PDW

Imaging iron and neuromelanin simultaneously using a single 3D gradient echo magnetization transfer sequence: Combining neuromelanin, iron and the nigrosome-1 sign as complementary imaging biomarkers in early stage Parkinson’s disease

Imaging iron and neuromelanin simultaneously using a single 3D gradient echo magnetization transfer sequence: Combining neuromelanin, iron and the nigrosome-1 sign as complementary imaging biomarkers in early stage Parkinson’s disease

Diagnosing early stage Parkinson’s disease (PD) is still a clinical challenge. Our goal in this study was to extract the NM complex volume, iron content and volume representing the entire SN, and the N1 sign as potential complementary imaging biomarkers using a single 3D magnetization transfer contrast (MTC) gradient echo sequence and to evaluate their diagnostic performance and clinical correlations in early stage PD.

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Quantitative MRI using STrategically Acquired Gradient Echo (STAGE): optimization for 1.5 T scanners and T1 relaxation map validation

Quantitative MRI using STrategically Acquired Gradient Echo (STAGE): optimization for 1.5 T scanners and T1 relaxation map validation

The strategically acquired gradient echo (STAGE) protocol, developed for 3T scanners, allows one to derive quantitative maps such as T1, T2*, proton density, and quantitative susceptibility mapping in about 5 min. Our aim was to adapt the STAGE sequences for 1.5T scanners which are still commonly used in clinical practice. Furthermore, the accuracy and repeatability of the STAGE-derived T1 estimate were tested.

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Optimizing neuromelanin contrast in the substantia nigra and locus coeruleus using a magnetization transfer contrast prepared 3D gradient recalled echo sequence

Optimizing neuromelanin contrast in the substantia nigra and locus coeruleus using a magnetization transfer contrast prepared 3D gradient recalled echo sequence

Neuromelanin (NM) loss in the substantia nigra (SN) and locus coeruleus (LC) is being investigated as an imaging biomarker for Parkinson’s disease (PD) using magnetization transfer contrast (MTC) magnetic resonance imaging. The goal of this paper was to optimize the NM contrast in the SN and LC as a function of flip angle using a 3D GRE MTC strategically acquired gradient echo (STAGE) imaging approach.

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STrategically Acquired Gradient Echo (STAGE) imaging, part III: Technical advances and clinical applications of a rapid multi-contrast multi-parametric brain imaging method

STrategically Acquired Gradient Echo (STAGE) imaging, part III: Technical advances and clinical applications of a rapid multi-contrast multi-parametric brain imaging method

One major thrust in radiology today is image standardization with a focus on rapidly acquired quantitative multi-contrast information. In this paper, we discuss the strengths and weaknesses of STAGE, demonstrate its contrast-to-noise (CNR) behavior relative to a large clinical data set and introduce a few new image contrasts derived from STAGE.

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STrategically Acquired Gradient Echo (STAGE) imaging, part I: Creating enhanced T1 contrast and standardized susceptibility weighted imaging and quantitative susceptibility mapping

STrategically Acquired Gradient Echo (STAGE) imaging, part I: Creating enhanced T1 contrast and standardized susceptibility weighted imaging and quantitative susceptibility mapping

The purpose of this study was to provide whole brain grey matter (GM) to white matter (WM) contrast enhanced T1W (T1WE) images, multi-echo quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM), proton density (PD) weighted images, T1 maps, PD maps, susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI), and R2* maps with minimal misregistration in scanning times < 5 min.

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