Development of New Methods for Quantitative MRI

定量 MRI 新方法的开发

• 批准号: RGPIN-2017-04006
• 负责人: Wilman, Alan
• 金额: $ 3.35万
• 依托单位: University of Alberta
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2018
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2018-01-01 至 2019-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=668662
• 关键词: Development; New; Methods; Quantitative; MRI

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is very useful for examining soft tissue in the body and is still rapidly evolving in capability and increasing in use. One of the limitations of MRI is it tends to not provide exact tissue measurements, instead making relative measurements by comparing the signal in different areas. If fast and exact quantitative tissue measures could be developed for MRI, it could further its ability to offer precise information which would be valuable for medical imaging and industrial uses. Our laboratory specializes in the generation of new MRI methods by exploiting the MRI physics underlying each form of image contrast. Our long term goal is the continual development of novel methods that increase the value of MRI and are based on understanding MRI physics and its relationship to human tissue properties. This research proposal will develop new means of performing quantitative MRI, focusing on three unique quantitative techniques. The three areas of interest are emerging areas of MRI application that require further evolution to become practical tools.******The first area attempts to determine multiple quantitative MRI parameters from a minimal amount of scanning and is known as MRI fingerprinting. Similar to a detective's use of pattern recognition to determine a physical fingerprint, we use pattern recognition of MRI evolution to determine multiple parameters at once. We will develop unique contributions in this area that make use of standard MRI sequences, which would enable immediate incorporation into standard MRI protocols, without needing lengthy additional scans. This work builds on our recent work in single parameter quantitative relaxation mapping.******The second area attempts to measure the magnetic field and then determine the actual magnetic susceptibility distribution. This area is known as Quantitative Susceptibility Mapping (QSM). The magnetic susceptibility provides a unique form of image contrast but the QSM methods are still evolving. We will work towards improving the speed, robustness and use of QSM acquisitions and processing methods to image invisible objects, blood vessels, iron, calcium and myelin.******The third area enables indirect imaging of metabolites in the brain and is known as Chemical Exchange Saturation Transfer (CEST). The method provides a means to look at chemical properties of the brain including neurotransmitter content and brain acidity. We will work to further validate these methods in comparison to spectroscopic techniques that also use MRI. This work is new to our laboratory.******The advances in all three areas will consist of new post-processing approaches, new imaging sequences, new validations of methods and new applications for human quantitative MRI. These advances will help turn these emerging MRI methods into viable tools for quantitative MRI and will provide ideal training environments for the next generation of imaging scientists.

磁共振成像（MRI）对于检查体内的软组织非常有用，并且仍在迅速发展的能力和使用中的增加。 MRI的局限性之一是它倾向于不提供精确的组织测量，而是通过比较不同区域的信号进行相对测量。 如果可以为MRI开发快速，准确的定量组织测量，它可以进一步提供其精确信息的能力，这些信息对于医学成像和工业用途很有价值。 我们的实验室通过利用每种形式的图像对比度的MRI物理学来专门生成新的MRI方法。我们的长期目标是不断发展新方法，这些方法会增加MRI的价值，并基于理解MRI物理学及其与人体组织特性的关系。这项研究建议将开发出进行定量MRI的新方法，重点是三种独特的定量技术。感兴趣的三个领域是MRI应用的新兴领域，需要进一步发展成为实际工具。******第一个领域试图从最少的扫描量确定多个定量的MRI参数，并被称为MRI指纹。类似于侦探使用模式识别来确定物理指纹的使用，我们使用MRI进化的模式识别来一次确定多个参数。我们将在使用标准MRI序列的该领域中开发独特的贡献，该贡献将使能够立即合并到标准MRI协议中，而无需进行详细的额外扫描。这项工作是基于我们在单个参数定量放松映射中的最新工作。******第二个区域试图测量磁场，然后确定实际的磁敏感性分布。该区域称为定量敏感性映射（QSM）。磁化率提供了图像对比度的独特形式，但QSM方法仍在发展。 我们将致力于提高QSM采集和加工方法的速度，鲁棒性和使用，以形象不可见的物体，血管，铁，钙和髓磷脂。******第三个区域可实现大脑中代谢物的间接成像，并被称为化学交换饱和饱和饱和饱和度（CEST）。该方法提供了一种查看大脑的化学特性，包括神经递质含量和脑酸度。 与也使用MRI的光谱技术相比，我们将致力于进一步验证这些方法。这项工作对我们的实验室是新的。******这三个领域的进步将包括新的后处理方法，新的成像序列，新方法的新验证以及对人类定量MRI的新应用。这些进步将有助于将这些新兴的MRI方法变成可行的定量MRI工具，并为下一代成像科学家提供理想的培训环境。