into viscous and aligned media without disrupting molecular order. We detected dissolved xenon in an aqueous liquid crystal that is disrupted by the shear forces of bubbling, and we observed liquid-crystal phase transitions in (MBBA). This tool allows an entirely new class of samples to be investigated by hyperpolarized-gas NMR spectroscopy. Blending into the crowd: A new device that facilitates the direct dissolution of hyperpolarized 129 Xe into viscous liquid-crystalline media is presented. 129 Xe and 2 H NMR spectra show the nondisruptive dissolution of xenon, the presence of ordered phases, and, in the case of the thermotropic liquid crystal N-(4-methoxybenzylidene)-4-butylaniline, a nematic-isotropic phase transition.« less

Imaging in rectal cancer with emphasis on local staging with MRI

PubMed Central

Arya, Supreeta; Das, Deepak; Engineer, Reena; Saklani, Avanish

2015-01-01

Imaging in rectal cancer has a vital role in staging disease, and in selecting and optimizing treatment planning. High-resolution MRI (HR-MRI) is the recommended method of first choice for local staging of rectal cancer for both primary staging and for restaging after preoperative chemoradiation (CT-RT). HR-MRI helps decide between upfront surgery and preoperative CT-RT. It provides high accuracy for prediction of circumferential resection margin at surgery, T category, and nodal status in that order. MRI also helps assess resectability after preoperative CT-RT and decide between sphincter saving or more radical surgery. Accurate technique is crucial for obtaining high-resolution images in the appropriate planes for correct staging. The phased array external coil has replaced the endorectal coil that is no longer recommended. Non-fat suppressed 2D T2-weighted (T2W) sequences in orthogonal planes to the tumor are sufficient for primary staging. Contrast-enhanced MRI is considered inappropriate for both primary staging and restaging. Diffusion-weighted sequence may be of value in restaging. Multidetector CT cannot replace MRI in local staging, but has an important role for evaluating distant metastases. Positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET/CT) has a limited role in the initial staging of rectal cancer and is reserved for cases with resectable metastatic disease before contemplating surgery. This article briefly reviews the comprehensive role of imaging in rectal cancer, describes the role of MRI in local staging in detail, discusses the optimal MRI technique, and provides a synoptic report for both primary staging and restaging after CT-RT in routine practice. PMID:25969638

Image-guided laparoscopic surgery in an open MRI operating theater.

PubMed

Tsutsumi, Norifumi; Tomikawa, Morimasa; Uemura, Munenori; Akahoshi, Tomohiko; Nagao, Yoshihiro; Konishi, Kozo; Ieiri, Satoshi; Hong, Jaesung; Maehara, Yoshihiko; Hashizume, Makoto

2013-06-01

The recent development of open magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has provided an opportunity for the next stage of image-guided surgical and interventional procedures. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of laparoscopic surgery under the pneumoperitoneum with the system of an open MRI operating theater. Five patients underwent laparoscopic surgery with a real-time augmented reality navigation system that we previously developed in a horizontal-type 0.4-T open MRI operating theater. All procedures were performed in an open MRI operating theater. During the operations, the laparoscopic monitor clearly showed the augmented reality models of the intraperitoneal structures, such as the common bile ducts and the urinary bladder, as well as the proper positions of the prosthesis. The navigation frame rate was 8 frames per min. The mean fiducial registration error was 6.88 ± 6.18 mm in navigated cases. We were able to use magnetic resonance-incompatible surgical instruments out of the 5-Gs restriction area, as well as conventional laparoscopic surgery, and we developed a real-time augmented reality navigation system using open MRI. Laparoscopic surgery with our real-time augmented reality navigation system in the open MRI operating theater is a feasible option.

Joint sparse reconstruction of multi-contrast MRI images with graph based redundant wavelet transform.

PubMed

Lai, Zongying; Zhang, Xinlin; Guo, Di; Du, Xiaofeng; Yang, Yonggui; Guo, Gang; Chen, Zhong; Qu, Xiaobo

2018-05-03

Multi-contrast images in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provide abundant contrast information reflecting the characteristics of the internal tissues of human bodies, and thus have been widely utilized in clinical diagnosis. However, long acquisition time limits the application of multi-contrast MRI. One efficient way to accelerate data acquisition is to under-sample the k-space data and then reconstruct images with sparsity constraint. However, images are compromised at high acceleration factor if images are reconstructed individually. We aim to improve the images with a jointly sparse reconstruction and Graph-based redundant wavelet transform (GBRWT). First, a sparsifying transform, GBRWT, is trained to reflect the similarity of tissue structures in multi-contrast images. Second, joint multi-contrast image reconstruction is formulated as a ℓ 2, 1 norm optimization problem under GBRWT representations. Third, the optimization problem is numerically solved using a derived alternating direction method. Experimental results in synthetic and in vivo MRI data demonstrate that the proposed joint reconstruction method can achieve lower reconstruction errors and better preserve image structures than the compared joint reconstruction methods. Besides, the proposed method outperforms single image reconstruction with joint sparsity constraint of multi-contrast images. The proposed method explores the joint sparsity of multi-contrast MRI images under graph-based redundant wavelet transform and realizes joint sparse reconstruction of multi-contrast images. Experiment demonstrate that the proposed method outperforms the compared joint reconstruction methods as well as individual reconstructions. With this high quality image reconstruction method, it is possible to achieve the high acceleration factors by exploring the complementary information provided by multi-contrast MRI.

Muscle contraction during hyperpolarizing currents in the crab.

PubMed

Uchitel, O D; García, H

1974-01-01

Isolated muscle fibers from the motor legs of the crab Trichodactilus dilocarcinus were submitted to strong hyperpolarizing currents of varied intensities which produced tension during the current pulse. Threshold for tension was obtained with intensities of about 0.2 x 10(-5) A, changing E(m) to ca. -150 mV (starting from a resting potential ofca. -80 mV). At the closure of the anodic square pulse, a second phase of tension usually appeared superimposed upon the one obtained during hyperpolarization. The first phase of tension increased with the increase of Ca(++) concentration in the bath. Sr(++) produced the same type of mechanical output as Ca(++). When added to the normal Ca(++) concentration, Ba(++) and Mn(++) in low concentrations (up to 21.5 mM) also increased the tension of this phase, but at higher concentrations they blocked both phases while Mg(++) did not alter the tension. Of all the divalent cations employed, only Sr(++) is capable of developing tension as a substitute for Ca(++) in the external media. Procaine administered in a dosage (5 x 10(-3) W/V)which would suppress the contracture due to caffeine (10 mM), did not modify the tension developed during the hyperpolarization. The preceding data indicate that the Ca(++) required for tension during hyperpolarization comes from sites which would differ from those usually postulated for tension due to depolarization in the muscle fibers of other crustaceans (American crayfish). Furthermore, the external source of Ca(++) appears to be one mainly implicated in the induction of tension due to inward current pulses.

Prediction of standard-dose brain PET image by using MRI and low-dose brain [{sup 18}F]FDG PET images

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

Kang, Jiayin; Gao, Yaozong; Shi, Feng

Purpose: Positron emission tomography (PET) is a nuclear medical imaging technology that produces 3D images reflecting tissue metabolic activity in human body. PET has been widely used in various clinical applications, such as in diagnosis of brain disorders. High-quality PET images play an essential role in diagnosing brain diseases/disorders. In practice, in order to obtain high-quality PET images, a standard-dose radionuclide (tracer) needs to be used and injected into a living body. As a result, it will inevitably increase the patient’s exposure to radiation. One solution to solve this problem is predicting standard-dose PET images using low-dose PET images. Asmore » yet, no previous studies with this approach have been reported. Accordingly, in this paper, the authors propose a regression forest based framework for predicting a standard-dose brain [{sup 18}F]FDG PET image by using a low-dose brain [{sup 18}F]FDG PET image and its corresponding magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) image. Methods: The authors employ a regression forest for predicting the standard-dose brain [{sup 18}F]FDG PET image by low-dose brain [{sup 18}F]FDG PET and MRI images. Specifically, the proposed method consists of two main steps. First, based on the segmented brain tissues (i.e., cerebrospinal fluid, gray matter, and white matter) in the MRI image, the authors extract features for each patch in the brain image from both low-dose PET and MRI images to build tissue-specific models that can be used to initially predict standard-dose brain [{sup 18}F]FDG PET images. Second, an iterative refinement strategy, via estimating the predicted image difference, is used to further improve the prediction accuracy. Results: The authors evaluated their algorithm on a brain dataset, consisting of 11 subjects with MRI, low-dose PET, and standard-dose PET images, using leave-one-out cross-validations. The proposed algorithm gives promising results with well-estimated standard-dose brain [{sup 18}F

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.

Development of spatial-temporal ventilation heterogeneity and probability analysis tools for hyperpolarized 3He magnetic resonance imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choy, S.; Ahmed, H.; Wheatley, A.; McCormack, D. G.; Parraga, G.

2010-03-01

We developed image analysis tools to evaluate spatial and temporal 3He magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) ventilation in asthma and cystic fibrosis. We also developed temporal ventilation probability maps to provide a way to describe and quantify ventilation heterogeneity over time, as a way to test respiratory exacerbations or treatment predictions and to provide a discrete probability measurement of 3He ventilation defect persistence.

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.

Heart MRI

MedlinePlus

Magnetic resonance imaging - cardiac; Magnetic resonance imaging - heart; Nuclear magnetic resonance - cardiac; NMR - cardiac; MRI of the heart; Cardiomyopathy - MRI; Heart failure - MRI; Congenital heart disease - MRI

Comparison of Echo and MRI in the Imaging Evaluation of Intracardiac Masses

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

Gulati, G., E-mail: gulatigurpreet@rediffmail.com; Sharma, S.; Kothari, S.S.

We compared the efficacy of echocardiography (ECHO) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for evaluating intracardiac masses. Over an 8-yr period, 28 patients, 21 males, 7 females, 16 days-60 years of age (mean 25 years) with a suspected intracardiac mass on ECHO (transthoracic in all; transesophageal in 9) underwent an MRI examination. Five patients had a contrast-enhanced MRI. ECHO and MRI were compared with respect to their technical adequacy, ability to detect and suggest the likely etiology of the mass, and provide additional information (masses not seen with the other technique, inflow or outflow obstruction, and intramural component of an intracavitarymore » mass). With MRI, the image morphology (including signal intensity changes on the various sequences) and extracardiac manifestations were also evaluated. The diagnosis was confirmed by histopathology in 18, surgical inspection in 4, by follow- up imaging on conservative management in 5, and by typical extracardiac manifestations of the disease in 1 patient.Fifteen (54%) patients had tumors (benign 12, malignant 3), 5 had a thrombus or hematoma, and 4 each had infective or vascular lesions. Thirty-four masses (13 in ventricle, 11 septal, 7 atrial, 2 on valve and 1 in pulmonary artery) were seen on MRI, 28 of which were detected by ECHO. Transthoracic ECHO (TTE) and MRI were technically optimal in 82% and 100% of cases, respectively. Nine patients needed an additional transesophageal ECHO (TEE). Overall, MRI showed a mass in all patients, whereas ECHO missed it in 2 cases. In cases with a mass on both modalities, MRI detected 4 additional masses not seen on ECHO. MRI suggested the etiology in 21 (75%) cases, while the same was possible with ECHO (TTE and TEE) in 8 (29%) cases. Intramural component, extension into the inflow or outflow, outflow tract obstruction, and associated pericardial or extracardiac masses were better depicted on MRI. We conclude that MRI is advantageous over a combination of TTE and

Iterative image reconstruction for PROPELLER-MRI using the nonuniform fast fourier transform.

PubMed

Tamhane, Ashish A; Anastasio, Mark A; Gui, Minzhi; Arfanakis, Konstantinos

2010-07-01

To investigate an iterative image reconstruction algorithm using the nonuniform fast Fourier transform (NUFFT) for PROPELLER (Periodically Rotated Overlapping ParallEL Lines with Enhanced Reconstruction) MRI. Numerical simulations, as well as experiments on a phantom and a healthy human subject were used to evaluate the performance of the iterative image reconstruction algorithm for PROPELLER, and compare it with that of conventional gridding. The trade-off between spatial resolution, signal to noise ratio, and image artifacts, was investigated for different values of the regularization parameter. The performance of the iterative image reconstruction algorithm in the presence of motion was also evaluated. It was demonstrated that, for a certain range of values of the regularization parameter, iterative reconstruction produced images with significantly increased signal to noise ratio, reduced artifacts, for similar spatial resolution, compared with gridding. Furthermore, the ability to reduce the effects of motion in PROPELLER-MRI was maintained when using the iterative reconstruction approach. An iterative image reconstruction technique based on the NUFFT was investigated for PROPELLER MRI. For a certain range of values of the regularization parameter, the new reconstruction technique may provide PROPELLER images with improved image quality compared with conventional gridding. (c) 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

gr-MRI: A software package for magnetic resonance imaging using software defined radios

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hasselwander, Christopher J.; Cao, Zhipeng; Grissom, William A.

2016-09-01

The goal of this work is to develop software that enables the rapid implementation of custom MRI spectrometers using commercially-available software defined radios (SDRs). The developed gr-MRI software package comprises a set of Python scripts, flowgraphs, and signal generation and recording blocks for GNU Radio, an open-source SDR software package that is widely used in communications research. gr-MRI implements basic event sequencing functionality, and tools for system calibrations, multi-radio synchronization, and MR signal processing and image reconstruction. It includes four pulse sequences: a single-pulse sequence to record free induction signals, a gradient-recalled echo imaging sequence, a spin echo imaging sequence, and an inversion recovery spin echo imaging sequence. The sequences were used to perform phantom imaging scans with a 0.5 Tesla tabletop MRI scanner and two commercially-available SDRs. One SDR was used for RF excitation and reception, and the other for gradient pulse generation. The total SDR hardware cost was approximately 2000. The frequency of radio desynchronization events and the frequency with which the software recovered from those events was also measured, and the SDR's ability to generate frequency-swept RF waveforms was validated and compared to the scanner's commercial spectrometer. The spin echo images geometrically matched those acquired using the commercial spectrometer, with no unexpected distortions. Desynchronization events were more likely to occur at the very beginning of an imaging scan, but were nearly eliminated if the user invoked the sequence for a short period before beginning data recording. The SDR produced a 500 kHz bandwidth frequency-swept pulse with high fidelity, while the commercial spectrometer produced a waveform with large frequency spike errors. In conclusion, the developed gr-MRI software can be used to develop high-fidelity, low-cost custom MRI spectrometers using commercially-available SDRs.

gr-MRI: A software package for magnetic resonance imaging using software defined radios.

PubMed

Hasselwander, Christopher J; Cao, Zhipeng; Grissom, William A

2016-09-01

The goal of this work is to develop software that enables the rapid implementation of custom MRI spectrometers using commercially-available software defined radios (SDRs). The developed gr-MRI software package comprises a set of Python scripts, flowgraphs, and signal generation and recording blocks for GNU Radio, an open-source SDR software package that is widely used in communications research. gr-MRI implements basic event sequencing functionality, and tools for system calibrations, multi-radio synchronization, and MR signal processing and image reconstruction. It includes four pulse sequences: a single-pulse sequence to record free induction signals, a gradient-recalled echo imaging sequence, a spin echo imaging sequence, and an inversion recovery spin echo imaging sequence. The sequences were used to perform phantom imaging scans with a 0.5Tesla tabletop MRI scanner and two commercially-available SDRs. One SDR was used for RF excitation and reception, and the other for gradient pulse generation. The total SDR hardware cost was approximately $2000. The frequency of radio desynchronization events and the frequency with which the software recovered from those events was also measured, and the SDR's ability to generate frequency-swept RF waveforms was validated and compared to the scanner's commercial spectrometer. The spin echo images geometrically matched those acquired using the commercial spectrometer, with no unexpected distortions. Desynchronization events were more likely to occur at the very beginning of an imaging scan, but were nearly eliminated if the user invoked the sequence for a short period before beginning data recording. The SDR produced a 500kHz bandwidth frequency-swept pulse with high fidelity, while the commercial spectrometer produced a waveform with large frequency spike errors. In conclusion, the developed gr-MRI software can be used to develop high-fidelity, low-cost custom MRI spectrometers using commercially-available SDRs. Copyright �

Carotid plaque characterization using CT and MRI scans for synergistic image analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Getzin, Matthew; Xu, Yiqin; Rao, Arhant; Madi, Saaussan; Bahadur, Ali; Lennartz, Michelle R.; Wang, Ge

2014-09-01

Noninvasive determination of plaque vulnerability has been a holy grail of medical imaging. Despite advances in tomographic technologies , there is currently no effective way to identify vulnerable atherosclerotic plaques with high sensitivity and specificity. Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are widely used, but neither provides sufficient information of plaque properties. Thus, we are motivated to combine CT and MRI imaging to determine if the composite information can better reflect the histological determination of plaque vulnerability. Two human endarterectomy specimens (1 symptomatic carotid and 1 stable femoral) were imaged using Scanco Medical Viva CT40 and Bruker Pharmascan 16cm 7T Horizontal MRI / MRS systems. μCT scans were done at 55 kVp and tube current of 70 mA. Samples underwent RARE-VTR and MSME pulse sequences to measure T1, T2 values, and proton density. The specimens were processed for histology and scored for vulnerability using the American Heart Association criteria. Single modality-based analyses were performed through segmentation of key imaging biomarkers (i.e. calcification and lumen), image registration, measurement of fibrous capsule, and multi-component T1 and T2 decay modeling. Feature differences were analyzed between the unstable and stable controls, symptomatic carotid and femoral plaque, respectively. By building on the techniques used in this study, synergistic CT+MRI analysis may provide a promising solution for plaque characterization in vivo.

Can glenoid wear be accurately assessed using x-ray imaging? Evaluating agreement of x-ray and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) Walch classification.

PubMed

Kopka, Michaela; Fourman, Mitchell; Soni, Ashish; Cordle, Andrew C; Lin, Albert

2017-09-01

The Walch classification is the most recognized means of assessing glenoid wear in preoperative planning for shoulder arthroplasty. This classification relies on advanced imaging, which is more expensive and less practical than plain radiographs. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the Walch classification could be accurately applied to x-ray images compared with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as the gold standard. We hypothesized that x-ray images cannot adequately replace advanced imaging in the evaluation of glenoid wear. Preoperative axillary x-ray images and MRI scans of 50 patients assessed for shoulder arthroplasty were independently reviewed by 5 raters. Glenoid wear was individually classified according to the Walch classification using each imaging modality. The raters then collectively reviewed the MRI scans and assigned a consensus classification to serve as the gold standard. The κ coefficient was used to determine interobserver agreement for x-ray images and independent MRI reads, as well as the agreement between x-ray images and consensus MRI. The inter-rater agreement for x-ray images and MRIs was "moderate" (κ = 0.42 and κ = 0.47, respectively) for the 5-category Walch classification (A1, A2, B1, B2, C) and "moderate" (κ = 0.54 and κ = 0.59, respectively) for the 3-category Walch classification (A, B, C). The agreement between x-ray images and consensus MRI was much lower: "fair-to-moderate" (κ = 0.21-0.51) for the 5-category and "moderate" (κ = 0.36-0.60) for the 3-category Walch classification. The inter-rater agreement between x-ray images and consensus MRI is "fair-to-moderate." This is lower than the previously reported reliability of the Walch classification using computed tomography scans. Accordingly, x-ray images are inferior to advanced imaging when assessing glenoid wear. Copyright © 2017 Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery Board of Trustees. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights

Open-source image registration for MRI-TRUS fusion-guided prostate interventions.

PubMed

Fedorov, Andriy; Khallaghi, Siavash; Sánchez, C Antonio; Lasso, Andras; Fels, Sidney; Tuncali, Kemal; Sugar, Emily Neubauer; Kapur, Tina; Zhang, Chenxi; Wells, William; Nguyen, Paul L; Abolmaesumi, Purang; Tempany, Clare

2015-06-01

We propose two software tools for non-rigid registration of MRI and transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) images of the prostate. Our ultimate goal is to develop an open-source solution to support MRI-TRUS fusion image guidance of prostate interventions, such as targeted biopsy for prostate cancer detection and focal therapy. It is widely hypothesized that image registration is an essential component in such systems. The two non-rigid registration methods are: (1) a deformable registration of the prostate segmentation distance maps with B-spline regularization and (2) a finite element-based deformable registration of the segmentation surfaces in the presence of partial data. We evaluate the methods retrospectively using clinical patient image data collected during standard clinical procedures. Computation time and Target Registration Error (TRE) calculated at the expert-identified anatomical landmarks were used as quantitative measures for the evaluation. The presented image registration tools were capable of completing deformable registration computation within 5 min. Average TRE was approximately 3 mm for both methods, which is comparable with the slice thickness in our MRI data. Both tools are available under nonrestrictive open-source license. We release open-source tools that may be used for registration during MRI-TRUS-guided prostate interventions. Our tools implement novel registration approaches and produce acceptable registration results. We believe these tools will lower the barriers in development and deployment of interventional research solutions and facilitate comparison with similar tools.

Muscle Contraction during Hyperpolarizing Currents in the Crab

PubMed Central

Uchitel, O. D.; García, H.

1974-01-01

Isolated muscle fibers from the motor legs of the crab Trichodactilus dilocarcinus were submitted to strong hyperpolarizing currents of varied intensities which produced tension during the current pulse. Threshold for tension was obtained with intensities of about 0.2 x 10–5 A, changing Em to ca. –150 mV (starting from a resting potential ofca. –80 mV). At the closure of the anodic square pulse, a second phase of tension usually appeared superimposed upon the one obtained during hyperpolarization. The first phase of tension increased with the increase of Ca++ concentration in the bath. Sr++ produced the same type of mechanical output as Ca++. When added to the normal Ca++ concentration, Ba++ and Mn++ in low concentrations (up to 21.5 mM) also increased the tension of this phase, but at higher concentrations they blocked both phases while Mg++ did not alter the tension. Of all the divalent cations employed, only Sr++ is capable of developing tension as a substitute for Ca++ in the external media. Procaine administered in a dosage (5 x 10–3 W/V)which would suppress the contracture due to caffeine (10 mM), did not modify the tension developed during the hyperpolarization. The preceding data indicate that the Ca++ required for tension during hyperpolarization comes from sites which would differ from those usually postulated for tension due to depolarization in the muscle fibers of other crustaceans (American crayfish). Furthermore, the external source of Ca++ appears to be one mainly implicated in the induction of tension due to inward current pulses. PMID:4810206

[The Diagnostic Value of Pre-Biopsy Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) for Detecting Prostate Cancer].

PubMed

Mori, Kohei; Miyoshi, Yasuhide; Yoneyama, Shuko; Ishida, Hiroaki; Hattori, Yusuke; Teranishi, Jun-ichi; Kondo, Keiichi; Noguchi, Kazumi

2016-01-01

We examined the value of pre-biopsy magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for detecting prostate cancer. We analyzed 267 men with prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels of 3-10 ng/ml who underwent systematic prostate needle biopsy. From April 2009 to March 2011, a total of 98 male patients underwent 16-core prostatic biopsies without pre-biopsy magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (nonenforcement group). From April 2011 to March 2013, 169 men underwent pre-biopsy MRI [T2-weighted imaging (T2WI) and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI)] (enforcement group). When MRI findings indicated cancer in the latter group, in addition to the systematic 16-core biopsy one or two targeted biopsies were performed. Patients without suspicious MRI findings underwent only systematic 16-core biopsy. Cancer detection rates in the nonenforcement and enforcement groups were 42.9% (48/92) and 46. 2% (78/169), respectively. The difference did not reach significance (p＝0.612). Although the cancer detection rates were 39.4% (41/104) in the MRI-negative group and 56. 9% (37/65) in the MRI-positive group (p＝0.039), the sensitivity and specificity for cancer detection by MRI were relatively low: 47.4% and 69.2%, respectively. By receiver-operating curve analysis, the area under the curve for cancer detection by MRI was only 0.583. There were two study limitations. First, the patient sample size was small. Second, it is unclear whether an adequate sample of the suspicious lesion was obtained by biopsy. We thus demonstrated that it might be improper to base a diagnosis solely on pre-biopsy MRI (T2WI and DWI) findings in men with serum PSA levels of 3-10 ng/ml.

Epoxyeicosatrienoic acids, potassium channel blockers and endothelium-dependent hyperpolarization in the guinea-pig carotid artery

PubMed Central

Chataigneau, Thierry; Félétou, Michel; Duhault, Jacques; Vanhoutte, Paul M

1998-01-01

Using intracellular microelectrodes, we investigated the effects of 17-octadecynoic acid (17-ODYA) on the endothelium-dependent hyperpolarization induced by acetylcholine in the guinea-pig isolated internal carotid artery with endothelium. In the presence of Nω-nitro-L-arginine (L-NOARG, 100 μM) and indomethacin (5 μM) to inhibit nitric oxide synthase and cyclo-oxygenase, acetylcholine (1 μM) evoked an endothelium-dependent hyperpolarization which averaged −16.4 mV starting from a resting membrane potential of −56.8 mV. There was a negative correlation between the amplitude of the hyperpolarization and the absolute values of the resting membrane potential. The acetylcholine-induced endothelium-dependent hyperpolarization was not altered by charybdotoxin (0.1 μM) or iberiotoxin (30 nM). It was partially but significantly reduced by apamin (0.5 μM) to −12.8±1.2 mV (n=10) or the combination of apamin plus iberiotoxin (−14.3±3.4 mV, n=4). However, the combination of charybdotoxin and apamin abolished the hyperpolarization and under these conditions, acetylcholine evoked a depolarization (+7.1±3.7 mV, n=8). 17-ODYA (10 μM) produced a significant hyperpolarization of the resting membrane potential which averaged −59.6 mV and a partial but significant inhibition of the acetylcholine-induced endothelium-dependent hyperpolarization (−10.9 mV). Apamin did not modify the effects of 17-ODYA but in the presence of charybdotoxin or iberiotoxin, 17-ODYA no longer influenced the resting membrane potential or the acetylcholine-induced hyperpolarization. When compared to solvent (ethanol, 1% v/v), epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EpETrEs) (5,6-, 8,9-, 11,12- and 14,15-EpETrE, 3 μM) did not affect the cell membrane potential and did not relax the guinea-pig isolated internal carotid artery. These results indicate that, in the guinea-pig internal carotid artery, the involvement of metabolites of arachidonic acid through the cytochrome P

Quantitative analysis of hyperpolarized 129Xe ventilation imaging in healthy volunteers and subjects with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

PubMed Central

Virgincar, Rohan S.; Cleveland, Zackary I.; Kaushik, S. Sivaram; Freeman, Matthew S.; Nouls, John; Cofer, Gary P.; Martinez-Jimenez, Santiago; He, Mu; Kraft, Monica; Wolber, Jan; McAdams, H. Page; Driehuys, Bastiaan

2013-01-01

In this study, hyperpolarized (HP) 129Xe MR ventilation and 1H anatomical images were obtained from 3 subject groups: young healthy volunteers (HV), subjects with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and age-matched control subjects (AMC). Ventilation images were quantified by 2 methods: an expert reader-based ventilation defect score percentage (VDS%) and a semi-automatic segmentation-based ventilation defect percentage (VDP). Reader-based values were assigned by two experienced radiologists and resolved by consensus. In the semi-automatic analysis, 1H anatomical images and 129Xe ventilation images were both segmented following registration, to obtain the thoracic cavity volume (TCV) and ventilated volume (VV), respectively, which were then expressed as a ratio to obtain the VDP. Ventilation images were also characterized by generating signal intensity histograms from voxels within the TCV, and heterogeneity was analyzed using the coefficient of variation (CV). The reader-based VDS% correlated strongly with the semi-automatically generated VDP (r = 0.97, p < 0.0001), and with CV (r = 0.82, p < 0.0001). Both 129Xe ventilation defect scoring metrics readily separated the 3 groups from one another and correlated significantly with FEV1 (VDS%: r = -0.78, p = 0.0002; VDP: r = -0.79, p = 0.0003; CV: r = -0.66, p = 0.0059) and other pulmonary function tests. In the healthy subject groups (HV and AMC), the prevalence of ventilation defects also increased with age (VDS%: r = 0.61, p = 0.0002; VDP: r = 0.63, p = 0.0002). Moreover, ventilation histograms and their associated CVs distinguished between COPD subjects with similar ventilation defect scores but visibly different ventilation patterns. PMID:23065808

Interobserver variability in the radiological assessment of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) including perfusion MRI in glioblastoma multiforme.

PubMed

Kerkhof, M; Hagenbeek, R E; van der Kallen, B F W; Lycklama À Nijeholt, G J; Dirven, L; Taphoorn, M J B; Vos, M J

2016-10-01

Conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has limited value for differentiation of true tumor progression and pseudoprogression in treated glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). Perfusion weighted imaging (PWI) may be helpful in the differentiation of these two phenomena. Here interobserver variability in routine radiological evaluation of GBM patients is assessed using MRI, including PWI. Three experienced neuroradiologists evaluated MR scans of 28 GBM patients during temozolomide chemoradiotherapy at three time points: preoperative (MR1) and postoperative (MR2) MR scan and the follow-up MR scan after three cycles of adjuvant temozolomide (MR3). Tumor size was measured both on T1 post-contrast and T2 weighted images according to the Response Assessment in Neuro-Oncology criteria. PW images of MR3 were evaluated by visual inspection of relative cerebral blood volume (rCBV) color maps and by quantitative rCBV measurements of enhancing areas with highest rCBV. Image interpretability of PW images was also scored. Finally, the neuroradiologists gave a conclusion on tumor status, based on the interpretation of both T1 and T2 weighted images (MR1, MR2 and MR3) in combination with PWI (MR3). Interobserver agreement on visual interpretation of rCBV maps was good (κ = 0.63) but poor on quantitative rCBV measurements and on interpretability of perfusion images (intraclass correlation coefficient 0.37 and κ = 0.23, respectively). Interobserver agreement on the overall conclusion of tumor status was moderate (κ = 0.48). Interobserver agreement on the visual interpretation of PWI color maps was good. However, overall interpretation of MR scans (using both conventional and PW images) showed considerable interobserver variability. Therefore, caution should be applied when interpreting MRI results during chemoradiation therapy. © 2016 EAN.

Structural Image Analysis of the Brain in Neuropsychology Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Techniques.

PubMed

Bigler, Erin D

2015-09-01

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain provides exceptional image quality for visualization and neuroanatomical classification of brain structure. A variety of image analysis techniques provide both qualitative as well as quantitative methods to relate brain structure with neuropsychological outcome and are reviewed herein. Of particular importance are more automated methods that permit analysis of a broad spectrum of anatomical measures including volume, thickness and shape. The challenge for neuropsychology is which metric to use, for which disorder and the timing of when image analysis methods are applied to assess brain structure and pathology. A basic overview is provided as to the anatomical and pathoanatomical relations of different MRI sequences in assessing normal and abnormal findings. Some interpretive guidelines are offered including factors related to similarity and symmetry of typical brain development along with size-normalcy features of brain anatomy related to function. The review concludes with a detailed example of various quantitative techniques applied to analyzing brain structure for neuropsychological outcome studies in traumatic brain injury.

Breast MRI radiomics: comparison of computer- and human-extracted imaging phenotypes.

PubMed

Sutton, Elizabeth J; Huang, Erich P; Drukker, Karen; Burnside, Elizabeth S; Li, Hui; Net, Jose M; Rao, Arvind; Whitman, Gary J; Zuley, Margarita; Ganott, Marie; Bonaccio, Ermelinda; Giger, Maryellen L; Morris, Elizabeth A

2017-01-01

In this study, we sought to investigate if computer-extracted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) phenotypes of breast cancer could replicate human-extracted size and Breast Imaging-Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) imaging phenotypes using MRI data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) project of the National Cancer Institute. Our retrospective interpretation study involved analysis of Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act-compliant breast MRI data from The Cancer Imaging Archive, an open-source database from the TCGA project. This study was exempt from institutional review board approval at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and the need for informed consent was waived. Ninety-one pre-operative breast MRIs with verified invasive breast cancers were analysed. Three fellowship-trained breast radiologists evaluated the index cancer in each case according to size and the BI-RADS lexicon for shape, margin, and enhancement (human-extracted image phenotypes [HEIP]). Human inter-observer agreement was analysed by the intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) for size and Krippendorff's α for other measurements. Quantitative MRI radiomics of computerised three-dimensional segmentations of each cancer generated computer-extracted image phenotypes (CEIP). Spearman's rank correlation coefficients were used to compare HEIP and CEIP. Inter-observer agreement for HEIP varied, with the highest agreement seen for size (ICC 0.679) and shape (ICC 0.527). The computer-extracted maximum linear size replicated the human measurement with p  < 10 -12 . CEIP of shape, specifically sphericity and irregularity, replicated HEIP with both p values < 0.001. CEIP did not demonstrate agreement with HEIP of tumour margin or internal enhancement. Quantitative radiomics of breast cancer may replicate human-extracted tumour size and BI-RADS imaging phenotypes, thus enabling precision medicine.

Whole body MRI, including diffusion-weighted imaging in follow-up of patients with testicular cancer.

PubMed

Mosavi, Firas; Laurell, Anna; Ahlström, Håkan

2015-11-01

Whole body (WB) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), including diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) has become increasingly utilized in cancer imaging, yet the clinical utility of these techniques in follow-up of testicular cancer patients has not been evaluated. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of WB MRI with continuous table movement (CTM) technique, including multistep DWI in follow-up of patients with testicular cancer. WB MRI including DWI was performed in follow-up of 71 consecutive patients (median age, 37 years; range 19-84) with histologically confirmed testicular cancer. WB MRI protocol included axial T1-Dixon and T2-BLADE sequences using CTM technique. Furthermore, multi-step DWI was performed using b-value 50 and 1000 s/mm(2). One criterion for feasibility was patient tolerance and satisfactory image quality. Another criterion was the accuracy in detection of any pathological mass, compared to standard of reference. Signal intensity in DWI was used for evaluation of residual mass activity. Clinical, laboratory and imaging follow-up were applied as standard of reference for the evaluation of WB MRI. WB MRI was tolerated in nearly all patients (69/71 patients, 97%) and the image quality was satisfactory. Metal artifacts deteriorated the image quality in six patients, but it did not influence the overall results. No case of clinical relapse was observed during the follow-up time. There was a good agreement between conventional WB MRI and standard of reference in all patients. Three patients showed residual masses and DWI signal was not restricted in these patients. Furthermore, DWI showed abnormally high signal intensity in a normal-sized retroperitoneal lymph node indicating metastasis. The subsequent (18)F-FDG PET/CT could verify the finding. WB MRI with CTM technique including multi-step DWI is feasible in follow-up of patients with testicular cancer. DWI may contribute to important added-value data to conventional MRI sequences

Quantification of atherosclerosis with MRI and image processing in spontaneously hyperlipidemic rabbits.

PubMed

Hänni, Mari; Edvardsson, H; Wågberg, M; Pettersson, K; Smedby, O

2004-01-01

The need for a quantitative method to assess atherosclerosis in vivo is well known. This study tested, in a familiar animal model of atherosclerosis, a combination of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and image processing. Six spontaneously hyperlipidemic (Watanabe) rabbits were examined with a knee coil in a 1.5-T clinical MRI scanner. Inflow angio (2DI) and proton density weighted (PDW) images were acquired to examine 10 cm of the aorta immediately cranial to the aortic bifurcation. Examination of the thoracic aorta was added in four animals. To identify the inner and outer boundary of the arterial wall, a dynamic contour algorithm (Gradient Vector Flow snakes) was applied to the 2DI and PDW images, respectively, after which the vessel wall area was calculated. The results were compared with histopathological measurements of intima and intima-media cross-sectional area. The correlation coefficient between wall area measurements with MRI snakes and intima-media area was 0.879 when computed individual-wise for abdominal aortas, 0.958 for thoracic aortas, and 0.834 when computed segment-wise. When the algorithm was applied to the PDW images only, somewhat lower correlations were obtained. The MRI yielded significantly higher values than histopathology, which excludes the adventitia. Magnetic resonance imaging, in combination with dynamic contours, may be a suitable technique for quantitative assessment of atherosclerosis in vivo. Using two sequences for the measurement seems to be superior to using a single sequence.

Tracing and quantification of pharmaceuticals using MR imaging and spectroscopy at clinical MRI system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jeong, Eun-Kee; Liu, Xin; Shi, Xianfeng; Yu, Y. Bruce; Lu, Zeng-Rong

2012-10-01

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and spectroscopy (MRS) is very powerful modality for imaging and localized investigation of biological tissue. Medical MRI measures nuclear magnetization of the water protons, which consists of 70 % of our body. MRI provides superior contrast among different soft tissues to all other existing medical imaging modalities, including ultrasound, X-ray CT, PET, and SPECT. In principle, MRI/S may be an ideal non-invasive tool for drug delivery research. However, because of its low sensitivity, a large dose is required for tracing pharmaceuticals. Therefore, its use for imaging of pharmaceuticals is very limited mostly to molecules that contain a paramagnetic metal ion, such as gadolinium (Gd3+) and manganese (Mn2+). The paramagnetic metal ion provides a large fluctuating magnetic field at the proton in the water molecule via a coordinate site. The measurement of local drug concentration is the first step for further quantification. Local concentration of the paramagnetic-ion based MRI contrast agent can be indirectly measured via the change in the water signal intensity. 19F MRI/S of fluorinated complex may be an option for drug delivery and tracing agent, because the fluorinated molecule may be directly detected due to its large magnetic moment (94 % of proton) and 100 % abundance.

Echo Planar Imaging before and after fMRI: A personal history

PubMed Central

Cohen, Mark S.; Schmitt, Franz

2012-01-01

Echo-planar imaging (EPI) plays a crucial role in functional MRI. Focusing especially on the period from 1988 to 1992, the authors offer personal recollections, on the development of practical means of deploying EPI, the people that participated, and its impact on MRI in general. PMID:22266173

Development of Laser-Polarized Noble Gas Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Walsworth, Ronald L.

2004-01-01

We are developing technology for laser-polarized noble gas nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), with the aim of enabling it as a novel biomedical imaging tool for ground-based and eventually space-based application. This emerging multidisciplinary technology enables high-resolution gas-space magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-e.g., of lung ventilation, perfusion, and gas-exchange. In addition, laser-polarized noble gases (3He and 1BXe) do not require a large magnetic field for sensitive NMR detection, opening the door to practical MRI with novel, open-access magnet designs at very low magnetic fields (and hence in confined spaces). We are pursuing two specific aims in this technology development program. The first aim is to develop an open-access, low-field (less than 0.01 T) instrument for MRI studies of human gas inhalation as a function of subject orientation, and the second aim is to develop functional imaging of the lung using laser-polarized He-3 and Xe-129.

A hyperpolarized equilibrium for magnetic resonance

PubMed Central

Hövener, Jan-Bernd; Schwaderlapp, Niels; Lickert, Thomas; Duckett, Simon B.; Mewis, Ryan E.; Highton, Louise A. R.; Kenny, Stephen M.; Green, Gary G. R.; Leibfritz, Dieter; Korvink, Jan G.; Hennig, Jürgen; von Elverfeldt, Dominik

2013-01-01

Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and imaging (MRI) play an indispensable role in science and healthcare but use only a tiny fraction of their potential. No more than ≈10 p.p.m. of all 1H nuclei are effectively detected in a 3-Tesla clinical MRI system. Thus, a vast array of new applications lays dormant, awaiting improved sensitivity. Here we demonstrate the continuous polarization of small molecules in solution to a level that cannot be achieved in a viable magnet. The magnetization does not decay and is effectively reinitialized within seconds after being measured. This effect depends on the long-lived, entangled spin-order of parahydrogen and an exchange reaction in a low magnetic field of 10−3 Tesla. We demonstrate the potential of this method by fast MRI and envision the catalysis of new applications such as cancer screening or indeed low-field MRI for routine use and remote application. PMID:24336292

A hyperpolarized equilibrium for magnetic resonance.

PubMed

Hövener, Jan-Bernd; Schwaderlapp, Niels; Lickert, Thomas; Duckett, Simon B; Mewis, Ryan E; Highton, Louise A R; Kenny, Stephen M; Green, Gary G R; Leibfritz, Dieter; Korvink, Jan G; Hennig, Jürgen; von Elverfeldt, Dominik

2013-01-01

Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and imaging (MRI) play an indispensable role in science and healthcare but use only a tiny fraction of their potential. No more than ≈10 p.p.m. of all ¹H nuclei are effectively detected in a 3-Tesla clinical MRI system. Thus, a vast array of new applications lays dormant, awaiting improved sensitivity. Here we demonstrate the continuous polarization of small molecules in solution to a level that cannot be achieved in a viable magnet. The magnetization does not decay and is effectively reinitialized within seconds after being measured. This effect depends on the long-lived, entangled spin-order of parahydrogen and an exchange reaction in a low magnetic field of 10⁻³ Tesla. We demonstrate the potential of this method by fast MRI and envision the catalysis of new applications such as cancer screening or indeed low-field MRI for routine use and remote application.

Para-hydrogen perspectives in hyperpolarized NMR.

PubMed

Glöggler, Stefan; Colell, Johannes; Appelt, Stephan

2013-10-01

The first instance of para-hydrogen induced polarization (PHIP) in an NMR experiment was serendipitously observed in the 1980s while investigating a hydrogenation reaction (Seldler et al., 1983; Bowers and Weitekamp, 1986, 1987; Eisenschmid et al., 1987) [1-4]. Remarkably a theoretical investigation of the applicability of para-hydrogen as a hyperpolarization agent was being performed in the 1980's thereby quickly providing a theoretical basis for the PHIP-effect (Bowers and Weitekamp, 1986) [2]. The discovery of signal amplification by a non-hydrogenating interaction with para-hydrogen has recently extended the interest to exploit the PHIP effect, as it enables investigation of compounds without structural alteration while retaining the advantages of spectroscopy with hyperpolarized compounds [5]. In this article we will place more emphasis of the future applications of the method while only briefly discussing the efforts that have been made in the understanding of the phenomenon and the development of the method so far. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): A review of genetic damage investigations.

PubMed

Vijayalaxmi; Fatahi, Mahsa; Speck, Oliver

2015-01-01

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a powerful, non-invasive diagnostic medical imaging technique widely used to acquire detailed information about anatomy and function of different organs in the body, in both health and disease. It utilizes electromagnetic fields of three different frequency bands: static magnetic field (SMF), time-varying gradient magnetic fields (GMF) in the kHz range and pulsed radiofrequency fields (RF) in the MHz range. There have been some investigations examining the extent of genetic damage following exposure of bacterial and human cells to all three frequency bands of electromagnetic fields, as used during MRI: the rationale for these studies is the well documented evidence of positive correlation between significantly increased genetic damage and carcinogenesis. Overall, the published data were not sufficiently informative and useful because of the small sample size, inappropriate comparison of experimental groups, etc. Besides, when an increased damage was observed in MRI-exposed cells, the fate of such lesions was not further explored from multiple 'down-stream' events. This review provides: (i) information on the basic principles used in MRI technology, (ii) detailed experimental protocols, results and critical comments on the genetic damage investigations thus far conducted using MRI equipment and, (iii) a discussion on several gaps in knowledge in the current scientific literature on MRI. Comprehensive, international, multi-centered collaborative studies, using a common and widely used MRI exposure protocol (cardiac or brain scan) incorporating several genetic/epigenetic damage end-points as well as epidemiological investigations, in large number of individuals/patients are warranted to reduce and perhaps, eliminate uncertainties raised in genetic damage investigations in cells exposed in vitro and in vivo to MRI. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Initial experiments with gel-water: towards MRI-linac dosimetry and imaging.

PubMed

Alnaghy, Sarah J; Gargett, Maegan; Liney, Gary; Petasecca, Marco; Begg, Jarrad; Espinoza, Anthony; Newall, Matthew K; Duncan, Mitchell; Holloway, Lois; Lerch, Michael L F; Lazea, Mircea; Rosenfeld, Anatoly B; Metcalfe, Peter

2016-12-01

Tracking the position of a moving radiation detector in time and space during data acquisition can replicate 4D image-guided radiotherapy (4DIGRT). Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-linacs need MRI-visible detectors to achieve this, however, imaging solid phantoms is an issue. Hence, gel-water, a material that provides signal for MRI-visibility, and which will in future work, replace solid water for an MRI-linac 4DIGRT quality assurance tool, is discussed. MR and CT images of gel-water were acquired for visualisation and electron density verification. Characterisation of gel-water at 0 T was compared to Gammex-RMI solid water, using MagicPlate-512 (M512) and RMI Attix chamber; this included percentage depth dose, tissue-phantom ratio (TPR 20/10 ), tissue-maximum ratio (TMR), profiles, output factors, and a gamma analysis to investigate field penumbral differences. MR images of a non-powered detector in gel-water demonstrated detector visualisation. The CT-determined gel-water electron density agreed with the calculated value of 1.01. Gel-water depth dose data demonstrated a maximum deviation of 0.7% from solid water for M512 and 2.4% for the Attix chamber, and by 2.1% for TPR 20/10 and 1.0% for TMR. FWHM and output factor differences between materials were ≤0.3 and ≤1.4%. M512 data passed gamma analysis with 100% within 2%, 2 mm tolerance for multileaf collimator defined fields. Gel-water was shown to be tissue-equivalent for dosimetry and a feasible option to replace solid water.

Expression of a functional hyperpolarization-activated current (Ih) in the mouse nucleus reticularis thalami.

PubMed

Rateau, Y; Ropert, N

2006-05-01

The GABAergic neurons of the nucleus reticularis thalami (nRT) express the type 2 hyperpolarization-activated cAMP-sensitive (HCN2) subunit mRNA, but surprisingly, they were reported to lack the hyperpolarization-activated (Ih) current carried by this subunit. Using the voltage-clamp recordings in the thalamocortical slice preparation of the newborn and juvenile mice (P6-P23), we demonstrate that, in the presence of 1 mM barium (Ba2+), the nRT neurons express a slow hyperpolarization-activated inward current, suggesting that the Ih is present but masked in control conditions by K+ leak currents. We investigate the identity of the hyperpolarization-activated current in the nRT by studying its physiological and pharmacological profile in presence of Ba2+. We show that it has voltage- and time-dependent properties typical of the Ih, that it is blocked by cesium and ZD7288, two blockers of the Ih, and that it is carried both by the K+ and Na+ ions. We could also alter the gating characteristics of the hyperpolarization-activated current in the nRT by adding a nonhydrolysable analogue of cAMP to the pipette solution. Finally, using the current-clamp recording, we showed that blocking the hyperpolarization-activated current induced an hyperpolarization correlated with an increase of the R(in) of the nRT neurons. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that the nRT neurons express the Ih with slow kinetics similar to those described for the homomeric HCN2 channels, and we show that the Ih of the nRT contributes to the excitability of the nRT neurons in normal conditions.

Imaging transplanted stem cells in real time using an MRI dual-contrast method

PubMed Central

Ngen, Ethel J.; Wang, Lee; Kato, Yoshinori; Krishnamachary, Balaji; Zhu, Wenlian; Gandhi, Nishant; Smith, Barbara; Armour, Michael; Wong, John; Gabrielson, Kathleen; Artemov, Dmitri

2015-01-01

Stem cell therapies are currently being investigated for the repair of brain injuries. Although exogenous stem cell labelling with superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) prior to transplantation provides a means to noninvasively monitor stem cell transplantation by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), monitoring cell death is still a challenge. Here, we investigate the feasibility of using an MRI dual-contrast technique to detect cell delivery, cell migration and cell death after stem cell transplantation. Human mesenchymal stem cells were dual labelled with SPIONs and gadolinium-based chelates (GdDTPA). The viability, proliferation rate, and differentiation potential of the labelled cells were then evaluated. The feasibility of this MRI technique to distinguish between live and dead cells was next evaluated using MRI phantoms, and in vivo using both immune-competent and immune-deficient mice, following the induction of brain injury in the mice. All results were validated with bioluminescence imaging. In live cells, a negative (T2/T2*) MRI contrast predominates, and is used to track cell delivery and cell migration. Upon cell death, a diffused positive (T1) MRI contrast is generated in the vicinity of the dead cells, and serves as an imaging marker for cell death. Ultimately, this technique could be used to manage stem cell therapies. PMID:26330231

Imaging transplanted stem cells in real time using an MRI dual-contrast method.

PubMed

Ngen, Ethel J; Wang, Lee; Kato, Yoshinori; Krishnamachary, Balaji; Zhu, Wenlian; Gandhi, Nishant; Smith, Barbara; Armour, Michael; Wong, John; Gabrielson, Kathleen; Artemov, Dmitri

2015-09-02

Stem cell therapies are currently being investigated for the repair of brain injuries. Although exogenous stem cell labelling with superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) prior to transplantation provides a means to noninvasively monitor stem cell transplantation by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), monitoring cell death is still a challenge. Here, we investigate the feasibility of using an MRI dual-contrast technique to detect cell delivery, cell migration and cell death after stem cell transplantation. Human mesenchymal stem cells were dual labelled with SPIONs and gadolinium-based chelates (GdDTPA). The viability, proliferation rate, and differentiation potential of the labelled cells were then evaluated. The feasibility of this MRI technique to distinguish between live and dead cells was next evaluated using MRI phantoms, and in vivo using both immune-competent and immune-deficient mice, following the induction of brain injury in the mice. All results were validated with bioluminescence imaging. In live cells, a negative (T2/T2*) MRI contrast predominates, and is used to track cell delivery and cell migration. Upon cell death, a diffused positive (T1) MRI contrast is generated in the vicinity of the dead cells, and serves as an imaging marker for cell death. Ultimately, this technique could be used to manage stem cell therapies.

Evaluation of image quality of MRI data for brain tumor surgery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heckel, Frank; Arlt, Felix; Geisler, Benjamin; Zidowitz, Stephan; Neumuth, Thomas

2016-03-01

3D medical images are important components of modern medicine. Their usefulness for the physician depends on their quality, though. Only high-quality images allow accurate and reproducible diagnosis and appropriate support during treatment. We have analyzed 202 MRI images for brain tumor surgery in a retrospective study. Both an experienced neurosurgeon and an experienced neuroradiologist rated each available image with respect to its role in the clinical workflow, its suitability for this specific role, various image quality characteristics, and imaging artifacts. Our results show that MRI data acquired for brain tumor surgery does not always fulfill the required quality standards and that there is a significant disagreement between the surgeon and the radiologist, with the surgeon being more critical. Noise, resolution, as well as the coverage of anatomical structures were the most important criteria for the surgeon, while the radiologist was mainly disturbed by motion artifacts.

Efficient production of hyperpolarized bicarbonate by chemical reaction on a DNP precursor to measure pH.

PubMed

Ghosh, Rajat K; Kadlecek, Stephen J; Pourfathi, Mehrdad; Rizi, Rahim R

2015-11-01

To produce hyperpolarized bicarbonate indirectly via chemical reaction from a hyperpolarized precursor and utilize it for the simultaneous regional measurement of metabolism and pH. Alpha keto carboxylic acids are first hyperpolarized by dissolution dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP). These precursor molecules are rapidly reacted with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) to decarboxylate the species, resulting in new target molecules. Unreacted H2O2 is removed from the system by reaction with sulfite. Interrogation of the ratio of dissolved carbon dioxide (CO2) to bicarbonate can be used to determine pH. Conversion of hyperpolarized alpha keto acids to bicarbonate and CO2 results in a minimal loss of the spin order. The reaction can be conducted to completion within seconds and preserves the nuclear spin polarization. Through a rapid chemical reaction, we can conserve the nuclear spin order of a DNP precursor to generate multiple hyperpolarized bioprobes otherwise unamenable to polarization. This indirect technique for the production of hyperpolarized agents can be applied to different precursor compounds to generate additional novel probes. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Optimal sampling with prior information of the image geometry in microfluidic MRI.

PubMed

Han, S H; Cho, H; Paulsen, J L

2015-03-01

Recent advances in MRI acquisition for microscopic flows enable unprecedented sensitivity and speed in a portable NMR/MRI microfluidic analysis platform. However, the application of MRI to microfluidics usually suffers from prolonged acquisition times owing to the combination of the required high resolution and wide field of view necessary to resolve details within microfluidic channels. When prior knowledge of the image geometry is available as a binarized image, such as for microfluidic MRI, it is possible to reduce sampling requirements by incorporating this information into the reconstruction algorithm. The current approach to the design of the partial weighted random sampling schemes is to bias toward the high signal energy portions of the binarized image geometry after Fourier transformation (i.e. in its k-space representation). Although this sampling prescription is frequently effective, it can be far from optimal in certain limiting cases, such as for a 1D channel, or more generally yield inefficient sampling schemes at low degrees of sub-sampling. This work explores the tradeoff between signal acquisition and incoherent sampling on image reconstruction quality given prior knowledge of the image geometry for weighted random sampling schemes, finding that optimal distribution is not robustly determined by maximizing the acquired signal but from interpreting its marginal change with respect to the sub-sampling rate. We develop a corresponding sampling design methodology that deterministically yields a near optimal sampling distribution for image reconstructions incorporating knowledge of the image geometry. The technique robustly identifies optimal weighted random sampling schemes and provides improved reconstruction fidelity for multiple 1D and 2D images, when compared to prior techniques for sampling optimization given knowledge of the image geometry. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Single-Step Assembly of Multi-Modal Imaging Nanocarriers: MRI and Long-Wavelength Fluorescence Imaging

PubMed Central

Pinkerton, Nathalie M.; Gindy, Marian E.; Calero-DdelC, Victoria L.; Wolfson, Theodore; Pagels, Robert F.; Adler, Derek; Gao, Dayuan; Li, Shike; Wang, Ruobing; Zevon, Margot; Yao, Nan; Pacheco, Carlos; Therien, Michael J.; Rinaldi, Carlos; Sinko, Patrick J.

2015-01-01

MRI and NIR-active, multi-modal Composite NanoCarriers (CNCs) are prepared using a simple, one-step process, Flash NanoPrecipitation (FNP). The FNP process allows for the independent control of the hydrodynamic diameter, co-core excipient and NIR dye loading, and iron oxide-based nanocrystal (IONC) content of the CNCs. In the controlled precipitation process, 10 nm IONCs are encapsulated into poly(ethylene glycol) stabilized CNCs to make biocompatible T2 contrast agents. By adjusting the formulation, CNC size is tuned between 80 and 360 nm. Holding the CNC size constant at an intensity weighted average diameter of 99 ± 3 nm (PDI width 28 nm), the particle relaxivity varies linearly with encapsulated IONC content ranging from 66 to 533 mM-1s-1 for CNCs formulated with 4 to 16 wt% IONC. To demonstrate the use of CNCs as in vivo MRI contrast agents, CNCs are surface functionalized with liver targeting hydroxyl groups. The CNCs enable the detection of 0.8 mm3 non-small cell lung cancer metastases in mice livers via MRI. Incorporating the hydrophobic, NIR dye PZn3 into CNCs enables complementary visualization with long-wavelength fluorescence at 800 nm. In vivo imaging demonstrates the ability of CNCs to act both as MRI and fluorescent imaging agents. PMID:25925128

PROPELLER technique to improve image quality of MRI of the shoulder.

PubMed

Dietrich, Tobias J; Ulbrich, Erika J; Zanetti, Marco; Fucentese, Sandro F; Pfirrmann, Christian W A

2011-12-01

The purpose of this article is to evaluate the use of the periodically rotated overlapping parallel lines with enhanced reconstruction (PROPELLER) technique for artifact reduction and overall image quality improvement for intermediate-weighted and T2-weighted MRI of the shoulder. One hundred eleven patients undergoing MR arthrography of the shoulder were included. A coronal oblique intermediate-weighted turbo spin-echo (TSE) sequence with fat suppression and a sagittal oblique T2-weighted TSE sequence with fat suppression were obtained without (standard) and with the PROPELLER technique. Scanning time increased from 3 minutes 17 seconds to 4 minutes 17 seconds (coronal oblique plane) and from 2 minutes 52 seconds to 4 minutes 10 seconds (sagittal oblique) using PROPELLER. Two radiologists graded image artifacts, overall image quality, and delineation of several anatomic structures on a 5-point scale (5, no artifact, optimal diagnostic quality; and 1, severe artifacts, diagnostically not usable). The Wilcoxon signed rank test was used to compare the data of the standard and PROPELLER images. Motion artifacts were significantly reduced in PROPELLER images (p < 0.001). Observer 1 rated motion artifacts with diagnostic impairment in one patient on coronal oblique PROPELLER images compared with 33 patients on standard images. Ratings for the sequences with PROPELLER were significantly better for overall image quality (p < 0.001). Observer 1 noted an overall image quality with diagnostic impairment in nine patients on sagittal oblique PROPELLER images compared with 23 patients on standard MRI. The PROPELLER technique for MRI of the shoulder reduces the number of sequences with diagnostic impairment as a result of motion artifacts and increases image quality compared with standard TSE sequences. PROPELLER sequences increase the acquisition time.

Design of a 15N Molecular Unit to Achieve Long Retention of Hyperpolarized Spin State

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nonaka, Hiroshi; Hirano, Masashi; Imakura, Yuki; Takakusagi, Yoichi; Ichikawa, Kazuhiro; Sando, Shinsuke

2017-01-01

Nuclear hyperpolarization is a phenomenon that can be used to improve the sensitivity of magnetic resonance molecular sensors. However, such sensors typically suffer from short hyperpolarization lifetime. Herein we report that [15N, D14]trimethylphenylammonium (TMPA) has a remarkably long spin-lattice relaxation time (1128 s, 14.1 T, 30 °C, D2O) on its 15N nuclei and achieves a long retention of the hyperpolarized state. [15N, D14]TMPA-based hyperpolarized sensor for carboxylesterase allowed the highly sensitive analysis of enzymatic reaction by 15N NMR for over 40 min in phophate-buffered saline (H2O, pH 7.4, 37 °C).

Joint Segmentation of Anatomical and Functional Images: Applications in Quantification of Lesions from PET, PET-CT, MRI-PET, and MRI-PET-CT Images

PubMed Central

Bagci, Ulas; Udupa, Jayaram K.; Mendhiratta, Neil; Foster, Brent; Xu, Ziyue; Yao, Jianhua; Chen, Xinjian; Mollura, Daniel J.

2013-01-01

We present a novel method for the joint segmentation of anatomical and functional images. Our proposed methodology unifies the domains of anatomical and functional images, represents them in a product lattice, and performs simultaneous delineation of regions based on random walk image segmentation. Furthermore, we also propose a simple yet effective object/background seed localization method to make the proposed segmentation process fully automatic. Our study uses PET, PET-CT, MRI-PET, and fused MRI-PET-CT scans (77 studies in all) from 56 patients who had various lesions in different body regions. We validated the effectiveness of the proposed method on different PET phantoms as well as on clinical images with respect to the ground truth segmentation provided by clinicians. Experimental results indicate that the presented method is superior to threshold and Bayesian methods commonly used in PET image segmentation, is more accurate and robust compared to the other PET-CT segmentation methods recently published in the literature, and also it is general in the sense of simultaneously segmenting multiple scans in real-time with high accuracy needed in routine clinical use. PMID:23837967

Midbrain and spinal cord magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) changes in poliomyelitis.

PubMed

Choudhary, Anita; Sharma, Suvasini; Sankhyan, Naveen; Gulati, Sheffali; Kalra, Veena; Banerjee, Bidisha; Kumar, Atin

2010-04-01

Poliomyelitis, though eradicated from most parts of the world, continues to occur in India. There is paucity of data on the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) changes in poliomyelitis. We report a 3(1/2)-year-old boy who presented with subacute onset flaccid paralysis and altered sensorium. Stool culture was positive for wild polio virus type 3. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed signal changes in bilateral substantia nigra and anterior horns of the spinal cord. These MRI changes may be of potential diagnostic significance in a child with poliomyelitis.

Complimentary aspects of diffusion imaging and fMRI: II. Elucidating contributions to the fMRI signal with diffusion sensitization.

PubMed

Mulkern, Robert V; Haker, Steven J; Maier, Stephan E

2007-07-01

Tissue water molecules reside in different biophysical compartments. For example, water molecules in the vasculature reside for variable periods of time within arteries, arterioles, capillaries, venuoles and veins, and may be within blood cells or blood plasma. Water molecules outside of the vasculature, in the extravascular space, reside, for a time, either within cells or within the interstitial space between cells. Within these different compartments, different types of microscopic motion that water molecules may experience have been identified and discussed. These range from Brownian diffusion to more coherent flow over the time scales relevant to functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) experiments, on the order of several 10s of milliseconds. How these different types of motion are reflected in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) methods developed for "diffusion" imaging studies has been an ongoing and active area of research. Here we briefly review the ideas that have developed regarding these motions within the context of modern "diffusion" imaging techniques and, in particular, how they have been accessed in attempts to further our understanding of the various contributions to the fMRI signal changes sought in studies of human brain activation.

Calibration standard of body tissue with magnetic nanocomposites for MRI and X-ray imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rahn, Helene; Woodward, Robert; House, Michael; Engineer, Diana; Feindel, Kirk; Dutz, Silvio; Odenbach, Stefan; StPierre, Tim

2016-05-01

We present a first study of a long-term phantom for Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and X-ray imaging of biological tissues with magnetic nanocomposites (MNC) suitable for 3-dimensional and quantitative imaging of tissues after, e.g. magnetically assisted cancer treatments. We performed a cross-calibration of X-ray microcomputed tomography (XμCT) and MRI with a joint calibration standard for both imaging techniques. For this, we have designed a phantom for MRI and X-ray computed tomography which represents biological tissue enriched with MNC. The developed phantoms consist of an elastomer with different concentrations of multi-core MNC. The matrix material is a synthetic thermoplastic gel, PermaGel (PG). The developed phantoms have been analyzed with Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Relaxometry (Bruker minispec mq 60) at 1.4 T to obtain R2 transverse relaxation rates, with SQUID (Superconducting QUantum Interference Device) magnetometry and Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) to verify the magnetite concentration, and with XμCT and 9.4 T MRI to visualize the phantoms 3-dimensionally and also to obtain T2 relaxation times. A specification of a sensitivity range is determined for standard imaging techniques X-ray computed tomography (XCT) and MRI as well as with NMR. These novel phantoms show a long-term stability over several months up to years. It was possible to suspend a particular MNC within the PG reaching a concentration range from 0 mg/ml to 6.914 mg/ml. The R2 relaxation rates from 1.4 T NMR-relaxometry show a clear connection (R2=0.994) with MNC concentrations between 0 mg/ml and 4.5 mg/ml. The MRI experiments have shown a linear correlation of R2 relaxation and MNC concentrations as well but in a range between MNC concentrations of 0 mg/ml and 1.435 mg/ml. It could be shown that XμCT displays best moderate and high MNC concentrations. The sensitivity range for this particular XμCT apparatus yields from 0.569 mg/ml to 6.914 mg/ml. The

Separation of extra- and intracellular metabolites using hyperpolarized 13C diffusion weighted MR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koelsch, Bertram L.; Sriram, Renuka; Keshari, Kayvan R.; Leon Swisher, Christine; Van Criekinge, Mark; Sukumar, Subramaniam; Vigneron, Daniel B.; Wang, Zhen J.; Larson, Peder E. Z.; Kurhanewicz, John

2016-09-01

This work demonstrates the separation of extra- and intracellular components of glycolytic metabolites with diffusion weighted hyperpolarized 13C magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Using b-values of up to 15,000 s mm-2, a multi-exponential signal response was measured for hyperpolarized [1-13C] pyruvate and lactate. By fitting the fast and slow asymptotes of these curves, their extra- and intracellular weighted diffusion coefficients were determined in cells perfused in a MR compatible bioreactor. In addition to measuring intracellular weighted diffusion, extra- and intracellular weighted hyperpolarized 13C metabolites pools are assessed in real-time, including their modulation with inhibition of monocarboxylate transporters. These studies demonstrate the ability to simultaneously assess membrane transport in addition to enzymatic activity with the use of diffusion weighted hyperpolarized 13C MR. This technique could be an indispensible tool to evaluate the impact of microenvironment on the presence, aggressiveness and metastatic potential of a variety of cancers.

Separation of extra- and intracellular metabolites using hyperpolarized 13C diffusion weighted MR✩

PubMed Central

Koelsch, Bertram L.; Sriram, Renuka; Keshari, Kayvan R.; Swisher, Christine Leon; Van Criekinge, Mark; Sukumar, Subramaniam; Vigneron, Daniel B.; Wang, Zhen J.; Larson, Peder E.Z.; Kurhanewicz, John

2017-01-01

This work demonstrates the separation of extra- and intracellular components of glycolytic metabolites with diffusion weighted hyperpolarized 13C magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Using b-values of up to 15,000 s mm−2, a multi-exponential signal response was measured for hyperpolarized [1-13C] pyruvate and lactate. By fitting the fast and slow asymptotes of these curves, their extra- and intracellular weighted diffusion coefficients were determined in cells perfused in a MR compatible bioreactor. In addition to measuring intracellular weighted diffusion, extra- and intracellular weighted hyperpolarized 13C metabolites pools are assessed in real-time, including their modulation with inhibition of monocarboxylate transporters. These studies demonstrate the ability to simultaneously assess membrane transport in addition to enzymatic activity with the use of diffusion weighted hyperpolarized 13C MR. This technique could be an indispensible tool to evaluate the impact of microenvironment on the presence, aggressiveness and metastatic potential of a variety of cancers. PMID:27434780

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of abnormal uterine masses.

PubMed

al-Ahwani, S; Assem, M; Belal, A; Abdel-Hamid, H

1991-01-01

Sixteen women with clinically diagnosed uterine masses were studied by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Pelvic study was carried out in the coronal, sagittal and axial planes. Uterine leiomyomas were detected in 12 cases, while the remaining cases were one each of uterine sarcoma, invasive molar pregnancy, cervical malignancy with pyometra and haematometra with congenital cervical stenosis. The uterine origin of the masses could be clearly detected in all patients, as well as the nature of the masses, the presence of degenerative or malignant changes and the nature of the intrauterine fluid. MRI characteristic findings of the studied masses are presented and discussed.

Vision 20/20: Magnetic resonance imaging-guided attenuation correction in PET/MRI: Challenges, solutions, and opportunities

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

Mehranian, Abolfazl; Arabi, Hossein; Zaidi, Habib, E-mail: habib.zaidi@hcuge.ch

Attenuation correction is an essential component of the long chain of data correction techniques required to achieve the full potential of quantitative positron emission tomography (PET) imaging. The development of combined PET/magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) systems mandated the widespread interest in developing novel strategies for deriving accurate attenuation maps with the aim to improve the quantitative accuracy of these emerging hybrid imaging systems. The attenuation map in PET/MRI should ideally be derived from anatomical MR images; however, MRI intensities reflect proton density and relaxation time properties of biological tissues rather than their electron density and photon attenuation properties. Therefore, inmore » contrast to PET/computed tomography, there is a lack of standardized global mapping between the intensities of MRI signal and linear attenuation coefficients at 511 keV. Moreover, in standard MRI sequences, bones and lung tissues do not produce measurable signals owing to their low proton density and short transverse relaxation times. MR images are also inevitably subject to artifacts that degrade their quality, thus compromising their applicability for the task of attenuation correction in PET/MRI. MRI-guided attenuation correction strategies can be classified in three broad categories: (i) segmentation-based approaches, (ii) atlas-registration and machine learning methods, and (iii) emission/transmission-based approaches. This paper summarizes past and current state-of-the-art developments and latest advances in PET/MRI attenuation correction. The advantages and drawbacks of each approach for addressing the challenges of MR-based attenuation correction are comprehensively described. The opportunities brought by both MRI and PET imaging modalities for deriving accurate attenuation maps and improving PET quantification will be elaborated. Future prospects and potential clinical applications of these techniques and their integration in

Vision 20/20: Magnetic resonance imaging-guided attenuation correction in PET/MRI: Challenges, solutions, and opportunities.

PubMed

Mehranian, Abolfazl; Arabi, Hossein; Zaidi, Habib

2016-03-01

Attenuation correction is an essential component of the long chain of data correction techniques required to achieve the full potential of quantitative positron emission tomography (PET) imaging. The development of combined PET/magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) systems mandated the widespread interest in developing novel strategies for deriving accurate attenuation maps with the aim to improve the quantitative accuracy of these emerging hybrid imaging systems. The attenuation map in PET/MRI should ideally be derived from anatomical MR images; however, MRI intensities reflect proton density and relaxation time properties of biological tissues rather than their electron density and photon attenuation properties. Therefore, in contrast to PET/computed tomography, there is a lack of standardized global mapping between the intensities of MRI signal and linear attenuation coefficients at 511 keV. Moreover, in standard MRI sequences, bones and lung tissues do not produce measurable signals owing to their low proton density and short transverse relaxation times. MR images are also inevitably subject to artifacts that degrade their quality, thus compromising their applicability for the task of attenuation correction in PET/MRI. MRI-guided attenuation correction strategies can be classified in three broad categories: (i) segmentation-based approaches, (ii) atlas-registration and machine learning methods, and (iii) emission/transmission-based approaches. This paper summarizes past and current state-of-the-art developments and latest advances in PET/MRI attenuation correction. The advantages and drawbacks of each approach for addressing the challenges of MR-based attenuation correction are comprehensively described. The opportunities brought by both MRI and PET imaging modalities for deriving accurate attenuation maps and improving PET quantification will be elaborated. Future prospects and potential clinical applications of these techniques and their integration in commercial

Magnetic Resonance Medical Imaging (MRI)-from the inside

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bottomley, Paul

There are about 36,000 magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners in the world, with annual sales of 2500. In the USA about 34 million MRI studies are done annually, and 60-70% of all scanners operate at 1.5 Tesla (T). In 1982 there were none. How MRI got to be-and how it got to1.5T is the subject of this talk. Its an insider's view-mine-as a physics PhD student at Nottingham University when MRI (almost) began, through to the invention of the 1.5T clinical MRI scanner at GE's research center in Schenectady NY.Before 1977 all MRI was done on laboratory nuclear magnetic resonance instruments used for analyzing small specimens via chemical shift spectroscopy (MRS). It began with Lauterbur's 1973 observation that turning up the spectrometer's linear gradient magnetic field, generated a spectrum that was a 1D projection of the sample in the direction of the gradient. What followed in the 70's was the development of 3 key methods of 3D spatial localization that remain fundamental to MRI today.As the 1980's began, the once unimaginable prospect of upscaling from 2cm test-tubes to human body-sized magnets, gradient and RF transmit/receive systems, was well underway, evolving from arm-sized, to whole-body electromagnet-based systems operating at <0.2T. I moved to Johns Hopkins University to apply MRI methods to localized MRS and study cardiac metabolism, and then to GE to build a whole-body MRS machine. The largest uniform magnet possible-then, a 1.5T superconducting system-was required. Body MRI was first thought impossible above 0.35T due to RF penetration, detector coil and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) issues. When GE finally did take on MRI, their plan was to drop the field to 0.3T. We opted to make MRI work at 1.5T instead. The result was a scanner that could study both anatomy and metabolism with a SNR way beyond its lower field rivals. MRI's success truly reflects the team efforts of many: from the NMR physics to the engineering of magnets, gradient and RF systems.

DCE-MRI, DW-MRI, and MRS in Cancer: Challenges and Advantages of Implementing Qualitative and Quantitative Multi-parametric Imaging in the Clinic

PubMed Central

Winfield, Jessica M.; Payne, Geoffrey S.; Weller, Alex; deSouza, Nandita M.

2016-01-01

Abstract Multi-parametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) offers a unique insight into tumor biology by combining functional MRI techniques that inform on cellularity (diffusion-weighted MRI), vascular properties (dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI), and metabolites (magnetic resonance spectroscopy) and has scope to provide valuable information for prognostication and response assessment. Challenges in the application of mpMRI in the clinic include the technical considerations in acquiring good quality functional MRI data, development of robust techniques for analysis, and clinical interpretation of the results. This article summarizes the technical challenges in acquisition and analysis of multi-parametric MRI data before reviewing the key applications of multi-parametric MRI in clinical research and practice. PMID:27748710

SPECT data acquisition and image reconstruction in a stationary small animal SPECT/MRI system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Jingyan; Chen, Si; Yu, Jianhua; Meier, Dirk; Wagenaar, Douglas J.; Patt, Bradley E.; Tsui, Benjamin M. W.

2010-04-01

The goal of the study was to investigate data acquisition strategies and image reconstruction methods for a stationary SPECT insert that can operate inside an MRI scanner with a 12 cm bore diameter for simultaneous SPECT/MRI imaging of small animals. The SPECT insert consists of 3 octagonal rings of 8 MR-compatible CZT detectors per ring surrounding a multi-pinhole (MPH) collimator sleeve. Each pinhole is constructed to project the field-of-view (FOV) to one CZT detector. All 24 pinholes are focused to a cylindrical FOV of 25 mm in diameter and 34 mm in length. The data acquisition strategies we evaluated were optional collimator rotations to improve tomographic sampling; and the image reconstruction methods were iterative ML-EM with and without compensation for the geometric response function (GRF) of the MPH collimator. For this purpose, we developed an analytic simulator that calculates the system matrix with the GRF models of the MPH collimator. The simulator was used to generate projection data of a digital rod phantom with pinhole aperture sizes of 1 mm and 2 mm and with different collimator rotation patterns. Iterative ML-EM reconstruction with and without GRF compensation were used to reconstruct the projection data from the central ring of 8 detectors only, and from all 24 detectors. Our results indicated that without GRF compensation and at the default design of 24 projection views, the reconstructed images had significant artifacts. Accurate GRF compensation substantially improved the reconstructed image resolution and reduced image artifacts. With accurate GRF compensation, useful reconstructed images can be obtained using 24 projection views only. This last finding potentially enables dynamic SPECT (and/or MRI) studies in small animals, one of many possible application areas of the SPECT/MRI system. Further research efforts are warranted including experimentally measuring the system matrix for improved geometrical accuracy, incorporating the co

Multiparametric Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and MRI-Transrectal Ultrasound Fusion Biopsy for Index Tumor Detection: Correlation with Radical Prostatectomy Specimen.

PubMed

Radtke, Jan P; Schwab, Constantin; Wolf, Maya B; Freitag, Martin T; Alt, Celine D; Kesch, Claudia; Popeneciu, Ionel V; Huettenbrink, Clemens; Gasch, Claudia; Klein, Tilman; Bonekamp, David; Duensing, Stefan; Roth, Wilfried; Schueler, Svenja; Stock, Christian; Schlemmer, Heinz-Peter; Roethke, Matthias; Hohenfellner, Markus; Hadaschik, Boris A

2016-11-01

Multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) and MRI fusion targeted biopsy (FTB) detect significant prostate cancer (sPCa) more accurately than conventional biopsies alone. To evaluate the detection accuracy of mpMRI and FTB on radical prostatectomy (RP) specimen. From a cohort of 755 men who underwent transperineal MRI and transrectal ultrasound fusion biopsy under general anesthesia between 2012 and 2014, we retrospectively analyzed 120 consecutive patients who had subsequent RP. All received saturation biopsy (SB) in addition to FTB of lesions with Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System (PI-RADS) score ≥2. The index lesion was defined as the lesion with extraprostatic extension, the highest Gleason score (GS), or the largest tumor volume (TV) if GS were the same, in order of priority. GS 3+3 and TV ≥1.3ml or GS ≥3+4 and TV ≥0.55ml were considered sPCa. We assessed the detection accuracy by mpMRI and different biopsy approaches and analyzed lesion agreement between mpMRI and RP specimen. Overall, 120 index and 71 nonindex lesions were detected. Overall, 107 (89%) index and 51 (72%) nonindex lesions harbored sPCa. MpMRI detected 110 of 120 (92%) index lesions, FTB (two cores per lesion) alone diagnosed 96 of 120 (80%) index lesions, and SB alone diagnosed 110 of 120 (92%) index lesions. Combined SB and FTB detected 115 of 120 (96%) index foci. FTB performed significantly less accurately compared with mpMRI (p=0.02) and the combination for index lesion detection (p=0.002). Combined FTB and SB detected 97% of all sPCa lesions and was superior to mpMRI (85%), FTB (79%), and SB (88%) alone (p<0.001 each). Spearman's rank correlation coefficient for index lesion agreement between mpMRI and RP was 0.87 (p<0.001). Limitations included the retrospective design, multiple operators, and nonblinding of radiologists. MpMRI identified 92% of index lesions compared with RP histopathology. The combination of FTB and SB was superior to both approaches alone

Bulk Nuclear Hyperpolarization of Inorganic Solids by Relay from the Surface.

PubMed

Björgvinsdóttir, Snædís; Walder, Brennan J; Pinon, Arthur C; Emsley, Lyndon

2018-06-14

NMR is a method of choice to determine structural and electronic features in inorganic materials, and has been widely used in the past, but its application is severely limited by its low relative sensitivity. We show how the bulk of proton-free inorganic solids can be hyperpolarized with a general strategy using impregnation dynamic nuclear polarization through homonuclear spin diffusion between low-γ nuclei. This is achieved either through direct hyperpolarization or with a pulse cooling cross-polarization method, transferring hyperpolarization from protons to heteronuclei at particle surfaces. We demonstrate a factor of 50 gain in overall sensitivity for the 119 Sn spectrum of powdered SnO 2 , corresponding to an acceleration of a factor >2500 in acquisition times. The method is also shown for 31 P spectra of GaP, 113 Cd spectra of CdTe, and 29 Si spectra of α-quartz.

Iterative Image Reconstruction for PROPELLER-MRI using the NonUniform Fast Fourier Transform

PubMed Central

Tamhane, Ashish A.; Anastasio, Mark A.; Gui, Minzhi; Arfanakis, Konstantinos

2013-01-01

Purpose To investigate an iterative image reconstruction algorithm using the non-uniform fast Fourier transform (NUFFT) for PROPELLER (Periodically Rotated Overlapping parallEL Lines with Enhanced Reconstruction) MRI. Materials and Methods Numerical simulations, as well as experiments on a phantom and a healthy human subject were used to evaluate the performance of the iterative image reconstruction algorithm for PROPELLER, and compare it to that of conventional gridding. The trade-off between spatial resolution, signal to noise ratio, and image artifacts, was investigated for different values of the regularization parameter. The performance of the iterative image reconstruction algorithm in the presence of motion was also evaluated. Results It was demonstrated that, for a certain range of values of the regularization parameter, iterative reconstruction produced images with significantly increased SNR, reduced artifacts, for similar spatial resolution, compared to gridding. Furthermore, the ability to reduce the effects of motion in PROPELLER-MRI was maintained when using the iterative reconstruction approach. Conclusion An iterative image reconstruction technique based on the NUFFT was investigated for PROPELLER MRI. For a certain range of values of the regularization parameter the new reconstruction technique may provide PROPELLER images with improved image quality compared to conventional gridding. PMID:20578028

2D dose distribution images of a hybrid low field MRI-γ detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abril, A.; Agulles-Pedrós, L.

2016-07-01

The proposed hybrid system is a combination of a low field MRI and dosimetric gel as a γ detector. The readout system is based on the polymerization process induced by the gel radiation. A gel dose map is obtained which represents the functional part of hybrid image alongside with the anatomical MRI one. Both images should be taken while the patient with a radiopharmaceutical is located inside the MRI system with a gel detector matrix. A relevant aspect of this proposal is that the dosimetric gel has never been used to acquire medical images. The results presented show the interaction of the 99mTc source with the dosimetric gel simulated in Geant4. The purpose was to obtain the planar γ 2D-image. The different source configurations are studied to explore the ability of the gel as radiation detector through the following parameters; resolution, shape definition and radio-pharmaceutical concentration.

The use of parallel imaging for MRI assessment of knees in children and adolescents.

PubMed

Doria, Andrea S; Chaudry, Gulraiz A; Nasui, Cristina; Rayner, Tammy; Wang, Chenghua; Moineddin, Rahim; Babyn, Paul S; White, Larry M; Sussman, Marshall S

2010-03-01

Parallel imaging provides faster scanning at the cost of reduced signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and increased artifacts. To compare the diagnostic performance of two parallel MRI protocols (PPs) for assessment of pathologic knees using an 8-channel knee coil (reference standard, conventional protocol [CP]) and to characterize the SNR losses associated with parallel imaging. Two radiologists blindly interpreted 1.5 Tesla knee MRI images in 21 children (mean 13 years, range 9-18 years) with clinical indications for an MRI scan. Sagittal proton density, T2-W fat-saturated FSE, axial T2-W fat-saturated FSE, and coronal T1-W (NEX of 1,1,1) images were obtained with both CP and PP. Images were read for soft tissue and osteochondral findings. There was a 75% decrease in acquisition time using PP in comparison to CP. The CP and PP protocols fell within excellent or upper limits of substantial agreement: CP, kappa coefficient, 0.81 (95% CIs, 0.73-0.89); PP, 0.80-0.81 (0.73-0.89). The sensitivity of the two PPs was similar for assessment of soft (0.98-1.00) and osteochondral (0.89-0.94) tissues. Phantom data indicated an SNR of 1.67, 1.6, and 1.51 (axial, sagittal and coronal planes) between CP and PP scans. Parallel MRI provides a reliable assessment for pediatric knees in a significantly reduced scan time without affecting the diagnostic performance of MRI.

Creating a strategic management plan for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provision.

PubMed

Szczepura, A; Clark, M

2000-09-01

We were commissioned by the West Midlands NHS Regional Specialized Services Group (RSSG) to formulate a strategic plan for the management of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) within the West Midlands, UK. We needed to establish whether an increase in MRI provision was required, and if so to develop criteria to shape both the nature and location of MRI provision. We found that the UK had relatively low MRI provision per capita by international standards, and that the West Midlands region of the UK had less than the UK average level of MRI provision per capita. Within the region there was a 'mixed economy' of MRI provision involving fixed site scanners owned by the NHS and private companies, and private sector mobile MRI provision. There was little evidence of inappropriate MRI use, but considerable evidence of under-provision. Most MRI scanners in the region were heavily utilized, and average waiting times for MRI frequently exceeded guidelines (of a maximum 13-week wait for non-urgent MRI scans). Projections from NHS Trusts, MRI suppliers, and experts in the MRI field, led us to the conclusion that demand for MRI was likely to grow by between 12.5 and 18.5% per annum. This implies that 8-14 additional MRI scanners might be required within the West Midlands over the next 5 years, to meet existing, and rising demand for MRI. We therefore developed criteria (outlined in the paper) to enhance the productive and allocative efficiency of the deployment of MRI provision, whilst improving the configuration of MRI with reference to geographical equality of access to MRI.

Continuous hyperpolarization with parahydrogen in a membrane reactor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lehmkuhl, Sören; Wiese, Martin; Schubert, Lukas; Held, Mathias; Küppers, Markus; Wessling, Matthias; Blümich, Bernhard

2018-06-01

Hyperpolarization methods entail a high potential to boost the sensitivity of NMR. Even though the "Signal Amplification by Reversible Exchange" (SABRE) approach uses para-enriched hydrogen, p-H2, to repeatedly achieve high polarization levels on target molecules without altering their chemical structure, such studies are often limited to batch experiments in NMR tubes. Alternatively, this work introduces a continuous flow setup including a membrane reactor for the p-H2, supply and consecutive detection in a 1 T NMR spectrometer. Two SABRE substrates pyridine and nicotinamide were hyperpolarized, and more than 1000-fold signal enhancement was found. Our strategy combines low-field NMR spectrometry and a membrane flow reactor. This enables precise control of the experimental conditions such as liquid and gas pressures, and volume flow for ensuring repeatable maximum polarization.

Enhanced Sensitivity to Hyperpolarizing Inhibition in Mesoaccumbal Relative to Nigrostriatal Dopamine Neuron Subpopulations

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Midbrain dopamine neurons recorded in vivo pause their firing in response to reward omission and aversive stimuli. While the initiation of pauses typically involves synaptic or modulatory input, intrinsic membrane properties may also enhance or limit hyperpolarization, raising the question of how intrinsic conductances shape pauses in dopamine neurons. Using retrograde labeling and electrophysiological techniques combined with computational modeling, we examined the intrinsic conductances that shape pauses evoked by current injections and synaptic stimulation in subpopulations of dopamine neurons grouped according to their axonal projections to the nucleus accumbens or dorsal striatum in mice. Testing across a range of conditions and pulse durations, we found that mesoaccumbal and nigrostriatal neurons differ substantially in rebound properties with mesoaccumbal neurons displaying significantly longer delays to spiking following hyperpolarization. The underlying mechanism involves an inactivating potassium (IA) current with decay time constants of up to 225 ms, and small-amplitude hyperpolarization-activated currents (IH), characteristics that were most often observed in mesoaccumbal neurons. Pharmacological block of IA completely abolished rebound delays and, importantly, shortened synaptically evoked inhibitory pauses, thereby demonstrating the involvement of A-type potassium channels in prolonging pauses evoked by GABAergic inhibition. Therefore, these results show that mesoaccumbal and nigrostriatal neurons display differential responses to hyperpolarizing inhibitory stimuli that favors a higher sensitivity to inhibition in mesoaccumbal neurons. These findings may explain, in part, observations from in vivo experiments that ventral tegmental area neurons tend to exhibit longer aversive pauses relative to SNc neurons. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Our study examines rebound, postburst, and synaptically evoked inhibitory pauses in subpopulations of midbrain dopamine

Skin age testing criteria: characterization of human skin structures by 500 MHz MRI multiple contrast and image processing.

PubMed

Sharma, Rakesh

2010-07-21

Ex vivo magnetic resonance microimaging (MRM) image characteristics are reported in human skin samples in different age groups. Human excised skin samples were imaged using a custom coil placed inside a 500 MHz NMR imager for high-resolution microimaging. Skin MRI images were processed for characterization of different skin structures. Contiguous cross-sectional T1-weighted 3D spin echo MRI, T2-weighted 3D spin echo MRI and proton density images were compared with skin histopathology and NMR peaks. In all skin specimens, epidermis and dermis thickening and hair follicle size were measured using MRM. Optimized parameters TE and TR and multicontrast enhancement generated better MRI visibility of different skin components. Within high MR signal regions near to the custom coil, MRI images with short echo time were comparable with digitized histological sections for skin structures of the epidermis, dermis and hair follicles in 6 (67%) of the nine specimens. Skin % tissue composition, measurement of the epidermis, dermis, sebaceous gland and hair follicle size, and skin NMR peaks were signatures of skin type. The image processing determined the dimensionality of skin tissue components and skin typing. The ex vivo MRI images and histopathology of the skin may be used to measure the skin structure and skin NMR peaks with image processing may be a tool for determining skin typing and skin composition.

Skin age testing criteria: characterization of human skin structures by 500 MHz MRI multiple contrast and image processing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharma, Rakesh

2010-07-01

Ex vivo magnetic resonance microimaging (MRM) image characteristics are reported in human skin samples in different age groups. Human excised skin samples were imaged using a custom coil placed inside a 500 MHz NMR imager for high-resolution microimaging. Skin MRI images were processed for characterization of different skin structures. Contiguous cross-sectional T1-weighted 3D spin echo MRI, T2-weighted 3D spin echo MRI and proton density images were compared with skin histopathology and NMR peaks. In all skin specimens, epidermis and dermis thickening and hair follicle size were measured using MRM. Optimized parameters TE and TR and multicontrast enhancement generated better MRI visibility of different skin components. Within high MR signal regions near to the custom coil, MRI images with short echo time were comparable with digitized histological sections for skin structures of the epidermis, dermis and hair follicles in 6 (67%) of the nine specimens. Skin % tissue composition, measurement of the epidermis, dermis, sebaceous gland and hair follicle size, and skin NMR peaks were signatures of skin type. The image processing determined the dimensionality of skin tissue components and skin typing. The ex vivo MRI images and histopathology of the skin may be used to measure the skin structure and skin NMR peaks with image processing may be a tool for determining skin typing and skin composition.

Blockade of hyperpolarization-activated channels modifies the effect of beta-adrenoceptor stimulation.

PubMed

Zefirov, T L; Ziyatdinova, N I; Gainullin, A A; Zefirov, A L

2002-05-01

Experiments on rats showed that blockade of hyperpolarization-activated currents moderates tachycardia induced by beta-adrenoceptor agonist isoproterenol and potentiates the increase in stroke volume produced by this agonist. Electrical stimulation of the vagus nerve against the background of isoproterenol treatment augmented bradycardia and increased stroke volume. Blockade of hyperpolarization-activated currents followed by application of isoproterenol moderated vagus-induced bradycardia and had no effect on the dynamics of stroke volume.

3D Compressed Sensing for Highly Accelerated Hyperpolarized 13C MRSI With In Vivo Applications to Transgenic Mouse Models of Cancer

PubMed Central

Hu, Simon; Lustig, Michael; Balakrishnan, Asha; Larson, Peder E. Z.; Bok, Robert; Kurhanewicz, John; Nelson, Sarah J.; Goga, Andrei; Pauly, John M.; Vigneron, Daniel B.

2010-01-01

High polarization of nuclear spins in liquid state through hyperpolarized technology utilizing dynamic nuclear polarization has enabled the direct monitoring of 13C metabolites in vivo at a high signal-to-noise ratio. Acquisition time limitations due to T1 decay of the hyperpolarized signal require accelerated imaging methods, such as compressed sensing, for optimal speed and spatial coverage. In this paper, the design and testing of a new echo-planar 13C three-dimensional magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) compressed sensing sequence is presented. The sequence provides up to a factor of 7.53 in acceleration with minimal reconstruction artifacts. The key to the design is employing x and y gradient blips during a fly-back readout to pseudorandomly undersample kf-kx-ky space. The design was validated in simulations and phantom experiments where the limits of undersampling and the effects of noise on the compressed sensing nonlinear reconstruction were tested. Finally, this new pulse sequence was applied in vivo in preclinical studies involving transgenic prostate cancer and transgenic liver cancer murine models to obtain much higher spatial and temporal resolution than possible with conventional echo-planar spectroscopic imaging methods. PMID:20017160

[Fusion of MRI, fMRI and intraoperative MRI data. Methods and clinical significance exemplified by neurosurgical interventions].

PubMed

Moche, M; Busse, H; Dannenberg, C; Schulz, T; Schmitgen, A; Trantakis, C; Winkler, D; Schmidt, F; Kahn, T

2001-11-01

The aim of this work was to realize and clinically evaluate an image fusion platform for the integration of preoperative MRI and fMRI data into the intraoperative images of an interventional MRI system with a focus on neurosurgical procedures. A vertically open 0.5 T MRI scanner was equipped with a dedicated navigation system enabling the registration of additional imaging modalities (MRI, fMRI, CT) with the intraoperatively acquired data sets. These merged image data served as the basis for interventional planning and multimodal navigation. So far, the system has been used in 70 neurosurgical interventions (13 of which involved image data fusion--requiring 15 minutes extra time). The augmented navigation system is characterized by a higher frame rate and a higher image quality as compared to the system-integrated navigation based on continuously acquired (near) real time images. Patient movement and tissue shifts can be immediately detected by monitoring the morphological differences between both navigation scenes. The multimodal image fusion allowed a refined navigation planning especially for the resection of deeply seated brain lesions or pathologies close to eloquent areas. Augmented intraoperative orientation and instrument guidance improve the safety and accuracy of neurosurgical interventions.

Functional Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) in the Assessment of Myocardial Viability and Perfusion

PubMed Central

2003-01-01

Executive Summary Objective The objective of this health technology policy assessment was to determine the effectiveness safety and cost-effectiveness of using functional cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for the assessment of myocardial viability and perfusion in patients with coronary artery disease and left ventricular dysfunction. Results Functional MRI has become increasingly investigated as a noninvasive method for assessing myocardial viability and perfusion. Most patients in the published literature have mild to moderate impaired LV function. It is possible that the severity of LV dysfunction may be an important factor that can alter the diagnostic accuracy of imaging techniques. There is some evidence of comparable or better performance of functional cardiac MRI for the assessment of myocardial viability and perfusion compared with other imaging techniques. However limitations to most of the studies included: Functional cardiac MRI studies that assess myocardial viability and perfusion have had small sample sizes. Some studies assessed myocardial viability/perfusion in patients who had already undergone revascularization, or excluded patients with a prior MI (Schwitter et al., 2001). Lack of explicit detail of patient recruitment. Patients with LVEF >35%. Interstudy variability in post MI imaging time(including acute or chronic MI), when patients with a prior MI were included. Poor interobserver agreement (kappa statistic) in the interpretation of the results. Traditionally, 0.80 is considered “good”. Cardiac MRI measurement of myocardial perfusion to as an adjunct tool to help diagnose CAD (prior to a definitive coronary angiography) has also been examined in some studies, with methodological limitations, yielding comparable results. Many studies examining myocardial viability and perfusion report on the accuracy of imaging methods with limited data on long-term patient outcome and management. Kim et al. (2000) revealed that the transmural