tSWI

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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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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Quantifying iron content in magnetic resonance imaging

Quantifying iron content in magnetic resonance imaging

In this work, we review the basic concepts behind imaging iron using T2, T2*, T2′, phase and quantitative susceptibility mapping in the human brain, liver and heart, followed by the applications of in vivo iron quantification in neurodegenerative diseases, iron tagged cells and ultra-small superparamagnetic iron oxide (USPIO) nanoparticles.

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An interleaved sequence for simultaneous magnetic resonance angiography (MRA), susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI) and quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM)

An interleaved sequence for simultaneous magnetic resonance angiography (MRA), susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI) and quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM)

The purpose of this study was to image the entire vasculature of the brain with complete suppression of signal from background tissue using a single 3D excitation interleaved rephased/dephased multi-echo gradient echo sequence. This ensures no loss of signal from fast flow and provides co-registered susceptibility weighted images (SWI) and quantitative susceptibility maps (QSM) from the same scan.

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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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Susceptibility-weighted imaging: current status and future directions

Susceptibility-weighted imaging: current status and future directions

Susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI) is a method that uses the intrinsic nature of local magnetic fields to enhance image contrast in order to improve the visibility of various susceptibility sources and to facilitate diagnostic interpretation. In this article, we review the basics of SWI, including data acquisition, data reconstruction and post-processing.

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