On the performance of multi-compartment relaxometry for myelin water imaging (MCR-MWI) – test-retest repeatability and inter-protocol reproducibility
In this study, we optimized the variable flip angle (VFA) acquisition scheme using numerical simulations to shorten the acquisition time of multicompartment relaxometry for myelin water imaging (MCR-MWI) to a clinically practical range in the absence of advanced image reconstruction methods. As the...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2023-02-01
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| Series: | NeuroImage |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1053811922009454 |
| _version_ | 1797961189511135232 |
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| author | Kwok-Shing Chan Maxime Chamberland José P. Marques |
| author_facet | Kwok-Shing Chan Maxime Chamberland José P. Marques |
| author_sort | Kwok-Shing Chan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In this study, we optimized the variable flip angle (VFA) acquisition scheme using numerical simulations to shorten the acquisition time of multicompartment relaxometry for myelin water imaging (MCR-MWI) to a clinically practical range in the absence of advanced image reconstruction methods. As the primary objective of this study, the test-retest repeatability of myelin water fraction (MWF) measurements of MCR-MWI is evaluated on three gradient echo (GRE) sequence settings using the optimized VFA schemes with different echo times and repetition times, emulating various scanner setups. The cross-protocol reproducibility of MCR-MWI and MCR with diffusion-informed myelin water imaging (MCR-DIMWI) is also examined. As a secondary objective, we explore the bundle-specific profiles of various microstructural parameters from MCR-(DI)MWI and their cross-correlations to determine if these parameters possess supplementary microstructure information beyond myelin concentration.Numerical simulations indicate that MCR-MWI can be performed with a minimum of three flip angles covering a wide range of T1 weightings without adding significant bias. This is supported by the results of an in vivo experiment, allowing whole-brain 1.5 mm isotropic MWF maps to be acquired in 9 min, reducing the total scan time to 40% of the original implementation without significant quality degradation. Good test-retest repeatability is observed for MCR-MWI for all three GRE protocols. While good correlations can also be found in MWF across protocols, systematic differences are observed. Bundle-specific MWF analysis reveals that certain white matter bundles are similar in all participants. We also found that microstructure relaxation parameters have low linear correlations with MWF. MCR-MWI is a reproducible measure of myelin. However, attention should be paid to the protocol related MWF differences when comparing different studies, as the MWF bias up to 0.5% can be observed across the protocols examined in this work. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T00:56:18Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-326a9507fc01469583c3856b091cebfb |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1095-9572 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T00:56:18Z |
| publishDate | 2023-02-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | NeuroImage |
| spelling | doaj.art-326a9507fc01469583c3856b091cebfb2023-01-05T04:31:25ZengElsevierNeuroImage1095-95722023-02-01266119824On the performance of multi-compartment relaxometry for myelin water imaging (MCR-MWI) – test-retest repeatability and inter-protocol reproducibilityKwok-Shing Chan0Maxime Chamberland1José P. Marques2Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Kapittelweg 29, 6525 EN, Nijmegen, the NetherlandsDonders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Kapittelweg 29, 6525 EN, Nijmegen, the NetherlandsCorresponding author.; Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, Kapittelweg 29, 6525 EN, Nijmegen, the NetherlandsIn this study, we optimized the variable flip angle (VFA) acquisition scheme using numerical simulations to shorten the acquisition time of multicompartment relaxometry for myelin water imaging (MCR-MWI) to a clinically practical range in the absence of advanced image reconstruction methods. As the primary objective of this study, the test-retest repeatability of myelin water fraction (MWF) measurements of MCR-MWI is evaluated on three gradient echo (GRE) sequence settings using the optimized VFA schemes with different echo times and repetition times, emulating various scanner setups. The cross-protocol reproducibility of MCR-MWI and MCR with diffusion-informed myelin water imaging (MCR-DIMWI) is also examined. As a secondary objective, we explore the bundle-specific profiles of various microstructural parameters from MCR-(DI)MWI and their cross-correlations to determine if these parameters possess supplementary microstructure information beyond myelin concentration.Numerical simulations indicate that MCR-MWI can be performed with a minimum of three flip angles covering a wide range of T1 weightings without adding significant bias. This is supported by the results of an in vivo experiment, allowing whole-brain 1.5 mm isotropic MWF maps to be acquired in 9 min, reducing the total scan time to 40% of the original implementation without significant quality degradation. Good test-retest repeatability is observed for MCR-MWI for all three GRE protocols. While good correlations can also be found in MWF across protocols, systematic differences are observed. Bundle-specific MWF analysis reveals that certain white matter bundles are similar in all participants. We also found that microstructure relaxation parameters have low linear correlations with MWF. MCR-MWI is a reproducible measure of myelin. However, attention should be paid to the protocol related MWF differences when comparing different studies, as the MWF bias up to 0.5% can be observed across the protocols examined in this work.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1053811922009454Myelin water imagingDiffusion weighted imagingMicrostructureGradient echo imaging |
| spellingShingle | Kwok-Shing Chan Maxime Chamberland José P. Marques On the performance of multi-compartment relaxometry for myelin water imaging (MCR-MWI) – test-retest repeatability and inter-protocol reproducibility NeuroImage Myelin water imaging Diffusion weighted imaging Microstructure Gradient echo imaging |
| title | On the performance of multi-compartment relaxometry for myelin water imaging (MCR-MWI) – test-retest repeatability and inter-protocol reproducibility |
| title_full | On the performance of multi-compartment relaxometry for myelin water imaging (MCR-MWI) – test-retest repeatability and inter-protocol reproducibility |
| title_fullStr | On the performance of multi-compartment relaxometry for myelin water imaging (MCR-MWI) – test-retest repeatability and inter-protocol reproducibility |
| title_full_unstemmed | On the performance of multi-compartment relaxometry for myelin water imaging (MCR-MWI) – test-retest repeatability and inter-protocol reproducibility |
| title_short | On the performance of multi-compartment relaxometry for myelin water imaging (MCR-MWI) – test-retest repeatability and inter-protocol reproducibility |
| title_sort | on the performance of multi compartment relaxometry for myelin water imaging mcr mwi test retest repeatability and inter protocol reproducibility |
| topic | Myelin water imaging Diffusion weighted imaging Microstructure Gradient echo imaging |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1053811922009454 |
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