T1-weighted fluid-attenuated inversion recovery and T1-weighted fast spin-echo contrast-enhanced imaging: a comparison in 20 patients with brain lesions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Al-Saeed, O.; Athyal, R. P.; Ismail, M.; Rudwan, M.; Khafajee, S.

2009-01-01

Full text: Tl-weighted fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) sequence is a relatively new pulse sequence for intracranial MR imaging. This study was performed to compare the image quality of Tl-weighted FLAIR with the Tl-weighted FSE sequence. Twenty patients with brain lesions underwent Tl-weighted fast spin-echo (FSE) and Tl-weighted FLAIR during the same imaging session. Four quantitative and three qualitative criteria were used to compare the two sequences after contrast. Two of four quantitative criteria pertained to lesion characteristics: lesion to white matter (WM) contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) and lesion to cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) CNR, and two related to signals from normal tissue: grey matter to WM CNR and WM to CSF CNR. The three qualitative criteria were conspicuousness of the lesion, the presence of image artefacts and the overall image contrast. Both Tl-weighted FSE and FLAIR images were effective in demonstrating lesions. Image contrast was superior in Tl-weighted FLAIR images with significantly improved grey matter-WM CNRs and CSF-WM CNRs. The overall image contrast was judged to be superior on Tl-weighted FLAIR images compared with Tl-weighted FSE images by all neuroradiologists. Two of three reviewers considered that the FLAIR images had slightly increased imaging artefacts that, however, did not interfere with image interpretation. Tl-weighted FLAIR imaging provides improved lesion-to-background and grey to WM contrast-to-noise ratios. Superior conspicuity of lesions and overall image contrast is obtained in comparable acquisition times. These indicate an important role for Tl-weighted FLAIR in intracranial imaging and highlight its advantage over the more widely practiced Tl-weighted FSE sequence

MRI assessment of whole-brain structural changes in aging.

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Hui; Siu, William; D'Arcy, Ryan Cn; Black, Sandra E; Grajauskas, Lukas A; Singh, Sonia; Zhang, Yunting; Rockwood, Kenneth; Song, Xiaowei

2017-01-01

One of the central features of brain aging is the accumulation of multiple age-related structural changes, which occur heterogeneously in individuals and can have immediate or potential clinical consequences. Each of these deficits can coexist and interact, producing both independent and additive impacts on brain health. Many of the changes can be visualized using MRI. To collectively assess whole-brain structural changes, the MRI-based Brain Atrophy and Lesion Index (BALI) has been developed. In this study, we validate this whole-brain health assessment approach using several clinical MRI examinations. Data came from three independent studies: the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative Phase II (n=950; women =47.9%; age =72.7±7.4 years); the National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center (n=722; women =55.1%; age =72.7±9.9 years); and the Tianjin Medical University General Hospital Research database on older adults (n=170; women =60.0%; age =62.9±9.3 years). The 3.0-Tesla MRI scans were evaluated using the BALI rating scheme on the basis of T1-weighted (T1WI), T2-weighted (T2WI), T2-weighted fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (T2-FLAIR), and T2*-weighted gradient-recalled echo (T2*GRE) images. Atrophy and lesion changes were commonly seen in each MRI test. The BALI scores based on different sequences were highly correlated (Spearman r 2 >0.69; P age ( r 2 >0.29; P 26.48, P aging and dementia-related decline of structural brain health. Inclusion of additional MRI tests increased lesion differentiation. Further research is to integrate MRI tests for a clinical tool to aid the diagnosis and intervention of brain aging.

Magnetic resonance characteristics and susceptibility weighted imaging of the brain in gadolinium encephalopathy.

Science.gov (United States)

Samardzic, Dejan; Thamburaj, Krishnamoorthy

2015-01-01

To report the brain imaging features on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in inadvertent intrathecal gadolinium administration. A 67-year-old female with gadolinium encephalopathy from inadvertent high dose intrathecal gadolinium administration during an epidural steroid injection was studied with multisequence 3T MRI. T1-weighted imaging shows pseudo-T2 appearance with diffusion of gadolinium into the brain parenchyma, olivary bodies, and membranous labyrinth. Nulling of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) signal is absent on fluid attenuation recovery (FLAIR). Susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI) demonstrates features similar to subarachnoid hemorrhage. CT may demonstrate a pseudo-cerebral edema pattern given the high attenuation characteristics of gadolinium. Intrathecal gadolinium demonstrates characteristic imaging features on MRI of the brain and may mimic subarachnoid hemorrhage on susceptibility-weighted imaging. Identifying high dose gadolinium within the CSF spaces on MRI is essential to avoid diagnostic and therapeutic errors. Copyright © 2013 by the American Society of Neuroimaging.

Comparison of MR-based attenuation correction and CT-based attenuation correction of whole-body PET/MR imaging

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Izquierdo-Garcia, David [Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Translational and Molecular Imaging Institute, New York, NY (United States); Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Charlestown, MA (United States); Sawiak, Stephen J. [University of Cambridge, Wolfson Brain Imaging Centre, Cambridge (United Kingdom); Knesaurek, Karin; Machac, Joseph [Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Division of Nuclear Medicine, Department of Radiology, New York, NY (United States); Narula, Jagat [Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Department of Cardiology, Zena and Michael A. Weiner Cardiovascular Institute and Marie-Josee and Henry R. Kravis Cardiovascular Health Center, New York, NY (United States); Fuster, Valentin [Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Department of Cardiology, Zena and Michael A. Weiner Cardiovascular Institute and Marie-Josee and Henry R. Kravis Cardiovascular Health Center, New York, NY (United States); The Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC), Madrid (Spain); Fayad, Zahi A. [Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Translational and Molecular Imaging Institute, New York, NY (United States); Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Department of Cardiology, Zena and Michael A. Weiner Cardiovascular Institute and Marie-Josee and Henry R. Kravis Cardiovascular Health Center, New York, NY (United States); Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Department of Radiology, New York, NY (United States)

2014-08-15

The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of the built-in MR-based attenuation correction (MRAC) included in the combined whole-body Ingenuity TF PET/MR scanner and compare it to the performance of CT-based attenuation correction (CTAC) as the gold standard. Included in the study were 26 patients who underwent clinical whole-body FDG PET/CT imaging and subsequently PET/MR imaging (mean delay 100 min). Patients were separated into two groups: the alpha group (14 patients) without MR coils during PET/MR imaging and the beta group (12 patients) with MR coils present (neurovascular, spine, cardiac and torso coils). All images were coregistered to the same space (PET/MR). The two PET images from PET/MR reconstructed using MRAC and CTAC were compared by voxel-based and region-based methods (with ten regions of interest, ROIs). Lesions were also compared by an experienced clinician. Body mass index and lung density showed significant differences between the alpha and beta groups. Right and left lung densities were also significantly different within each group. The percentage differences in uptake values using MRAC in relation to those using CTAC were greater in the beta group than in the alpha group (alpha group -0.2 ± 33.6 %, R{sup 2} = 0.98, p < 0.001; beta group 10.31 ± 69.86 %, R{sup 2} = 0.97, p < 0.001). In comparison to CTAC, MRAC led to underestimation of the PET values by less than 10 % on average, although some ROIs and lesions did differ by more (including the spine, lung and heart). The beta group (imaged with coils present) showed increased overall PET quantification as well as increased variability compared to the alpha group (imaged without coils). PET data reconstructed with MRAC and CTAC showed some differences, mostly in relation to air pockets, metallic implants and attenuation differences in large bone areas (such as the pelvis and spine) due to the segmentation limitation of the MRAC method. (orig.)

Comparison of MR-based attenuation correction and CT-based attenuation correction of whole-body PET/MR imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Izquierdo-Garcia, David; Sawiak, Stephen J.; Knesaurek, Karin; Machac, Joseph; Narula, Jagat; Fuster, Valentin; Fayad, Zahi A.

2014-01-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of the built-in MR-based attenuation correction (MRAC) included in the combined whole-body Ingenuity TF PET/MR scanner and compare it to the performance of CT-based attenuation correction (CTAC) as the gold standard. Included in the study were 26 patients who underwent clinical whole-body FDG PET/CT imaging and subsequently PET/MR imaging (mean delay 100 min). Patients were separated into two groups: the alpha group (14 patients) without MR coils during PET/MR imaging and the beta group (12 patients) with MR coils present (neurovascular, spine, cardiac and torso coils). All images were coregistered to the same space (PET/MR). The two PET images from PET/MR reconstructed using MRAC and CTAC were compared by voxel-based and region-based methods (with ten regions of interest, ROIs). Lesions were also compared by an experienced clinician. Body mass index and lung density showed significant differences between the alpha and beta groups. Right and left lung densities were also significantly different within each group. The percentage differences in uptake values using MRAC in relation to those using CTAC were greater in the beta group than in the alpha group (alpha group -0.2 ± 33.6 %, R 2 = 0.98, p 2 = 0.97, p < 0.001). In comparison to CTAC, MRAC led to underestimation of the PET values by less than 10 % on average, although some ROIs and lesions did differ by more (including the spine, lung and heart). The beta group (imaged with coils present) showed increased overall PET quantification as well as increased variability compared to the alpha group (imaged without coils). PET data reconstructed with MRAC and CTAC showed some differences, mostly in relation to air pockets, metallic implants and attenuation differences in large bone areas (such as the pelvis and spine) due to the segmentation limitation of the MRAC method. (orig.)

Evaluation of MLACF based calculated attenuation brain PET imaging for FDG patient studies

Science.gov (United States)

Bal, Harshali; Panin, Vladimir Y.; Platsch, Guenther; Defrise, Michel; Hayden, Charles; Hutton, Chloe; Serrano, Benjamin; Paulmier, Benoit; Casey, Michael E.

2017-04-01

Calculating attenuation correction for brain PET imaging rather than using CT presents opportunities for low radiation dose applications such as pediatric imaging and serial scans to monitor disease progression. Our goal is to evaluate the iterative time-of-flight based maximum-likelihood activity and attenuation correction factors estimation (MLACF) method for clinical FDG brain PET imaging. FDG PET/CT brain studies were performed in 57 patients using the Biograph mCT (Siemens) four-ring scanner. The time-of-flight PET sinograms were acquired using the standard clinical protocol consisting of a CT scan followed by 10 min of single-bed PET acquisition. Images were reconstructed using CT-based attenuation correction (CTAC) and used as a gold standard for comparison. Two methods were compared with respect to CTAC: a calculated brain attenuation correction (CBAC) and MLACF based PET reconstruction. Plane-by-plane scaling was performed for MLACF images in order to fix the variable axial scaling observed. The noise structure of the MLACF images was different compared to those obtained using CTAC and the reconstruction required a higher number of iterations to obtain comparable image quality. To analyze the pooled data, each dataset was registered to a standard template and standard regions of interest were extracted. An SUVr analysis of the brain regions of interest showed that CBAC and MLACF were each well correlated with CTAC SUVrs. A plane-by-plane error analysis indicated that there were local differences for both CBAC and MLACF images with respect to CTAC. Mean relative error in the standard regions of interest was less than 5% for both methods and the mean absolute relative errors for both methods were similar (3.4%  ±  3.1% for CBAC and 3.5%  ±  3.1% for MLACF). However, the MLACF method recovered activity adjoining the frontal sinus regions more accurately than CBAC method. The use of plane-by-plane scaling of MLACF images was found to be a

MR constrained simultaneous reconstruction of activity and attenuation maps in brain TOF-PET/MR imaging

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mehranian, Abolfazl; Zaidi, Habib [Division of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Geneva University Hospital, CH-1211 Geneva (Switzerland)

2014-07-29

The maximum likelihood estimation of attenuation and activity (MLAA) algorithm has been proposed to jointly estimate activity and attenuation from emission data only. Salomon et al employed the MLAA to estimate activity and attenuation from time-of-flight PET data with spatial MR prior information on attenuation. Recently, we proposed a novel algorithm to impose both spatial and statistical constraints on attenuation estimation within the MLAA algorithm using Dixon MR images and a constrained Gaussian mixture model (GMM). In this study, we compare the proposed algorithm with MLAA and MLAA-Salomon in brain TOF-PET/MR imaging.

MR constrained simultaneous reconstruction of activity and attenuation maps in brain TOF-PET/MR imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mehranian, Abolfazl; Zaidi, Habib

2014-01-01

The maximum likelihood estimation of attenuation and activity (MLAA) algorithm has been proposed to jointly estimate activity and attenuation from emission data only. Salomon et al employed the MLAA to estimate activity and attenuation from time-of-flight PET data with spatial MR prior information on attenuation. Recently, we proposed a novel algorithm to impose both spatial and statistical constraints on attenuation estimation within the MLAA algorithm using Dixon MR images and a constrained Gaussian mixture model (GMM). In this study, we compare the proposed algorithm with MLAA and MLAA_Salomon in brain TOF-PET/MR imaging.

Applicability of the 3D-VIBE sequence to whole brain imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Makabe, Takeshi; Nakamura, Manami; Moriyama, Ryo

2009-01-01

The volumetric interpolated breath-hold examination (VIBE) method has been developed imaging also holds its breath in an abdomen, and to do three-dimensional T1WI in possible time in gradient echo sequence, and applied to dynamic study mainly and planning for time reduction using an interpolation and partial fourier. We considered the condition for imaging to do whole brain as high resolution image using VIBE. Even if base matrix was maintained when an interpolation and partial fourier were used too much excessively by Phantom experiment, the resolution of multiplanar reconstruction (MPR) image fell. There was a limit of the interpolation therefore to maintain the resolution as voxel. Signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) fell by flip angle (FA) increase by the applicability to the head, and peak existed in about 15 deg in contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) of white matter and gray matter. Therefore by it's clinical and optimizing the imaging condition of VIBE, whole brain, it was imaging possible in about 3 minutes as high resolution image. (author)

Attenuation correction for brain PET imaging using deep neural network based on dixon and ZTE MR images.

Science.gov (United States)

Gong, Kuang; Yang, Jaewon; Kim, Kyungsang; El Fakhri, Georges; Seo, Youngho; Li, Quanzheng

2018-05-23

Positron Emission Tomography (PET) is a functional imaging modality widely used in neuroscience studies. To obtain meaningful quantitative results from PET images, attenuation correction is necessary during image reconstruction. For PET/MR hybrid systems, PET attenuation is challenging as Magnetic Resonance (MR) images do not reflect attenuation coefficients directly. To address this issue, we present deep neural network methods to derive the continuous attenuation coefficients for brain PET imaging from MR images. With only Dixon MR images as the network input, the existing U-net structure was adopted and analysis using forty patient data sets shows it is superior than other Dixon based methods. When both Dixon and zero echo time (ZTE) images are available, we have proposed a modified U-net structure, named GroupU-net, to efficiently make use of both Dixon and ZTE information through group convolution modules when the network goes deeper. Quantitative analysis based on fourteen real patient data sets demonstrates that both network approaches can perform better than the standard methods, and the proposed network structure can further reduce the PET quantification error compared to the U-net structure. © 2018 Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine.

FLAIR images of brain diseases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Segawa, Fuminori; Kinoshita, Masao; Kishibayashi, Jun; Kamada, Kazuhiko; Sunohara, Nobuhiko.

1994-01-01

The present study was designed to assess the usefulness of fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) images in diagnosing brain diseases. The subjects were 20 patients with multiple cerebral infarction, multiple sclerosis, temporal epilepsy, or brain trauma, and 20 other healthy adults. FLAIR images, with a long repetitive time of 6000 msec and a long inversion time of 1400-1600 msec, showed low signal intensity in the cerebrospinal fluid in the lateral ventricles and the cerebral sulci, and high signal intensity in brain tissues. Signal intensity on FLAIR images correlated well with T2 relaxation times under 100 msec. For multiple sclerosis and cerebral infarction, cystic lesions, which were shown on T2-weighted images with long relaxation times over 100 msec, appeared as low-signal areas; and the lesions surrounding the cystic lesions appeared as high-signal areas. For temporal lobe epilepsy, the hippocampus was visualized as a high-signal area. Hippocampal lesions were demonstrated better with FLAIR images than with conventional T2-weighted and proton-density images. In a patient with cerebral trauma, FLAIR images revealed the lobulated structure with the residual cortex shown as a high signal area. The lesions surrounding the cystic change were imaged as high signal areas. These structural changes were demonstrated better with FLAIR images than with conventional T2-weighted sequences. FLAIR images were useful in detecting white matter lesions surrounding the lateral ventricles and cortical and subcortical lesions near the brain surface, which were unclear on conventional T2-weighted and proton-density images. (N.K.)

Whole-body biodistribution, radiation absorbed dose, and brain SPET imaging with [{sup 123}I]5-I-A-85380 in healthy human subjects

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fujita, Masahiro; Tamagnan, G.; Baldwin, R.M.; Khan, S.; Bozkurt, A. [Yale Univ., New Haven, CT (United States). School of Medicine; Seibyl, J.P.; Early, M. [Institute for Neurodegenerative Disorders, New Haven, CT (United States); Vaupel, B.D.; Horti, A.G.; Mukhin, A.G.; Kimes, A.S. [Brain Imaging Center, Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Baltimore, MD (United States); Zoghbi, S.S. [Yale Univ., New Haven, CT (United States). Dept. of Radiology; Koren, A.O.; London, E.D. [Brain Imaging Center, Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Baltimore, MD (United States); Departments of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA (United States); Innis, R.B. [Molecular Imaging Branch, National Institutes of Mental Health (United States)

2002-02-01

The biodistribution of radioactivity after the administration of a new tracer for {alpha}4{beta}2 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs), [{sup 123}I]5-iodo-3-[2(S)-2-azetidinylmethoxy]pyridine (5-I-A-85380), was studied in ten healthy human subjects. Following administration of 98{+-}6 MBq [{sup 123}I]5-I-A-85380, serial whole-body images were acquired over 24 h and corrected for attenuation. One to four brain single-photon emission tomography (SPET) images were also acquired between 2.5 and 24 h. Estimates of radiation absorbed dose were calculated using MIRDOSE 3.1 with a dynamic bladder model and a dynamic gastrointestinal tract model. The estimates of the highest absorbed dose ({mu}Gy/MBq) were for the urinary bladder wall (71 and 140), lower large intestine wall (70 and 72), and upper large intestine wall (63 and 64), with 2.4-h and 4.8-h urine voiding intervals, respectively. The whole brain activity at the time of the initial whole-body imaging at 14 min was 5.0% of the injected dose. Consistent with the known distribution of {alpha}4{beta}2 nAChRs, SPET images showed the highest activity in the thalamus. These results suggest that [{sup 123}I]5-I-A-85380 is a promising SPET agent to image {alpha}4{beta}2 nAChRs in humans, with acceptable dosimetry and high brain uptake. (orig.)

Clinical usefulness of fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) sequences in intracranial lesions focusing on emergent cases

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kuramochi, Masashi; Niitsu, Mamoru; Itai, Yuji [Tsukuba Univ., Ibaraki (Japan). Inst. of Clinical Medicine; Wada, Mitsuyoshi

1997-06-01

Fluid-Attenuated Inversion Recovery (FLAIR) Pulse Sequences with inversion times of 1700 ms and echo times of 110 ms were used to demonstrate the brain of cerebrovascular disease (CVD) and brain trauma. The long inversion times and long echo times nulls the signal from cerebrospinal fluid and produces heavy T{sub 2} weighting images. We compared FLAIR Pulse Sequences with T{sub 2} weighted image Pulse Sequences for signal intensities of CVD and trauma. FLAIR Pulse Sequences is useful to detect at the periphery of the cerebral hemispheres, but infratentorial small infarctions often cannot be detected for its iso-intensity and slight intensity changes. In all patient of traumatic-subarachnoid hemorrhage (t-SAH) can be definitely detected high signal intensity of the cerebral hemispheres. (author)

Repeated intravenous administration of gadobutrol does not lead to increased signal intensity on unenhanced T1-weighted images - a voxel-based whole brain analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Langner, Soenke; Kromrey, Marie-Luise [University Medicine Greifswald, Institute of Diagnostic Radiology and Neuroradiology, Greifswald (Germany); Kuehn, Jens-Peter [University Medicine Greifswald, Institute of Diagnostic Radiology and Neuroradiology, Greifswald (Germany); University Hospital, Carl Gustav Carus University Dresden, Institute for Radiology, Dresden (Germany); Grothe, Matthias [University Medicine Greifswald, Department of Neurology, Greifswald (Germany); Domin, Martin [University Medicine Greifswald, Functional Imaging Unit, Institute of Diagnostic Radiology and Neuroradiology, Greifswald (Germany)

2017-09-15

To identify a possible association between repeated intravenous administration of gadobutrol and increased signal intensity in the grey and white matter using voxel-based whole-brain analysis. In this retrospective single-centre study, 217 patients with a clinically isolated syndrome underwent baseline brain magnetic resonance imaging and at least one annual follow-up examination with intravenous administration of 0.1 mmol/kg body weight of gadobutrol. Using the ''Diffeomorphic Anatomical Registration using Exponentiated Lie algebra'' (DARTEL) normalisation process, tissue templates for grey matter (GM), white matter (WM), and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were calculated, as were GM-CSF and WM-CSF ratios. Voxel-based whole-brain analysis was used to calculate the signal intensity for each voxel in each data set. Paired t-test was applied to test differences to baseline MRI for significance. Voxel-based whole-brain analysis demonstrated no significant changes in signal intensity of grey and white matter after up to five gadobutrol administrations. There was no significant change in GM-CSF and grey WM-CSF ratios. Voxel-based whole-brain analysis did not demonstrate increased signal intensity of GM and WM on unenhanced T1-weighted images after repeated gadobutrol administration. The molecular structure of gadolinium-based contrast agent preparations may be an essential factor causing SI increase on unenhanced T1-weighted images. (orig.)

TDat: An Efficient Platform for Processing Petabyte-Scale Whole-Brain Volumetric Images.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yuxin; Gong, Hui; Yang, Xiaoquan; Yuan, Jing; Jiang, Tao; Li, Xiangning; Sun, Qingtao; Zhu, Dan; Wang, Zhenyu; Luo, Qingming; Li, Anan

2017-01-01

Three-dimensional imaging of whole mammalian brains at single-neuron resolution has generated terabyte (TB)- and even petabyte (PB)-sized datasets. Due to their size, processing these massive image datasets can be hindered by the computer hardware and software typically found in biological laboratories. To fill this gap, we have developed an efficient platform named TDat, which adopts a novel data reformatting strategy by reading cuboid data and employing parallel computing. In data reformatting, TDat is more efficient than any other software. In data accessing, we adopted parallelization to fully explore the capability for data transmission in computers. We applied TDat in large-volume data rigid registration and neuron tracing in whole-brain data with single-neuron resolution, which has never been demonstrated in other studies. We also showed its compatibility with various computing platforms, image processing software and imaging systems.

The reliability of magnetic resonance imaging in traumatic brain injury lesion detection

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Geurts, B.H.J.; Andriessen, T.M.J.C.; Goraj, B.M.; Vos, P.E.

2012-01-01

Objective: This study compares inter-rater-reliability, lesion detection and clinical relevance of T2-weighted imaging (T2WI), Fluid Attenuated Inversion Recovery (FLAIR), T2*-gradient recalled echo (T2*-GRE) and Susceptibility Weighted Imaging (SWI) in Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). Methods: Three

Whole-body PET/MRI: The effect of bone attenuation during MR-based attenuation correction in oncology imaging

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aznar, M.C., E-mail: marianne.aznar@regionh.dk [Department of Oncology, Section of Radiotherapy 3994, Rigshospitalet, Blegdamsvej 9, 2100 Copenhagen (Denmark); Sersar, R., E-mail: rachidadk@hotmail.com [DTU Informatics, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby (Denmark); Saabye, J., E-mail: julie_saa@hotmail.com [DTU Informatics, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby (Denmark); Ladefoged, C.N., E-mail: claesnl@gmail.com [Department of Clinical Physiology, Nuclear Medicine and PET, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen (Denmark); Andersen, F.L., E-mail: Flemming.Andersen@regionh.dk [Department of Clinical Physiology, Nuclear Medicine and PET, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen (Denmark); Rasmussen, J.H., E-mail: jacobrasmu@gmail.com [Department of Oncology, Section of Radiotherapy 3994, Rigshospitalet, Blegdamsvej 9, 2100 Copenhagen (Denmark); Löfgren, J., E-mail: Johan.Loefgren@regionh.dk [Department of Clinical Physiology, Nuclear Medicine and PET, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen (Denmark); Beyer, T., E-mail: thomas.beyer@meduniwien.ac.at [Centre for Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna (Austria)

2014-07-15

Purpose: In combined PET/MRI standard PET attenuation correction (AC) is based on tissue segmentation following dedicated MR sequencing and, typically, bone tissue is not represented. We evaluate PET quantification in whole-body (WB)-PET/MRI following MR-AC without considering bone attenuation and then investigate different strategies to account for bone tissue in clinical PET/MR imaging. To this purpose, bone tissue representation was extracted from separate CT images, and different bone representations were simulated from hypothetically derived MR-based bone classifications. Methods: Twenty oncology patients referred for a PET/CT were injected with either [18F]-FDG or [18F]-NaF and imaged on PET/CT (Biograph TruePoint/mCT, Siemens) and PET/MRI (mMR, Siemens) following a standard single-injection, dual-imaging clinical WB-protocol. Routine MR-AC was based on in-/opposed-phase MR imaging (orgMR-AC). PET(/MRI) images were reconstructed (AW-OSEM, 3 iterations, 21 subsets, 4 mm Gaussian) following routine MR-AC and MR-AC based on four modified attenuation maps. These modified attenuation maps were created for each patient by non-linear co-registration of the CT images to the orgMR-AC images, and adding CT bone mask values representing cortical bone: 1200 HU (cortCT), spongiosa bone: 350 HU (spongCT), average CT value (meanCT) and original CT values (orgCT). Relative difference images of the PET following AC using the modified attenuation maps were compared. SUVmean was calculated in anatomical reference regions and for PET-positive lesions. Results: The relative differences in SUVmean across patients following orgMR-AC and orgCT in soft tissue lesions and in bone lesions were similar (range: 0.0% to −22.5%), with an average underestimation of SUVmean of 7.2% and 10.0%, respectively when using orgMR-AC. In bone lesions, spongCT values were closest to orgCT (median bias of 1.3%, range: –9.0% to 13.5%) while the overestimation of SUVmean with respect to orgCT was

PET/MRI for Oncologic Brain Imaging

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rausch, Ivo; Rischka, Lucas; Ladefoged, Claes N

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to compare attenuation-correction (AC) approaches for PET/MRI in clinical neurooncology.Methods:Forty-nine PET/MRI brain scans were included: brain tumor studies using18F-fluoro-ethyl-tyrosine (18F-FET) (n= 31) and68Ga-DOTANOC (n= 7) and studies of healthy subjects using18...... by Siemens Healthcare). As a reference, AC maps were derived from patient-specific CT images (CTref). PET data were reconstructed using standard settings after AC with all 4 AC methods. We report changes in diagnosis for all brain tumor patients and the following relative differences values (RDs...... of the whole brain and 10 anatomic regions segmented on MR images.Results:For brain tumor imaging (A and B), the standard PET-based diagnosis was not affected by any of the 3 MR-AC methods. For A, the average RDs of SUVmeanwere -10%, -4%, and -3% and of the VOIs 1%, 2%, and 7% for DIXON, UTE, and BD...

Computer aided detection of tumor and edema in brain FLAIR magnetic resonance image using ANN

Science.gov (United States)

Pradhan, Nandita; Sinha, A. K.

2008-03-01

This paper presents an efficient region based segmentation technique for detecting pathological tissues (Tumor & Edema) of brain using fluid attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) magnetic resonance (MR) images. This work segments FLAIR brain images for normal and pathological tissues based on statistical features and wavelet transform coefficients using k-means algorithm. The image is divided into small blocks of 4×4 pixels. The k-means algorithm is used to cluster the image based on the feature vectors of blocks forming different classes representing different regions in the whole image. With the knowledge of the feature vectors of different segmented regions, supervised technique is used to train Artificial Neural Network using fuzzy back propagation algorithm (FBPA). Segmentation for detecting healthy tissues and tumors has been reported by several researchers by using conventional MRI sequences like T1, T2 and PD weighted sequences. This work successfully presents segmentation of healthy and pathological tissues (both Tumors and Edema) using FLAIR images. At the end pseudo coloring of segmented and classified regions are done for better human visualization.

Fast fluid-attenuated inversion-recovery MR image in the intracranial tumors: comparison with fast spin-echo image

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Hye Young; Kwang, Hyoen Joo; Baek, Seoung Yeon; Lee, Sun Wha

1997-01-01

To evaluate the significance of fluid-attenuated inversion recovery(FLAIR) magnetic resonance(MR) images for the diagnosis of intracranial tumors. MR imaging was used to study 15 patients with various intracranial tumors and were compared the findings according to fast spin echo and fast FLAIR images. In 12 of 15 patients, tumor signal intensities on FLAIR images were consistent with those shown on T2-weighted(T2W) images. In seven of eight patients who had cystic or necrotic components within the mass, FLAIR images showed isosignal intensity and in the other patient, high signal intensity was seen. There was variation in the signal intensity from cerebrospinal fluid(CSF). In 12 of 13 patients in whom edema was associated with tumor, FLAIR images were clearer than T2W images as their signal intensity was brighter. In eight patients, however, FLAIR and T2W images provided a similar definition of the margin between edema and tumor. In six patients with intratumoral hemorrhage except the chronic cystic stage. We concluded that in the diagnosis of intracranial tumors, FLAIR images can supplement conventional spin-echo images

Quantitative Evaluation of Atlas-based Attenuation Correction for Brain PET in an Integrated Time-of-Flight PET/MR Imaging System.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Jaewon; Jian, Yiqiang; Jenkins, Nathaniel; Behr, Spencer C; Hope, Thomas A; Larson, Peder E Z; Vigneron, Daniel; Seo, Youngho

2017-07-01

Purpose To assess the patient-dependent accuracy of atlas-based attenuation correction (ATAC) for brain positron emission tomography (PET) in an integrated time-of-flight (TOF) PET/magnetic resonance (MR) imaging system. Materials and Methods Thirty recruited patients provided informed consent in this institutional review board-approved study. All patients underwent whole-body fluorodeoxyglucose PET/computed tomography (CT) followed by TOF PET/MR imaging. With use of TOF PET data, PET images were reconstructed with four different attenuation correction (AC) methods: PET with patient CT-based AC (CTAC), PET with ATAC (air and bone from an atlas), PET with ATAC patientBone (air and tissue from the atlas with patient bone), and PET with ATAC boneless (air and tissue from the atlas without bone). For quantitative evaluation, PET mean activity concentration values were measured in 14 1-mL volumes of interest (VOIs) distributed throughout the brain and statistical significance was tested with a paired t test. Results The mean overall difference (±standard deviation) of PET with ATAC compared with PET with CTAC was -0.69 kBq/mL ± 0.60 (-4.0% ± 3.2) (P PET with ATAC boneless (-9.4% ± 3.7) was significantly worse than that of PET with ATAC (-4.0% ± 3.2) (P PET with ATAC patientBone (-1.5% ± 1.5) improved over that of PET with ATAC (-4.0% ± 3.2) (P PET/MR imaging achieves similar quantification accuracy to that from CTAC by means of atlas-based bone compensation. However, patient-specific anatomic differences from the atlas causes bone attenuation differences and misclassified sinuses, which result in patient-dependent performance variation of ATAC. © RSNA, 2017 Online supplemental material is available for this article.

A simple rapid process for semi-automated brain extraction from magnetic resonance images of the whole mouse head.

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Delora, Adam; Gonzales, Aaron; Medina, Christopher S; Mitchell, Adam; Mohed, Abdul Faheem; Jacobs, Russell E; Bearer, Elaine L

2016-01-15

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a well-developed technique in neuroscience. Limitations in applying MRI to rodent models of neuropsychiatric disorders include the large number of animals required to achieve statistical significance, and the paucity of automation tools for the critical early step in processing, brain extraction, which prepares brain images for alignment and voxel-wise statistics. This novel timesaving automation of template-based brain extraction ("skull-stripping") is capable of quickly and reliably extracting the brain from large numbers of whole head images in a single step. The method is simple to install and requires minimal user interaction. This method is equally applicable to different types of MR images. Results were evaluated with Dice and Jacquard similarity indices and compared in 3D surface projections with other stripping approaches. Statistical comparisons demonstrate that individual variation of brain volumes are preserved. A downloadable software package not otherwise available for extraction of brains from whole head images is included here. This software tool increases speed, can be used with an atlas or a template from within the dataset, and produces masks that need little further refinement. Our new automation can be applied to any MR dataset, since the starting point is a template mask generated specifically for that dataset. The method reliably and rapidly extracts brain images from whole head images, rendering them useable for subsequent analytical processing. This software tool will accelerate the exploitation of mouse models for the investigation of human brain disorders by MRI. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

High-throughput isotropic mapping of whole mouse brain using multi-view light-sheet microscopy

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Nie, Jun; Li, Yusha; Zhao, Fang; Ping, Junyu; Liu, Sa; Yu, Tingting; Zhu, Dan; Fei, Peng

2018-02-01

Light-sheet fluorescence microscopy (LSFM) uses an additional laser-sheet to illuminate selective planes of the sample, thereby enabling three-dimensional imaging at high spatial-temporal resolution. These advantages make LSFM a promising tool for high-quality brain visualization. However, even by the use of LSFM, the spatial resolution remains insufficient to resolve the neural structures across a mesoscale whole mouse brain in three dimensions. At the same time, the thick-tissue scattering prevents a clear observation from the deep of brain. Here we use multi-view LSFM strategy to solve this challenge, surpassing the resolution limit of standard light-sheet microscope under a large field-of-view (FOV). As demonstrated by the imaging of optically-cleared mouse brain labelled with thy1-GFP, we achieve a brain-wide, isotropic cellular resolution of 3μm. Besides the resolution enhancement, multi-view braining imaging can also recover complete signals from deep tissue scattering and attenuation. The identification of long distance neural projections across encephalic regions can be identified and annotated as a result.

Do brain image databanks support understanding of normal ageing brain structure? A systematic review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dickie, David Alexander; Job, Dominic E.; Wardlaw, Joanna M.; Poole, Ian; Ahearn, Trevor S.; Staff, Roger T.; Murray, Alison D.

2012-01-01

To document accessible magnetic resonance (MR) brain images, metadata and statistical results from normal older subjects that may be used to improve diagnoses of dementia. We systematically reviewed published brain image databanks (print literature and Internet) concerned with normal ageing brain structure. From nine eligible databanks, there appeared to be 944 normal subjects aged ≥60 years. However, many subjects were in more than one databank and not all were fully representative of normal ageing clinical characteristics. Therefore, there were approximately 343 subjects aged ≥60 years with metadata representative of normal ageing, but only 98 subjects were openly accessible. No databank had the range of MR image sequences, e.g. T2*, fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR), required to effectively characterise the features of brain ageing. No databank supported random subject retrieval; therefore, manual selection bias and errors may occur in studies that use these subjects as controls. Finally, no databank stored results from statistical analyses of its brain image and metadata that may be validated with analyses of further data. Brain image databanks require open access, more subjects, metadata, MR image sequences, searchability and statistical results to improve understanding of normal ageing brain structure and diagnoses of dementia. (orig.)

Mapping whole-brain activity with cellular resolution by light-sheet microscopy and high-throughput image analysis (Conference Presentation)

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Silvestri, Ludovico; Rudinskiy, Nikita; Paciscopi, Marco; Müllenbroich, Marie Caroline; Costantini, Irene; Sacconi, Leonardo; Frasconi, Paolo; Hyman, Bradley T.; Pavone, Francesco S.

2016-03-01

Mapping neuronal activity patterns across the whole brain with cellular resolution is a challenging task for state-of-the-art imaging methods. Indeed, despite a number of technological efforts, quantitative cellular-resolution activation maps of the whole brain have not yet been obtained. Many techniques are limited by coarse resolution or by a narrow field of view. High-throughput imaging methods, such as light sheet microscopy, can be used to image large specimens with high resolution and in reasonable times. However, the bottleneck is then moved from image acquisition to image analysis, since many TeraBytes of data have to be processed to extract meaningful information. Here, we present a full experimental pipeline to quantify neuronal activity in the entire mouse brain with cellular resolution, based on a combination of genetics, optics and computer science. We used a transgenic mouse strain (Arc-dVenus mouse) in which neurons which have been active in the last hours before brain fixation are fluorescently labelled. Samples were cleared with CLARITY and imaged with a custom-made confocal light sheet microscope. To perform an automatic localization of fluorescent cells on the large images produced, we used a novel computational approach called semantic deconvolution. The combined approach presented here allows quantifying the amount of Arc-expressing neurons throughout the whole mouse brain. When applied to cohorts of mice subject to different stimuli and/or environmental conditions, this method helps finding correlations in activity between different neuronal populations, opening the possibility to infer a sort of brain-wide 'functional connectivity' with cellular resolution.

Whole brain diffeomorphic metric mapping via integration of sulcal and gyral curves, cortical surfaces, and images

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Du, Jia; Younes, Laurent; Qiu, Anqi

2011-01-01

This paper introduces a novel large deformation diffeomorphic metric mapping algorithm for whole brain registration where sulcal and gyral curves, cortical surfaces, and intensity images are simultaneously carried from one subject to another through a flow of diffeomorphisms. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that the diffeomorphic metric from one brain to another is derived in a shape space of intensity images and point sets (such as curves and surfaces) in a unified manner. We describe the Euler–Lagrange equation associated with this algorithm with respect to momentum, a linear transformation of the velocity vector field of the diffeomorphic flow. The numerical implementation for solving this variational problem, which involves large-scale kernel convolution in an irregular grid, is made feasible by introducing a class of computationally friendly kernels. We apply this algorithm to align magnetic resonance brain data. Our whole brain mapping results show that our algorithm outperforms the image-based LDDMM algorithm in terms of the mapping accuracy of gyral/sulcal curves, sulcal regions, and cortical and subcortical segmentation. Moreover, our algorithm provides better whole brain alignment than combined volumetric and surface registration (Postelnicu et al., 2009) and hierarchical attribute matching mechanism for elastic registration (HAMMER) (Shen and Davatzikos, 2002) in terms of cortical and subcortical volume segmentation. PMID:21281722

Three-dimensional true FISP for high-resolution imaging of the whole brain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schmitz, B.; Hagen, T.; Reith, W.

2003-01-01

While high-resolution T1-weighted sequences, such as three-dimensional magnetization-prepared rapid gradient-echo imaging, are widely available, there is a lack of an equivalent fast high-resolution sequence providing T2 contrast. Using fast high-performance gradient systems we show the feasibility of three-dimensional true fast imaging with steady-state precession (FISP) to fill this gap. We applied a three-dimensional true-FISP protocol with voxel sizes down to 0.5 x 0.5 x 0.5 mm and acquisition times of approximately 8 min on a 1.5-T Sonata (Siemens, Erlangen, Germany) magnetic resonance scanner. The sequence was included into routine brain imaging protocols for patients with cerebrospinal-fluid-related intracranial pathology. Images from 20 patients and 20 healthy volunteers were evaluated by two neuroradiologists with respect to diagnostic image quality and artifacts. All true-FISP scans showed excellent imaging quality free of artifacts in patients and volunteers. They were valuable for the assessment of anatomical and pathologic aspects of the included patients. High-resolution true-FISP imaging is a valuable adjunct for the exploration and neuronavigation of intracranial pathologies especially if cerebrospinal fluid is involved. (orig.)

Influences of reconstruction and attenuation correction in brain SPECT images obtained by the hybrid SPECT/CT device: evaluation with a 3-dimensional brain phantom

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Akamatsu, Mana; Yamashita, Yasuo; Akamatsu, Go; Tsutsui, Yuji; Ohya, Nobuyoshi; Nakamura, Yasuhiko; Sasaki, Masayuki

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influences of reconstruction and attenuation correction on the differences in the radioactivity distributions in 123 I brain SPECT obtained by the hybrid SPECT/CT device. We used the 3-dimensional (3D) brain phantom, which imitates the precise structure of gray matter, white matter and bone regions. It was filled with 123 I solution (20.1 kBq/mL) in the gray matter region and with K 2 HPO 4 in the bone region. The SPECT/CT data were acquired by the hybrid SPECT/CT device. SPECT images were reconstructed by using filtered back projection with uniform attenuation correction (FBP-uAC), 3D ordered-subsets expectation-maximization with uniform AC (3D-OSEM-uAC) and 3D OSEM with CT-based non-uniform AC (3D-OSEM-CTAC). We evaluated the differences in the radioactivity distributions among these reconstruction methods using a 3D digital phantom, which was developed from CT images of the 3D brain phantom, as a reference. The normalized mean square error (NMSE) and regional radioactivity were calculated to evaluate the similarity of SPECT images to the 3D digital phantom. The NMSE values were 0.0811 in FBP-uAC, 0.0914 in 3D-OSEM-uAC and 0.0766 in 3D-OSEM-CTAC. The regional radioactivity of FBP-uAC was 11.5% lower in the middle cerebral artery territory, and that of 3D-OSEM-uAC was 5.8% higher in the anterior cerebral artery territory, compared with the digital phantom. On the other hand, that of 3D-OSEM-CTAC was 1.8% lower in all brain areas. By using the hybrid SPECT/CT device, the brain SPECT reconstructed by 3D-OSEM with CT attenuation correction can provide an accurate assessment of the distribution of brain radioactivity

PET/MR brain imaging: evaluation of clinical UTE-based attenuation correction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aasheim, Lars Birger; Karlberg, Anna; Goa, Paal Erik; Haaberg, Asta; Soerhaug, Sveinung; Fagerli, Unn-Merete; Eikenes, Live

2015-01-01

One of the greatest challenges in PET/MR imaging is that of accurate MR-based attenuation correction (AC) of the acquired PET data, which must be solved if the PET/MR modality is to reach its full potential. The aim of this study was to investigate the performance of Siemens' most recent version (VB20P) of MR-based AC of head PET data, by comparing it to CT-based AC. Methods: 18 F-FDG PET data from seven lymphoma and twelve lung cancer patients examined with a Biograph mMR PET/MR system were reconstructed with both CT-based and MR-based AC, avoiding sources of error arising when comparing PET data from different systems. The resulting images were compared quantitatively by measuring changes in mean SUV in ten different brain regions in both hemispheres, as well as the brainstem. In addition, the attenuation maps (μ maps) were compared regarding volume and localization of cranial bone. The UTE μ maps clearly overestimate the amount of bone in the neck, while slightly underestimating the amount of bone in the cranium, and the localization of bone in the cranial region also differ from the CT μ maps. In air/tissue interfaces in the sinuses and ears, the MRAC method struggles to correctly classify the different tissues. The misclassification of tissue is most likely caused by a combination of artefacts and the insufficiency of the UTE method to accurately separate bone. Quantitatively, this results in a combination of overestimation (0.5-3.6 %) and underestimation (2.7-5.2 %) of PET activity throughout the brain, depending on the proximity to the inaccurate regions. Our results indicate that the performance of the UTE method as implemented in VB20P is close to the theoretical maximum of such an MRAC method in the brain, while it does not perform satisfactorily in the neck or face/nasal area. Further improvement of the UTE MRAC or other available methods for more accurate segmentation of bone should be incorporated. (orig.)

Responses of the Human Brain to Mild Dehydration and Rehydration Explored In Vivo by 1H-MR Imaging and Spectroscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Biller, A; Reuter, M; Patenaude, B; Homola, G A; Breuer, F; Bendszus, M; Bartsch, A J

2015-12-01

As yet, there are no in vivo data on tissue water changes and associated morphometric changes involved in the osmo-adaptation of normal brains. Our aim was to evaluate osmoadaptive responses of the healthy human brain to osmotic challenges of de- and rehydration by serial measurements of brain volume, tissue fluid, and metabolites. Serial T1-weighted and (1)H-MR spectroscopy data were acquired in 15 healthy individuals at normohydration, on 12 hours of dehydration, and during 1 hour of oral rehydration. Osmotic challenges were monitored by serum measures, including osmolality and hematocrit. MR imaging data were analyzed by using FreeSurfer and LCModel. On dehydration, serum osmolality increased by 0.67% and brain tissue fluid decreased by 1.63%, on average. MR imaging morphometry demonstrated corresponding decreases of cortical thickness and volumes of the whole brain, cortex, white matter, and hypothalamus/thalamus. These changes reversed during rehydration. Continuous fluid ingestion of 1 L of water for 1 hour within the scanner lowered serum osmolality by 0.96% and increased brain tissue fluid by 0.43%, on average. Concomitantly, cortical thickness and volumes of the whole brain, cortex, white matter, and hypothalamus/thalamus increased. Changes in brain tissue fluid were related to volume changes of the whole brain, the white matter, and hypothalamus/thalamus. Only volume changes of the hypothalamus/thalamus significantly correlated with serum osmolality. This is the first study simultaneously evaluating changes in brain tissue fluid, metabolites, volume, and cortical thickness. Our results reflect cellular volume regulatory mechanisms at a macroscopic level and emphasize that it is essential to control for hydration levels in studies on brain morphometry and metabolism in order to avoid confounding the findings. © 2015 by American Journal of Neuroradiology.

Whole-brain functional magnetic resonance imaging of human brain during voluntary movements of dominant and subdominant hands

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yu Wei; Yan Zixu; Ma Xiaohai; Zhang Zhaoqi; Lin Chongyu; Zang Yufeng; Weng Xuchu

2003-01-01

Objective: To identify the neural substrates of voluntary movements of dominant and subdominant hands by using the whole-brain functional magnetic resonance imaging. Methods: Seven right-handed healthy volunteers were scanned at a Sonata 1.5 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging scanner (Siemens) while they were performing the visually instructive movement tasks with their right and left index fingers. Image data were co-registered to correct head motion, spatially normalized according to the standard coordinates, and spatially smoothed with isotopic Guassian Kernel. Statistical parametric maps (activation maps) for right and left hands were generated respectively by cross-correlation analysis. Results: Voluntary movements of the right/dominant hand mainly activated contralateral primary motor cortex (MI), bilateral supplementary motor area (SMA), bilateral second motor area (MII), and ipsilateral cerebellum, whereas movements of the left/subdominant hand additionally elicited activation in contralateral premotor area (PMC). Moreover, activation volumes in SMA and MII during movements of the subdominant hand were significantly larger than those during movements of the dominant hand. Conclusion: A large set of structures in the cerebral cortex and cerebellum is involved in voluntary movements, as revealed by whole brain-based fMRI. Movements of the subdominant hand are more dependent on higher control areas, such as SMA and PMC, comparing to movements of the dominant hand

Periventricular Nodular Heterotopia: Detection of Abnormal Microanatomic Fiber Structures with Whole-Brain Diffusion MR Imaging Tractography.

Science.gov (United States)

Farquharson, Shawna; Tournier, J-Donald; Calamante, Fernando; Mandelstam, Simone; Burgess, Rosemary; Schneider, Michal E; Berkovic, Samuel F; Scheffer, Ingrid E; Jackson, Graeme D; Connelly, Alan

2016-12-01

Purpose To investigate whether it is possible in patients with periventricular nodular heterotopia (PVNH) to detect abnormal fiber projections that have only previously been reported in the histopathology literature. Materials and Methods Whole-brain diffusion-weighted (DW) imaging data from 14 patients with bilateral PVNH and 14 age- and sex-matched healthy control subjects were prospectively acquired by using 3.0-T magnetic resonance (MR) imaging between August 1, 2008, and December 5, 2012. All participants provided written informed consent. The DW imaging data were processed to generate whole-brain constrained spherical deconvolution (CSD)-based tractography data and super-resolution track-density imaging (TDI) maps. The tractography data were overlaid on coregistered three-dimensional T1-weighted images to visually assess regions of heterotopia. A panel of MR imaging researchers independently assessed each case and indicated numerically (no = 1, yes = 2) as to the presence of abnormal fiber tracks in nodular tissue. The Fleiss κ statistical measure was applied to assess the reader agreement. Results Abnormal fiber tracks emanating from one or more regions of heterotopia were reported by all four readers in all 14 patients with PVNH (Fleiss κ = 1). These abnormal structures were not visible on the tractography data from any of the control subjects and were not discernable on the conventional T1-weighted images of the patients with PVNH. Conclusion Whole-brain CSD-based fiber tractography and super-resolution TDI mapping reveals abnormal fiber projections in nodular tissue suggestive of abnormal organization of white matter (with abnormal fibers both within nodules and projecting to the surrounding white matter) in patients with bilateral PVNH. © RSNA, 2016.

Influence of crosstalk on the fast fluid attenuated inversion recovery pulse sequence

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Urata, Tohru; Nonoshita, Koji; Miyazaki, Takayuki; Arima, Akira

2000-01-01

The influence of crosstalk on the fast fluid attenuated inversion recovery (fast FLAIR) pulse sequence was studied. On multislice fast FLAIR images, the water null point was shortened in comparison with that on single slice images owing to the crosstalk received from adjacent slices. That influence became greater with decreases in the slice gap and increases in the number of slices. The timing of crosstalk in each slice varied according to excitation order. The process of recovery of longitudinal magnetization changed according to differences in timing; thus, it was possible that the water null point changed in each slice. In brain images with thinner slice gaps, the signal intensity of CSF is increased by the effect of crosstalk. In order to eliminate changes in the water null point caused by crosstalk on fast FLAIR, the multislice sequence requires a sequence with interleaving based on the premise that slice gaps are set for more than 100% of slice thickness. (author)

Influence of crosstalk on the fast fluid attenuated inversion recovery pulse sequence

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Urata, Tohru; Nonoshita, Koji; Miyazaki, Takayuki; Arima, Akira [Funabashi Municipal Medical Center, Chiba (Japan)

2000-04-01

The influence of crosstalk on the fast fluid attenuated inversion recovery (fast FLAIR) pulse sequence was studied. On multislice fast FLAIR images, the water null point was shortened in comparison with that on single slice images owing to the crosstalk received from adjacent slices. That influence became greater with decreases in the slice gap and increases in the number of slices. The timing of crosstalk in each slice varied according to excitation order. The process of recovery of longitudinal magnetization changed according to differences in timing; thus, it was possible that the water null point changed in each slice. In brain images with thinner slice gaps, the signal intensity of CSF is increased by the effect of crosstalk. In order to eliminate changes in the water null point caused by crosstalk on fast FLAIR, the multislice sequence requires a sequence with interleaving based on the premise that slice gaps are set for more than 100% of slice thickness. (author)

The evaluation of the effect of attenuation correction on lesion detectability in whole-body FDG-PET

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tomemori, Takashi; Uno, Kimiichi; Oka, Takashi; Suzuki, Takayuki; Tomiyoshi, Katsumi; Jin Wu

2004-01-01

The aim of this study was to compare the attenuation corrected and non-corrected FDG-PET images in patients with malignant lesions and to evaluate the effect of attenuation correction on lesion detectability. A total of 71 persons with 112 malignant lesions was examined. All subjects fasted for at least 4 hours before PET study and whole-body PET imaging was performed 45 min after the intravenous administration of FDG (mean dose: 273.8 MBq). Emission scans of 6 min and post-injection transmission scans of 6 min per bed position were used. The intensity of lesion uptake in FDG-PET image was visually classified into 3 grades; grade 2=the lesion was clearly identified in the maximum intensity projection (MIP) image of FDG-PET, grade 1=the lesion was not identified in MIP image but it can be identified in coronal image, grade 0=there was no contrast between lesion and background in both MIP and coronal image. Ninety-eight lesions (87.5%) were classified into same grade in both attenuation corrected and non-corrected image, but in 11 lesions (9.8%) attenuation corrected image was better lesion visualization than non-corrected image. All lesions divided between the primary lesions and the metastatic lesions. In 50 primary lesions, 43 lesions were depicted in both attenuation corrected and non-corrected image and other 7 lesions were not in both image. In 62 metastatic lesions, 50 lesions (80.7%) were classified into same grade in both attenuation corrected and non-corrected image, but in 10 lesions (16.1%) attenuation corrected image were better lesion visualization than non-corrected image. In the most cases, the lesions were depicted in both attenuation corrected and non-corrected image. In the primary lesions, the lesion detectability between attenuation corrected and non-corrected image was similar. But in some cases with the metastatic lesions, attenuation corrected image were better lesion visualization than non-corrected image. For asymptomatic patients, non

Re-irradiation for metastatic brain tumors with whole-brain radiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Akiba, Takeshi; Kunieda, Etsuo; Kogawa, Asuka; Komatsu, Tetsuya; Tamai, Yoshifumi; Ohizumi, Yukio

2012-01-01

The objective of this study was to determine whether second whole-brain irradiation is beneficial for patients previously treated with whole-brain irradiation. A retrospective analysis was done for 31 patients with brain metastases who had undergone re-irradiation. Initial whole-brain irradiation was performed with 30 Gy/10 fractions for 87% of these patients. Whole-brain re-irradiation was performed with 30 Gy/10 fractions for 42% of these patients (3-40 Gy/1-20 fractions). Three patients underwent a third whole-brain irradiation. The median interval between the initial irradiation and re-irradiation was 10 months (range: 2-69 months). The median survival time after re-irradiation was 4 months (range: 1-21 months). The symptomatic improvement rate after re-irradiation was 68%, and the partial and complete tumor response rate was 55%. Fifty-two percent of the patients developed Grade 1 acute reactions. On magnetic resonance imaging, brain atrophy was observed in 36% of these patients after the initial irradiation and 74% after re-irradiation. Grade ≥2 encephalopathy or cognitive disturbance was observed in 10 patients (32%) after re-irradiation. Based on univariate analysis, significant factors related to survival after re-irradiation were the location of the primary cancer (P=0.003) and the Karnofsky performance status at the time of re-irradiation (P=0.008). A Karnofsky performance status ≥70 was significant based on multivariate analysis (P=0.050). Whole-brain re-irradiation for brain metastases placed only a slight burden on patients and was effective for symptomatic improvement. However, their remaining survival time was limited and the incidence of cognitive disturbance was rather high. (author)

An SPM8-based approach for attenuation correction combining segmentation and nonrigid template formation: application to simultaneous PET/MR brain imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Izquierdo-Garcia, David; Hansen, Adam E; Förster, Stefan; Benoit, Didier; Schachoff, Sylvia; Fürst, Sebastian; Chen, Kevin T; Chonde, Daniel B; Catana, Ciprian

2014-11-01

We present an approach for head MR-based attenuation correction (AC) based on the Statistical Parametric Mapping 8 (SPM8) software, which combines segmentation- and atlas-based features to provide a robust technique to generate attenuation maps (μ maps) from MR data in integrated PET/MR scanners. Coregistered anatomic MR and CT images of 15 glioblastoma subjects were used to generate the templates. The MR images from these subjects were first segmented into 6 tissue classes (gray matter, white matter, cerebrospinal fluid, bone, soft tissue, and air), which were then nonrigidly coregistered using a diffeomorphic approach. A similar procedure was used to coregister the anatomic MR data for a new subject to the template. Finally, the CT-like images obtained by applying the inverse transformations were converted to linear attenuation coefficients to be used for AC of PET data. The method was validated on 16 new subjects with brain tumors (n = 12) or mild cognitive impairment (n = 4) who underwent CT and PET/MR scans. The μ maps and corresponding reconstructed PET images were compared with those obtained using the gold standard CT-based approach and the Dixon-based method available on the Biograph mMR scanner. Relative change (RC) images were generated in each case, and voxel- and region-of-interest-based analyses were performed. The leave-one-out cross-validation analysis of the data from the 15 atlas-generation subjects showed small errors in brain linear attenuation coefficients (RC, 1.38% ± 4.52%) compared with the gold standard. Similar results (RC, 1.86% ± 4.06%) were obtained from the analysis of the atlas-validation datasets. The voxel- and region-of-interest-based analysis of the corresponding reconstructed PET images revealed quantification errors of 3.87% ± 5.0% and 2.74% ± 2.28%, respectively. The Dixon-based method performed substantially worse (the mean RC values were 13.0% ± 10.25% and 9.38% ± 4.97%, respectively). Areas closer to the skull showed

Effect of scatter and attenuation correction in ROI analysis of brain perfusion scintigraphy. Phantom experiment and clinical study in patients with unilateral cerebrovascular disease

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bai, J. [Keio Univ., Tokyo (Japan). 21st Century Center of Excellence Program; Hashimoto, J.; Kubo, A. [Keio Univ., Tokyo (Japan). Dept. of Radiology; Ogawa, K. [Hosei Univ., Tokyo (Japan). Dept. of Electronic Informatics; Fukunaga, A.; Onozuka, S. [Keio Univ., Tokyo (Japan). Dept. of Neurosurgery

2007-07-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of scatter and attenuation correction in region of interest (ROI) analysis of brain perfusion single-photon emission tomography (SPECT), and to assess the influence of selecting the reference area on the calculation of lesion-to-reference count ratios. Patients, methods: Data were collected from a brain phantom and ten patients with unilateral internal carotid artery stenosis. A simultaneous emission and transmission scan was performed after injecting {sup 123}I-iodoamphetamine. We reconstructed three SPECT images from common projection data: with scatter correction and nonuniform attenuation correction, with scatter correction and uniform attenuation correction, and with uniform attenuation correction applied to data without scatter correction. Regional count ratios were calculated by using four different reference areas (contralateral intact side, ipsilateral cerebellum, whole brain and hemisphere). Results: Scatter correction improved the accuracy of measuring the count ratios in the phantom experiment. It also yielded marked difference in the count ratio in the clinical study when using the cerebellum, whole brain or hemisphere as the reference. Difference between nonuniform and uniform attenuation correction was not significant in the phantom and clinical studies except when the cerebellar reference was used. Calculation of the lesion-to-normal count ratios referring the same site in the contralateral hemisphere was not dependent on the use of scatter correction or transmission scan-based attenuation correction. Conclusion: Scatter correction was indispensable for accurate measurement in most of the ROI analyses. Nonuniform attenuation correction is not necessary when using the reference area other than the cerebellum. (orig.)

Influence of attenuation correction and reconstruction techniques on the detection of hypoperfused lesions in brain SPECT studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ghoorun, S.; Groenewald, W.A.; Baete, K.; Nuyts, J.; Dupont, P.

2004-01-01

Full text: Aim: To study the influence of attenuation correction and the reconstruction technique on the detection of hypoperfused lesions in brain SPECT imaging, Material and Methods: A simulation experiment was used in which the effects of attenuation and reconstruction were decoupled, A high resolution SPECT phantom was constructed using the BrainWeb database, In this phantom, activity values were assigned to grey and white matter (ratio 4:1) and scaled to obtain counts of the same magnitude as in clinical practice, The true attenuation map was generated by assigning attenuation coefficients to each tissue class (grey and white matter, cerebral spinal fluid, skull, soft and fatty tissue and air) to create a non-uniform attenuation map, The uniform attenuation map was calculated using an attenuation coefficient of 0.15 cm-1, Hypoperfused lesions of varying intensities and sizes were added. The phantom was then projected as typical SPECT projection data, taking into account attenuation and collimator blurring with the addition of Poisson noise, The projection data was reconstructed using four different methods of reconstruction: (1) filtered backprojection (FBP) with the uniform attenuation map; (2) FBP using the true attenuation map; (3) ordered subset expectation maximization (OSEM) (equivalent to 423 iterations) with a uniform attenuation map; and (4) OSEM with a true attenuation map. Different Gaussian postsmooth kernels were applied to the reconstructed images. Results: The analysis of the reconstructed data was performed using figures of merit such as signal to noise ratio (SNR), bias and variance. The results illustrated that uniform attenuation correction offered slight deterioration (less than 2%) with regard to SNR when compared to the ideal attenuation map. which in reality is not known. The iterative techniques produced superior signal to noise ratios (increase of 5 - 20 % depending on the lesion and the postsmooth) in comparison to the FBP methods

The effect of magnetisation transfer contrast on cerebrospinal fluid on motion artefacts on fluid-attenuated inversion-recovery images

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aprile, I.; Principi, M.; Ottaviano, P.; Scapeccia, M.

2003-01-01

We assessed possible advantages of the use of fluid-attenuated inversion-recovery (FLAIR) sequences with magnetisation-transfer contrast (MTC) over conventional FLAIR images. We carried out cranial MRI at 1 tesla on 50 patients with both sequences. In nine patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) we performed a quantitative comparison of the two sequences, looking at the contrast-to-noise ratio between lesions and normal white matter and counting the number of lesions shown using each method. A qualitative comparison on all patients consisted of the analysis of the appearance of the normal parenchyma, of any lesions, and of artefacts, with particular reference to cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) motion artefacts. The quantitative analysis showed no meaningful difference between the two sequences. The cerebral parenchyma and lesions appeared substantially the same with both techniques. With FLAIR MTC there was a clear, and consistent reduction in CSF motion artefacts. FLAIR MTC sequences can usefully be used in place of the conventional sequence at 1 tesla. (orig.)

Cone-beam CT image contrast and attenuation-map linearity improvement (CALI) for brain stereotactic radiosurgery procedures

Science.gov (United States)

Hashemi, Sayed Masoud; Lee, Young; Eriksson, Markus; Nordström, Hâkan; Mainprize, James; Grouza, Vladimir; Huynh, Christopher; Sahgal, Arjun; Song, William Y.; Ruschin, Mark

2017-03-01

A Contrast and Attenuation-map (CT-number) Linearity Improvement (CALI) framework is proposed for cone-beam CT (CBCT) images used for brain stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). The proposed framework is used together with our high spatial resolution iterative reconstruction algorithm and is tailored for the Leksell Gamma Knife ICON (Elekta, Stockholm, Sweden). The incorporated CBCT system in ICON facilitates frameless SRS planning and treatment delivery. The ICON employs a half-cone geometry to accommodate the existing treatment couch. This geometry increases the amount of artifacts and together with other physical imperfections causes image inhomogeneity and contrast reduction. Our proposed framework includes a preprocessing step, involving a shading and beam-hardening artifact correction, and a post-processing step to correct the dome/capping artifact caused by the spatial variations in x-ray energy generated by bowtie-filter. Our shading correction algorithm relies solely on the acquired projection images (i.e. no prior information required) and utilizes filtered-back-projection (FBP) reconstructed images to generate a segmented bone and soft-tissue map. Ideal projections are estimated from the segmented images and a smoothed version of the difference between the ideal and measured projections is used in correction. The proposed beam-hardening and dome artifact corrections are segmentation free. The CALI was tested on CatPhan, as well as patient images acquired on the ICON system. The resulting clinical brain images show substantial improvements in soft contrast visibility, revealing structures such as ventricles and lesions which were otherwise un-detectable in FBP-reconstructed images. The linearity of the reconstructed attenuation-map was also improved, resulting in more accurate CT#.

All that glitters is not gold: Increased Signal in the Subarachnoid Space on Fluid-Attenuated Inversion Recovery Imaging after gadolinium injection

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juliana Avila Duarte

2016-08-01

Full Text Available A 61-year-old woman arrived at the emergency department of the Hospital Nossa Senhora das Graças, Canoas, southern Brazil, with suspected ischemic stroke. After clinical and laboratory examination, the clinical diagnosis of ischemic stroke was made, without fulfilling criteria for thrombolysis. The patient had no history of renal failure. Three days later, she performed a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI examination that confirmed the suspected diagnosis. This examination was performed without sedation or supplemental oxygen. Brain MRI was performed after gadolinium injection, using fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR imaging, T1-weighted image, diffusion-weighted imaging, and T2-weighted image sequences that revealed signs of subacute watershed stroke in the left cerebral hemisphere (Figures 1, 2 and 3. There was a hyperintense cerebrospinal fluid (CSF in the subarachnoid space (SAS on FLAIR imaging, a finding that has been reported in many  pathologic conditions1 such as superior sagittal thrombosis, subarachnoid hemorrhage², meningitis,  meningeal carcinomatosis,  next to tumors, status epilepticus and stroke.3-7 It has also been reported in otherwise healthy patients undergoing anesthesia with supplemental oxygen.8 The exact mechanism by which CSF diffuses into the SAS in patients with or without renal insufficiency is not completely explained. Some authores have suggested that in patients with renal failure, the gadolinium may shift across an osmotic gradient at the circumventricular organs in the setting of proctracted elevation of plasma concentrations.9 We believe that the cause of this imaging phenomenon of hyperintense signal of the CSF in the SAS which has already been noted in patients with compromised cerebral perfusion, including cases of acute ischemic stroke, was due to the recent stroke.10-11 Keywords: Flair hyperintensity, MRI, stroke, Gadolinium

PET/MRI for Oncologic Brain Imaging: A Comparison of Standard MR-Based Attenuation Corrections with a Model-Based Approach for the Siemens mMR PET/MR System.

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Rausch, Ivo; Rischka, Lucas; Ladefoged, Claes N; Furtner, Julia; Fenchel, Matthias; Hahn, Andreas; Lanzenberger, Rupert; Mayerhoefer, Marius E; Traub-Weidinger, Tatjana; Beyer, Thomas

2017-09-01

The aim of this study was to compare attenuation-correction (AC) approaches for PET/MRI in clinical neurooncology. Methods: Forty-nine PET/MRI brain scans were included: brain tumor studies using 18 F-fluoro-ethyl-tyrosine ( 18 F-FET) ( n = 31) and 68 Ga-DOTANOC ( n = 7) and studies of healthy subjects using 18 F-FDG ( n = 11). For each subject, MR-based AC maps (MR-AC) were acquired using the standard DIXON- and ultrashort echo time (UTE)-based approaches. A third MR-AC was calculated using a model-based, postprocessing approach to account for bone attenuation values (BD, noncommercial prototype software by Siemens Healthcare). As a reference, AC maps were derived from patient-specific CT images (CTref). PET data were reconstructed using standard settings after AC with all 4 AC methods. We report changes in diagnosis for all brain tumor patients and the following relative differences values (RDs [%]), with regards to AC-CTref: for 18 F-FET (A)-SUVs as well as volumes of interest (VOIs) defined by a 70% threshold of all segmented lesions and lesion-to-background ratios; for 68 Ga-DOTANOC (B)-SUVs as well as VOIs defined by a 50% threshold for all lesions and the pituitary gland; and for 18 F-FDG (C)-RD of SUVs of the whole brain and 10 anatomic regions segmented on MR images. Results: For brain tumor imaging (A and B), the standard PET-based diagnosis was not affected by any of the 3 MR-AC methods. For A, the average RDs of SUV mean were -10%, -4%, and -3% and of the VOIs 1%, 2%, and 7% for DIXON, UTE, and BD, respectively. Lesion-to-background ratios for all MR-AC methods were similar to that of CTref. For B, average RDs of SUV mean were -11%, -11%, and -3% and of the VOIs 1%, -4%, and -3%, respectively. In the case of 18 F-FDG PET/MRI (C), RDs for the whole brain were -11%, -8%, and -5% for DIXON, UTE, and BD, respectively. Conclusion: The diagnostic reading of PET/MR patients with brain tumors did not change with the chosen AC method. Quantitative accuracy of

Is Necessary Attenuation Correction for Cat Brain PET?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Jin Su; Lee, Jae Sung; Park, Min Hyun; Im, Ki Chun; Oh, Seung Ha; Lee, Dong Soo; Moon, Dae Hyuk

2007-01-01

Photon attenuation and scatter corrections (AC and SC) were necessary for quantification of human PET. However, there is no consensus on whether AC and SC are necessary for the cat brain PET imaging. Since post-injection transmission (TX) PET scans are not permitted or provided to microPET scanner users at present, additional time for performing TX scan and awaiting FDG uptake is required for attenuation and scatter corrections. Increasing probability of subject movement and possible biological effect of long term anesthesia would be the problem in additional TX scan. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of AC and SC for the quantification of cat brain PET data

Quantification of interstitial fluid on whole body CT: comparison with whole body autopsy.

Science.gov (United States)

Lo Gullo, Roberto; Mishra, Shelly; Lira, Diego A; Padole, Atul; Otrakji, Alexi; Khawaja, Ranish Deedar Ali; Pourjabbar, Sarvenaz; Singh, Sarabjeet; Shepard, Jo-Anne O; Digumarthy, Subba R; Kalra, Mannudeep K; Stone, James R

2015-12-01

Interstitial fluid accumulation can occur in pleural, pericardial, and peritoneal spaces, and subcutaneous tissue planes. The purpose of the study was to assess if whole body CT examination in a postmortem setting could help determine the presence and severity of third space fluid accumulation in the body. Our study included 41 human cadavers (mean age 61 years, 25 males and 16 females) who had whole-body postmortem CT prior to autopsy. All bodies were maintained in the morgue in the time interval between death and autopsy. Two radiologists reviewed the whole-body CT examinations independently to grade third space fluid in the pleura, pericardium, peritoneum, and subcutaneous space using a 5-point grading system. Qualitative CT grading for third space fluid was correlated with the amount of fluid found on autopsy and the quantitative CT fluid volume, estimated using a dedicated software program (Volume, Syngo Explorer, Siemens Healthcare). Moderate and severe peripheral edema was seen in 16/41 and 7/41 cadavers respectively. It is not possible to quantify anasarca at autopsy. Correlation between imaging data for third space fluid and the quantity of fluid found during autopsy was 0.83 for pleural effusion, 0.4 for pericardial effusion and 0.9 for ascites. The degree of anasarca was significantly correlated with the severity of ascites (p < 0.0001) but not with pleural or pericardial effusion. There was strong correlation between volumetric estimation and qualitative grading for anasarca (p < 0.0001) and pleural effusion (p < 0.0001). Postmortem CT can help in accurate detection and quantification of third space fluid accumulation. The quantity of ascitic fluid on postmortem CT can predict the extent of anasarca.

Fast fluid-attenuated inversion-recovery imaging: first experience with a 3D version in epilepsy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wieshmann, U.C.; Symms, M.R.; Bartlett, P.A.; Shorvon, S.D.; Barker, G.J.; Stevens, J.M.

1998-01-01

We developed a 3D version of fast fluid-attenuated inversion-recovery imaging (FLAIR) which provides images with a slice thickness of 1.5 mm. We present our initial experience with 3D fast FLAIR in patients with epilepsy. We compared 3D fast FLAIR (slice thickness 1.5 mm), 2D fast FLAIR (slice thickness 5 mm) and a 3D spoiled GRASS (IRSPGR) sequence (slice thickness 1.5 mm) in 10 patients with lesional epilepsy (head injury 1, hippocampal sclerosis 2, low-grade glioma 2, dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumour 2, polymicrogyria 1, perinatal infarct 1 and presumed thrombosed aneurysm 1). Both 2D and 3D fast FLAIR sequences yielded higher conspicuity for lesions than the T1-weighted IRSPGR sequence, except in the patient with polymicrogyria. The extent of the lesion, in particular that of low-grade tumours, was best assessed on 3D fast FLAIR images. 3D fast FLAIR may be a useful additional tool especially for imaging low-grade tumours. (orig.)

Evaluation of whole-body MR to CT deformable image registration.

Science.gov (United States)

Akbarzadeh, A; Gutierrez, D; Baskin, A; Ay, M R; Ahmadian, A; Riahi Alam, N; Lövblad, K O; Zaidi, H

2013-07-08

Multimodality image registration plays a crucial role in various clinical and research applications. The aim of this study is to present an optimized MR to CT whole-body deformable image registration algorithm and its validation using clinical studies. A 3D intermodality registration technique based on B-spline transformation was performed using optimized parameters of the elastix package based on the Insight Toolkit (ITK) framework. Twenty-eight (17 male and 11 female) clinical studies were used in this work. The registration was evaluated using anatomical landmarks and segmented organs. In addition to 16 anatomical landmarks, three key organs (brain, lungs, and kidneys) and the entire body volume were segmented for evaluation. Several parameters--such as the Euclidean distance between anatomical landmarks, target overlap, Dice and Jaccard coefficients, false positives and false negatives, volume similarity, distance error, and Hausdorff distance--were calculated to quantify the quality of the registration algorithm. Dice coefficients for the majority of patients (> 75%) were in the 0.8-1 range for the whole body, brain, and lungs, which satisfies the criteria to achieve excellent alignment. On the other hand, for kidneys, Dice coefficients for volumes of 25% of the patients meet excellent volume agreement requirement, while the majority of patients satisfy good agreement criteria (> 0.6). For all patients, the distance error was in 0-10 mm range for all segmented organs. In summary, we optimized and evaluated the accuracy of an MR to CT deformable registration algorithm. The registered images constitute a useful 3D whole-body MR-CT atlas suitable for the development and evaluation of novel MR-guided attenuation correction procedures on hybrid PET-MR systems.

Elastic wave attenuation in rocks containing fluids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berryman, J.G.

1986-01-01

The low-frequency limit of Biot's theory of fluid-saturated porous media predicts that the coefficients for viscous attenuation of shear waves and of the fast compressional wave are proportional to the fluid permeability. Although the observed attenuation is generally in qualitative agreement with the theory, the magnitude of the observed attenuation coefficient in rocks is often more than an order of magnitude higher than expected. This apparent dilemma can be resolved without invoking other attenuation mechanisms if the intrinsic permeability of the rock is inhomogeneous and varies widely in magnitude. A simple calculation of the overall behavior of a layered porous material using local-flow Biot theory shows that the effective permeability for attenuation is the mean of the constituent permeabilities while the effective permeability for fluid flow is the harmonic mean. When the range of variation in the local permeability is one or more orders of magnitude, this difference in averaging method can easily explain some of the observed discrepancies

An SPM8-based Approach for Attenuation Correction Combining Segmentation and Non-rigid Template Formation: Application to Simultaneous PET/MR Brain Imaging

Science.gov (United States)

Izquierdo-Garcia, David; Hansen, Adam E.; Förster, Stefan; Benoit, Didier; Schachoff, Sylvia; Fürst, Sebastian; Chen, Kevin T.; Chonde, Daniel B.; Catana, Ciprian

2014-01-01

We present an approach for head MR-based attenuation correction (MR-AC) based on the Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM8) software that combines segmentation- and atlas-based features to provide a robust technique to generate attenuation maps (µ-maps) from MR data in integrated PET/MR scanners. Methods Coregistered anatomical MR and CT images acquired in 15 glioblastoma subjects were used to generate the templates. The MR images from these subjects were first segmented into 6 tissue classes (gray and white matter, cerebro-spinal fluid, bone and soft tissue, and air), which were then non-rigidly coregistered using a diffeomorphic approach. A similar procedure was used to coregister the anatomical MR data for a new subject to the template. Finally, the CT-like images obtained by applying the inverse transformations were converted to linear attenuation coefficients (LACs) to be used for AC of PET data. The method was validated on sixteen new subjects with brain tumors (N=12) or mild cognitive impairment (N=4) who underwent CT and PET/MR scans. The µ-maps and corresponding reconstructed PET images were compared to those obtained using the gold standard CT-based approach and the Dixon-based method available on the Siemens Biograph mMR scanner. Relative change (RC) images were generated in each case and voxel- and region of interest (ROI)-based analyses were performed. Results The leave-one-out cross-validation analysis of the data from the 15 atlas-generation subjects showed small errors in brain LACs (RC=1.38%±4.52%) compared to the gold standard. Similar results (RC=1.86±4.06%) were obtained from the analysis of the atlas-validation datasets. The voxel- and ROI-based analysis of the corresponding reconstructed PET images revealed quantification errors of 3.87±5.0% and 2.74±2.28%, respectively. The Dixon-based method performed substantially worse (the mean RC values were 13.0±10.25% and 9.38±4.97%, respectively). Areas closer to skull showed the largest

Whole-tumor histogram analysis of the cerebral blood volume map: tumor volume defined by 11C-methionine positron emission tomography image improves the diagnostic accuracy of cerebral glioma grading.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Rongli; Watanabe, Yoshiyuki; Arisawa, Atsuko; Takahashi, Hiroto; Tanaka, Hisashi; Fujimoto, Yasunori; Watabe, Tadashi; Isohashi, Kayako; Hatazawa, Jun; Tomiyama, Noriyuki

2017-10-01

This study aimed to compare the tumor volume definition using conventional magnetic resonance (MR) and 11C-methionine positron emission tomography (MET/PET) images in the differentiation of the pre-operative glioma grade by using whole-tumor histogram analysis of normalized cerebral blood volume (nCBV) maps. Thirty-four patients with histopathologically proven primary brain low-grade gliomas (n = 15) and high-grade gliomas (n = 19) underwent pre-operative or pre-biopsy MET/PET, fluid-attenuated inversion recovery, dynamic susceptibility contrast perfusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging, and contrast-enhanced T1-weighted at 3.0 T. The histogram distribution derived from the nCBV maps was obtained by co-registering the whole tumor volume delineated on conventional MR or MET/PET images, and eight histogram parameters were assessed. The mean nCBV value had the highest AUC value (0.906) based on MET/PET images. Diagnostic accuracy significantly improved when the tumor volume was measured from MET/PET images compared with conventional MR images for the parameters of mean, 50th, and 75th percentile nCBV value (p = 0.0246, 0.0223, and 0.0150, respectively). Whole-tumor histogram analysis of CBV map provides more valuable histogram parameters and increases diagnostic accuracy in the differentiation of pre-operative cerebral gliomas when the tumor volume is derived from MET/PET images.

Arterial hyperintensity on BLADE fluid-attenuated inversion recovery images (FLAIR) in hyperacute territorial infarction: comparison with conventional FLAIR

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Kwag, Eujean; Lim, Soo Mee; Park, Ji Eun; Chae, In Hye [Ewha Womans University School of Medicine, Department of Radiology, Mokdong Hospital, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2014-09-15

To evaluate the utility of BLADE fluid-attenuated inversion recovery images (FLAIR) magnetic resonance (MR) imaging compared to conventional FLAIR for the detection of arterial hyperintensity (AH) in hyperacute territorial infarction. We retrospectively analysed MR images of patients with hyperacute (<6 h) territorial infarction over a 9-month study period. Special attention was paid to the presence or absence of AH in the frontal, parietal and temporal lobes and the number of AHs in the sylvian fissure. We also evaluated the presence of three kinds of artefacts on BLADE FLAIR and conventional FLAIR images. AH was seen in 41 (91 %) patients with conventional FLAIR and 45 (100 %) patients with BLADE FLAIR images. More instances of AH were detected in the frontal, parietal and temporal lobes and within the sylvian fissure using BLADE FLAIR. Motion artefacts, pulsation artefacts from the sigmoid sinus and incomplete cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) nulling that reduced image quality were observed more frequently on conventional FLAIR images than on BLADE FLAIR images. BLADE FLAIR sequences are more sensitive than conventional FLAIR for the detection of AH in hyperacute territorial infarctions and provide better image quality by reducing artefacts. They may be used in place of conventional FLAIR for patients with hyperacute stroke. (orig.)

A case of Marchiafava-Bignami disease: MRI findings on spin-echo and fluid attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) images

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamamoto, Takashi; Ashikaga, Ryuichiro; Araki, Yutaka; Nishimura, Yasumasa

2000-01-01

Marchiafava-Bignami disease (MBD) was diagnosed in a 56-year-old man. Spin-echo (SE) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at the acute phase showed normal signal areas in the central layer of the corpus callosum (CC), although the intensity of these areas revealed abnormal hyperintensity on fluid attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR). On follow-up SE MRI at the late phase, the central layer of the CC showed fluid-like intensity. On FLAIR MRI, the lesions of the CC turned into hypointense cores surrounded by hyperintense rims indicating central necrosis and peripheral demyelination. Degenerative changes of the CC in MBD were clearly demonstrated by FLAIR MRI

A combined solenoid-surface RF coil for high-resolution whole-brain rat imaging on a 3.0 Tesla clinical MR scanner.

Science.gov (United States)

Underhill, Hunter R; Yuan, Chun; Hayes, Cecil E

2010-09-01

Rat brain models effectively simulate a multitude of human neurological disorders. Improvements in coil design have facilitated the wider utilization of rat brain models by enabling the utilization of clinical MR scanners for image acquisition. In this study, a novel coil design, subsequently referred to as the rat brain coil, is described that exploits and combines the strengths of both solenoids and surface coils into a simple, multichannel, receive-only coil dedicated to whole-brain rat imaging on a 3.0 T clinical MR scanner. Compared with a multiturn solenoid mouse body coil, a 3-cm surface coil, a modified Helmholtz coil, and a phased-array surface coil, the rat brain coil improved signal-to-noise ratio by approximately 72, 61, 78, and 242%, respectively. Effects of the rat brain coil on amplitudes of static field and radiofrequency field uniformity were similar to each of the other coils. In vivo, whole-brain images of an adult male rat were acquired with a T(2)-weighted spin-echo sequence using an isotropic acquisition resolution of 0.25 x 0.25 x 0.25 mm(3) in 60.6 min. Multiplanar images of the in vivo rat brain with identification of anatomic structures are presented. Improvement in signal-to-noise ratio afforded by the rat brain coil may broaden experiments that utilize clinical MR scanners for in vivo image acquisition. 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

The usefulness of the ivy sign on fluid-attenuated intensity recovery images in improved brain hemodynamic changes after superficial temporal artery-middle cerebral artery anastomosis in adult patients with moyamoya disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Jung Keun; Yoon, Byul Hee; Chung, Seung Young; Park, Moon Sun; Kim, Seong Min; Lee, Do Sung

2013-10-01

MR perfusion and single photon emission computerized tomography (SPECT) are well known imaging studies to evaluate hemodynamic change between prior to and following superficial temporal artery (STA)-middle cerebral artery (MCA) anastomosis in moyamoya disease. But their side effects and invasiveness make discomfort to patients. We evaluated the ivy sign on MR fluid attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) images in adult patients with moyamoya disease and compared it with result of SPECT and MR perfusion images. We enrolled twelve patients (thirteen cases) who were diagnosed with moyamoya disease and underwent STA-MCA anastomosis at our medical institution during a period ranging from September of 2010 to December of 2012. The presence of the ivy sign on MR FLAIR images was classified as Negative (0), Minimal (1), and Positive (2). Regions were classified into four territories: the anterior cerebral artery (ACA), the anterior MCA, the posterior MCA and the posterior cerebral artery. Ivy signs on preoperative and postoperative MR FLAIR were improved (8 and 4 in the ACA regions, 13 and 4 in the anterior MCA regions and 19 and 9 in the posterior MCA regions). Like this result, the cerebrovascular reserve (CVR) on SPECT was significantly increased in the sum of CVR in same regions after STA-MCA anastomosis. After STA-MCA anastomosis, ivy signs were decreased in the cerebral hemisphere. As compared with conventional diagnostic modalities such as SPECT and MR perfusion images, the ivy sign on MR FLAIR is considered as a useful indicator in detecting brain hemodynamic changes between preoperatively and postoperatively in adult moyamoya patients.

Whole brain helical Tomotherapy with integrated boost for brain metastases in patients with malignant melanoma–a randomized trial

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hauswald, Henrik; Habl, Gregor; Krug, David; Kehle, Denise; Combs, Stephanie E; Bermejo, Justo Lorenzo; Debus, Jürgen; Sterzing, Florian

2013-01-01

Patients with malignant melanoma may develop brain metastases during the course of the disease, requiring radiotherapeutic treatment. In patients with 1–3 brain metastases, radiosurgery has been established as a treatment option besides surgery. For patients with 4 or more brain metastases, whole brain radiotherapy is considered the standard treatment. In certain patients with brain metastases, radiation treatment using whole brain helical Tomotherapy with integrated boost and hippocampal-sparing may improve prognosis of these patients. The present prospective, randomized two-armed trial aims to exploratory investigate the treatment response to conventional whole brain radiotherapy applying 30 Gy in 10 fractions versus whole brain helical Tomotherapy applying 30 Gy in 10 fractions with an integrated boost of 50 Gy to the brain metastases as well as hippocampal-sparing in patients with brain metastases from malignant melanoma. The main inclusion criteria include magnetic resonance imaging confirmed brain metastases from a histopathologically confirmed malignant melanoma in patients with a minimum age of 18 years. The main exclusion criteria include a previous radiotherapy of the brain and not having recovered from acute high-grade toxicities of prior therapies. The primary endpoint is treatment-related toxicity. Secondary endpoints include imaging response, local and loco-regional progression-free survival, overall survival and quality of life

Concurrent whole brain radiotherapy and bortezomib for brain metastasis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lao, Christopher D; Hamstra, Daniel; Lawrence, Theodore; Hayman, James; Redman, Bruce G; Friedman, Judah; Tsien, Christina I; Normolle, Daniel P; Chapman, Christopher; Cao, Yue; Lee, Oliver; Schipper, Matt; Van Poznak, Catherine

2013-01-01

Survival of patients with brain metastasis particularly from historically more radio-resistant malignancies remains dismal. A phase I study of concurrent bortezomib and whole brain radiotherapy was conducted to determine the tolerance and safety of this approach in patients with previously untreated brain metastasis. A phase I dose escalation study evaluated the safety of bortezomib (0.9, 1.1, 1.3, 1.5, and 1.7 mg/m 2 ) given on days 1, 4, 8 and 11 of whole brain radiotherapy. Patients with confirmed brain metastasis were recruited for participation. The primary endpoint was the dose-limiting toxicity, defined as any ≥ grade 3 non-hematologic toxicity or grade ≥ 4 hematologic toxicity from the start of treatment to one month post irradiation. Time-to-Event Continual Reassessment Method (TITE-CRM) was used to determine dose escalation. A companion study of brain diffusion tensor imaging MRI was conducted on a subset of patients to assess changes in the brain that might predict delayed cognitive effects. Twenty-four patients were recruited and completed the planned therapy. Patients with melanoma accounted for 83% of all participants. The bortezomib dose was escalated as planned to the highest dose of 1.7 mg/m 2 /dose. No grade 4/5 toxicities related to treatment were observed. Two patients had grade 3 dose-limiting toxicities (hyponatremia and encephalopathy). A partial or minor response was observed in 38% of patients. Bortezomib showed greater demyelination in hippocampus-associated white matter structures on MRI one month after radiotherapy compared to patients not treated with bortezomib (increase in radial diffusivity +16.8% versus 4.8%; p = 0.0023). Concurrent bortezomib and whole brain irradiation for brain metastasis is well tolerated at one month follow-up, but MRI changes that have been shown to predict delayed cognitive function can be detected within one month of treatment

Morphometric changes of whole brain in patients with alcohol addiction: a voxel-based morphometry study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Jinfeng; Chen Zhiye; Ma Lin

2011-01-01

Objective: To evaluate morphometric changes of brain in patients with alcohol addiction by voxel-based morphometry. Methods: Fifteen patients with alcohol addiction and 15 health controls were recruited and underwent fluid attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) and 3D fast spoiled gradient echo (FSPGR) T 1 -weighted sequences on a 3.0 T MRI system. 3D FSPGR T 1 structure images were normalized, segmented and smoothed, and then underwent voxel-based morphometry. An ANCOVA was applied with age, body mass index (BMI), and education years as covariates because of exact sex match. A statistical threshold of P 0.05). Conclusions: Regional gray and white matter atrophy can be the initial changes in patients with alcohol addiction and the frontal region is a relative specific damaged brain region. VBM has a potential value for the detection of subtle brain atrophy in patients with alcohol addiction. (authors)

SU-E-J-171: Surface Imaging Based Intrafraction Motion Assessments for Whole Brain Radiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wiant, D; Vanderstraeten, C; Maurer, J; Pursley, J; Terrell, J; Sintay, B

2014-01-01

Purpose: To quantify and characterize intrafraction motion for whole brain radiotherapy treatments in open face masks using 3D surface imaging. Methods: Fifteen whole brain patients were monitored with 3D surface imaging over a total of 202 monitoring sessions. Mean translations and rotations were calculated over each minute, each session, and over all sessions combined. The percentage of each session that the root mean square (RMS) of the linear translations were outside of 2 mm, 3 mm, 4 mm, and 5 mm were determined for each patient. Correlations between mean translations per minute and time and between standard deviation per minute and time were evaluated using Pearson's r value. Results: The mean RMS translation averaged over all patients was 1.45 mm +/− 1.52 mm. The patients spent an average of 18%, 10%, 6%, and 3% of the monitoring time outside of 2 mm, 3 mm, 4 mm, and 5 mm RMS tolerances, respectively. The RMS values averaged over all patients were 1.31 mm +/− 0.98 mm, 1.52 +/- 1.04, and 1.30 mm +/− 0.71 mm over the 1th, 5th, and 10th minutes of monitoring, respectively. Neither, the RMS values (p = 0.15) or the standard deviations of the RMS values (p = 0.16) showed significant correlations with time. Conclusion: The patients were positioned within 2 mm of isocenter, which was the initial set-up tolerance, for the majority of their treatments. The average position changed by < 0.3 mm over 10 minutes of monitoring. Short term movements, reflected by the standard deviations, where on the order of 1 mm. This immobilization system provides adequate immobilization over a course of treatment for whole brain radiotherapy. This system may also be suitable for head and neck or stereotactic radiosurgery treatments as well

Three-dimensional fluid-attenuated inversion recovery sequence for visualisation of subthalamic nucleus for deep brain stimulation in Parkinson's disease

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Heo, Young Jin [University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Department of Radiology, Research Institute of Radiology, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Inje University, Department of Radiology, Busan Paik Hospital, Busan (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Sang Joon; Kim, Ho Sung; Choi, Choong Gon; Jung, Seung Chai [University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Department of Radiology, Research Institute of Radiology, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Jung Kyo [University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Department of Neurosurgery, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Chong Sik; Chung, Sun J. [University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Department of Neurology, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Cho, So Hyun [Department of Radiology, Busan (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Gyoung Ro [Philips HealthCare Korea, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2015-09-15

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) is an accepted treatment for advanced Parkinson's disease (PD). However, targeting the STN is difficult due to its relatively small size and variable location. The purpose of this study was to assess which of the following sequences obtained with the 3.0 T MR system can accurately delineate the STN: coronal 3D fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR), 2D T2*-weighted fast-field echo (T2*-FFE) and 2D T2-weighted turbo spin-echo (TSE) sequences. We included 20 consecutive patients with PD who underwent 3.0 T MR for DBS targeting. 3D FLAIR, 2D T2*-FFE and T2-TSE images were obtained for all study patients. Image quality and demarcation of the STN were analysed using 4-point scales, and contrast ratio (CR) of the STN and normal white matter was calculated. The Friedman test was used to compare the three sequences. In qualitative analysis, the 2D T2*-FFE image showed more artefacts than 3D FLAIR or 2D T2-TSE, but the difference did not reach statistical significance. 3D FLAIR images showed significantly superior demarcation of the STN compared with 2D T2*-FFE and T2-TSE images (P < 0.001, respectively). The CR of 3D FLAIR was significantly higher than that of 2D T2*-FFE or T2-TSE images in multiple comparison correction (P < 0.001), but there was no significant difference in the CR between 2D T2*-FFE and T2-TSE images. Coronal 3D FLAIR images showed the most accurate demarcation of the STN for DBS targeting among coronal 3D FLAIR, 2D T2*-FFE and T2-TSE images. (orig.)

Three-dimensional fluid-attenuated inversion recovery sequence for visualisation of subthalamic nucleus for deep brain stimulation in Parkinson's disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heo, Young Jin; Kim, Sang Joon; Kim, Ho Sung; Choi, Choong Gon; Jung, Seung Chai; Lee, Jung Kyo; Lee, Chong Sik; Chung, Sun J.; Cho, So Hyun; Lee, Gyoung Ro

2015-01-01

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) is an accepted treatment for advanced Parkinson's disease (PD). However, targeting the STN is difficult due to its relatively small size and variable location. The purpose of this study was to assess which of the following sequences obtained with the 3.0 T MR system can accurately delineate the STN: coronal 3D fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR), 2D T2*-weighted fast-field echo (T2*-FFE) and 2D T2-weighted turbo spin-echo (TSE) sequences. We included 20 consecutive patients with PD who underwent 3.0 T MR for DBS targeting. 3D FLAIR, 2D T2*-FFE and T2-TSE images were obtained for all study patients. Image quality and demarcation of the STN were analysed using 4-point scales, and contrast ratio (CR) of the STN and normal white matter was calculated. The Friedman test was used to compare the three sequences. In qualitative analysis, the 2D T2*-FFE image showed more artefacts than 3D FLAIR or 2D T2-TSE, but the difference did not reach statistical significance. 3D FLAIR images showed significantly superior demarcation of the STN compared with 2D T2*-FFE and T2-TSE images (P < 0.001, respectively). The CR of 3D FLAIR was significantly higher than that of 2D T2*-FFE or T2-TSE images in multiple comparison correction (P < 0.001), but there was no significant difference in the CR between 2D T2*-FFE and T2-TSE images. Coronal 3D FLAIR images showed the most accurate demarcation of the STN for DBS targeting among coronal 3D FLAIR, 2D T2*-FFE and T2-TSE images. (orig.)

Whole-brain functional connectivity predicted by indirect structural connections

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Røge, Rasmus; Ambrosen, Karen Marie Sandø; Albers, Kristoffer Jon

2017-01-01

Modern functional and diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI and dMRI) provide data from which macro-scale networks of functional and structural whole brain connectivity can be estimated. Although networks derived from these two modalities describe different properties of the human brain, the...

Brain imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Greenfield, L.D.; Bennett, L.R.

1976-01-01

Imaging with radionuclides should be used in a complementary fashion with other neuroradiologic techniques. It is useful in the early detection and evaluation of intracranial neoplasm, cerebrovascular accident and abscess, and in postsurgical follow-up. Cisternography yields useful information about the functional status of cerebrospinal fluid pathways. Computerized axial tomography is a new technique of great promise that produced a cross-sectional image of the brain

Description and assessment of a registration-based approach to include bones for attenuation correction of whole-body PET/MRI.

Science.gov (United States)

Marshall, Harry R; Patrick, John; Laidley, David; Prato, Frank S; Butler, John; Théberge, Jean; Thompson, R Terry; Stodilka, Robert Z

2013-08-01

Attenuation correction for whole-body PET/MRI is challenging. Most commercial systems compute the attenuation map from MRI using a four-tissue segmentation approach. Bones, the most electron-dense tissue, are neglected because they are difficult to segment. In this work, the authors build on this segmentation approach by adding bones using a registration technique and assessing its performance on human PET images. Twelve oncology patients were imaged with FDG PET/CT and MRI using a Turbo-FLASH pulse sequence. A database of 121 attenuation correction quality CT scans was also collected. Each patient MRI was compared to the CT database via weighted heuristic measures to find the "most similar" CT in terms of body geometry. The similar CT was aligned to the MRI with a deformable registration method. Two MRI-based attenuation maps were computed. One was a standard four-tissue segmentation (air, lung, fat, and lean tissue) using basic image processing techniques. The other was identical, except the bones from the aligned CT were added. The PET data were reconstructed with the patient's CT-based attenuation map (the silver standard) and both MRI-based attenuation maps. The relative errors of the MRI-based attenuation corrections were computed in 14 standardized volumes of interest, in lesions, and over whole tissues. The squared Pearson correlation coefficient was also calculated over whole tissues. Statistical testing was done with ANOVAs and paired t-tests. The MRI-based attenuation correction ignoring bone had relative errors ranging from -37% to -8% in volumes of interest containing bone. By including bone, the magnitude of the relative error was reduced in all cases (pbone was improved from a mean of -7.5% to 2% (pbone reduced the magnitude of relative error in three cases (pbone slightly increased relative error in lung from 7.7% to 8.0% (p=0.002), in fat from 8.5% to 9.2% (pbone from -14.6% to 1.3% (pbone was included or not. The approach to include bones in MRI

Medical Image Processing for Fully Integrated Subject Specific Whole Brain Mesh Generation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chih-Yang Hsu

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Currently, anatomically consistent segmentation of vascular trees acquired with magnetic resonance imaging requires the use of multiple image processing steps, which, in turn, depend on manual intervention. In effect, segmentation of vascular trees from medical images is time consuming and error prone due to the tortuous geometry and weak signal in small blood vessels. To overcome errors and accelerate the image processing time, we introduce an automatic image processing pipeline for constructing subject specific computational meshes for entire cerebral vasculature, including segmentation of ancillary structures; the grey and white matter, cerebrospinal fluid space, skull, and scalp. To demonstrate the validity of the new pipeline, we segmented the entire intracranial compartment with special attention of the angioarchitecture from magnetic resonance imaging acquired for two healthy volunteers. The raw images were processed through our pipeline for automatic segmentation and mesh generation. Due to partial volume effect and finite resolution, the computational meshes intersect with each other at respective interfaces. To eliminate anatomically inconsistent overlap, we utilized morphological operations to separate the structures with a physiologically sound gap spaces. The resulting meshes exhibit anatomically correct spatial extent and relative positions without intersections. For validation, we computed critical biometrics of the angioarchitecture, the cortical surfaces, ventricular system, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF spaces and compared against literature values. Volumina and surface areas of the computational mesh were found to be in physiological ranges. In conclusion, we present an automatic image processing pipeline to automate the segmentation of the main intracranial compartments including a subject-specific vascular trees. These computational meshes can be used in 3D immersive visualization for diagnosis, surgery planning with haptics

Prediction of CT Substitutes from MR Images Based on Local Diffeomorphic Mapping for Brain PET Attenuation Correction.

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Wu, Yao; Yang, Wei; Lu, Lijun; Lu, Zhentai; Zhong, Liming; Huang, Meiyan; Feng, Yanqiu; Feng, Qianjin; Chen, Wufan

2016-10-01

Attenuation correction is important for PET reconstruction. In PET/MR, MR intensities are not directly related to attenuation coefficients that are needed in PET imaging. The attenuation coefficient map can be derived from CT images. Therefore, prediction of CT substitutes from MR images is desired for attenuation correction in PET/MR. This study presents a patch-based method for CT prediction from MR images, generating attenuation maps for PET reconstruction. Because no global relation exists between MR and CT intensities, we propose local diffeomorphic mapping (LDM) for CT prediction. In LDM, we assume that MR and CT patches are located on 2 nonlinear manifolds, and the mapping from the MR manifold to the CT manifold approximates a diffeomorphism under a local constraint. Locality is important in LDM and is constrained by the following techniques. The first is local dictionary construction, wherein, for each patch in the testing MR image, a local search window is used to extract patches from training MR/CT pairs to construct MR and CT dictionaries. The k-nearest neighbors and an outlier detection strategy are then used to constrain the locality in MR and CT dictionaries. Second is local linear representation, wherein, local anchor embedding is used to solve MR dictionary coefficients when representing the MR testing sample. Under these local constraints, dictionary coefficients are linearly transferred from the MR manifold to the CT manifold and used to combine CT training samples to generate CT predictions. Our dataset contains 13 healthy subjects, each with T1- and T2-weighted MR and CT brain images. This method provides CT predictions with a mean absolute error of 110.1 Hounsfield units, Pearson linear correlation of 0.82, peak signal-to-noise ratio of 24.81 dB, and Dice in bone regions of 0.84 as compared with real CTs. CT substitute-based PET reconstruction has a regression slope of 1.0084 and R 2 of 0.9903 compared with real CT-based PET. In this method, no

Whole-head functional brain imaging of neonates at cot-side using time-resolved diffuse optical tomography

Science.gov (United States)

Dempsey, Laura A.; Cooper, Robert J.; Powell, Samuel; Edwards, Andrea; Lee, Chuen-Wai; Brigadoi, Sabrina; Everdell, Nick; Arridge, Simon; Gibson, Adam P.; Austin, Topun; Hebden, Jeremy C.

2015-07-01

We present a method for acquiring whole-head images of changes in blood volume and oxygenation from the infant brain at cot-side using time-resolved diffuse optical tomography (TR-DOT). At UCL, we have built a portable TR-DOT device, known as MONSTIR II, which is capable of obtaining a whole-head (1024 channels) image sequence in 75 seconds. Datatypes extracted from the temporal point spread functions acquired by the system allow us to determine changes in absorption and reduced scattering coefficients within the interrogated tissue. This information can then be used to define clinically relevant measures, such as oxygen saturation, as well as to reconstruct images of relative changes in tissue chromophore concentration, notably those of oxy- and deoxyhaemoglobin. Additionally, the effective temporal resolution of our system is improved with spatio-temporal regularisation implemented through a Kalman filtering approach, allowing us to image transient haemodynamic changes. By using this filtering technique with intensity and mean time-of-flight datatypes, we have reconstructed images of changes in absorption and reduced scattering coefficients in a dynamic 2D phantom. These results demonstrate that MONSTIR II is capable of resolving slow changes in tissue optical properties within volumes that are comparable to the preterm head. Following this verification study, we are progressing to imaging a 3D dynamic phantom as well as the neonatal brain at cot-side. Our current study involves scanning healthy babies to demonstrate the quality of recordings we are able to achieve in this challenging patient population, with the eventual goal of imaging functional activation and seizures.

Hyper-attenuating brain lesions on CT after ischemic stroke and thrombectomy are associated with final brain infarction.

Science.gov (United States)

Cabral, F B; Castro-Afonso, L H; Nakiri, G S; Monsignore, L M; Fábio, Src; Dos Santos, A C; Pontes-Neto, O M; Abud, D G

2017-12-01

Purpose Hyper-attenuating lesions, or contrast staining, on a non-contrast brain computed tomography (NCCT) scan have been investigated as a predictor for hemorrhagic transformation after endovascular treatment of acute ischemic stroke (AIS). However, the association of hyper-attenuating lesions and final ischemic areas are poorly investigated in this setting. The aim of the present study was to assess correlations between hyper-attenuating lesions and final brain infarcted areas after thrombectomy for AIS. Methods Data from patients with AIS of the anterior circulation who underwent endovascular treatment were retrospectively assessed. Images of the brain NCCT scans were analyzed in the first hours and late after treatment. The hyper-attenuating areas were compared to the final ischemic areas using the Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score (ASPECTS). Results Seventy-one of the 123 patients (65.13%) treated were included. The association between the hyper-attenuating region in the post-thrombectomy CT scan and final brain ischemic area were sensitivity (58.3% to 96.9%), specificity (42.9% to 95.6%), positive predictive values (71.4% to 97.7%), negative predictive values (53.8% to 79.5%), and accuracy values (68% to 91%). The highest sensitivity values were found for the lentiform (96.9%) and caudate nuclei (80.4%) and for the internal capsule (87.5%), and the lowest values were found for the M1 (58.3%) and M6 (66.7%) cortices. Conclusions Hyper-attenuating lesions on head NCCT scans performed after endovascular treatment of AIS may predict final brain infarcted areas. The prediction appears to be higher in the deep brain regions compared with the cortical regions.

Low cost light-sheet microscopy for whole brain imaging

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Manish; Nasenbeny, Jordan; Kozorovitskiy, Yevgenia

2018-02-01

Light-sheet microscopy has evolved as an indispensable tool in imaging biological samples. It can image 3D samples at fast speed, with high-resolution optical sectioning, and with reduced photobleaching effects. These properties make light-sheet microscopy ideal for imaging fluorophores in a variety of biological samples and organisms, e.g. zebrafish, drosophila, cleared mouse brains, etc. While most commercial turnkey light-sheet systems are expensive, the existing lower cost implementations, e.g. OpenSPIM, are focused on achieving high-resolution imaging of small samples or organisms like zebrafish. In this work, we substantially reduce the cost of light-sheet microscope system while targeting to image much larger samples, i.e. cleared mouse brains, at single-cell resolution. The expensive components of a lightsheet system - excitation laser, water-immersion objectives, and translation stage - are replaced with an incoherent laser diode, dry objectives, and a custom-built Arduino-controlled translation stage. A low-cost CUBIC protocol is used to clear fixed mouse brain samples. The open-source platforms of μManager and Fiji support image acquisition, processing, and visualization. Our system can easily be extended to multi-color light-sheet microscopy.

Whole-brain radiation therapy for brain metastases: detrimental or beneficial?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gemici, Cengiz; Yaprak, Gokhan

2015-01-01

Stereotactic radiosurgery is frequently used, either alone or together with whole-brain radiation therapy to treat brain metastases from solid tumors. Certain experts and radiation oncology groups have proposed replacing whole-brain radiation therapy with stereotactic radiosurgery alone for the management of brain metastases. Although randomized trials have favored adding whole-brain radiation therapy to stereotactic radiosurgery for most end points, a recent meta-analysis demonstrated a survival disadvantage for patients treated with whole-brain radiation therapy and stereotactic radiosurgery compared with patients treated with stereotactic radiosurgery alone. However the apparent detrimental effect of adding whole-brain radiation therapy to stereotactic radiosurgery reported in this meta-analysis may be the result of inhomogeneous distribution of the patients with respect to tumor histologies, molecular histologic subtypes, and extracranial tumor stages between the groups rather than a real effect. Unfortunately, soon after this meta-analysis was published, even as an abstract, use of whole-brain radiation therapy in managing brain metastases has become controversial among radiation oncologists. The American Society of Radiation Oncology recently recommended, in their “Choose Wisely” campaign, against routinely adding whole-brain radiation therapy to stereotactic radiosurgery to treat brain metastases. However, this situation creates conflict for radiation oncologists who believe that there are enough high level of evidence for the effectiveness of whole-brain radiation therapy in the treatment of brain metastases

Unfocused beam patterns in nonattenuating and attenuating fluids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goldstein, Albert

2004-01-01

The most important aspect of an ultrasound measuring system is knowledge of the transducer beam pattern. At all depths accurate single integral equations have been derived for the full beam pattern of steady state unfocused circular flat piston sources radiating into nonattenuating and attenuating fluids. The axial depth of the beginning of the unattenuated beam pattern far field is found to be at 6.41Y 0 . The unattenuated single integral equations are identical to a Jinc function directivity term at this and deeper depths. For attenuating fluids values of α and z are found that permit the attenuated axial pressure to be represented by a plane wave multiplicative exponential attenuation factor. This knowledge will aid in the experimental design of highly accurate attenuation measurements. Accurate single integral equations for the attenuated full beam pattern are derived using complex Bessel functions

Large Scale Computing for the Modelling of Whole Brain Connectivity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Albers, Kristoffer Jon

organization of the brain in continuously increasing resolution. From these images, networks of structural and functional connectivity can be constructed. Bayesian stochastic block modelling provides a prominent data-driven approach for uncovering the latent organization, by clustering the networks into groups...... of neurons. Relying on Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) simulations as the workhorse in Bayesian inference however poses significant computational challenges, especially when modelling networks at the scale and complexity supported by high-resolution whole-brain MRI. In this thesis, we present how to overcome...... these computational limitations and apply Bayesian stochastic block models for un-supervised data-driven clustering of whole-brain connectivity in full image resolution. We implement high-performance software that allows us to efficiently apply stochastic blockmodelling with MCMC sampling on large complex networks...

Improved quality of image got through whole-body CT scanner

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Asahina, Kiyotaka

1980-01-01

The quality of brain images taken with a whole-body CT scanner has so far been generally inferior in quality to those got through a CT scanner exclusively used for brains. In order to improve the whole-body CT scanner so as to get better brain image, its detection system has been made multichannel; the capacity of its X-ray tube, increased; and its software, innovated. As a result, the spatial resolution has been improved from 5.51 p/cm to 9.01 p/cm, the contrast resolution has been improved from 3.2 mm% to 1.5 mm%, with the noise maintained at 0.5%. In clinical examination, the image quality has been improved equally well for brains, abdomens and lungs. Especially high appreciation is given to the diagnosis information got through this new scanner. (author)

Abnormal hyperintensity within the subarachnoid space evaluated by fluid-attenuated inversion-recovery MR imaging: a spectrum of central nervous system diseases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maeda, M.; Sakuma, H.; Takeda, K.; Yagishita, A.; Yamamoto, T.

2003-01-01

A variety of central nervous system (CNS) diseases are associated with abnormal hyperintensity within the subarachnoid space (SAS) by fluid-attenuated inversion-recovery (FLAIR) MR imaging. Careful attention to the SAS can provide additional useful information that may not be available with conventional MR sequences. The purpose of this article is to provide a pictorial essay about CNS diseases and FLAIR images with abnormal hyperintensity within the SAS. We present several CNS diseases including subarachnoid hemorrhage, meningitis, leptomeningeal metastases, acute infarction, and severe arterial occlusive diseases such as moya-moya disease. We also review miscellaneous diseases or normal conditions that may exhibit cerebrospinal fluid hyperintensity on FLAIR images. Although the detection of abnormal hyperintensity suggests the underlying CNS diseases and narrows differential diagnoses, FLAIR imaging sometimes presents artifactual hyperintensity within the SAS that can cause the misinterpretation of normal SAS as pathologic conditions; therefore, radiologists should be familiar with such artifactual conditions as well as pathologic conditions shown as hyperintensity by FLAIR images. This knowledge is helpful in establishing the correct diagnosis. (orig.)

Multimodality 3D Superposition and Automated Whole Brain Tractography: Comprehensive Printing of the Functional Brain.

Science.gov (United States)

Konakondla, Sanjay; Brimley, Cameron J; Sublett, Jesna Mathew; Stefanowicz, Edward; Flora, Sarah; Mongelluzzo, Gino; Schirmer, Clemens M

2017-09-29

Whole brain tractography using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) sequences can be used to map cerebral connectivity; however, this can be time-consuming due to the manual component of image manipulation required, calling for the need for a standardized, automated, and accurate fiber tracking protocol with automatic whole brain tractography (AWBT). Interpreting conventional two-dimensional (2D) images, such as computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), as an intraoperative three-dimensional (3D) environment is a difficult task with recognized inter-operator variability. Three-dimensional printing in neurosurgery has gained significant traction in the past decade, and as software, equipment, and practices become more refined, trainee education, surgical skills, research endeavors, innovation, patient education, and outcomes via valued care is projected to improve. We describe a novel multimodality 3D superposition (MMTS) technique, which fuses multiple imaging sequences alongside cerebral tractography into one patient-specific 3D printed model. Inferences on cost and improved outcomes fueled by encouraging patient engagement are explored.

Whole-body bone segmentation from MRI for PET/MRI attenuation correction using shape-based averaging

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Arabi, Hossein; Zaidi, H.

2016-01-01

Purpose: The authors evaluate the performance of shape-based averaging (SBA) technique for whole-body bone segmentation from MRI in the context of MRI-guided attenuation correction (MRAC) in hybrid PET/MRI. To enhance the performance of the SBA scheme, the authors propose to combine it with stati......Purpose: The authors evaluate the performance of shape-based averaging (SBA) technique for whole-body bone segmentation from MRI in the context of MRI-guided attenuation correction (MRAC) in hybrid PET/MRI. To enhance the performance of the SBA scheme, the authors propose to combine...... it with statistical atlas fusion techniques. Moreover, a fast and efficient shape comparisonbased atlas selection scheme was developed and incorporated into the SBA method. Methods: Clinical studies consisting of PET/CT and MR images of 21 patients were used to assess the performance of the SBA method. In addition...... voting (MV) atlas fusion scheme was also evaluated as a conventional and commonly used method. MRI-guided attenuation maps were generated using the different segmentation methods. Thereafter, quantitative analysis of PET attenuation correction was performed using CT-based attenuation correction...

Indian-ink perfusion based method for reconstructing continuous vascular networks in whole mouse brain.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Songchao Xue

Full Text Available The topology of the cerebral vasculature, which is the energy transport corridor of the brain, can be used to study cerebral circulatory pathways. Limited by the restrictions of the vascular markers and imaging methods, studies on cerebral vascular structure now mainly focus on either observation of the macro vessels in a whole brain or imaging of the micro vessels in a small region. Simultaneous vascular studies of arteries, veins and capillaries have not been achieved in the whole brain of mammals. Here, we have combined the improved gelatin-Indian ink vessel perfusion process with Micro-Optical Sectioning Tomography for imaging the vessel network of an entire mouse brain. With 17 days of work, an integral dataset for the entire cerebral vessels was acquired. The voxel resolution is 0.35×0.4×2.0 µm(3 for the whole brain. Besides the observations of fine and complex vascular networks in the reconstructed slices and entire brain views, a representative continuous vascular tracking has been demonstrated in the deep thalamus. This study provided an effective method for studying the entire macro and micro vascular networks of mouse brain simultaneously.

Changes in Imaging and Cognition in Juvenile Rats After Whole-Brain Irradiation

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Brown, Robert J.; Jun, Brandon J. [Division of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, Department of Radiation Oncology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California (United States); Advanced Imaging Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Children' s Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California (United States); Rudi Schulte Research Institute, Santa Barbara, California (United States); Cushman, Jesse D. [Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California (United States); Nguyen, Christine; Beighley, Adam H.; Blanchard, Johnny; Iwamoto, Kei; Schaue, Dorthe [Division of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, Department of Radiation Oncology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California (United States); Harris, Neil G. [UCLA Brain Injury Research Center, Department of Neurosurgery, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA Center for the Health Sciences, Los Angeles, California (United States); Jentsch, James D. [Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California (United States); Bluml, Stefan [Advanced Imaging Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Children' s Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California (United States); Rudi Schulte Research Institute, Santa Barbara, California (United States); McBride, William H., E-mail: wmcbride@mednet.ucla.edu [Division of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, Department of Radiation Oncology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California (United States)

2016-10-01

Purpose: In pediatric cancer survivors treated with whole-brain irradiation (WBI), long-term cognitive deficits and morbidity develop that are poorly understood and for which there is no treatment. We describe similar cognitive defects in juvenile WBI rats and correlate them with alterations in diffusion tensor imaging and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) during brain development. Methods and Materials: Juvenile Fischer rats received clinically relevant fractionated doses of WBI or a high-dose exposure. Diffusion tensor imaging and MRS were performed at the time of WBI and during the subacute (3-month) and late (6-month) phases, before behavioral testing. Results: Fractional anisotropy in the splenium of the corpus callosum increased steadily over the study period, reflecting brain development. WBI did not alter the subacute response, but thereafter there was no further increase in fractional anisotropy, especially in the high-dose group. Similarly, the ratios of various MRS metabolites to creatine increased over the study period, and in general, the most significant changes after WBI were during the late phase and with the higher dose. The most dramatic changes observed were in glutamine-creatine ratios that failed to increase normally between 3 and 6 months after either radiation dose. WBI did not affect the ambulatory response to novel open field testing in the subacute phase, but locomotor habituation was impaired and anxiety-like behaviors increased. As for cognitive measures, the most dramatic impairments were in novel object recognition late after either dose of WBI. Conclusions: The developing brains of juvenile rats given clinically relevant fractionated doses of WBI show few abnormalities in the subacute phase but marked late cognitive alterations that may be linked with perturbed MRS signals measured in the corpus callosum. This pathomimetic phenotype of clinically relevant cranial irradiation effects may be useful for modeling, mechanistic

Changes in Imaging and Cognition in Juvenile Rats After Whole-Brain Irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brown, Robert J.; Jun, Brandon J.; Cushman, Jesse D.; Nguyen, Christine; Beighley, Adam H.; Blanchard, Johnny; Iwamoto, Kei; Schaue, Dorthe; Harris, Neil G.; Jentsch, James D.; Bluml, Stefan; McBride, William H.

2016-01-01

Purpose: In pediatric cancer survivors treated with whole-brain irradiation (WBI), long-term cognitive deficits and morbidity develop that are poorly understood and for which there is no treatment. We describe similar cognitive defects in juvenile WBI rats and correlate them with alterations in diffusion tensor imaging and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) during brain development. Methods and Materials: Juvenile Fischer rats received clinically relevant fractionated doses of WBI or a high-dose exposure. Diffusion tensor imaging and MRS were performed at the time of WBI and during the subacute (3-month) and late (6-month) phases, before behavioral testing. Results: Fractional anisotropy in the splenium of the corpus callosum increased steadily over the study period, reflecting brain development. WBI did not alter the subacute response, but thereafter there was no further increase in fractional anisotropy, especially in the high-dose group. Similarly, the ratios of various MRS metabolites to creatine increased over the study period, and in general, the most significant changes after WBI were during the late phase and with the higher dose. The most dramatic changes observed were in glutamine-creatine ratios that failed to increase normally between 3 and 6 months after either radiation dose. WBI did not affect the ambulatory response to novel open field testing in the subacute phase, but locomotor habituation was impaired and anxiety-like behaviors increased. As for cognitive measures, the most dramatic impairments were in novel object recognition late after either dose of WBI. Conclusions: The developing brains of juvenile rats given clinically relevant fractionated doses of WBI show few abnormalities in the subacute phase but marked late cognitive alterations that may be linked with perturbed MRS signals measured in the corpus callosum. This pathomimetic phenotype of clinically relevant cranial irradiation effects may be useful for modeling, mechanistic

Evaluation of brain and whole-body pharmacokinetics of 11C-labeled diphenylhydantoin in rats by means of planar positron imaging system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hasegawa, Yukinori; Kanai, Yasukazu; Hasegawa, Shinji; Shimosegawa, Eku; Kurachi, Yoshihisa; Hatazawa, Jun; Okamoto, Takashi; Matsui, Tamiko

2008-01-01

A planar positron imaging system (PPIS) enables whole-body dynamic imaging of radiopharmaceuticals labeled with positron-emitting nuclides. We evaluated the difference in the brain and whole-body pharmacokinetics of 11 C-diphenylhydantoin ( 11 C-DPH) between intravenous and duodenal administration in rats. Male Wistar rats (8 weeks old, mean body weight 250 g) were examined under anesthesia. A tracer amount of 11 C-DPH (2 μg or less; about 5 MBq) was injected into the tail vein (n=3) or duodenum (n=3). Immediately following the administration, PPIS scans were obtained for 20 min. Regions of interest (ROIs) were set on the brain, heart, liver, intestinal field, and urinary bladder, identified on the integrated images. The relative uptake value (RUV, %) was calculated as the regional count divided by the whole-body count multiplied by 100. Sequential changes in the RUV for each ROI were analyzed for the brain and other organs. Following intravenous injection of 11 C-DPH, the RUV in the brain was 1.59±0.07%, 1.53±0.09%, 1.40±0.09%, and 1.38±0.08% at 5 min, 10 min, 15 min, and 20 min after the injection, respectively. After duodenal administration, the corresponding values were 0.54±0.16%, 1.01±0.12%, 1.43±0.24%, and 1.52±0.06%, respectively. The 11 C-DPH distribution was significantly lower at 5 min and 10 min following duodenal administration than after intravenous injection (P 11 C-DPH between intravenous and duodenal administration in rats. Use of the PPIS is feasible for the evaluation of the pharmacokinetics in both the target organ and the whole body in small animals. (author)

Regional distribution of TL-201 in the brain and spinal cord after injection into the cerebrospinal fluid: Imaging of brain tumors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Woo, D.V.; Rubertone, J.; Vincent, S.; Brady, L.W. Jr.

1986-01-01

Radiotracers are typically employed to evaluate the brain ventricular space; however, there are no agents designed to be taken up into specific neuronal regions after injection into the cerebrospinal fluids (CSF). The authors report studies in which T1-201 was stereotaxically administered into the lateral or fourth ventricles of Sprague-Dawley rats. Brains were removed (n = 42) 2-6 hours after injection and sectioned for apposition to autoradiographic film. Specific uptake was observed in active neurons of the diencephalon, mesencephalon, cerebellum, brain stem, and spinal gray matter. Astrocytoma cell implants into the caudate nucleus of Sprague-Dawley rats induced histologically confirmed brain tumors (n = 5). Significant localization of T1-201 was observed in the tumor 4 hours after injection into the lateral ventricle. These findings suggest that T1-201 may be useful for delineating specific neuronal function via CSF circulation and for imaging actively growing brain tumors

Image quality at synthetic brain magnetic resonance imaging in children

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Lee, So Mi; Cho, Seung Hyun; Kim, Won Hwa; Kim, Hye Jung [Kyungpook National University Hospital, Department of Radiology, Daegu (Korea, Republic of); Choi, Young Hun; Cheon, Jung-Eun; Kim, In-One [Seoul National University College of Medicine, Department of Radiology and Institute of Radiation Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Cho, Hyun-Hae [Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital, Department of Radiology, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); You, Sun-Kyoung [Chungnam National University Hospital, Department of Radiology, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Park, Sook-Hyun [Kyungpook National University Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, Daegu (Korea, Republic of); Hwang, Moon Jung [GE Healthcare, MR Applications and Workflow, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2017-11-15

The clinical application of the multi-echo, multi-delay technique of synthetic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) generates multiple sequences in a single acquisition but has mainly been used in adults. To evaluate the image quality of synthetic brain MR in children compared with that of conventional images. Twenty-nine children (median age: 6 years, range: 0-16 years) underwent synthetic and conventional imaging. Synthetic (T2-weighted, T1-weighted and fluid-attenuated inversion recovery [FLAIR]) images with settings matching those of the conventional images were generated. The overall image quality, gray/white matter differentiation, lesion conspicuity and image degradations were rated on a 5-point scale. The relative contrasts were assessed quantitatively and acquisition times for the two imaging techniques were compared. Synthetic images were inferior due to more pronounced image degradations; however, there were no significant differences for T1- and T2-weighted images in children <2 years old. The quality of T1- and T2-weighted images were within the diagnostically acceptable range. FLAIR images showed greatly reduced quality. Gray/white matter differentiation was comparable or better in synthetic T1- and T2-weighted images, but poorer in FLAIR images. There was no effect on lesion conspicuity. Synthetic images had equal or greater relative contrast. Acquisition time was approximately two-thirds of that for conventional sequences. Synthetic T1- and T2-weighted images were diagnostically acceptable, but synthetic FLAIR images were not. Lesion conspicuity and gray/white matter differentiation were comparable to conventional MRI. (orig.)

Non-uniform versus uniform attenuation correction in brain perfusion SPET of healthy volunteers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Van Laere, K.; Versijpt, J.; Dierckx, R.; Koole, M.

2001-01-01

Although non-uniform attenuation correction (NUAC) can supply more accurate absolute quantification, it is not entirely clear whether NUAC provides clear-cut benefits in the routine clinical practice of brain SPET imaging. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of NUAC versus uniform attenuation correction (UAC) on volume of interest (VOI)-based semi-quantification of a large age- and gender-stratified brain perfusion normal database. Eighty-nine healthy volunteers (46 females and 43 males, aged 20-81 years) underwent standardised high-resolution single-photon emission tomography (SPET) with 925 MBq 99m Tc-ethyl cysteinate dimer (ECD) on a Toshiba GCA-9300A camera with 153 Gd or 99m Tc transmission CT scanning. Emission images were reconstructed by filtered back-projection and scatter corrected using the triple-energy window correction method. Both non-uniform Chang attenuation correction (one iteration) and uniform Sorenson correction (attenuation coefficient 0.09 cm -1 ) were applied. Images were automatically re-oriented to a stereotactic template on which 35 predefined VOIs were defined for semi-quantification (normalisation on total VOI counts). Small but significant differences between relative VOI uptake values for NUAC versus UAC in the infratentorial region were found. VOI standard deviations were significantly smaller for UAC, 4.5% (range 2.6-7.5), than for NUAC, 5.0% (2.3-9.0) (P 99m Tc-ECD uptake values in healthy volunteers to those obtained with NUAC, although values for the infratentorial region are slightly lower. NUAC produces a slight increase in inter-subject variability. Further study is necessary in various patient populations to establish the full clinical impact of NUAC in brain perfusion SPET. (orig.)

Single-subject-based whole-brain MEG slow-wave imaging approach for detecting abnormality in patients with mild traumatic brain injury

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Ming-Xiong Huang

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Traumatic brain injury (TBI is a leading cause of sustained impairment in military and civilian populations. However, mild TBI (mTBI can be difficult to detect using conventional MRI or CT. Injured brain tissues in mTBI patients generate abnormal slow-waves (1–4 Hz that can be measured and localized by resting-state magnetoencephalography (MEG. In this study, we develop a voxel-based whole-brain MEG slow-wave imaging approach for detecting abnormality in patients with mTBI on a single-subject basis. A normative database of resting-state MEG source magnitude images (1–4 Hz from 79 healthy control subjects was established for all brain voxels. The high-resolution MEG source magnitude images were obtained by our recent Fast-VESTAL method. In 84 mTBI patients with persistent post-concussive symptoms (36 from blasts, and 48 from non-blast causes, our method detected abnormalities at the positive detection rates of 84.5%, 86.1%, and 83.3% for the combined (blast-induced plus with non-blast causes, blast, and non-blast mTBI groups, respectively. We found that prefrontal, posterior parietal, inferior temporal, hippocampus, and cerebella areas were particularly vulnerable to head trauma. The result also showed that MEG slow-wave generation in prefrontal areas positively correlated with personality change, trouble concentrating, affective lability, and depression symptoms. Discussion is provided regarding the neuronal mechanisms of MEG slow-wave generation due to deafferentation caused by axonal injury and/or blockages/limitations of cholinergic transmission in TBI. This study provides an effective way for using MEG slow-wave source imaging to localize affected areas and supports MEG as a tool for assisting the diagnosis of mTBI.

TECHNOLOGIES OF BRAIN IMAGES PROCESSING

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O.M. Klyuchko

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The purpose of present research was to analyze modern methods of processing biological images implemented before storage in databases for biotechnological purposes. The databases further were incorporated into web-based digital systems. Examples of such information systems were described in the work for two levels of biological material organization; databases for storing data of histological analysis and of whole brain were described. Methods of neuroimaging processing for electronic brain atlas were considered. It was shown that certain pathological features can be revealed in histological image processing. Several medical diagnostic techniques (for certain brain pathologies, etc. as well as a few biotechnological methods are based on such effects. Algorithms of image processing were suggested. Electronic brain atlas was conveniently for professionals in different fields described in details. Approaches of brain atlas elaboration, “composite” scheme for large deformations as well as several methods of mathematic images processing were described as well.

Stability of whole brain and regional network topology within and between resting and cognitive states.

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Rzucidlo, Justyna K; Roseman, Paige L; Laurienti, Paul J; Dagenbach, Dale

2013-01-01

Graph-theory based analyses of resting state functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) data have been used to map the network organization of the brain. While numerous analyses of resting state brain organization exist, many questions remain unexplored. The present study examines the stability of findings based on this approach over repeated resting state and working memory state sessions within the same individuals. This allows assessment of stability of network topology within the same state for both rest and working memory, and between rest and working memory as well. fMRI scans were performed on five participants while at rest and while performing the 2-back working memory task five times each, with task state alternating while they were in the scanner. Voxel-based whole brain network analyses were performed on the resulting data along with analyses of functional connectivity in regions associated with resting state and working memory. Network topology was fairly stable across repeated sessions of the same task, but varied significantly between rest and working memory. In the whole brain analysis, local efficiency, Eloc, differed significantly between rest and working memory. Analyses of network statistics for the precuneus and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex revealed significant differences in degree as a function of task state for both regions and in local efficiency for the precuneus. Conversely, no significant differences were observed across repeated sessions of the same state. These findings suggest that network topology is fairly stable within individuals across time for the same state, but also fluid between states. Whole brain voxel-based network analyses may prove to be a valuable tool for exploring how functional connectivity changes in response to task demands.

Impact of drug permeability of blood-brain barrier after whole brain conventional fractionation irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Longzhen; Cao Yuandong; Chen Yong; Yu Changzhou; Zhuang Ming

2006-01-01

Objective: To explore the effect of drug permeability in rat blood-brain barrier(BBB) after different doses of whole brain conventional fractionation irradiation in rats and provide the experimental basis for the optimum time of clinical chemotherapy. Methods: According to different irradiation doses, 100 adult Sprague-Dowley rats were divided randomly into 5 groups: the normal control group(0 Gy); 10 Gy; 20 Gy; 30 Gy; and 40 Gy group. All rats were exposed to conventional fractionation(2 Gy/d, 5 d/w) with 60 Co γ-ray. MTX(25 mg/kg) was injected through the tail mainline 16 hours after whole brain irradiation. Cerebrospinal fluid(CSF) and blood were collected 2 hours later. Those samples were used to assay MTX concentration using RP-HPLC. Results: MTX mean concentrations in CSF was 0.07, 0.08, 0.12, 0.24, 0.23 mg/L in the control, 10 Gy, 20 Gy, 30 Gy, 40 Gy groups, respectively. All the data was analyzed with rank test of transform. MTX concentration of CSF was significantly different except the control and 10 Gy, 30 Gy and 40 Gy group. MTX concentration of blood was not significantly different in all groups (P>0.05). Conclusions: Irradiation can directly damage the function of BBB. BBB would be opened gradually following the increase of irradiation dose. It could be considered as the optimum time of chemotherapy when the whole brain irradiation ranges from 20 Gy to 30 Gy. (authors)

Time efficient whole-brain coverage with MR Fingerprinting using slice-interleaved echo-planar-imaging.

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Rieger, Benedikt; Akçakaya, Mehmet; Pariente, José C; Llufriu, Sara; Martinez-Heras, Eloy; Weingärtner, Sebastian; Schad, Lothar R

2018-04-27

Magnetic resonance fingerprinting (MRF) is a promising method for fast simultaneous quantification of multiple tissue parameters. The objective of this study is to improve the coverage of MRF based on echo-planar imaging (MRF-EPI) by using a slice-interleaved acquisition scheme. For this, the MRF-EPI is modified to acquire several slices in a randomized interleaved manner, increasing the effective repetition time of the spoiled gradient echo readout acquisition in each slice. Per-slice matching of the signal-trace to a precomputed dictionary allows the generation of T 1 and T 2 * maps with integrated B 1 + correction. Subsequent compensation for the coil sensitivity profile and normalization to the cerebrospinal fluid additionally allows for quantitative proton density (PD) mapping. Numerical simulations are performed to optimize the number of interleaved slices. Quantification accuracy is validated in phantom scans and feasibility is demonstrated in-vivo. Numerical simulations suggest the acquisition of four slices as a trade-off between quantification precision and scan-time. Phantom results indicate good agreement with reference measurements (Difference T 1 : -2.4 ± 1.1%, T 2 *: -0.5 ± 2.5%, PD: -0.5 ± 7.2%). In-vivo whole-brain coverage of T 1 , T 2 * and PD with 32 slices was acquired within 3:36 minutes, resulting in parameter maps of high visual quality and comparable performance with single-slice MRF-EPI at 4-fold scan-time reduction.

Clinical Evaluation of Zero-Echo-Time Attenuation Correction for Brain 18F-FDG PET/MRI: Comparison with Atlas Attenuation Correction.

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Sekine, Tetsuro; Ter Voert, Edwin E G W; Warnock, Geoffrey; Buck, Alfred; Huellner, Martin; Veit-Haibach, Patrick; Delso, Gaspar

2016-12-01

Accurate attenuation correction (AC) on PET/MR is still challenging. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical feasibility of AC based on fast zero-echo-time (ZTE) MRI by comparing it with the default atlas-based AC on a clinical PET/MR scanner. We recruited 10 patients with malignant diseases not located on the brain. In all patients, a clinically indicated whole-body 18 F-FDG PET/CT scan was acquired. In addition, a head PET/MR scan was obtained voluntarily. For each patient, 2 AC maps were generated from the MR images. One was atlas-AC, derived from T1-weighted liver acquisition with volume acceleration flex images (clinical standard). The other was ZTE-AC, derived from proton-density-weighted ZTE images by applying tissue segmentation and assigning continuous attenuation values to the bone. The AC map generated by PET/CT was used as a silver standard. On the basis of each AC map, PET images were reconstructed from identical raw data on the PET/MR scanner. All PET images were normalized to the SPM5 PET template. After that, these images were qualified visually and quantified in 67 volumes of interest (VOIs; automated anatomic labeling, atlas). Relative differences and absolute relative differences between PET images based on each AC were calculated. 18 F-FDG uptake in all 670 VOIs and generalized merged VOIs were compared using a paired t test. Qualitative analysis shows that ZTE-AC was robust to patient variability. Nevertheless, misclassification of air and bone in mastoid and nasal areas led to the overestimation of PET in the temporal lobe and cerebellum (%diff of ZTE-AC, 2.46% ± 1.19% and 3.31% ± 1.70%, respectively). The |%diff| of all 670 VOIs on ZTE was improved by approximately 25% compared with atlas-AC (ZTE-AC vs. atlas-AC, 1.77% ± 1.41% vs. 2.44% ± 1.63%, P PET in regions near the skull base. © 2016 by the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Inc.

Whole-body FDG PET-MR oncologic imaging: pitfalls in clinical interpretation related to inaccurate MR-based attenuation correction.

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Attenberger, Ulrike; Catana, Ciprian; Chandarana, Hersh; Catalano, Onofrio A; Friedman, Kent; Schonberg, Stefan A; Thrall, James; Salvatore, Marco; Rosen, Bruce R; Guimaraes, Alexander R

2015-08-01

Simultaneous data collection for positron emission tomography and magnetic resonance imaging (PET/MR) is now a reality. While the full benefits of concurrently acquiring PET and MR data and the potential added clinical value are still being evaluated, initial studies have identified several important potential pitfalls in the interpretation of fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET/MRI in oncologic whole-body imaging, the majority of which being related to the errors in the attenuation maps created from the MR data. The purpose of this article was to present such pitfalls and artifacts using case examples, describe their etiology, and discuss strategies to overcome them. Using a case-based approach, we will illustrate artifacts related to (1) Inaccurate bone tissue segmentation; (2) Inaccurate air cavities segmentation; (3) Motion-induced misregistration; (4) RF coils in the PET field of view; (5) B0 field inhomogeneity; (6) B1 field inhomogeneity; (7) Metallic implants; (8) MR contrast agents.

A clearer view of the insect brain – combining bleaching with standard whole-mount immunocytochemistry allows confocal imaging of pigment-covered brain areas for 3D reconstruction.

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Anna Lisa Stöckl

2015-09-01

Full Text Available In the study of insect neuroanatomy, three-dimensional reconstructions of neurons and neuropils have become a standard technique. As images have to be obtained from whole-mount brain preparations, pigmentation on the brain surface poses a serious challenge to imaging. In insects, this is a major problematic in the first visual neuropil of the optic lobe, the lamina, which is obstructed by the pigment of the retina as well as by the pigmented fenestration layer. This has prevented inclusion of this major processing center of the insect visual system into most neuroanatomical brain atlases and hinders imaging of neurons within the lamina by confocal microscopy. It has recently been shown that hydrogen peroxide bleaching is compatible with immunohistochemical labeling in insect brains, and we therefore developed a simple technique for removal of pigments on the surface of insect brains by chemical bleaching. We show that our technique enables imaging of the pigment-obstructed regions of insect brains when combined with standard protocols for both anti-synapsin-labeled as well as neurobiotin-injected samples. This method can be combined with different fixation procedures, as well as different fluorophore excitation wavelengths without negative effects on staining quality. It can therefore serve as an effective addition to most standard histology protocols used in insect neuroanatomy.

Improvement of brain perfusion SPET using iterative reconstruction with scatter and non-uniform attenuation correction

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Kauppinen, T.; Vanninen, E.; Kuikka, J.T. [Kuopio Central Hospital (Finland). Dept. of Clinical Physiology; Koskinen, M.O. [Dept. of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine, Tampere Univ. Hospital, Tampere (Finland); Alenius, S. [Signal Processing Lab., Tampere Univ. of Technology, Tampere (Finland)

2000-09-01

Filtered back-projection (FBP) is generally used as the reconstruction method for single-photon emission tomography although it produces noisy images with apparent streak artefacts. It is possible to improve the image quality by using an algorithm with iterative correction steps. The iterative reconstruction technique also has an additional benefit in that computation of attenuation correction can be included in the process. A commonly used iterative method, maximum-likelihood expectation maximisation (ML-EM), can be accelerated using ordered subsets (OS-EM). We have applied to the OS-EM algorithm a Bayesian one-step late correction method utilising median root prior (MRP). Methodological comparison was performed by means of measurements obtained with a brain perfusion phantom and using patient data. The aim of this work was to quantitate the accuracy of iterative reconstruction with scatter and non-uniform attenuation corrections and post-filtering in SPET brain perfusion imaging. SPET imaging was performed using a triple-head gamma camera with fan-beam collimators. Transmission and emission scans were acquired simultaneously. The brain phantom used was a high-resolution three-dimensional anthropomorphic JB003 phantom. Patient studies were performed in ten chronic pain syndrome patients. The images were reconstructed using conventional FBP and iterative OS-EM and MRP techniques including scatter and nonuniform attenuation corrections. Iterative reconstructions were individually post-filtered. The quantitative results obtained with the brain perfusion phantom were compared with the known actual contrast ratios. The calculated difference from the true values was largest with the FBP method; iteratively reconstructed images proved closer to the reality. Similar findings were obtained in the patient studies. The plain OS-EM method improved the contrast whereas in the case of the MRP technique the improvement in contrast was not so evident with post-filtering. (orig.)

Improvement of brain perfusion SPET using iterative reconstruction with scatter and non-uniform attenuation correction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kauppinen, T.; Vanninen, E.; Kuikka, J.T.; Alenius, S.

2000-01-01

Filtered back-projection (FBP) is generally used as the reconstruction method for single-photon emission tomography although it produces noisy images with apparent streak artefacts. It is possible to improve the image quality by using an algorithm with iterative correction steps. The iterative reconstruction technique also has an additional benefit in that computation of attenuation correction can be included in the process. A commonly used iterative method, maximum-likelihood expectation maximisation (ML-EM), can be accelerated using ordered subsets (OS-EM). We have applied to the OS-EM algorithm a Bayesian one-step late correction method utilising median root prior (MRP). Methodological comparison was performed by means of measurements obtained with a brain perfusion phantom and using patient data. The aim of this work was to quantitate the accuracy of iterative reconstruction with scatter and non-uniform attenuation corrections and post-filtering in SPET brain perfusion imaging. SPET imaging was performed using a triple-head gamma camera with fan-beam collimators. Transmission and emission scans were acquired simultaneously. The brain phantom used was a high-resolution three-dimensional anthropomorphic JB003 phantom. Patient studies were performed in ten chronic pain syndrome patients. The images were reconstructed using conventional FBP and iterative OS-EM and MRP techniques including scatter and nonuniform attenuation corrections. Iterative reconstructions were individually post-filtered. The quantitative results obtained with the brain perfusion phantom were compared with the known actual contrast ratios. The calculated difference from the true values was largest with the FBP method; iteratively reconstructed images proved closer to the reality. Similar findings were obtained in the patient studies. The plain OS-EM method improved the contrast whereas in the case of the MRP technique the improvement in contrast was not so evident with post-filtering. (orig.)

A dural lymphatic vascular system that drains brain interstitial fluid and macromolecules.

Science.gov (United States)

Aspelund, Aleksanteri; Antila, Salli; Proulx, Steven T; Karlsen, Tine Veronica; Karaman, Sinem; Detmar, Michael; Wiig, Helge; Alitalo, Kari

2015-06-29

The central nervous system (CNS) is considered an organ devoid of lymphatic vasculature. Yet, part of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) drains into the cervical lymph nodes (LNs). The mechanism of CSF entry into the LNs has been unclear. Here we report the surprising finding of a lymphatic vessel network in the dura mater of the mouse brain. We show that dural lymphatic vessels absorb CSF from the adjacent subarachnoid space and brain interstitial fluid (ISF) via the glymphatic system. Dural lymphatic vessels transport fluid into deep cervical LNs (dcLNs) via foramina at the base of the skull. In a transgenic mouse model expressing a VEGF-C/D trap and displaying complete aplasia of the dural lymphatic vessels, macromolecule clearance from the brain was attenuated and transport from the subarachnoid space into dcLNs was abrogated. Surprisingly, brain ISF pressure and water content were unaffected. Overall, these findings indicate that the mechanism of CSF flow into the dcLNs is directly via an adjacent dural lymphatic network, which may be important for the clearance of macromolecules from the brain. Importantly, these results call for a reexamination of the role of the lymphatic system in CNS physiology and disease. © 2015 Aspelund et al.

Whole Body Magnetic Resonance Imaging in the Diagnosis of Parsonage Turner Syndrome

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ryan, M.; Twair, A.; Nelson, E.; Brennan, D.; Eustace, S.

2004-01-01

Purpose: To describe magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings in patients with suspected Parsonage Turner syndrome and to emphasize the value of an additional whole body MR scan to improve specificity of this diagnosis. Material and Methods: Three patients with proven Parsonage Turner syndrome referred for conventional MRI of the shoulder girdle and additional whole body turboSTIR MRI were included for study. Results: In each case, imaging revealed edema in the muscles of the shoulder girdle. Whole body turboSTIR MRI scan confirmed localized unilateral changes in each case improving specificity and confidence in the diagnosis of Parsonage Turner syndrome in each case. Conclusion: Whole body turboSTIR MR imaging is a useful diagnostic tool in the evaluation of patients with suspected Parsonage Turner syndrome. Inclusion of the brain, neck, brachial plexus, and extremity musculature at whole body imaging allows differentiation from polymyositis and elimination of additional causes of shoulder girdle pain and weakness including gross lesions in the brain, neck, and brachial plexus by a single non-invasive study

Evaluation of Sinus/Edge-Corrected Zero-Echo-Time-Based Attenuation Correction in Brain PET/MRI.

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Yang, Jaewon; Wiesinger, Florian; Kaushik, Sandeep; Shanbhag, Dattesh; Hope, Thomas A; Larson, Peder E Z; Seo, Youngho

2017-11-01

In brain PET/MRI, the major challenge of zero-echo-time (ZTE)-based attenuation correction (ZTAC) is the misclassification of air/tissue/bone mixtures or their boundaries. Our study aimed to evaluate a sinus/edge-corrected (SEC) ZTAC (ZTAC SEC ), relative to an uncorrected (UC) ZTAC (ZTAC UC ) and a CT atlas-based attenuation correction (ATAC). Methods: Whole-body 18 F-FDG PET/MRI scans were obtained for 12 patients after PET/CT scans. Only data acquired at a bed station that included the head were used for this study. Using PET data from PET/MRI, we applied ZTAC UC , ZTAC SEC , ATAC, and reference CT-based attenuation correction (CTAC) to PET attenuation correction. For ZTAC UC , the bias-corrected and normalized ZTE was converted to pseudo-CT with air (-1,000 HU for ZTE 0.75), and bone (-2,000 × [ZTE - 1] + 42 HU for 0.2 ≤ ZTE ≤ 0.75). Afterward, in the pseudo-CT, sinus/edges were automatically estimated as a binary mask through morphologic processing and edge detection. In the binary mask, the overestimated values were rescaled below 42 HU for ZTAC SEC For ATAC, the atlas deformed to MR in-phase was segmented to air, inner air, soft tissue, and continuous bone. For the quantitative evaluation, PET mean uptake values were measured in twenty 1-mL volumes of interest distributed throughout brain tissues. The PET uptake was compared using a paired t test. An error histogram was used to show the distribution of voxel-based PET uptake differences. Results: Compared with CTAC, ZTAC SEC achieved the overall PET quantification accuracy (0.2% ± 2.4%, P = 0.23) similar to CTAC, in comparison with ZTAC UC (5.6% ± 3.5%, P PET quantification in brain PET/MRI, comparable to the accuracy achieved by CTAC, particularly in the cerebellum. © 2017 by the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging.

Image quality, radiation dose and diagnostic accuracy of 70 kVp whole brain volumetric CT perfusion imaging: a preliminary study

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Fang, Xiao Kun; Ni, Qian Qian; Zhou, Chang Sheng; Chen, Guo Zhong; Luo, Song; Zhang, Long Jiang; Lu, Guang Ming [Medical School of Nanjing University, Department of Medical Imaging, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing, Jiangsu (China); Schoepf, U.J. [Medical School of Nanjing University, Department of Medical Imaging, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing, Jiangsu (China); Medical University of South Carolina, Ashley River Tower, Division of Cardiovascular Imaging, Charleston, SC (United States); Fuller, Stephen R.; De Cecco, Carlo N. [Medical University of South Carolina, Ashley River Tower, Division of Cardiovascular Imaging, Charleston, SC (United States)

2016-11-15

To evaluate image quality and diagnostic accuracy for acute infarct detection and radiation dose of 70 kVp whole brain CT perfusion (CTP) and CT angiography (CTA) reconstructed from CTP source data. Patients were divided into three groups (n = 50 each): group A, 80 kVp, 21 scanning time points; groups B, 70 kVp, 21 scanning time points; group C, 70 kVp, 17 scanning time points. Objective and subjective image quality of CTP and CTA were compared. Diagnostic accuracy for detecting acute infarct and cerebral artery stenosis ≥ 50 % was calculated for CTP and CTA with diffusion weighted imaging and digital subtraction angiography as reference standards. Effective radiation dose was compared. There were no differences in any perfusion parameter value between three groups (P > 0.05). No difference was found in subjective image quality between three groups (P > 0.05). Diagnostic accuracy for detecting acute infarct and vascular stenosis showed no difference between three groups (P > 0.05). Compared with group A, radiation doses of groups B and C were decreased by 28 % and 37 % (both P < 0.001), respectively. Compared with 80 kVp protocol, 70 kVp brain CTP allows comparable vascular and perfusion assessment and lower radiation dose while maintaining high diagnostic accuracy in detecting acute infarct. (orig.)

Magnetic resonance imaging of cold injury-induced brain edema in rats

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Houkin, Kiyohiro; Abe, Hiroshi; Hashiguchi, Yuji; Seri, Shigemi.

1996-01-01

The chronological changes of blood-brain barrier disruption, and diffusion and absorption of edema fluid were investigated in rats with cold-induced brain injury (vasogenic edema) using magnetic resonance imaging. Contrast medium was administered intravenously at 3 and 24 hours after lesioning as a tracer of edema fluid. Serial T 1 -weighted multiple-slice images were obtained for 180 minutes after contrast administration. Disruption of the blood-brain barrier was more prominent at 24 hours after lesioning than at 3 hours. Contrast medium leaked from the periphery of the injury and gradually diffused to the center of the lesion. Contrast medium diffused into the corpus callosum and the ventricular system (cerebrospinal fluid). Disruption of the blood-brain barrier induced by cold injury was most prominent at the periphery of the vasogenic edema. Edema fluid subsequently extended into the center of the lesion and was also absorbed by the ventricular system. Magnetic resonance imaging is a useful method to assess the efficacy of therapy for vasogenic edema. (author)

Accelerated regression of brain metastases in patients receiving whole brain radiation and the topoisomerase II inhibitor, lucanthone

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rowe, John D. del; Bello, Jacqueline; Mitnick, Robin; Sood, Brij; Filippi, Christopher; Moran, Justin Ph.D.; Freeman, Katherine; Mendez, Frances; Bases, Robert

1999-01-01

Purpose: To determine if lucanthone crossed the blood-brain barrier in experimental animals; and to determine accelerated tumor regression of human brain metastases treated jointly with lucanthone and whole brain radiation. Methods and Materials: The organ distribution of 3 H lucanthone in mice and 125 I lucanthone in rats was determined to learn if lucanthone crossed the blood-brain barrier. Size determinations were made of patients' brain metastases from magnetic resonance images or by computed tomography before and after treatment with 30 Gy whole brain radiation alone or with lucanthone. Results: The time course of lucanthone's distribution in brain was identical to that in muscle and heart after intraperitoneal or intravenous administration in experimental animals. Lucanthone, therefore, readily crossed the blood-brain barrier in experimental animals. Conclusion: Compared with radiation alone, the tumor regression in patients with brain metastases treated with lucanthone and radiation was accelerated, approaching significance using a permutation test at p = 0.0536

The Virtual Mouse Brain: A Computational Neuroinformatics Platform to Study Whole Mouse Brain Dynamics.

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Melozzi, Francesca; Woodman, Marmaduke M; Jirsa, Viktor K; Bernard, Christophe

2017-01-01

Connectome-based modeling of large-scale brain network dynamics enables causal in silico interrogation of the brain's structure-function relationship, necessitating the close integration of diverse neuroinformatics fields. Here we extend the open-source simulation software The Virtual Brain (TVB) to whole mouse brain network modeling based on individual diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI)-based or tracer-based detailed mouse connectomes. We provide practical examples on how to use The Virtual Mouse Brain (TVMB) to simulate brain activity, such as seizure propagation and the switching behavior of the resting state dynamics in health and disease. TVMB enables theoretically driven experimental planning and ways to test predictions in the numerous strains of mice available to study brain function in normal and pathological conditions.

A Thomistic defense of whole-brain death.

Science.gov (United States)

Eberl, Jason T

2015-08-01

Michel Accad critiques the currently accepted whole-brain criterion for determining the death of a human being from a Thomistic metaphysical perspective and, in so doing, raises objections to a particular argument defending the whole-brain criterion by Patrick Lee and Germain Grisez. In this paper, I will respond to Accad's critique of the whole-brain criterion and defend its continued validity as a criterion for determining when a human being's death has occurred in accord with Thomistic metaphysical principles. I will, however, join Accad in criticizing Lee and Grisez's proposed defense of the whole-brain criterion as potentially leading to erroneous conclusions regarding the determination of human death. Lay summary: Catholic physicians and bioethicists currently debate the legally accepted clinical standard for determining when a human being has died-known as the "wholebrain criterion"-which has also been morally affirmed by the Magisterium. This paper responds to physician Michel Accad's critique of the whole-brain criterion based upon St. Thomas Aquinas's metaphysical account of human nature as a union of a rational soul and a material body. I defend the whole-brain criterion from the same Thomistic philosophical perspective, while agreeing with Accad's objection to an alternative Thomistic defense of whole-brain death by philosophers Patrick Lee and Germain Grisez.

Effects of attenuation and scatter corrections in cat brain PET images using microPET R4 scanner

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Jin Su; Lee, Jae Sung; Lee, Jong Jin

2006-01-01

The aim of this study was to examine the effects of attenuation correction (AC) and scatter correction (SC) on the quantification of PET count rates. To assess the effects of AC and SC, 18 F-FDG PET images of phantom and cat brain were acquired using microPET R4 scanner. Thirty-minute transmission images using 68 Ge source and emission images after injection of FDG were acquired. PET images were reconstructed using. 2D OSEM. AC and SC were applied. Regional count rates were measured using ROls drawn on cerebral cortex including frontal, parietal, and latral temporal lobes and deep gray matter including head of caudate nucleus, putamen and thalamus for pre- and post-AC and SC images. The count rates were then normalized with the injected dose per body weight. To assess the effects of AC, count ratio of 'deep gray matter/cerebral cortex' was calculated. To assess the effects of SC, ROls were also drawn on the gray matter (GM) and white matter (WM), and contrast between them ((GM-WM)/GM) was measured. After the AC, count ratio of 'deep gray matter/cerebral cortex' was increased by 17±7%. After the SC, contrast was also increased by 12±3%. Relative count of deep gray matter and contrast between gray and white matters were increased after AC and SC, suggesting that the AC would be critical for the quantitative analysis of cat brain PET data

Multi-atlas attenuation correction supports full quantification of static and dynamic brain PET data in PET-MR

Science.gov (United States)

Mérida, Inés; Reilhac, Anthonin; Redouté, Jérôme; Heckemann, Rolf A.; Costes, Nicolas; Hammers, Alexander

2017-04-01

In simultaneous PET-MR, attenuation maps are not directly available. Essential for absolute radioactivity quantification, they need to be derived from MR or PET data to correct for gamma photon attenuation by the imaged object. We evaluate a multi-atlas attenuation correction method for brain imaging (MaxProb) on static [18F]FDG PET and, for the first time, on dynamic PET, using the serotoninergic tracer [18F]MPPF. A database of 40 MR/CT image pairs (atlases) was used. The MaxProb method synthesises subject-specific pseudo-CTs by registering each atlas to the target subject space. Atlas CT intensities are then fused via label propagation and majority voting. Here, we compared these pseudo-CTs with the real CTs in a leave-one-out design, contrasting the MaxProb approach with a simplified single-atlas method (SingleAtlas). We evaluated the impact of pseudo-CT accuracy on reconstructed PET images, compared to PET data reconstructed with real CT, at the regional and voxel levels for the following: radioactivity images; time-activity curves; and kinetic parameters (non-displaceable binding potential, BPND). On static [18F]FDG, the mean bias for MaxProb ranged between 0 and 1% for 73 out of 84 regions assessed, and exceptionally peaked at 2.5% for only one region. Statistical parametric map analysis of MaxProb-corrected PET data showed significant differences in less than 0.02% of the brain volume, whereas SingleAtlas-corrected data showed significant differences in 20% of the brain volume. On dynamic [18F]MPPF, most regional errors on BPND ranged from -1 to  +3% (maximum bias 5%) for the MaxProb method. With SingleAtlas, errors were larger and had higher variability in most regions. PET quantification bias increased over the duration of the dynamic scan for SingleAtlas, but not for MaxProb. We show that this effect is due to the interaction of the spatial tracer-distribution heterogeneity variation over time with the degree of accuracy of the attenuation maps. This

Acoustic Velocity and Attenuation in Magnetorhelogical fluids based on an effective density fluid model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shen Min

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Magnetrohelogical fluids (MRFs represent a class of smart materials whose rheological properties change in response to the magnetic field, which resulting in the drastic change of the acoustic impedance. This paper presents an acoustic propagation model that approximates a fluid-saturated porous medium as a fluid with a bulk modulus and effective density (EDFM to study the acoustic propagation in the MRF materials under magnetic field. The effective density fluid model derived from the Biot’s theory. Some minor changes to the theory had to be applied, modeling both fluid-like and solid-like state of the MRF material. The attenuation and velocity variation of the MRF are numerical calculated. The calculated results show that for the MRF material the attenuation and velocity predicted with this effective density fluid model are close agreement with the previous predictions by Biot’s theory. We demonstrate that for the MRF material acoustic prediction the effective density fluid model is an accurate alternative to full Biot’s theory and is much simpler to implement.

Stability of whole brain and regional network topology within and between resting and cognitive states.

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Justyna K Rzucidlo

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Graph-theory based analyses of resting state functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI data have been used to map the network organization of the brain. While numerous analyses of resting state brain organization exist, many questions remain unexplored. The present study examines the stability of findings based on this approach over repeated resting state and working memory state sessions within the same individuals. This allows assessment of stability of network topology within the same state for both rest and working memory, and between rest and working memory as well. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: fMRI scans were performed on five participants while at rest and while performing the 2-back working memory task five times each, with task state alternating while they were in the scanner. Voxel-based whole brain network analyses were performed on the resulting data along with analyses of functional connectivity in regions associated with resting state and working memory. Network topology was fairly stable across repeated sessions of the same task, but varied significantly between rest and working memory. In the whole brain analysis, local efficiency, Eloc, differed significantly between rest and working memory. Analyses of network statistics for the precuneus and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex revealed significant differences in degree as a function of task state for both regions and in local efficiency for the precuneus. Conversely, no significant differences were observed across repeated sessions of the same state. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: These findings suggest that network topology is fairly stable within individuals across time for the same state, but also fluid between states. Whole brain voxel-based network analyses may prove to be a valuable tool for exploring how functional connectivity changes in response to task demands.

Simultaneous Whole-Brain Segmentation and White Matter Lesion Detection Using Contrast-Adaptive Probabilistic Models

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Puonti, Oula; Van Leemput, Koen

2016-01-01

In this paper we propose a new generative model for simultaneous brain parcellation and white matter lesion segmentation from multi-contrast magnetic resonance images. The method combines an existing whole-brain segmentation technique with a novel spatial lesion model based on a convolutional...... restricted Boltzmann machine. Unlike current state-of-the-art lesion detection techniques based on discriminative modeling, the proposed method is not tuned to one specific scanner or imaging protocol, and simultaneously segments dozens of neuroanatomical structures. Experiments on a public benchmark dataset...... in multiple sclerosis indicate that the method’s lesion segmentation accuracy compares well to that of the current state-of-the-art in the field, while additionally providing robust whole-brain segmentations....

Regional Fluid-Attenuated Inversion Recovery (FLAIR at 7 Tesla correlates with Amyloid beta in Hippocampus and Brainstem of cognitively normal elderly subjects.

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Simon J Schreiner

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Background: Accumulation of amyloid beta (Aβ may occur during healthy aging and is a risk factor for Alzheimer Disease (AD. While individual Aβ-accumulation can be measured non-invasively using Pittsburgh compound-B positron-emission-tomography (PiB-PET, Fluid-Attenuated Inversion Recovery (FLAIR is a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI sequence, capable of indicating heterogeneous age-related brain pathologies associated with tissue-edema. In the current study cognitively normal elderly subjects were investigated for regional correlation of PiB- and FLAIR- intensity. Methods: 14 healthy elderly subjects without known history of cognitive impairment received 11C-PiB-PET for estimation of regional Aβ-load. In addition, whole brain T1-MPRAGE and FLAIR-MRI sequences were acquired at high field strength of 7 Tesla (7T. Volume-normalized intensities of brain regions were assessed by applying an automated subcortical segmentation algorithm for spatial definition of brain structures. Statistical dependence between FLAIR- and PiB-PET intensities was tested using Spearman's rank correlation coefficient (rho, followed by Holm-Bonferroni correction for multiple testing. Results: Neuropsychological testing revealed normal cognitive performance levels in all participants. Mean regional PiB-PET and FLAIR intensities were normally distributed and independent. Significant correlation between volume-normalized PiB-PET signals and FLAIR intensities resulted for Hippocampus (right:rho=0.86; left:rho=0.84, Brainstem (rho=0.85 and left Basal Ganglia vessel region (rho=0.82. Conclusions: Our finding of a significant relationship between PiB- and FLAIR-intensity mainly observable in the Hippocampus and Brainstem, indicates regional Aβ associated tissue-edema in cognitively normal elderly subjects. Further studies including clinical populations are necessary to clarify the relevance of our findings for estimating individual risk for age-related neurodegenerative

Regional Fluid-Attenuated Inversion Recovery (FLAIR) at 7 Tesla correlates with amyloid beta in hippocampus and brainstem of cognitively normal elderly subjects

Science.gov (United States)

Schreiner, Simon J.; Liu, Xinyang; Gietl, Anton F.; Wyss, Michael; Steininger, Stefanie C.; Gruber, Esmeralda; Treyer, Valerie; Meier, Irene B.; Kälin, Andrea M.; Leh, Sandra E.; Buck, Alfred; Nitsch, Roger M.; Pruessmann, Klaas P.; Hock, Christoph; Unschuld, Paul G.

2014-01-01

Background: Accumulation of amyloid beta (Aβ) may occur during healthy aging and is a risk factor for Alzheimer Disease (AD). While individual Aβ-accumulation can be measured non-invasively using Pittsburgh Compund-B positron emission tomography (PiB-PET), Fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) is a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) sequence, capable of indicating heterogeneous age-related brain pathologies associated with tissue-edema. In the current study cognitively normal elderly subjects were investigated for regional correlation of PiB- and FLAIR intensity. Methods: Fourteen healthy elderly subjects without known history of cognitive impairment received 11C-PiB-PET for estimation of regional Aβ-load. In addition, whole brain T1-MPRAGE and FLAIR-MRI sequences were acquired at high field strength of 7 Tesla (7T). Volume-normalized intensities of brain regions were assessed by applying an automated subcortical segmentation algorithm for spatial definition of brain structures. Statistical dependence between FLAIR- and PiB-PET intensities was tested using Spearman's rank correlation coefficient (rho), followed by Holm–Bonferroni correction for multiple testing. Results: Neuropsychological testing revealed normal cognitive performance levels in all participants. Mean regional PiB-PET and FLAIR intensities were normally distributed and independent. Significant correlation between volume-normalized PiB-PET signals and FLAIR intensities resulted for Hippocampus (right: rho = 0.86; left: rho = 0.84), Brainstem (rho = 0.85) and left Basal Ganglia vessel region (rho = 0.82). Conclusions: Our finding of a significant relationship between PiB- and FLAIR intensity mainly observable in the Hippocampus and Brainstem, indicates regional Aβ associated tissue-edema in cognitively normal elderly subjects. Further studies including clinical populations are necessary to clarify the relevance of our findings for estimating individual risk for age-related neurodegenerative

Microstructural changes of whole brain in patients with comitant strabismus: evidence from a diffusion tensor imaging study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Huang X

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Xin Huang,1,2,* Hai-Jun Li,3,* Ying Zhang,1 De-Chang Peng,3 Pei-Hong Hu,1 Yu-Lin Zhong,1 Fu-Qing Zhou,3 Yi Shao1 1Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, 2Department of Ophthalmology, The First People’s Hospital of Jiujiang City, Jiujiang, 3Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this work Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the fractional anisotropy (FA and mean diffusivity (MD using a diffusion tensor imaging technique and whole-brain voxel-based analysis in patients with comitant strabismus.Patients and methods: A total of 19 (nine males and ten females patients with comitant strabismus and 19 age-, sex-, and education-matched healthy controls (HCs underwent magnetic resonance imaging examination. Imaging data were analyzed using two-sample t-tests to identify group differences in FA and MD values. Patients with comitant strabismus were distinguishable from HCs by receiver operating characteristic curves.Results: Compared with HCs, patients with comitant strabismus exhibited significantly decreased FA values in the brain regions of the left superior temporal gyrus and increased values in the bilateral medial frontal gyrus, right globus pallidus/brainstem, and bilateral precuneus. Meanwhile, MD value was significantly reduced in the brain regions of the bilateral cerebellum posterior lobe and left middle frontal gyrus but increased in the brain regions of the right middle frontal gyrus and left anterior cingulate.Conclusion: These results suggest significant brain abnormalities in comitant strabismus, which may underlie the pathologic mechanisms of fusion defects and ocular motility disorders in patients with comitant strabismus. Keywords: comitant strabismus, diffusion tensor imaging, mean diffusivity, fractional anisotropy, resting state

Altered whole-brain connectivity in albinism.

Science.gov (United States)

Welton, Thomas; Ather, Sarim; Proudlock, Frank A; Gottlob, Irene; Dineen, Robert A

2017-02-01

Albinism is a group of congenital disorders of the melanin synthesis pathway. Multiple ocular, white matter and cortical abnormalities occur in albinism, including a greater decussation of nerve fibres at the optic chiasm, foveal hypoplasia and nystagmus. Despite this, visual perception is largely preserved. It was proposed that this may be attributable to reorganisation among cerebral networks, including an increased interhemispheric connectivity of the primary visual areas. A graph-theoretic model was applied to explore brain connectivity networks derived from resting-state functional and diffusion-tensor magnetic resonance imaging data in 23 people with albinism and 20 controls. They tested for group differences in connectivity between primary visual areas and in summary network organisation descriptors. Main findings were supplemented with analyses of control regions, brain volumes and white matter microstructure. Significant functional interhemispheric hyperconnectivity of the primary visual areas in the albinism group were found (P = 0.012). Tests of interhemispheric connectivity based on the diffusion-tensor data showed no significant group difference (P = 0.713). Second, it was found that a range of functional whole-brain network metrics were abnormal in people with albinism, including the clustering coefficient (P = 0.005), although this may have been driven partly by overall differences in connectivity, rather than reorganisation. Based on the results, it was suggested that changes occur in albinism at the whole-brain level, and not just within the visual processing pathways. It was proposed that their findings may reflect compensatory adaptations to increased chiasmic decussation, foveal hypoplasia and nystagmus. Hum Brain Mapp 38:740-752, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Imaging method of brain surface anatomy structures using conventional T2-weighted MR images

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hatanaka, Masahiko; Machida, Yoshio; Yoshida, Tadatoki; Katada, Kazuhiro.

1992-01-01

As a non-invasive technique for visualizing the brain surface structure by MRI, surface anatomy scanning (SAS) and the multislice SAS methods have been developed. Both techniques require additional MRI scanning to obtain images for the brain surface. In this paper, we report an alternative method to obtain the brain surface image using conventional T2-weighted multislice images without any additional scanning. The power calculation of the image pixel values, which is incorporated in the routine processing, has been applied in order to enhance the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) contrast. We think that this method is one of practical approaches for imaging the surface anatomy of the brain. (author)

Subject-specific bone attenuation correction for brain PET/MR: can ZTE-MRI substitute CT scan accurately?

Science.gov (United States)

Khalifé, Maya; Fernandez, Brice; Jaubert, Olivier; Soussan, Michael; Brulon, Vincent; Buvat, Irène; Comtat, Claude

2017-10-01

In brain PET/MR applications, accurate attenuation maps are required for accurate PET image quantification. An implemented attenuation correction (AC) method for brain imaging is the single-atlas approach that estimates an AC map from an averaged CT template. As an alternative, we propose to use a zero echo time (ZTE) pulse sequence to segment bone, air and soft tissue. A linear relationship between histogram normalized ZTE intensity and measured CT density in Hounsfield units (HU ) in bone has been established thanks to a CT-MR database of 16 patients. Continuous AC maps were computed based on the segmented ZTE by setting a fixed linear attenuation coefficient (LAC) to air and soft tissue and by using the linear relationship to generate continuous μ values for the bone. Additionally, for the purpose of comparison, four other AC maps were generated: a ZTE derived AC map with a fixed LAC for the bone, an AC map based on the single-atlas approach as provided by the PET/MR manufacturer, a soft-tissue only AC map and, finally, the CT derived attenuation map used as the gold standard (CTAC). All these AC maps were used with different levels of smoothing for PET image reconstruction with and without time-of-flight (TOF). The subject-specific AC map generated by combining ZTE-based segmentation and linear scaling of the normalized ZTE signal into HU was found to be a good substitute for the measured CTAC map in brain PET/MR when used with a Gaussian smoothing kernel of 4~mm corresponding to the PET scanner intrinsic resolution. As expected TOF reduces AC error regardless of the AC method. The continuous ZTE-AC performed better than the other alternative MR derived AC methods, reducing the quantification error between the MRAC corrected PET image and the reference CTAC corrected PET image.

Detection of Normal Aging Effects on Human Brain Metabolite Concentrations and Microstructure with Whole-Brain MR Spectroscopic Imaging and Quantitative MR Imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Eylers, V V; Maudsley, A A; Bronzlik, P; Dellani, P R; Lanfermann, H; Ding, X-Q

2016-03-01

Knowledge of age-related physiological changes in the human brain is a prerequisite to identify neurodegenerative diseases. Therefore, in this study whole-brain (1)H-MRS was used in combination with quantitative MR imaging to study the effects of normal aging on healthy human brain metabolites and microstructure. Sixty healthy volunteers, 21-70 years of age, were studied. Brain maps of the metabolites NAA, creatine and phosphocreatine, and Cho and the tissue irreversible and reversible transverse relaxation times T2 and T2' were derived from the datasets. The relative metabolite concentrations and the values of relaxation times were measured with ROIs placed within the frontal and parietal WM, centrum semiovale, splenium of the corpus callosum, hand motor area, occipital GM, putamen, thalamus, pons ventral/dorsal, and cerebellar white matter and posterior lobe. Linear regression analysis and Pearson correlation tests were used to analyze the data. Aging resulted in decreased NAA concentrations in the occipital GM, putamen, splenium of the corpus callosum, and pons ventral and decreased creatine and phosphocreatine concentrations in the pons dorsal and putamen. Cho concentrations did not change significantly in selected brain regions. T2 increased in the cerebellar white matter and decreased in the splenium of the corpus callosum with aging, while the T2' decreased in the occipital GM, hand motor area, and putamen, and increased in the splenium of the corpus callosum. Correlations were found between NAA concentrations and T2' in the occipital GM and putamen and between creatine and phosphocreatine concentrations and T2' in the putamen. The effects of normal aging on brain metabolites and microstructure are region-dependent. Correlations between both processes are evident in the gray matter. The obtained data could be used as references for future studies on patients. © 2016 by American Journal of Neuroradiology.

Animal study assessing safety of an acoustic coupling fluid that holds the potential to avoid surgically induced artifacts in 3D ultrasound guided operations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jakola, Asgeir S; Jørgensen, Arve; Selbekk, Tormod; Michler, Ralf-Peter; Solheim, Ole; Torp, Sverre H; Sagberg, Lisa M; Aadahl, Petter; Unsgård, Geirmund

2014-01-01

Use of ultrasound in brain tumor surgery is common. The difference in attenuation between brain and isotonic saline may cause artifacts that degrade the ultrasound images, potentially affecting resection grades and safety. Our research group has developed an acoustic coupling fluid that attenuates ultrasound energy like the normal brain. We aimed to test in animals if the newly developed acoustic coupling fluid may have harmful effects. Eight rats were included for intraparenchymal injection into the brain, and if no adverse reactions were detected, 6 pigs were to be included with injection of the coupling fluid into the subarachnoid space. Animal behavior, EEG registrations, histopathology and immunohistochemistry were used in assessment. In total, 14 animals were included, 8 rats and 6 pigs. We did not detect any clinical adverse effects, seizure activity on EEG or histopathological signs of tissue damage. The novel acoustic coupling fluid intended for brain tumor surgery appears safe in rats and pigs under the tested circumstances

Attenuation measures of the BrainLAB imaging couch and validation on the treatment planning system Eclipse; Medidas de atenuacao da mesa BrainLAB imaging couch e validacao no sistema de planejamento Eclipse

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Serante, Alexandre R., E-mail: alexandre.serante@gmail.com [Clinica de Radioterapia Inga, Nitero, RJ (Brazil); Goncalves, Joao G. [Instituto Oncologico, Juiz de Fora, MG (Brazil); Neves-Junior, Wellington F.P.; Leite, Joao Paulo S.; Haddad, Cecilia M.K. [Hospital Sirio-Libanes, Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil). Servico de Radioterapia. Sociedade Beneficente de Senhoras

2015-12-15

In this work, attenuation measurements were performed for the beams of energy 6 and 15MV for the couch table BrainLAB Imaging Couch, consisting of carbon fiber. The measurements were performed in the Linac Novalis-Tx (Varian) for 5 x 5 and 10 x 10 cm² field sizes, varying gantry positions. The measured data were compared with the values calculated with the treatment planning system Eclipse, calculated with the algorithm AAA, in order to validate the model of the couch included in your library. The highest attenuation for the field size of 10 x 10 cm² was 7,5% and 4,8% for the beams 6 and 15 MV, respectively. With the field size of 5 x 5 cm² the highest attenuation value was 8,1% and 5,3%, for the beams 6 and 15 MV, respectively. Both measured at gantry position 120 deg C. From the attenuation data measured with an ionization chamber, it was possible to modify the model of the couch in Eclipse to obtain the smallest difference between measured and predicted values by the TPS. (author)

Usefulness of fluid attenuated inversion recovery(FLAIR) image in mesial temporal sclerosis : comparison with turbo spin-echo T2-weighted image

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Son, Seok Hyun; Chang, Seung Kuk; Eun, Choong Ki [Pusan Paik Hospital, Inje Univ. College of Medicine, Kimhae (Korea, Republic of)

1999-12-01

To determine the usefulness of fluid attenuated inversion recovery(FLAIR) imaging for the in detection of high signal intensity of hippocampus or amygdala in mesial temporal sclerosis (MTS), compared with that of turbo spin-echo T2-weighted imaging. Two neuroradiologists independently analyzed randomly mixed MR images of 20 lesions of 17 patients in whom MTS had been diagnosed, and ten normal controls. All subjects underwent both who performed both FLAIR and turbo spin-echo T2-weighted imaging, in a blind fashion. In order to determine hippocampal morphology, oblique coronal images perpendicular to the long axis of the hippocampus were obtained. The detection rate of high signal intensity in hippocampus or amygdala, the radiologists' preferred imaging sequence, and intersubject consistency of detection were evaluated. Signal intensity in hippocampus or amygdala was considered high if substantially higher than signal intensity in the cortex of adjacent temporo-parietal lobe. In all normal controls, FLAIR and spin-echo T2-weighted images showed normal signal intensity in hippocampus or amygdala. In MTS, the mean detection rate of high signal intensity in hippocampus or amygdala, as seen on FLAIR images was 93%, compared with 43% on spin-echo T2-weighted images. In all cases in which signal intensity on FLAIR images was normal, signal intensity on spin-echo T2-weighted images was also normal. The radiologists preferred the contrast properties of FLAIR to those of spin-echo T2-weighted images. In the diagnosis of MTS using MRI, FLAIR images are more useful for the detection of high signal intensity of hippocampus or amygdala than are spin-echo T2-weighted images. In the diagnosis of MTS, FLAIR imaging is therefore a suitable alternative to spin-echo T2-weighted imaging.

Usefulness of fluid attenuated inversion recovery(FLAIR) image in mesial temporal sclerosis : comparison with turbo spin-echo T2-weighted image

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Son, Seok Hyun; Chang, Seung Kuk; Eun, Choong Ki

1999-01-01

To determine the usefulness of fluid attenuated inversion recovery(FLAIR) imaging for the in detection of high signal intensity of hippocampus or amygdala in mesial temporal sclerosis (MTS), compared with that of turbo spin-echo T2-weighted imaging. Two neuroradiologists independently analyzed randomly mixed MR images of 20 lesions of 17 patients in whom MTS had been diagnosed, and ten normal controls. All subjects underwent both who performed both FLAIR and turbo spin-echo T2-weighted imaging, in a blind fashion. In order to determine hippocampal morphology, oblique coronal images perpendicular to the long axis of the hippocampus were obtained. The detection rate of high signal intensity in hippocampus or amygdala, the radiologists' preferred imaging sequence, and intersubject consistency of detection were evaluated. Signal intensity in hippocampus or amygdala was considered high if substantially higher than signal intensity in the cortex of adjacent temporo-parietal lobe. In all normal controls, FLAIR and spin-echo T2-weighted images showed normal signal intensity in hippocampus or amygdala. In MTS, the mean detection rate of high signal intensity in hippocampus or amygdala, as seen on FLAIR images was 93%, compared with 43% on spin-echo T2-weighted images. In all cases in which signal intensity on FLAIR images was normal, signal intensity on spin-echo T2-weighted images was also normal. The radiologists preferred the contrast properties of FLAIR to those of spin-echo T2-weighted images. In the diagnosis of MTS using MRI, FLAIR images are more useful for the detection of high signal intensity of hippocampus or amygdala than are spin-echo T2-weighted images. In the diagnosis of MTS, FLAIR imaging is therefore a suitable alternative to spin-echo T2-weighted imaging

Prediction of tumor-brain adhesion in intracranial meningiomas by MR imaging and DSA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takeguchi, Takashi; Miki, Hitoshi; Shimizu, Teruhiko; Kikuchi, Keiichi; Mochizuki, Teruhito; Ohue, Shiro; Ohnishi, Takanori

2003-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) and DSA (digital subtraction angiography) by using preoperative MRI and DSA findings in the examination of meningiomas before excision. In particular, we focused on their usefulness in predicting tumor-brain adhesion during surgery. The subjects were 36 patients with intracranial meningioma who underwent tumor excision at which time neurosurgeons examined the tumor-brain adhesion. Two neurosurgeons evaluated the degree of tumor-brain adhesion from operation records and videotapes recorded during surgery. Two neuroradiologists retrospectively evaluated the preoperative MRI findings including tumor diameter, signal intensity of the tumor parenchyma obtained with T 2 -weighted imaging (T 2 WI), characteristics of the tumor-brain interface, and degree of peritumoral brain edema. The vascular supply was also evaluated from the preoperative DSA findings. The relationship between these MRI and DSA findings and the degree of tumor-brain adhesion during surgery as classified by the neurosurgeons was statistically analyzed. The degree of peritumoral brain edema and the shapes and characteristics of the tumor-brain interface, including the findings of FLAIR (fluid-attenuated inversion recovery) imaging and vascular supply observed by DSA, were significantly correlated with tumor-brain adhesion. In particular, the shapes and characteristics of the tumor-brain interface as observed by T 1 -weighted imaging (T 1 WI), T2WI, and FLAIR, respectively, as well as the vascular supply observed by DSA, were closely correlated with the degree of tumor-brain adhesion encountered during surgery. According to these results, we developed a method of predicting tumor-brain adhesion that considers the shape of the tumor-brain interface revealed by MRI and the vascular supply revealed by DSA. We retrospectively examined the findings of MRI and DSA performed before excision of meningioma and clarified

Whole-body biodistribution and dosimetry estimates of a novel radiotracer for imaging of serotonin 4 receptors in brain: [18F]MNI-698

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tavares, Adriana Alexandre S.; Caillé, Fabien; Barret, Olivier; Papin, Caroline; Lee, Hsiaoju; Morley, Thomas J.; Fowles, Krista; Holden, Daniel; Seibyl, John P.; Alagille, David; Tamagnan, Gilles D.

2014-01-01

Introduction: A new radiotracer for imaging the serotonin 4 receptors (5-HT 4 ) in brain, [ 18 F]MNI-698, was recently developed by our group. Evaluation in nonhuman primates indicates the novel radiotracer holds promise as an imaging agent of 5-HT 4 in brain. This paper aims to describe the whole-body biodistribution and dosimetry estimates of [ 18 F]MNI-698. Methods: Whole-body positron emission tomography (PET) images were acquired over 240 minutes after intravenous bolus injection of [ 18 F]MNI-698 in adult rhesus monkeys. Different models were investigated for quantification of radiation absorbed and effective doses using OLINDA/EXM 1.0 software. Results: The radiotracer main elimination route was found to be urinary and the critical organ was the urinary bladder. Modeling of the urinary bladder voiding interval had a considerable effect on the estimated effective dose. Normalization of rhesus monkeys’ organs and whole-body masses to human equivalent reduced the calculated dosimetry values. The effective dose ranged between 0.017 and 0.027 mSv/MBq. Conclusion: The dosimetry estimates, obtained when normalizing organ and whole-body weights and applying the urinary bladder model, indicate that the radiation doses from [ 18 F]MNI-698 comply with limits and guidelines recommended by key regulatory authorities that govern the translation of radiotracers to human clinical trials. The timing of urinary bladder emptying should be considered when designing future clinical protocols with [ 18 F]MNI-698, in order to minimize the subject absorbed doses

Cine MR imaging of cerebrospinal fluid flow

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kawahara, K.; Yoshikawa, A.; Maeda, M.; Hamachi, J.; Morita, R.; Mishima, T.; Yamada, R.

1988-01-01

Cine MR imaging was used to study cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow in five patients with various kinds of hydrocephalus, 14 patients with brain atrophy, and 26 healthy subjects. For each study, sagittal and axial sections were obtained. In this study, the authors detected cerebrospinal fluid flow, apparent as high signal intensity, and its direction. They detected the outflow from the foramen of Monro, aqueduct, and foramen of Magendie in sagittal cine images of patients with those with normal-pressure hydrocehalus (NPH), those with brain atrophy, and controls. Especially in patients with NPH, the markedly high signal intensity from CSF flow was observeed in the third and fourth ventricles. In patients with obstructive hydrocephalus, the fourth ventricle tumor, the outflow of CSF was not present. In axial sections, the signal intensity of aqueduct in patients with obstructive hydrocephalus was lower, whereas that in patients with NPH, controls, and those with atrophy was higher than in the midbrain. Cine MR imaging is a very attractive technique in diagnosing hydrocephalus and other abnormal conditions

Bayesian Modelling of Functional Whole Brain Connectivity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Røge, Rasmus

the prevalent strategy of standardizing of fMRI time series and model data using directional statistics or we model the variability in the signal across the brain and across multiple subjects. In either case, we use Bayesian nonparametric modeling to automatically learn from the fMRI data the number......This thesis deals with parcellation of whole-brain functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) using Bayesian inference with mixture models tailored to the fMRI data. In the three included papers and manuscripts, we analyze two different approaches to modeling fMRI signal; either we accept...... of funcional units, i.e. parcels. We benchmark the proposed mixture models against state of the art methods of brain parcellation, both probabilistic and non-probabilistic. The time series of each voxel are most often standardized using z-scoring which projects the time series data onto a hypersphere...

Whole brain CT perfusion in acute anterior circulation ischemia: coverage size matters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Emmer, B.J.; Rijkee, M.; Walderveen, M.A.A. van; Niesten, J.M.; Velthuis, B.K.; Wermer, M.J.H.

2014-01-01

Our aim was to compare infarct core volume on whole brain CT perfusion (CTP) with several limited coverage sizes (i.e., 3, 4, 6, and 8 cm), as currently used in routine clinical practice. In total, 40 acute ischemic stroke patients with non-contrast CT (NCCT) and CTP imaging of anterior circulation ischemia were included. Imaging was performed using a 320-multislice CT. Average volumes of infarct core of all simulated partial coverage sizes were calculated. Infarct core volume of each partial brain coverage was compared with infarct core volume of whole brain coverage and expressed using a percentage. To determine the optimal starting position for each simulated CTP coverage, the percentage of infarct coverage was calculated for every possible starting position of the simulated partial coverage in relation to Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score in Acute Stroke Triage (ASPECTS 1) level. Whole brain CTP coverage further increased the percentage of infarct core volume depicted by 10 % as compared to the 8-cm coverage when the bottom slice was positioned at the ASPECTS 1 level. Optimization of the position of the region of interest (ROI) in 3 cm, 4 cm, and 8 cm improved the percentage of infarct depicted by 4 % for the 8-cm, 7 % for the 4-cm, and 13 % for the 3-cm coverage size. This study shows that whole brain CTP is the optimal coverage for CTP with a substantial improvement in accuracy in quantifying infarct core size. In addition, our results suggest that the optimal position of the ROI in limited coverage depends on the size of the coverage. (orig.)

Whole brain CT perfusion in acute anterior circulation ischemia: coverage size matters

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Emmer, B.J. [Erasmus Medical Centre, Department of Radiology, Postbus 2040, Rotterdam (Netherlands); Rijkee, M.; Walderveen, M.A.A. van [Leiden University Medical Centre, Department of Radiology, Leiden (Netherlands); Niesten, J.M.; Velthuis, B.K. [University Medical Centre Utrecht, Department of Radiology, Utrecht (Netherlands); Wermer, M.J.H. [Leiden University Medical Centre, Department of Neurology, Leiden (Netherlands)

2014-12-15

Our aim was to compare infarct core volume on whole brain CT perfusion (CTP) with several limited coverage sizes (i.e., 3, 4, 6, and 8 cm), as currently used in routine clinical practice. In total, 40 acute ischemic stroke patients with non-contrast CT (NCCT) and CTP imaging of anterior circulation ischemia were included. Imaging was performed using a 320-multislice CT. Average volumes of infarct core of all simulated partial coverage sizes were calculated. Infarct core volume of each partial brain coverage was compared with infarct core volume of whole brain coverage and expressed using a percentage. To determine the optimal starting position for each simulated CTP coverage, the percentage of infarct coverage was calculated for every possible starting position of the simulated partial coverage in relation to Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score in Acute Stroke Triage (ASPECTS 1) level. Whole brain CTP coverage further increased the percentage of infarct core volume depicted by 10 % as compared to the 8-cm coverage when the bottom slice was positioned at the ASPECTS 1 level. Optimization of the position of the region of interest (ROI) in 3 cm, 4 cm, and 8 cm improved the percentage of infarct depicted by 4 % for the 8-cm, 7 % for the 4-cm, and 13 % for the 3-cm coverage size. This study shows that whole brain CTP is the optimal coverage for CTP with a substantial improvement in accuracy in quantifying infarct core size. In addition, our results suggest that the optimal position of the ROI in limited coverage depends on the size of the coverage. (orig.)

Radiosurgery without whole brain radiotherapy in melanoma brain metastases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grob, J.J.; Regis, J.; Laurans, R.; Delaunay, M.; Wolkenstein, P.; Paul, K.; Souteyrand, P.; Koeppel, M.C.; Murraciole, X.; Perragut, J.C.; Bonerandi, J.J.

1998-01-01

To evaluate the effectiveness of radiosurgery without whole brain radiotherapy in the palliative treatment of melanoma brain metastases, we retrospectively assessed the results in 35 patients: 4 with a solitary brain metastasis, 13 with a single brain metastasis and metastases elsewhere and 18 with multiple brain metastases. The local control rate was 98.2% (55/56 metastases) at 3 months. Median survival was 22 months in patients with a solitary brain metastasis, 7.5 months in patients with a single brain metastasis and metastases elsewhere, and 4 months in patients with multiple brain metastases. Complications were unusual and surgery was required in 2 of 35 patients. These results show for the first time that melanoma patients with a unique brain metastasis with or without metastases elsewhere clearly benefit from tumour control easily obtained by radiosurgery. Although the comparison of radiosurgery with surgery and/or whole brain radiotherapy cannot be adequately addressed, radiosurgery alone seems to provide similar results with lower morbidity and impact on quality of life. (Copyright (c) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam. All rights reserved.)

High-resolution whole-brain DCE-MRI using constrained reconstruction: Prospective clinical evaluation in brain tumor patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guo, Yi; Zhu, Yinghua; Lingala, Sajan Goud; Nayak, Krishna; Lebel, R. Marc; Shiroishi, Mark S.; Law, Meng

2016-01-01

Purpose: To clinically evaluate a highly accelerated T1-weighted dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) MRI technique that provides high spatial resolution and whole-brain coverage via undersampling and constrained reconstruction with multiple sparsity constraints. Methods: Conventional (rate-2 SENSE) and experimental DCE-MRI (rate-30) scans were performed 20 minutes apart in 15 brain tumor patients. The conventional clinical DCE-MRI had voxel dimensions 0.9 × 1.3 × 7.0 mm 3 , FOV 22 × 22 × 4.2 cm 3 , and the experimental DCE-MRI had voxel dimensions 0.9 × 0.9 × 1.9 mm 3 , and broader coverage 22 × 22 × 19 cm 3 . Temporal resolution was 5 s for both protocols. Time-resolved images and blood–brain barrier permeability maps were qualitatively evaluated by two radiologists. Results: The experimental DCE-MRI scans showed no loss of qualitative information in any of the cases, while achieving substantially higher spatial resolution and whole-brain spatial coverage. Average qualitative scores (from 0 to 3) were 2.1 for the experimental scans and 1.1 for the conventional clinical scans. Conclusions: The proposed DCE-MRI approach provides clinically superior image quality with higher spatial resolution and coverage than currently available approaches. These advantages may allow comprehensive permeability mapping in the brain, which is especially valuable in the setting of large lesions or multiple lesions spread throughout the brain.

Diagnostic value of three-dimensional fluid-attenuated inversion recovery MR imaging after intratympanic administration of contrast media in Meniere's disease

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shi Honglu; Zhang Daogong; Wang Guangbin; Fan Zhaomin; Bai Xue; Guo Lijun; Man Xiaoni

2012-01-01

Objective: After intratympanic gadolinium administration through the tympanic membrane, three-dimensional fluid-attenuated inversion recovery magnetic resonance imaging (3D-FLAIR MRI) was performed to evaluate endolymphatic visualization and its diagnostic value in Meniere's disease. Methods: Twenty-four hours after intratympanic gadolinium administration through the tympanic membrane, 19 patients with unilateral Meniere's disease diagnosed clinically underwent 3D-FLAIR and 3D-Balance-FFE imaging at 3.0 T MR scanner. The enhanced imaging of perilymphatic space in bilateral cochlea, vestibular and (or) canal were observed. Scala tympani and scala vestibule of bilateral cochlear basal turn were scored respectively. The enhanced range of bilateral vestibule and the signal intensity ratio (SIR) between the vestibule and the brain stem were measured. Wilcoxon tests and paired t tests were used. Results: The gadolinium appeared in almost all parts of the perilymph in cochlea,vestibular and (or) canal, so the endolymphatic space was clearly visualized on 3D-FLAIR imaging. The score of scala vestibuli between the affected side (3 cases scored 2, 9 cases scored 1, 7 cases scored 0) and the healthy side (15 cases scored 2, 2 cases scored 1, 2 cases scored 0) were significantly different (U=3.090, P<0.05). The area of enhanced vestibular were (5.77 ± 2.33) mm 2 and (8.11 ± 3.32) mm 2 for the affected side and the healthy side, which were significantly different (U=3.090, P<0.05 and t=2.638, P<0.05). Conclusions: According to 3D-Balance-FFE MRI and the enhancement of perilymphatic space, 3D-FLAIR MRI with intratympanic gadolinium injection through the tympanic membrane can be used to show the border between the perilymph and the endolymph and confirm endolymphatic hydrops, thus providing radiographic evidence for the diagnosis of Meniere's disease. (authors)

The effect, identification and correction of misalignment between PET transmission and emission scans on brain PET imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Xiangsong; He Zuoxiang; Tang Anwu; Qiao Suixian

2004-01-01

Objectives: To study the effect of misalignment between PET transmission and emission scans of brain on brain PET imaging, and the Methods to identify and correct it. Methods: 18F-FDG PET imaging was performed on 8 volunteers. The emission images were reconstructed with attenuation correction after some translations and rotations in the x-axis and transverse plane were given, 1 mm and 1 degree each step, respectively. The 3-D volume fusion of PET emission and transmission scans was used to identify the suspected misalignment on 10 18F-FDG PET brain imaging. Three Methods were used to correct the misalignment. First, to quantitate the amount of the misalignment by 3-D volume registration of PET emission and transmission scans, the emission images were reconstructed with corrected translations and rotations in x-direction and transverse plane. Second, the emission images were reconstructed with mathematic calculation of brain attenuation. Third, 18F-FDG PET brain imaging was redone with careful application of laser alignment. Results: The translations greater than 3 mm in x-direction and the rotations greater than 8 degrees in transverse plane could lead to visible artifacts, which were presented with decreasing radioactivity uptake in the cortex of half cerebrum and in the frontal cortex at the side in the translating or rotating direction, respectively. The 3-D volume fusion of PET emission and transmission scans could identify and quantitate the amount of misalignment between PET emission and transmission scans of brain. The PET emission images reconstructed with corrected misalignment and mathematic calculation of brain attenuation were consistent with redone PET brain imaging. Conclusions: The misalignment between PET transmission and emission scans of brain can lead to visible artifacts. The 3-D volume fusion of PET emission and transmission scans can identify and quantitate the amount of the misalignment. The visible artifacts caused by the misalignment can be

Three-dimensional reconstruction of functional brain images

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Inoue, Masato; Shoji, Kazuhiko; Kojima, Hisayoshi; Hirano, Shigeru; Naito, Yasushi; Honjo, Iwao

1999-01-01

We consider PET (positron emission tomography) measurement with SPM (Statistical Parametric Mapping) analysis to be one of the most useful methods to identify activated areas of the brain involved in language processing. SPM is an effective analytical method that detects markedly activated areas over the whole brain. However, with the conventional presentations of these functional brain images, such as horizontal slices, three directional projection, or brain surface coloring, makes understanding and interpreting the positional relationships among various brain areas difficult. Therefore, we developed three-dimensionally reconstructed images from these functional brain images to improve the interpretation. The subjects were 12 normal volunteers. The following three types of images were constructed: routine images by SPM, three-dimensional static images, and three-dimensional dynamic images, after PET images were analyzed by SPM during daily dialog listening. The creation of images of both the three-dimensional static and dynamic types employed the volume rendering method by VTK (The Visualization Toolkit). Since the functional brain images did not include original brain images, we synthesized SPM and MRI brain images by self-made C++ programs. The three-dimensional dynamic images were made by sequencing static images with available software. Images of both the three-dimensional static and dynamic types were processed by a personal computer system. Our newly created images showed clearer positional relationships among activated brain areas compared to the conventional method. To date, functional brain images have been employed in fields such as neurology or neurosurgery, however, these images may be useful even in the field of otorhinolaryngology, to assess hearing and speech. Exact three-dimensional images based on functional brain images are important for exact and intuitive interpretation, and may lead to new developments in brain science. Currently, the surface

Three-dimensional reconstruction of functional brain images

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Inoue, Masato; Shoji, Kazuhiko; Kojima, Hisayoshi; Hirano, Shigeru; Naito, Yasushi; Honjo, Iwao [Kyoto Univ. (Japan)

1999-08-01

We consider PET (positron emission tomography) measurement with SPM (Statistical Parametric Mapping) analysis to be one of the most useful methods to identify activated areas of the brain involved in language processing. SPM is an effective analytical method that detects markedly activated areas over the whole brain. However, with the conventional presentations of these functional brain images, such as horizontal slices, three directional projection, or brain surface coloring, makes understanding and interpreting the positional relationships among various brain areas difficult. Therefore, we developed three-dimensionally reconstructed images from these functional brain images to improve the interpretation. The subjects were 12 normal volunteers. The following three types of images were constructed: routine images by SPM, three-dimensional static images, and three-dimensional dynamic images, after PET images were analyzed by SPM during daily dialog listening. The creation of images of both the three-dimensional static and dynamic types employed the volume rendering method by VTK (The Visualization Toolkit). Since the functional brain images did not include original brain images, we synthesized SPM and MRI brain images by self-made C++ programs. The three-dimensional dynamic images were made by sequencing static images with available software. Images of both the three-dimensional static and dynamic types were processed by a personal computer system. Our newly created images showed clearer positional relationships among activated brain areas compared to the conventional method. To date, functional brain images have been employed in fields such as neurology or neurosurgery, however, these images may be useful even in the field of otorhinolaryngology, to assess hearing and speech. Exact three-dimensional images based on functional brain images are important for exact and intuitive interpretation, and may lead to new developments in brain science. Currently, the surface

Whole-body intravoxel incoherent motion imaging

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Filli, Lukas; Wurnig, Moritz C.; Eberhardt, Christian; Guggenberger, Roman; Boss, Andreas [University Hospital Zurich, Department of Radiology, Zurich (Switzerland); Luechinger, Roger [University and ETH Zurich, Institute of Biomedical Technology, Zurich (Switzerland)

2015-07-15

To investigate the technical feasibility of whole-body intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) imaging. Whole-body MR images of eight healthy volunteers were acquired at 3T using a spin-echo echo-planar imaging sequence with eight b-values. Coronal parametrical whole-body maps of diffusion (D), pseudodiffusion (D*), and the perfusion fraction (F{sub p}) were calculated. Image quality was rated qualitatively by two independent radiologists, and inter-reader reliability was tested with intra-class correlation coefficients (ICCs). Region of interest (ROI) analysis was performed in the brain, liver, kidney, and erector spinae muscle. Depiction of anatomic structures was rated as good on D maps and good to fair on D* and F{sub p} maps. Exemplary mean D (10{sup -3} mm{sup 2}/s), D* (10{sup -3} mm{sup 2}/s) and F{sub p} (%) values (± standard deviation) of the renal cortex were as follows: 1.7 ± 0.2; 15.6 ± 6.5; 20.9 ± 4.4. Inter-observer agreement was ''substantial'' to ''almost perfect'' (ICC = 0.80 - 0.92). The coefficient of variation of D* was significantly lower with the proposed algorithm compared to the conventional algorithm (p < 0.001), indicating higher stability. The proposed IVIM protocol allows computation of parametrical maps with good to fair image quality. Potential future clinical applications may include characterization of widespread disease such as metastatic tumours or inflammatory myopathies. (orig.)

Seismic Full Waveform Modeling & Imaging in Attenuating Media

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Peng

Seismic attenuation strongly affects seismic waveforms by amplitude loss and velocity dispersion. Without proper inclusion of Q parameters, errors can be introduced for seismic full waveform modeling and imaging. Three different (Carcione's, Robertsson's, and the generalized Robertsson's) isotropic viscoelastic wave equations based on the generalized standard linear solid (GSLS) are evaluated. The second-order displacement equations are derived, and used to demonstrate that, with the same stress relaxation times, these viscoelastic formulations are equivalent. By introducing separate memory variables for P and S relaxation functions, Robertsson's formulation is generalized to allow different P and S wave stress relaxation times, which improves the physical consistency of the Qp and Qs modelled in the seismograms.The three formulations have comparable computational cost. 3D seismic finite-difference forward modeling is applied to anisotropic viscoelastic media. The viscoelastic T-matrix (a dynamic effective medium theory) relates frequency-dependent anisotropic attenuation and velocity to reservoir properties in fractured HTI media, based on the meso-scale fluid flow attenuation mechanism. The seismic signatures resulting from changing viscoelastic reservoir properties are easily visible. Analysis of 3D viscoelastic seismograms suggests that anisotropic attenuation is a potential tool for reservoir characterization. To compensate the Q effects during reverse-time migration (RTM) in viscoacoustic and viscoelastic media, amplitudes need to be compensated during wave propagation; the propagation velocity of the Q-compensated wavefield needs to be the same as in the attenuating wavefield, to restore the phase information. Both amplitude and phase can be compensated when the velocity dispersion and the amplitude loss are decoupled. For wave equations based on the GSLS, because Q effects are coupled in the memory variables, Q-compensated wavefield propagates faster than

FCM Clustering Algorithms for Segmentation of Brain MR Images

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yogita K. Dubey

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The study of brain disorders requires accurate tissue segmentation of magnetic resonance (MR brain images which is very important for detecting tumors, edema, and necrotic tissues. Segmentation of brain images, especially into three main tissue types: Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF, Gray Matter (GM, and White Matter (WM, has important role in computer aided neurosurgery and diagnosis. Brain images mostly contain noise, intensity inhomogeneity, and weak boundaries. Therefore, accurate segmentation of brain images is still a challenging area of research. This paper presents a review of fuzzy c-means (FCM clustering algorithms for the segmentation of brain MR images. The review covers the detailed analysis of FCM based algorithms with intensity inhomogeneity correction and noise robustness. Different methods for the modification of standard fuzzy objective function with updating of membership and cluster centroid are also discussed.

Deformably registering and annotating whole CLARITY brains to an atlas via masked LDDMM

Science.gov (United States)

Kutten, Kwame S.; Vogelstein, Joshua T.; Charon, Nicolas; Ye, Li; Deisseroth, Karl; Miller, Michael I.

2016-04-01

The CLARITY method renders brains optically transparent to enable high-resolution imaging in the structurally intact brain. Anatomically annotating CLARITY brains is necessary for discovering which regions contain signals of interest. Manually annotating whole-brain, terabyte CLARITY images is difficult, time-consuming, subjective, and error-prone. Automatically registering CLARITY images to a pre-annotated brain atlas offers a solution, but is difficult for several reasons. Removal of the brain from the skull and subsequent storage and processing cause variable non-rigid deformations, thus compounding inter-subject anatomical variability. Additionally, the signal in CLARITY images arises from various biochemical contrast agents which only sparsely label brain structures. This sparse labeling challenges the most commonly used registration algorithms that need to match image histogram statistics to the more densely labeled histological brain atlases. The standard method is a multiscale Mutual Information B-spline algorithm that dynamically generates an average template as an intermediate registration target. We determined that this method performs poorly when registering CLARITY brains to the Allen Institute's Mouse Reference Atlas (ARA), because the image histogram statistics are poorly matched. Therefore, we developed a method (Mask-LDDMM) for registering CLARITY images, that automatically finds the brain boundary and learns the optimal deformation between the brain and atlas masks. Using Mask-LDDMM without an average template provided better results than the standard approach when registering CLARITY brains to the ARA. The LDDMM pipelines developed here provide a fast automated way to anatomically annotate CLARITY images; our code is available as open source software at http://NeuroData.io.

Whole-brain serial-section electron microscopy in larval zebrafish.

Science.gov (United States)

Hildebrand, David Grant Colburn; Cicconet, Marcelo; Torres, Russel Miguel; Choi, Woohyuk; Quan, Tran Minh; Moon, Jungmin; Wetzel, Arthur Willis; Scott Champion, Andrew; Graham, Brett Jesse; Randlett, Owen; Plummer, George Scott; Portugues, Ruben; Bianco, Isaac Henry; Saalfeld, Stephan; Baden, Alexander David; Lillaney, Kunal; Burns, Randal; Vogelstein, Joshua Tzvi; Schier, Alexander Franz; Lee, Wei-Chung Allen; Jeong, Won-Ki; Lichtman, Jeff William; Engert, Florian

2017-05-18

High-resolution serial-section electron microscopy (ssEM) makes it possible to investigate the dense meshwork of axons, dendrites, and synapses that form neuronal circuits. However, the imaging scale required to comprehensively reconstruct these structures is more than ten orders of magnitude smaller than the spatial extents occupied by networks of interconnected neurons, some of which span nearly the entire brain. Difficulties in generating and handling data for large volumes at nanoscale resolution have thus restricted vertebrate studies to fragments of circuits. These efforts were recently transformed by advances in computing, sample handling, and imaging techniques, but high-resolution examination of entire brains remains a challenge. Here, we present ssEM data for the complete brain of a larval zebrafish (Danio rerio) at 5.5 days post-fertilization. Our approach utilizes multiple rounds of targeted imaging at different scales to reduce acquisition time and data management requirements. The resulting dataset can be analysed to reconstruct neuronal processes, permitting us to survey all myelinated axons (the projectome). These reconstructions enable precise investigations of neuronal morphology, which reveal remarkable bilateral symmetry in myelinated reticulospinal and lateral line afferent axons. We further set the stage for whole-brain structure-function comparisons by co-registering functional reference atlases and in vivo two-photon fluorescence microscopy data from the same specimen. All obtained images and reconstructions are provided as an open-access resource.

Fluid-attenuated inversion recovery vascular hyperintensities in predicting cerebral hyperperfusion after intracranial arterial stenting

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wan, Chih-Cheng; Chen, David Yen-Ting; Tseng, Ying-Chi; Lee, Kun-Yu; Chiang, Chen-Hua; Chen, Chi-Jen [Taipei Medical University, Department of Radiology, Shuang-Ho Hospital, New Taipei City (China); Taipei Medical University, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei (China); Yan, Feng-Xian [Taipei Medical University, Department of Radiology, Shuang-Ho Hospital, New Taipei City (China)

2017-08-15

No reliable imaging sign predicting cerebral hyperperfusion after intracranial arterial stenting (IAS) had been described in the literature. This study evaluated the effect of fluid-attenuated inversion recovery vascular hyperintensities (FVHs), also called hyperintense vessel sign on T2-weighted fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (T2-FLAIR) MR images, in predicting significant increase in cerebral blood flow (CBF) defined by arterial spin labeling (ASL) after IAS. We reviewed ASL CBF images and T2-FLAIR MR images before (D0), 1 day after (D1), and 3 days after (D3) IAS of 16 patients. T1-weighted MR images were used as cerebral maps for calculating CBF. The changes in CBF values after IAS were calculated in and compared among stenting and nonstenting vascular territories. An increase more than 50% of CBF was considered as hyperperfusion. The effect of FVHs in predicting hyperperfusion was calculated. The D1 CBF value was significantly higher than the D0 CBF value in stenting vascular, contralateral anterior cerebral artery, contralateral middle cerebral artery, and contralateral posterior cerebral artery (PCA) territories (all P <.05). The D1 and D3 CBF values were significantly higher than the D0 CBF value in overall vascular (P <.001), overall nonstenting vascular (P <.001), and ipsilateral PCA (P <.05) territories. The rate of more than 50% increases in CBF was significantly higher in patients who exhibited asymmetric FVHs than in those who did not exhibit these findings. FVHs could be a critical predictor of a significant increase in CBF after IAS. (orig.)

Fluid-attenuated inversion recovery vascular hyperintensities in predicting cerebral hyperperfusion after intracranial arterial stenting

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wan, Chih-Cheng; Chen, David Yen-Ting; Tseng, Ying-Chi; Lee, Kun-Yu; Chiang, Chen-Hua; Chen, Chi-Jen; Yan, Feng-Xian

2017-01-01

No reliable imaging sign predicting cerebral hyperperfusion after intracranial arterial stenting (IAS) had been described in the literature. This study evaluated the effect of fluid-attenuated inversion recovery vascular hyperintensities (FVHs), also called hyperintense vessel sign on T2-weighted fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (T2-FLAIR) MR images, in predicting significant increase in cerebral blood flow (CBF) defined by arterial spin labeling (ASL) after IAS. We reviewed ASL CBF images and T2-FLAIR MR images before (D0), 1 day after (D1), and 3 days after (D3) IAS of 16 patients. T1-weighted MR images were used as cerebral maps for calculating CBF. The changes in CBF values after IAS were calculated in and compared among stenting and nonstenting vascular territories. An increase more than 50% of CBF was considered as hyperperfusion. The effect of FVHs in predicting hyperperfusion was calculated. The D1 CBF value was significantly higher than the D0 CBF value in stenting vascular, contralateral anterior cerebral artery, contralateral middle cerebral artery, and contralateral posterior cerebral artery (PCA) territories (all P <.05). The D1 and D3 CBF values were significantly higher than the D0 CBF value in overall vascular (P <.001), overall nonstenting vascular (P <.001), and ipsilateral PCA (P <.05) territories. The rate of more than 50% increases in CBF was significantly higher in patients who exhibited asymmetric FVHs than in those who did not exhibit these findings. FVHs could be a critical predictor of a significant increase in CBF after IAS. (orig.)

On the sound attenuation in fluid due to the thermal diffusion and viscous dissipation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hu, Hanping, E-mail: hphu@ustc.edu.cn; Wang, Yandong; Wang, Dongdong

2015-09-11

We review the sound attenuation in fluid due to the thermal diffusion and viscous dissipation and derive the formula of the sound attenuation coefficient in fluid by solving a fully thermally–mechanically coupled equation set. Problem occurring in Stokes–Kirchhoff relation, the well-known and widely used classical formula for sound attenuation coefficient, is therefore found and pointed out. The reason for its generation is analyzed and verified. An improved formula to replace Stokes–Kirchhoff relation is suggested and the typical case for the error in calculating sound pressure level (SPL) of attenuated sound wave in fluid between the two formulas is also given. - Highlights: • Problem with Stokes–Kirchhoff relation. • Generation reason of defect in Stokes–Kirchhoff relation. • An improved formula for sound attenuation coefficient in fluid. • Typical cases of the calculation error by Stokes–Kirchhoff relation.

Fuzzy clustering-based segmented attenuation correction in whole-body PET

CERN Document Server

Zaidi, H; Boudraa, A; Slosman, DO

2001-01-01

Segmented-based attenuation correction is now a widely accepted technique to reduce noise contribution of measured attenuation correction. In this paper, we present a new method for segmenting transmission images in positron emission tomography. This reduces the noise on the correction maps while still correcting for differing attenuation coefficients of specific tissues. Based on the Fuzzy C-Means (FCM) algorithm, the method segments the PET transmission images into a given number of clusters to extract specific areas of differing attenuation such as air, the lungs and soft tissue, preceded by a median filtering procedure. The reconstructed transmission image voxels are therefore segmented into populations of uniform attenuation based on the human anatomy. The clustering procedure starts with an over-specified number of clusters followed by a merging process to group clusters with similar properties and remove some undesired substructures using anatomical knowledge. The method is unsupervised, adaptive and a...

Deep Learning MR Imaging-based Attenuation Correction for PET/MR Imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Fang; Jang, Hyungseok; Kijowski, Richard; Bradshaw, Tyler; McMillan, Alan B

2018-02-01

Purpose To develop and evaluate the feasibility of deep learning approaches for magnetic resonance (MR) imaging-based attenuation correction (AC) (termed deep MRAC) in brain positron emission tomography (PET)/MR imaging. Materials and Methods A PET/MR imaging AC pipeline was built by using a deep learning approach to generate pseudo computed tomographic (CT) scans from MR images. A deep convolutional auto-encoder network was trained to identify air, bone, and soft tissue in volumetric head MR images coregistered to CT data for training. A set of 30 retrospective three-dimensional T1-weighted head images was used to train the model, which was then evaluated in 10 patients by comparing the generated pseudo CT scan to an acquired CT scan. A prospective study was carried out for utilizing simultaneous PET/MR imaging for five subjects by using the proposed approach. Analysis of covariance and paired-sample t tests were used for statistical analysis to compare PET reconstruction error with deep MRAC and two existing MR imaging-based AC approaches with CT-based AC. Results Deep MRAC provides an accurate pseudo CT scan with a mean Dice coefficient of 0.971 ± 0.005 for air, 0.936 ± 0.011 for soft tissue, and 0.803 ± 0.021 for bone. Furthermore, deep MRAC provides good PET results, with average errors of less than 1% in most brain regions. Significantly lower PET reconstruction errors were realized with deep MRAC (-0.7% ± 1.1) compared with Dixon-based soft-tissue and air segmentation (-5.8% ± 3.1) and anatomic CT-based template registration (-4.8% ± 2.2). Conclusion The authors developed an automated approach that allows generation of discrete-valued pseudo CT scans (soft tissue, bone, and air) from a single high-spatial-resolution diagnostic-quality three-dimensional MR image and evaluated it in brain PET/MR imaging. This deep learning approach for MR imaging-based AC provided reduced PET reconstruction error relative to a CT-based standard within the brain compared

Connectomic disturbances in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: a whole-brain tractography analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Hong, Soon-Beom; Zalesky, Andrew; Fornito, Alex; Park, Subin; Yang, Young-Hui; Park, Min-Hyeon; Song, In-Chan; Sohn, Chul-Ho; Shin, Min-Sup; Kim, Bung-Nyun; Cho, Soo-Churl; Han, Doug Hyun; Cheong, Jae Hoon; Kim, Jae-Won

2014-10-15

Few studies have sought to identify, in a regionally unbiased way, the precise cortical and subcortical regions that are affected by white matter abnormalities in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This study aimed to derive a comprehensive, whole-brain characterization of connectomic disturbances in ADHD. Using diffusion tensor imaging, whole-brain tractography, and an imaging connectomics approach, we characterized altered white matter connectivity in 71 children and adolescents with ADHD compared with 26 healthy control subjects. White matter differences were further delineated between patients with (n = 40) and without (n = 26) the predominantly hyperactive/impulsive subtype of ADHD. A significant network comprising 25 distinct fiber bundles linking 23 different brain regions spanning frontal, striatal, and cerebellar brain regions showed altered white matter structure in ADHD patients (p attentional disturbances. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder subtypes were differentiated by a right-lateralized network (p attentional performance underscore the functional importance of these connectomic disturbances for the clinical phenotype of ADHD. A distributed pattern of white matter microstructural integrity separately involving frontal, striatal, and cerebellar brain regions, rather than direct frontostriatal connectivity, appears to be disrupted in children and adolescents with ADHD. Copyright © 2014 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Leptomeningeal high signal intensity (ivy sign) on fluid-attenuated inversion-recovery (FLAIR) MR images in moyamoya disease

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fujiwara, Hirokazu [Department of Diagnostic Radiology, School of Medicine, Keio University, Tokyo 1608582 (Japan)]. E-mail: hirokazu_fujiwara@ybb.ne.jp; Momoshima, Suketaka [Department of Diagnostic Radiology, School of Medicine, Keio University, Tokyo 1608582 (Japan); Kuribayashi, Sachio [Department of Diagnostic Radiology, School of Medicine, Keio University, Tokyo 1608582 (Japan)

2005-08-01

Purpose: There are a few reports on leptomeningeal high signal intensity (LMHI: ivy sign) on fluid-attenuated inversion-recovery (FLAIR) images in moyamoya disease, but the feature of this finding has not been completely understood. The purpose of this study was to characterize LMHI on FLAIR images in moyamoya disease and to assess usefulness of this finding in the diagnosis of moyamoya disease in conventional MR imaging. Material and methods: MR imaging of 28 patients with moyamoya disease was retrospectively reviewed. The grade of LMHI on FLAIR images was classified as 'absent,' 'minimal,' 'moderate' and 'marked.' Fifty-four hemispheres of 28 patients (2 patients had unilateral disease) were assessed for the frequency of visualization and distribution of LMHI. The correlations between LMHI on FLAIR images, moyamoya vessels on T1- and T2-weighted images and MR angiography findings were also analyzed. Results: Moderate and marked LMHI was seen in 31 out of 54 hemispheres (57%). LMHI was seen more prominently in the frontal and parietal lobes than in the temporal and occipital lobes. Although there was a tendency for LMHI on FLAIR images to be prominent in groups with moderate and marked moyamoya vessels on T1- and T2-weighted images, there was no significant correlation. More prominent LMHI was observed in the hemispheres in which cortical branches of the middle cerebral arteries were poorly visualized on MR angiography. Conclusion: Leptomeningeal high signal intensity (ivy sign) on FLAIR images is predominantly seen in the frontal and parietal lobes. Because this sign can be seen in patients with unremarkable moyamoya vessels, LMHI is a useful sign in conventional MR imaging for the diagnosis of moyamoya disease.

Incidence of Brain Atrophy and Decline in Mini-Mental State Examination Score After Whole-Brain Radiotherapy in Patients With Brain Metastases: A Prospective Study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shibamoto, Yuta; Baba, Fumiya; Oda, Kyota; Hayashi, Shinya; Kokubo, Masaki; Ishihara, Shun-Ichi; Itoh, Yoshiyuki; Ogino, Hiroyuki; Koizumi, Masahiko

2008-01-01

Purpose: To determine the incidence of brain atrophy and dementia after whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT) in patients with brain metastases not undergoing surgery. Methods and Materials: Eligible patients underwent WBRT to 40 Gy in 20 fractions with or without a 10-Gy boost. Brain magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomography and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) were performed before and soon after radiotherapy, every 3 months for 18 months, and every 6 months thereafter. Brain atrophy was evaluated by change in cerebrospinal fluid-cranial ratio (CCR), and the atrophy index was defined as postradiation CCR divided by preradiation CCR. Results: Of 101 patients (median age, 62 years) entering the study, 92 completed WBRT, and 45, 25, and 10 patients were assessable at 6, 12, and 18 months, respectively. Mean atrophy index was 1.24 ± 0.39 (SD) at 6 months and 1.32 ± 0.40 at 12 months, and 18% and 28% of the patients had an increase in the atrophy index by 30% or greater, respectively. No apparent decrease in mean MMSE score was observed after WBRT. Individually, MMSE scores decreased by four or more points in 11% at 6 months, 12% at 12 months, and 0% at 18 months. However, about half the decrease in MMSE scores was associated with a decrease in performance status caused by systemic disease progression. Conclusions: Brain atrophy developed in up to 30% of patients, but it was not necessarily accompanied by MMSE score decrease. Dementia after WBRT unaccompanied by tumor recurrence was infrequent

Global diffusion tensor imaging derived metrics differentiate glioblastoma multiforme vs. normal brains by using discriminant analysis: introduction of a novel whole-brain approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Roldan-Valadez, Ernesto; Rios, Camilo; Cortez-Conradis, David; Favila, Rafael; Moreno-Jimenez, Sergio

2014-06-01

Histological behavior of glioblastoma multiforme suggests it would benefit more from a global rather than regional evaluation. A global (whole-brain) calculation of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) derived tensor metrics offers a valid method to detect the integrity of white matter structures without missing infiltrated brain areas not seen in conventional sequences. In this study we calculated a predictive model of brain infiltration in patients with glioblastoma using global tensor metrics. Retrospective, case and control study; 11 global DTI-derived tensor metrics were calculated in 27 patients with glioblastoma multiforme and 34 controls: mean diffusivity, fractional anisotropy, pure isotropic diffusion, pure anisotropic diffusion, the total magnitude of the diffusion tensor, linear tensor, planar tensor, spherical tensor, relative anisotropy, axial diffusivity and radial diffusivity. The multivariate discriminant analysis of these variables (including age) with a diagnostic test evaluation was performed. The simultaneous analysis of 732 measures from 12 continuous variables in 61 subjects revealed one discriminant model that significantly differentiated normal brains and brains with glioblastoma: Wilks' λ = 0.324, χ(2) (3) = 38.907, p tensor and linear tensor. These metrics might be clinically applied for diagnosis, follow-up, and the study of other neurological diseases.

MRI-guided attenuation correction in whole-body PET/MR. Assessment of the effect of bone attenuation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Akbarzadeh, A.; Ay, M.R.; Ahmadian, A.; Riahi Alam, N.; Zaidi, H.

2013-01-01

Hybrid positron emission tomography (PET)/MRI presents many advantages in comparison with its counterpart PET/CT in terms of improved soft-tissue contrast, decrease in radiation exposure, and truly simultaneous and multi-parametric imaging capabilities. However, the lack of well-established methodology for MR-based attenuation correction is hampering further development and wider acceptance of this technology. We assess the impact of ignoring bone attenuation and using different tissue classes for generation of the attenuation map on the accuracy of attenuation correction of PET data. This work was performed using simulation studies based on the XCAT phantom and clinical input data. For the latter, PET and CT images of patients were used as input for the analytic simulation model using realistic activity distributions where CT-based attenuation correction was utilized as reference for comparison. For both phantom and clinical studies, the reference attenuation map was classified into various numbers of tissue classes to produce three (air, soft tissue and lung), four (air, lungs, soft tissue and cortical bones) and five (air, lungs, soft tissue, cortical bones and spongeous bones) class attenuation maps. The phantom studies demonstrated that ignoring bone increases the relative error by up to 6.8% in the body and up to 31.0% for bony regions. Likewise, the simulated clinical studies showed that the mean relative error reached 15% for lesions located in the body and 30.7% for lesions located in bones, when neglecting bones. These results demonstrate an underestimation of about 30% of tracer uptake when neglecting bone, which in turn imposes substantial loss of quantitative accuracy for PET images produced by hybrid PET/MRI systems. Considering bones in the attenuation map will considerably improve the accuracy of MR-guided attenuation correction in hybrid PET/MR to enable quantitative PET imaging on hybrid PET/MR technologies. (author)

Partial volume correction and image segmentation for accurate measurement of standardized uptake value of grey matter in the brain.

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Bural, Gonca; Torigian, Drew; Basu, Sandip; Houseni, Mohamed; Zhuge, Ying; Rubello, Domenico; Udupa, Jayaram; Alavi, Abass

2015-12-01

Our aim was to explore a novel quantitative method [based upon an MRI-based image segmentation that allows actual calculation of grey matter, white matter and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) volumes] for overcoming the difficulties associated with conventional techniques for measuring actual metabolic activity of the grey matter. We included four patients with normal brain MRI and fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (F-FDG)-PET scans (two women and two men; mean age 46±14 years) in this analysis. The time interval between the two scans was 0-180 days. We calculated the volumes of grey matter, white matter and CSF by using a novel segmentation technique applied to the MRI images. We measured the mean standardized uptake value (SUV) representing the whole metabolic activity of the brain from the F-FDG-PET images. We also calculated the white matter SUV from the upper transaxial slices (centrum semiovale) of the F-FDG-PET images. The whole brain volume was calculated by summing up the volumes of the white matter, grey matter and CSF. The global cerebral metabolic activity was calculated by multiplying the mean SUV with total brain volume. The whole brain white matter metabolic activity was calculated by multiplying the mean SUV for the white matter by the white matter volume. The global cerebral metabolic activity only reflects those of the grey matter and the white matter, whereas that of the CSF is zero. We subtracted the global white matter metabolic activity from that of the whole brain, resulting in the global grey matter metabolism alone. We then divided the grey matter global metabolic activity by grey matter volume to accurately calculate the SUV for the grey matter alone. The brain volumes ranged between 1546 and 1924 ml. The mean SUV for total brain was 4.8-7. Total metabolic burden of the brain ranged from 5565 to 9617. The mean SUV for white matter was 2.8-4.1. On the basis of these measurements we generated the grey matter SUV, which ranged from 8.1 to 11.3. The

Early Expansion of the Intracranial CSF Volume After Palliative Whole-Brain Radiotherapy: Results of a Longitudinal CT Segmentation Analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sanghera, Paul; Gardner, Sandra L.; Scora, Daryl; Davey, Phillip

2010-01-01

Purpose: To assess cerebral atrophy after radiotherapy, we measured intracranial cerebrospinal fluid volume (ICSFV) over time after whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT) and compared it with published normal-population data. Methods and Materials: We identified 9 patients receiving a single course of WBRT (30 Gy in 10 fractions over 2 weeks) for ipsilateral brain metastases with at least 3 years of computed tomography follow-up. Segmentation analysis was confined to the tumor-free hemi-cranium. The technique was semiautomated by use of thresholds based on scanned image intensity. The ICSFV percentage (ratio of ICSFV to brain volume) was used for modeling purposes. Published normal-population ICSFV percentages as a function of age were used as a control. A repeated-measures model with cross-sectional (between individuals) and longitudinal (within individuals) quadratic components was fitted to the collected data. The influence of clinical factors including the use of subependymal plate shielding was studied. Results: The median imaging follow-up was 6.25 years. There was an immediate increase (p < 0.0001) in ICSFV percentage, which decelerated over time. The clinical factors studied had no significant effect on the model. Conclusions: WBRT immediately accelerates the rate of brain atrophy. This longitudinal study in patients with brain metastases provides a baseline against which the potential benefits of more localized radiotherapeutic techniques such as radiosurgery may be compared.

Effects of attenuation map accuracy on attenuation-corrected micro-SPECT images

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Wu, C.; Gratama van Andel, H.A.; Laverman, P.; Boerman, O.C.; Beekman, F.J.

2013-01-01

Background In single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), attenuation of photon flux in tissue affects quantitative accuracy of reconstructed images. Attenuation maps derived from X-ray computed tomography (CT) can be employed for attenuation correction. The attenuation coefficients as well

In vivo quantitative whole-brain diffusion tensor imaging analysis of APP/PS1 transgenic mice using voxel-based and atlas-based methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qin, Yuan-Yuan; Li, Mu-Wei; Oishi, Kenichi; Zhang, Shun; Zhang, Yan; Zhao, Ling-Yun; Zhu, Wen-Zhen; Lei, Hao

2013-01-01

Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) has been applied to characterize the pathological features of Alzheimer's disease (AD) in a mouse model, although little is known about whether these features are structure specific. Voxel-based analysis (VBA) and atlas-based analysis (ABA) are good complementary tools for whole-brain DTI analysis. The purpose of this study was to identify the spatial localization of disease-related pathology in an AD mouse model. VBA and ABA quantification were used for the whole-brain DTI analysis of nine APP/PS1 mice and wild-type (WT) controls. Multiple scalar measurements, including fractional anisotropy (FA), trace, axial diffusivity (DA), and radial diffusivity (DR), were investigated to capture the various types of pathology. The accuracy of the image transformation applied for VBA and ABA was evaluated by comparing manual and atlas-based structure delineation using kappa statistics. Following the MR examination, the brains of the animals were analyzed for microscopy. Extensive anatomical alterations were identified in APP/PS1 mice, in both the gray matter areas (neocortex, hippocampus, caudate putamen, thalamus, hypothalamus, claustrum, amygdala, and piriform cortex) and the white matter areas (corpus callosum/external capsule, cingulum, septum, internal capsule, fimbria, and optic tract), evidenced by an increase in FA or DA, or both, compared to WT mice (p 0.05). The histopathological changes in the gray matter areas were confirmed by microscopy studies. DTI did, however, demonstrate significant changes in white matter areas, where the difference was not apparent by qualitative observation of a single-slice histological specimen. This study demonstrated the structure-specific nature of pathological changes in APP/PS1 mouse, and also showed the feasibility of applying whole-brain analysis methods to the investigation of an AD mouse model. (orig.)

Utility of fractional anisotropy imaging analyzed by statistical parametric mapping for detecting minute brain lesions in chronic-stage patients who had mild or moderate traumatic brain injury

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Asano, Yoshitaka; Shinoda, Jun; Okumura, Ayumi; Aki, Tatsuki; Takenaka, Shunsuke; Miwa, Kazuhiro; Yamada, Mikito; Ito, Takeshi; Yokohama, Kazutoshi

2012-01-01

Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) has recently evolved as valuable technique to investigate diffuse axonal injury (DAI). This study examined whether fractional anisotropy (FA) images analyzed by statistical parametric mapping (FA-SPM images) are superior to T 2 *-weighted gradient recalled echo (T2*GRE) images or fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) images for detecting minute lesions in traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients. DTI was performed in 25 patients with cognitive impairments in the chronic stage after mild or moderate TBI. The FA maps obtained from the DTI were individually compared with those from age-matched healthy control subjects using voxel-based analysis and FA-SPM images (p<0.001). Abnormal low-intensity areas on T2*GRE images (T2* lesions) were found in 10 patients (40.0%), abnormal high-intensity areas on FLAIR images in 4 patients (16.0%), and areas with significantly decreased FA on FA-SPM image in 16 patients (64.0%). Nine of 10 patients with T2* lesions had FA-SPM lesions. FA-SPM lesions topographically included most T2* lesions in the white matter and the deep brain structures, but did not include T2* lesions in the cortex/near-cortex or lesions containing substantial hemosiderin regardless of location. All 4 patients with abnormal areas on FLAIR images had FA-SPM lesions. FA-SPM imaging is useful for detecting minute lesions because of DAI in the white matter and the deep brain structures, which may not be visualized on T2*GRE or FLAIR images, and may allow the detection of minute brain lesions in patients with post-traumatic cognitive impairment. (author)

CT-based attenuation correction and resolution compensation for I-123 IMP brain SPECT normal database: a multicenter phantom study.

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Inui, Yoshitaka; Ichihara, Takashi; Uno, Masaki; Ishiguro, Masanobu; Ito, Kengo; Kato, Katsuhiko; Sakuma, Hajime; Okazawa, Hidehiko; Toyama, Hiroshi

2018-03-19

Statistical image analysis of brain SPECT images has improved diagnostic accuracy for brain disorders. However, the results of statistical analysis vary depending on the institution even when they use a common normal database (NDB), due to different intrinsic spatial resolutions or correction methods. The present study aimed to evaluate the correction of spatial resolution differences between equipment and examine the differences in skull bone attenuation to construct a common NDB for use in multicenter settings. The proposed acquisition and processing protocols were those routinely used at each participating center with additional triple energy window (TEW) scatter correction (SC) and computed tomography (CT) based attenuation correction (CTAC). A multicenter phantom study was conducted on six imaging systems in five centers, with either single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) or SPECT/CT, and two brain phantoms. The gray/white matter I-123 activity ratio in the brain phantoms was 4, and they were enclosed in either an artificial adult male skull, 1300 Hounsfield units (HU), a female skull, 850 HU, or an acrylic cover. The cut-off frequency of the Butterworth filters was adjusted so that the spatial resolution was unified to a 17.9 mm full width at half maximum (FWHM), that of the lowest resolution system. The gray-to-white matter count ratios were measured from SPECT images and compared with the actual activity ratio. In addition, mean, standard deviation and coefficient of variation images were calculated after normalization and anatomical standardization to evaluate the variability of the NDB. The gray-to-white matter count ratio error without SC and attenuation correction (AC) was significantly larger for higher bone densities (p correction. The proposed protocol showed potential for constructing an appropriate common NDB from SPECT images with SC, AC and spatial resolution compensation.

Temporal pole signal abnormality on MR imaging in temporal lobe epilepsy with hippocampal sclerosis: a fluid-attenuated inversion-recovery study.

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Carrete, Henrique; Abdala, Nitamar; Lin, Kátia; Caboclo, Luís Otávio; Centeno, Ricardo Silva; Sakamoto, Américo Ceiki; Szjenfeld, Jacob; Nogueira, Roberto Gomes; Yacubian, Elza Márcia Targas

2007-09-01

To determine the frequency and regional involvement of temporal pole signal abnormality (TPA) in patients with hippocampal sclerosis (HS) using fluid-attenuated inversion-recovery (FLAIR) MR imaging, and to correlate this feature with history. Coronal FLAIR images of the temporal pole were assessed in 120 patients with HS and in 30 normal subjects, to evaluate gray-white matter demarcation. Ninety (75%) of 120 patients had associated TPA. The HS side made difference regarding the presence of TPA, with a left side prevalence (p=0.04, chi2 test). The anteromedial zone of temporal pole was affected in 27 (30%) out of 90 patients. In 63 (70%) patients the lateral zone were also affected. Patients with TPA were younger at seizure onset (p=0.018), but without association with duration of epilepsy. Our FLAIR study show temporal pole signal abnormality in 3/4 of patients with HS, mainly seen on the anteromedial region, with a larger prevalence when the left hippocampus was involved.

Temporal pole signal abnormality on MR imaging in temporal lobe epilepsy with hippocampal sclerosis: a fluid-attenuated inversion-recovery study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carrete Junior, Henrique; Abdala, Nitamar; Szjenfeld, Jacob; Nogueira, Roberto Gomes; Lin, Katia; Caboclo, Luis Otavio; Centeno, Ricardo Silva; Sakamoto, Americo Ceiki; Yacubian, Elza Marcia Targas

2007-01-01

Objective: To determine the frequency and regional involvement of temporal pole signal abnormality (TPA) in patients with hippocampal sclerosis (HS) using fluid-attenuated inversion-recovery (FLAIR) MR imaging, and to correlate this feature with history. Method: Coronal FLAIR images of the temporal pole were assessed in 120 patients with HS and in 30 normal subjects, to evaluate gray-white matter demarcation. Results: Ninety (75%) of 120 patients had associated TPA. The HS side made difference regarding the presence of TPA, with a left side prevalence (p=0.04, χ 2 test). The anteromedial zone of temporal pole was affected in 27 (30%) out of 90 patients. In 63 (70%) patients the lateral zone were also affected. Patients with TPA were younger at seizure onset (p=0.018), but without association with duration of epilepsy. Conclusion: Our FLAIR study show temporal pole signal abnormality in 3/4 of patients with HS, mainly seen on the anteromedial region, with a larger prevalence when the left hippocampus was involved. (author)

Active brain changes after initiating fingolimod therapy in multiple sclerosis patients using individual voxel-based analyses for diffusion tensor imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Senda, Joe; Watanabe, Hirohisa; Endo, Kuniyuki; Yasui, Keizo; Hawsegawa, Yasuhiro; Yoneyama, Noritaka; Tsuboi, Takashi; Hara, Kazuhiro; Ito, Mizuki; Atsuta, Naoki; Epifanio, Bagarinao; Katsuno, Masahisa; Naganawa, Shinji; Sobue, Gen

2016-12-01

Voxel-based analysis (VBA) of diffusion tensor images (DTI) and voxel-based morphometry (VBM) in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) can sensitively detect occult tissue damage that underlies pathological changes in the brain. In the present study, both at the start of fingolimod and post-four months clinical remission, we assessed four patients with MS who were evaluated with VBA of DTI, VBM, and fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR). DTI images for all four patients showed widespread areas of increased mean diffusivity (MD) and decreased fractional anisotropy (FA) that were beyond the high-intensity signal areas across images. After four months of continuous fingolimod therapy, DTI abnormalities progressed; in particular, MD was significantly increased, while brain volume and high-intensity signals were unchanged. These findings suggest that VBA of DTI (e.g., MD) may help assess MS demyelination as neuroinflammatory conditions, even though clinical manifestations of MS appear to be in complete remission during fingolimod.

Minocycline Attenuates Iron-Induced Brain Injury.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Fan; Xi, Guohua; Liu, Wenqaun; Keep, Richard F; Hua, Ya

2016-01-01

Iron plays an important role in brain injury after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). Our previous study found minocycline reduces iron overload after ICH. The present study examined the effects of minocycline on the subacute brain injury induced by iron. Rats had an intracaudate injection of 50 μl of saline, iron, or iron + minocycline. All the animals were euthanized at day 3. Rat brains were used for immunohistochemistry (n = 5-6 per each group) and Western blotting assay (n = 4). Brain swelling, blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption, and iron-handling proteins were measured. We found that intracerebral injection of iron resulted in brain swelling, BBB disruption, and brain iron-handling protein upregulation (p minocycline with iron significantly reduced iron-induced brain swelling (n = 5, p Minocycline significantly decreased albumin protein levels in the ipsilateral basal ganglia (p minocycline co-injected animals. In conclusion, the present study suggests that minocycline attenuates brain swelling and BBB disruption via an iron-chelation mechanism.

High-resolution whole-brain diffusion MRI at 7T using radiofrequency parallel transmission.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Xiaoping; Auerbach, Edward J; Vu, An T; Moeller, Steen; Lenglet, Christophe; Schmitter, Sebastian; Van de Moortele, Pierre-François; Yacoub, Essa; Uğurbil, Kâmil

2018-03-30

Investigating the utility of RF parallel transmission (pTx) for Human Connectome Project (HCP)-style whole-brain diffusion MRI (dMRI) data at 7 Tesla (7T). Healthy subjects were scanned in pTx and single-transmit (1Tx) modes. Multiband (MB), single-spoke pTx pulses were designed to image sagittal slices. HCP-style dMRI data (i.e., 1.05-mm resolutions, MB2, b-values = 1000/2000 s/mm 2 , 286 images and 40-min scan) and data with higher accelerations (MB3 and MB4) were acquired with pTx. pTx significantly improved flip-angle detected signal uniformity across the brain, yielding ∼19% increase in temporal SNR (tSNR) averaged over the brain relative to 1Tx. This allowed significantly enhanced estimation of multiple fiber orientations (with ∼21% decrease in dispersion) in HCP-style 7T dMRI datasets. Additionally, pTx pulses achieved substantially lower power deposition, permitting higher accelerations, enabling collection of the same data in 2/3 and 1/2 the scan time or of more data in the same scan time. pTx provides a solution to two major limitations for slice-accelerated high-resolution whole-brain dMRI at 7T; it improves flip-angle uniformity, and enables higher slice acceleration relative to current state-of-the-art. As such, pTx provides significant advantages for rapid acquisition of high-quality, high-resolution truly whole-brain dMRI data. © 2018 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

Fast spine echo and fast fluid attenuated inversion recovery sequences in multiple sclerosis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paolillo, Andrea; Giugni, Elisabetta; Bozzao, Alessandro; Bastianello, Stefano

1997-01-01

Fast spin echo (FSE) and fast fluid attenuated inversion recovery (fast-FLAIR) sequences, were compared with conventional spin echo (CSE) in quantitating multiple sclerosis (MS) lesion burden. For each sequence, the total number and volume of MS lesions were calculated in 38 remitting multiple sclerosis patients using a semiautomated lesion detection program. Conventional spin echo, fast spin echo, and fast fluid attenuated inversion recovery image were reported on randomly and at different times by two expert observers. Interobserver differences, the time needed to quantitative multiple sclerosis lesions and lesion signal intensity (contrast-to-noise ratio and overall contrast) were considered. The lesions were classified by site into infratentorial, white matter and cortical/subcortical. A total of 2970 lesions with a volume of 961.7 cm 3 was calculated on conventional spin echo images. Fast spin echo images depicted fewer (16.6%; p < .005) and smaller (24.9%; p < .0001) lesions and the differences were statistically significant. Despite an overall nonsignificant reduction for fast-FLAIR images (-5% and 4.8% for lesion number and volume, respectively), significantly lower values (lesion number: p < 0.1; volume: p < .04)were observed for infratentorial lesions, while significantly higher values were seen for cortical/subcortical lesions (lesion number: p < .01; volume: p < .02). A higher lesion/white matter contrast (p < .002), a significant time saving for lesion burden quantitation (p < .05) and very low interobserver variability were found in favor of fast-FLAIR. Our data suggest that, despite the limitations regarding infratentorial lesions, fast-FLAIR sequences are indicated in R studies because of their good identification of cortical/subcortical lesions, almost complete interobserver agreement, higher contrast-to-noise ratio and limited time needed for semiautomated quantitation

A new approach for simple radioisotope cisternography examination in cerebrospinal fluid leakage detection.

Science.gov (United States)

Hoshino, Hiromitsu; Higuchi, Tetsuya; Achmad, Arifudin; Taketomi-Takahashi, Ayako; Fujimaki, Hiroya; Tsushima, Yoshito

2016-01-01

We developed a new quantitative interpretation technique of radioisotope cisternography (RIC) for the diagnosis of spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid hypovolemia (SCH). RIC studies performed for suspected SCH were evaluated. (111)In-DTPA RIC images were taken at 0, 1, 3, 6, and 24-h after radioisotope injection following the current protocol. Regions of interest (ROI) were selected on 3-h images to include brain, spine, bladder or the whole body. The accumulative radioactivity counts were calculated for quantitative analysis. Final diagnoses of SCH were established based on the diagnostic criteria recently proposed by Schievink and colleagues. Thirty-five patients were focused on. Twenty-one (60.0%) patients were diagnosed as having SCH according to the Schievink criteria. On the 3-h images, direct cerebrospinal fluid leakage sign was detected in nine of 21 SCH patients (42.9%), as well as three patients with suspected iatrogenic leakage. Compared to non-SCH patients, SCH patients showed higher bladder accumulation at 3-h images (P = 0.0002), and higher brain clearance between the 6- and 24-h images (P leakage was not observed. 1- and 6-h images did not provide any additional information in any patients. A new simple ROI setting method, in which only the 3-h whole body and 24-h brain images were necessary, was sufficient to diagnose SCH.

Impact of extraneous mispositioned events on motion-corrected brain SPECT images of freely moving animals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Angelis, Georgios I.; Ryder, William J.; Bashar, Rezaul; Meikle, Steven R.; Fulton, Roger R.

2014-01-01

Purpose: Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) brain imaging of freely moving small animals would allow a wide range of important neurological processes and behaviors to be studied, which are normally inhibited by anesthetic drugs or precluded due to the animal being restrained. While rigid body motion of the head can be tracked and accounted for in the reconstruction, activity in the torso may confound brain measurements, especially since motion of the torso is more complex (i.e., nonrigid) and not well correlated with that of the head. The authors investigated the impact of mispositioned events and attenuation due to the torso on the accuracy of motion corrected brain images of freely moving mice. Methods: Monte Carlo simulations of a realistic voxelized mouse phantom and a dual compartment phantom were performed. Each phantom comprised a target and an extraneous compartment which were able to move independently of each other. Motion correction was performed based on the known motion of the target compartment only. Two SPECT camera geometries were investigated: a rotating single head detector and a stationary full ring detector. The effects of motion, detector geometry, and energy of the emitted photons (hence, attenuation) on bias and noise in reconstructed brain regions were evaluated. Results: The authors observed two main sources of bias: (a) motion-related inconsistencies in the projection data and (b) the mismatch between attenuation and emission. Both effects are caused by the assumption that the orientation of the torso is difficult to track and model, and therefore cannot be conveniently corrected for. The motion induced bias in some regions was up to 12% when no attenuation effects were considered, while it reached 40% when also combined with attenuation related inconsistencies. The detector geometry (i.e., rotating vs full ring) has a big impact on the accuracy of the reconstructed images, with the full ring detector being more

Attenuation correction with region growing method used in the positron emission mammography imaging system

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Gu, Xiao-Yue; Li, Lin; Yin, Peng-Fei; Yun, Ming-Kai; Chai, Pei; Huang, Xian-Chao; Sun, Xiao-Li; Wei, Long

2015-10-01

The Positron Emission Mammography imaging system (PEMi) provides a novel nuclear diagnosis method dedicated for breast imaging. With a better resolution than whole body PET, PEMi can detect millimeter-sized breast tumors. To address the requirement of semi-quantitative analysis with a radiotracer concentration map of the breast, a new attenuation correction method based on a three-dimensional seeded region growing image segmentation (3DSRG-AC) method has been developed. The method gives a 3D connected region as the segmentation result instead of image slices. The continuity property of the segmentation result makes this new method free of activity variation of breast tissues. The threshold value chosen is the key process for the segmentation method. The first valley in the grey level histogram of the reconstruction image is set as the lower threshold, which works well in clinical application. Results show that attenuation correction for PEMi improves the image quality and the quantitative accuracy of radioactivity distribution determination. Attenuation correction also improves the probability of detecting small and early breast tumors. Supported by Knowledge Innovation Project of The Chinese Academy of Sciences (KJCX2-EW-N06)

Detection of whole-brain abnormalities in temporal lobe epilepsy using tensor-based morphometry with DARTEL

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Wenjing; He, Huiguang; Lu, Jingjing; Lv, Bin; Li, Meng; Jin, Zhengyu

2009-10-01

Tensor-based morphometry (TBM) is an automated technique for detecting the anatomical differences between populations by examining the gradients of the deformation fields used to nonlinearly warp MR images. The purpose of this study was to investigate the whole-brain volume changes between the patients with unilateral temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) and the controls using TBM with DARTEL, which could achieve more accurate inter-subject registration of brain images. T1-weighted images were acquired from 21 left-TLE patients, 21 right-TLE patients and 21 healthy controls, which were matched in age and gender. The determinants of the gradient of deformation fields at voxel level were obtained to quantify the expansion or contraction for individual images relative to the template, and then logarithmical transformation was applied on it. A whole brain analysis was performed using general lineal model (GLM), and the multiple comparison was corrected by false discovery rate (FDR) with pleft-TLE patients, significant volume reductions were found in hippocampus, cingulate gyrus, precentral gyrus, right temporal lobe and cerebellum. These results potentially support the utility of TBM with DARTEL to study the structural changes between groups.

Magnetic resonance imaging features of brain and spinal cord injury in a fatal case of isopropanol intoxication

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mahajan PS

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Parag Suresh Mahajan,1 Joyal Jacob Mathew,2 Abhilash Pulincherry Jayaram,1 Vidya Chander Negi,1 Mohamed Milad Abu Hmaira21Department of Radiology, 2Department of Medicine, Al-Khor Hospital, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, QatarAbstract: A 60-year-old man presented with headache, dizziness, and disorientation one day after consumption of isopropanol along with ethanol. Computed tomography (CT of the brain performed immediately was unremarkable. The patient collapsed within the hospital 30 minutes after the CT scan was done, and remained comatose until death, showing no improvement with symptomatic treatment. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain and spine done 6 days after admission revealed bilaterally symmetrical hyperintensities involving the cerebral and cerebellar cortex and white matter, basal ganglia, thalami, and brainstem on T2-weighted, fluid attenuated inversion recovery and diffusion weighted images; similar hyperintensities were seen involving the swollen and edematous cervical spinal cord and cerebellar tonsillar herniation compressing the proximal cervical cord. Petechial hemorrhages were also noted within the brainstem. These features are compatible with toxic injury to the brain and cervical spinal cord. To our knowledge, the magnetic resonance imaging features of brain and spinal cord injury and cerebellar tonsillar herniation, secondary to isopropanol intoxication have not been reported in the published literature before.Keywords: alcohol intoxication, computed tomography, isopropyl alcohol, ethyl alcohol, toxicity

Autism attenuates sex differences in brain structure: a combined voxel-based morphometry and diffusion tensor imaging study.

Science.gov (United States)

Beacher, F D; Minati, L; Baron-Cohen, S; Lombardo, M V; Lai, M-C; Gray, M A; Harrison, N A; Critchley, H D

2012-01-01

It has been proposed that autism spectrums condition may represent a form of extreme male brain (EMB), a notion supported by psychometric, behavioral, and endocrine evidence. Yet, limited data are presently available evaluating this hypothesis in terms of neuroanatomy. Here, we investigated sex-related anatomic features in adults with AS, a "pure" form of autism not involving major developmental delay. Males and females with AS and healthy controls (n = 28 and 30, respectively) were recruited. Structural MR imaging was performed to measure overall gray and white matter volume and to assess regional effects by means of VBM. DTI was used to investigate the integrity of the main white matter tracts. Significant interactions were found between sex and diagnosis in total white matter volume, regional gray matter volume in the right parietal operculum, and fractional anisotropy (FA) in the body of the CC, cingulum, and CR. Post hoc comparisons indicated that the typical sexual dimorphism found in controls, whereby males have larger FA and total white matter volume, was absent or attenuated in participants with AS. Our results point to a fundamental role of the factors that underlie sex-specific brain differentiation in the etiology of autism.

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

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Kang, Jiayin [School of Electronics Engineering, Huaihai Institute of Technology, Lianyungang, Jiangsu 222005, China and IDEA Laboratory, Department of Radiology and BRIC, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599 (United States); Gao, Yaozong [IDEA Laboratory, Department of Radiology and BRIC, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599 and Department of Computer Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599 (United States); Shi, Feng [IDEA Laboratory, Department of Radiology and BRIC, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599 (United States); Lalush, David S. [Joint UNC-NCSU Department of Biomedical Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695 (United States); Lin, Weili [MRI Laboratory, Department of Radiology and BRIC, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599 (United States); Shen, Dinggang, E-mail: dgshen@med.unc.edu [IDEA Laboratory, Department of Radiology and BRIC, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599 and Department of Brain and Cognitive Engineering, Korea University, Seoul 136-713 (Korea, Republic of)

2015-09-15

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 [{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]FDG PET

Prediction of standard-dose brain PET image by using MRI and low-dose brain ["1"8F]FDG PET images

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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 ["1"8F]FDG PET image by using a low-dose brain ["1"8F]FDG PET image and its corresponding magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) image. Methods: The authors employ a regression forest for predicting the standard-dose brain ["1"8F]FDG PET image by low-dose brain ["1"8F]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 ["1"8F]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 ["1"8F]FDG PET image and substantially

Time-efficient, high-resolution, whole brain three-dimensional macromolecular proton fraction mapping.

Science.gov (United States)

Yarnykh, Vasily L

2016-05-01

Macromolecular proton fraction (MPF) mapping is a quantitative MRI method that reconstructs parametric maps of a relative amount of macromolecular protons causing the magnetization transfer (MT) effect and provides a biomarker of myelination in neural tissues. This study aimed to develop a high-resolution whole brain MPF mapping technique using a minimal number of source images for scan time reduction. The described technique was based on replacement of an actually acquired reference image without MT saturation by a synthetic one reconstructed from R1 and proton density maps, thus requiring only three source images. This approach enabled whole brain three-dimensional MPF mapping with isotropic 1.25 × 1.25 × 1.25 mm(3) voxel size and a scan time of 20 min. The synthetic reference method was validated against standard MPF mapping with acquired reference images based on data from eight healthy subjects. Mean MPF values in segmented white and gray matter appeared in close agreement with no significant bias and small within-subject coefficients of variation (maps demonstrated sharp white-gray matter contrast and clear visualization of anatomical details, including gray matter structures with high iron content. The proposed synthetic reference method improves resolution of MPF mapping and combines accurate MPF measurements with unique neuroanatomical contrast features. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Application of variable threshold intensity to segmentation for white matter hyperintensities in fluid attenuated inversion recovery magnetic resonance images

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoo, Byung Il; Han, Ji Won; Oh, San Yeo Wool; Kim, Tae Hui; Lee, Jung Jae; Lee, Eun Young; MacFall, James R.; Payne, Martha E.; Kim, Jae Hyoung; Kim, Ki Woong

2014-01-01

White matter hyperintensities (WMHs) are regions of abnormally high intensity on T2-weighted or fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Accurate and reproducible automatic segmentation of WMHs is important since WMHs are often seen in the elderly and are associated with various geriatric and psychiatric disorders. We developed a fully automated monospectral segmentation method for WMHs using FLAIR MRIs. Through this method, we introduce an optimal threshold intensity (I O ) for segmenting WMHs, which varies with WMHs volume (V WMH ), and we establish the I O -V WMH relationship. Our method showed accurate validations in volumetric and spatial agreements of automatically segmented WMHs compared with manually segmented WMHs for 32 confirmatory images. Bland-Altman values of volumetric agreement were 0.96 ± 8.311 ml (bias and 95 % confidence interval), and the similarity index of spatial agreement was 0.762 ± 0.127 (mean ± standard deviation). Furthermore, similar validation accuracies were obtained in the images acquired from different scanners. The proposed segmentation method uses only FLAIR MRIs, has the potential to be accurate with images obtained from different scanners, and can be implemented with a fully automated procedure. In our study, validation results were obtained with FLAIR MRIs from only two scanner types. The design of the method may allow its use in large multicenter studies with correct efficiency. (orig.)

Application of variable threshold intensity to segmentation for white matter hyperintensities in fluid attenuated inversion recovery magnetic resonance images

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yoo, Byung Il; Han, Ji Won; Oh, San Yeo Wool; Kim, Tae Hui [Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Department of Neuropsychiatry, Seongnam, Gyeonggi-do (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Jung Jae; Lee, Eun Young [Kyungbook National University Chilgok Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, Buk-gu, Daegu (Korea, Republic of); MacFall, James R. [Duke University Medical Center, Neuropsychiatric Imaging Research Laboratory, Durham, NC (United States); Duke University Medical Center, Department of Radiology, Durham, NC (United States); Payne, Martha E. [Duke University Medical Center, Neuropsychiatric Imaging Research Laboratory, Durham, NC (United States); Duke University Medical Center, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Durham, NC (United States); Kim, Jae Hyoung [Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Department of Radiology, Seongnam, Gyeonggi-do (Korea, Republic of); Seoul National University College of Medicine, Department of Radiology, Jongno-gu, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Ki Woong [Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Department of Neuropsychiatry, Seongnam, Gyeonggi-do (Korea, Republic of); Seoul National University College of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Jongno-gu, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Seoul National University College of Natural Sciences, Department of Brain and Cognitive Science, Gwanak-gu, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2014-04-15

White matter hyperintensities (WMHs) are regions of abnormally high intensity on T2-weighted or fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Accurate and reproducible automatic segmentation of WMHs is important since WMHs are often seen in the elderly and are associated with various geriatric and psychiatric disorders. We developed a fully automated monospectral segmentation method for WMHs using FLAIR MRIs. Through this method, we introduce an optimal threshold intensity (I{sub O}) for segmenting WMHs, which varies with WMHs volume (V{sub WMH}), and we establish the I{sub O} -V{sub WMH} relationship. Our method showed accurate validations in volumetric and spatial agreements of automatically segmented WMHs compared with manually segmented WMHs for 32 confirmatory images. Bland-Altman values of volumetric agreement were 0.96 ± 8.311 ml (bias and 95 % confidence interval), and the similarity index of spatial agreement was 0.762 ± 0.127 (mean ± standard deviation). Furthermore, similar validation accuracies were obtained in the images acquired from different scanners. The proposed segmentation method uses only FLAIR MRIs, has the potential to be accurate with images obtained from different scanners, and can be implemented with a fully automated procedure. In our study, validation results were obtained with FLAIR MRIs from only two scanner types. The design of the method may allow its use in large multicenter studies with correct efficiency. (orig.)

Automated Measurement Of The Density Of Vessels On Whole Slide Images Of Paediatric Brain Tumours

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christophe Deroulers

2016-06-01

Only a few parameters have to be chosen, once and for all samples (e.g., the minimal acceptable size of a blood vessel fragment, which makes the method more robust than assessment by a (panel of human expert(s. The automatic calibration steps enable one to deal with a heterogeneous set of slides (e.g., slight differences in background colour and staining. The method uses only open-source software. It is easy to extend or improve and not tight to a single immunomarker. We applied the method to 129 paediatric brain tumours of 8 different types and 3 locations (posterior fossa, thalamus, hemispheres — 185 samples in total. For each patient, the density of microvessels in the sample is compared to the cerebral blood flow as assessed by preoperative perfusion-weighted-imaging using arterial-spin-labeling. We find a good correlation between microvascular density, MRI data and tumour grading. The microvascular density is broadly distributed among the samples. Visualisation in a web browser is slightly more fluid when images are uploaded in the DeepZoom format rather than as pyramidal TIFF images, but the former consumes roughly 20 times more disk space and needs the transfer of a very large number of files after each modification, which is less tractable.

Attenuation correction for freely moving small animal brain PET studies based on a virtual scanner geometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Angelis, G I; Kyme, A Z; Ryder, W J; Fulton, R R; Meikle, S R

2014-01-01

Attenuation correction in positron emission tomography brain imaging of freely moving animals is a very challenging problem since the torso of the animal is often within the field of view and introduces a non negligible attenuating factor that can degrade the quantitative accuracy of the reconstructed images. In the context of unrestrained small animal imaging, estimation of the attenuation correction factors without the need for a transmission scan is highly desirable. An attractive approach that avoids the need for a transmission scan involves the generation of the hull of the animal’s head based on the reconstructed motion corrected emission images. However, this approach ignores the attenuation introduced by the animal’s torso. In this work, we propose a virtual scanner geometry which moves in synchrony with the animal’s head and discriminates between those events that traversed only the animal’s head (and therefore can be accurately compensated for attenuation) and those that might have also traversed the animal’s torso. For each recorded pose of the animal’s head a new virtual scanner geometry is defined and therefore a new system matrix must be calculated leading to a time-varying system matrix. This new approach was evaluated on phantom data acquired on the microPET Focus 220 scanner using a custom-made phantom and step-wise motion. Results showed that when the animal’s torso is within the FOV and not appropriately accounted for during attenuation correction it can lead to bias of up to 10% . Attenuation correction was more accurate when the virtual scanner was employed leading to improved quantitative estimates (bias < 2%), without the need to account for the attenuation introduced by the extraneous compartment. Although the proposed method requires increased computational resources, it can provide a reliable approach towards quantitatively accurate attenuation correction for freely moving animal studies. (paper)

MR/PET quantification tools: Registration, segmentation, classification, and MR-based attenuation correction

Science.gov (United States)

Fei, Baowei; Yang, Xiaofeng; Nye, Jonathon A.; Aarsvold, John N.; Raghunath, Nivedita; Cervo, Morgan; Stark, Rebecca; Meltzer, Carolyn C.; Votaw, John R.

2012-01-01

Purpose: Combined MR/PET is a relatively new, hybrid imaging modality. A human MR/PET prototype system consisting of a Siemens 3T Trio MR and brain PET insert was installed and tested at our institution. Its present design does not offer measured attenuation correction (AC) using traditional transmission imaging. This study is the development of quantification tools including MR-based AC for quantification in combined MR/PET for brain imaging. Methods: The developed quantification tools include image registration, segmentation, classification, and MR-based AC. These components were integrated into a single scheme for processing MR/PET data. The segmentation method is multiscale and based on the Radon transform of brain MR images. It was developed to segment the skull on T1-weighted MR images. A modified fuzzy C-means classification scheme was developed to classify brain tissue into gray matter, white matter, and cerebrospinal fluid. Classified tissue is assigned an attenuation coefficient so that AC factors can be generated. PET emission data are then reconstructed using a three-dimensional ordered sets expectation maximization method with the MR-based AC map. Ten subjects had separate MR and PET scans. The PET with [11C]PIB was acquired using a high-resolution research tomography (HRRT) PET. MR-based AC was compared with transmission (TX)-based AC on the HRRT. Seventeen volumes of interest were drawn manually on each subject image to compare the PET activities between the MR-based and TX-based AC methods. Results: For skull segmentation, the overlap ratio between our segmented results and the ground truth is 85.2 ± 2.6%. Attenuation correction results from the ten subjects show that the difference between the MR and TX-based methods was <6.5%. Conclusions: MR-based AC compared favorably with conventional transmission-based AC. Quantitative tools including registration, segmentation, classification, and MR-based AC have been developed for use in combined MR

MR/PET quantification tools: Registration, segmentation, classification, and MR-based attenuation correction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fei, Baowei, E-mail: bfei@emory.edu [Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, 1841 Clifton Road Northeast, Atlanta, Georgia 30329 (United States); Department of Biomedical Engineering, Emory University and Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30322 (United States); Department of Mathematics and Computer Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322 (United States); Yang, Xiaofeng; Nye, Jonathon A.; Raghunath, Nivedita; Votaw, John R. [Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia 30329 (United States); Aarsvold, John N. [Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia 30329 (United States); Nuclear Medicine Service, Atlanta Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Atlanta, Georgia 30033 (United States); Cervo, Morgan; Stark, Rebecca [The Medical Physics Graduate Program in the George W. Woodruff School, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332 (United States); Meltzer, Carolyn C. [Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia 30329 (United States); Department of Neurology and Department of Psychiatry and Behavior Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia 30322 (United States)

2012-10-15

Purpose: Combined MR/PET is a relatively new, hybrid imaging modality. A human MR/PET prototype system consisting of a Siemens 3T Trio MR and brain PET insert was installed and tested at our institution. Its present design does not offer measured attenuation correction (AC) using traditional transmission imaging. This study is the development of quantification tools including MR-based AC for quantification in combined MR/PET for brain imaging. Methods: The developed quantification tools include image registration, segmentation, classification, and MR-based AC. These components were integrated into a single scheme for processing MR/PET data. The segmentation method is multiscale and based on the Radon transform of brain MR images. It was developed to segment the skull on T1-weighted MR images. A modified fuzzy C-means classification scheme was developed to classify brain tissue into gray matter, white matter, and cerebrospinal fluid. Classified tissue is assigned an attenuation coefficient so that AC factors can be generated. PET emission data are then reconstructed using a three-dimensional ordered sets expectation maximization method with the MR-based AC map. Ten subjects had separate MR and PET scans. The PET with [{sup 11}C]PIB was acquired using a high-resolution research tomography (HRRT) PET. MR-based AC was compared with transmission (TX)-based AC on the HRRT. Seventeen volumes of interest were drawn manually on each subject image to compare the PET activities between the MR-based and TX-based AC methods. Results: For skull segmentation, the overlap ratio between our segmented results and the ground truth is 85.2 ± 2.6%. Attenuation correction results from the ten subjects show that the difference between the MR and TX-based methods was <6.5%. Conclusions: MR-based AC compared favorably with conventional transmission-based AC. Quantitative tools including registration, segmentation, classification, and MR-based AC have been developed for use in combined MR/PET.

MR/PET quantification tools: Registration, segmentation, classification, and MR-based attenuation correction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fei, Baowei; Yang, Xiaofeng; Nye, Jonathon A.; Raghunath, Nivedita; Votaw, John R.; Aarsvold, John N.; Cervo, Morgan; Stark, Rebecca; Meltzer, Carolyn C.

2012-01-01

Purpose: Combined MR/PET is a relatively new, hybrid imaging modality. A human MR/PET prototype system consisting of a Siemens 3T Trio MR and brain PET insert was installed and tested at our institution. Its present design does not offer measured attenuation correction (AC) using traditional transmission imaging. This study is the development of quantification tools including MR-based AC for quantification in combined MR/PET for brain imaging. Methods: The developed quantification tools include image registration, segmentation, classification, and MR-based AC. These components were integrated into a single scheme for processing MR/PET data. The segmentation method is multiscale and based on the Radon transform of brain MR images. It was developed to segment the skull on T1-weighted MR images. A modified fuzzy C-means classification scheme was developed to classify brain tissue into gray matter, white matter, and cerebrospinal fluid. Classified tissue is assigned an attenuation coefficient so that AC factors can be generated. PET emission data are then reconstructed using a three-dimensional ordered sets expectation maximization method with the MR-based AC map. Ten subjects had separate MR and PET scans. The PET with ["1"1C]PIB was acquired using a high-resolution research tomography (HRRT) PET. MR-based AC was compared with transmission (TX)-based AC on the HRRT. Seventeen volumes of interest were drawn manually on each subject image to compare the PET activities between the MR-based and TX-based AC methods. Results: For skull segmentation, the overlap ratio between our segmented results and the ground truth is 85.2 ± 2.6%. Attenuation correction results from the ten subjects show that the difference between the MR and TX-based methods was <6.5%. Conclusions: MR-based AC compared favorably with conventional transmission-based AC. Quantitative tools including registration, segmentation, classification, and MR-based AC have been developed for use in combined MR/PET.

Early brain enlargement and elevated extra-axial fluid in infants who develop autism spectrum disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

Shen, Mark D; Nordahl, Christine W; Young, Gregory S; Wootton-Gorges, Sandra L; Lee, Aaron; Liston, Sarah E; Harrington, Kayla R; Ozonoff, Sally; Amaral, David G

2013-09-01

Prospective studies of infants at risk for autism spectrum disorder have provided important clues about the early behavioural symptoms of autism spectrum disorder. Diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder, however, is not currently made until at least 18 months of age. There is substantially less research on potential brain-based differences in the period between 6 and 12 months of age. Our objective in the current study was to use magnetic resonance imaging to identify any consistently observable brain anomalies in 6-9 month old infants who would later develop autism spectrum disorder. We conducted a prospective infant sibling study with longitudinal magnetic resonance imaging scans at three time points (6-9, 12-15, and 18-24 months of age), in conjunction with intensive behavioural assessments. Fifty-five infants (33 'high-risk' infants having an older sibling with autism spectrum disorder and 22 'low-risk' infants having no relatives with autism spectrum disorder) were imaged at 6-9 months; 43 of these (27 high-risk and 16 low-risk) were imaged at 12-15 months; and 42 (26 high-risk and 16 low-risk) were imaged again at 18-24 months. Infants were classified as meeting criteria for autism spectrum disorder, other developmental delays, or typical development at 24 months or later (mean age at outcome: 32.5 months). Compared with the other two groups, infants who developed autism spectrum disorder (n = 10) had significantly greater extra-axial fluid at 6-9 months, which persisted and remained elevated at 12-15 and 18-24 months. Extra-axial fluid is characterized by excessive cerebrospinal fluid in the subarachnoid space, particularly over the frontal lobes. The amount of extra-axial fluid detected as early as 6 months was predictive of more severe autism spectrum disorder symptoms at the time of outcome. Infants who developed autism spectrum disorder also had significantly larger total cerebral volumes at both 12-15 and 18-24 months of age. This is the first magnetic

Developmental venous anomalies: appearance on whole-brain CT digital subtraction angiography and CT perfusion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hanson, Eric H.; Roach, Cayce J.; Ringdahl, Erik N.; Wynn, Brad L.; DeChancie, Sean M.; Mann, Nathan D.; Diamond, Alan S.; Orrison, William W.

2011-01-01

Developmental venous anomalies (DVA) consist of dilated intramedullary veins that converge into a large collecting vein. The appearance of these anomalies was evaluated on whole-brain computed tomography (CT) digital subtraction angiography (DSA) and CT perfusion (CTP) studies. CT data sets of ten anonymized patients were retrospectively analyzed. Five patients had evidence of DVA and five age- and sex-matched controls were without known neurovascular abnormalities. CT angiograms, CT arterial-venous views, 4-D CT DSA and CTP maps were acquired on a dynamic volume imaging protocol on a 320-detector row CT scanner. Whole-brain CTP parameters were evaluated for cerebral blood flow (CBF), cerebral blood volume (CBV), time to peak (TTP), mean transit time (MTT), and delay. DSA was utilized to visualize DVA anatomy. Radiation dose was recorded from the scanner console. Increased CTP values were present in the DVA relative to the unaffected contralateral hemisphere of 48%, 32%, and 26%; and for the control group with matched hemispheric comparisons of 2%, -10%, and 9% for CBF, CBV, and MTT, respectively. Average effective radiation dose was 4.4 mSv. Whole-brain DSA and CTP imaging can demonstrate a characteristic appearance of altered DVA hemodynamic parameters and capture the anomalies in superior cortices of the cerebrum and the cerebellum. Future research may identify the rare subsets of patients at increased risk of adverse outcomes secondary to the altered hemodynamics to facilitate tailored imaging surveillance and application of appropriate preventive therapeutic measures. (orig.)

Developmental venous anomalies: appearance on whole-brain CT digital subtraction angiography and CT perfusion

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hanson, Eric H. [Advanced Medical Imaging and Genetics (Amigenics), Las Vegas, NV (United States); Touro University Nevada College of Osteopathic Medicine, Henderson, NV (United States); University of Nevada Las Vegas, Department of Health Physics and Diagnostic Sciences, 4505 Maryland Parkway, Box 453037, Las Vegas, NV (United States); Amigenics, Inc, Las Vegas, NV (United States); Roach, Cayce J. [Advanced Medical Imaging and Genetics (Amigenics), Las Vegas, NV (United States); University of Nevada Las Vegas, School of Life Sciences, Las Vegas, NV (United States); Ringdahl, Erik N. [University of Nevada Las Vegas, Department of Psychology, Las Vegas, NV (United States); Wynn, Brad L. [Family Medicine Spokane, Spokane, WA (United States); DeChancie, Sean M.; Mann, Nathan D. [Touro University Nevada College of Osteopathic Medicine, Henderson, NV (United States); Diamond, Alan S. [CHW Nevada Imaging Company, Nevada Imaging Centers, Spring Valley, Las Vegas, NV (United States); Orrison, William W. [Touro University Nevada College of Osteopathic Medicine, Henderson, NV (United States); University of Nevada Las Vegas, Department of Health Physics and Diagnostic Sciences, 4505 Maryland Parkway, Box 453037, Las Vegas, NV (United States); CHW Nevada Imaging Company, Nevada Imaging Centers, Spring Valley, Las Vegas, NV (United States); University of Nevada School of Medicine, Department of Medical Education, Reno, NV (United States)

2011-05-15

Developmental venous anomalies (DVA) consist of dilated intramedullary veins that converge into a large collecting vein. The appearance of these anomalies was evaluated on whole-brain computed tomography (CT) digital subtraction angiography (DSA) and CT perfusion (CTP) studies. CT data sets of ten anonymized patients were retrospectively analyzed. Five patients had evidence of DVA and five age- and sex-matched controls were without known neurovascular abnormalities. CT angiograms, CT arterial-venous views, 4-D CT DSA and CTP maps were acquired on a dynamic volume imaging protocol on a 320-detector row CT scanner. Whole-brain CTP parameters were evaluated for cerebral blood flow (CBF), cerebral blood volume (CBV), time to peak (TTP), mean transit time (MTT), and delay. DSA was utilized to visualize DVA anatomy. Radiation dose was recorded from the scanner console. Increased CTP values were present in the DVA relative to the unaffected contralateral hemisphere of 48%, 32%, and 26%; and for the control group with matched hemispheric comparisons of 2%, -10%, and 9% for CBF, CBV, and MTT, respectively. Average effective radiation dose was 4.4 mSv. Whole-brain DSA and CTP imaging can demonstrate a characteristic appearance of altered DVA hemodynamic parameters and capture the anomalies in superior cortices of the cerebrum and the cerebellum. Future research may identify the rare subsets of patients at increased risk of adverse outcomes secondary to the altered hemodynamics to facilitate tailored imaging surveillance and application of appropriate preventive therapeutic measures. (orig.)

The whole-brain N-acetylaspartate correlates with education in normal adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Glodzik, Lidia; Wu, William E; Babb, James S; Achtnichts, Lutz; Amann, Michael; Sollberger, Marc; Monsch, Andreas U; Gass, Achim; Gonen, Oded

2012-10-30

N-acetylaspartate (NAA) is an index of neuronal integrity. We hypothesized that in healthy subjects its whole brain concentration (WBNAA) may be related to formal educational attainment, a common proxy for cognitive reserve. To test this hypothesis, 97 middle aged to elderly subjects (51-89 years old, 38% women) underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging and non-localizing proton spectroscopy. Their WBNAA was obtained by dividing their whole-head NAA amount by the brain volume. Intracranial volume and fractional brain volume, a metric of brain atrophy, were also determined. Each subject's educational attainment was the sum of his/her years of formal education. In the entire group higher education was associated with larger intracranial volume. The relationship between WBNAA and education was observed only in younger (51-70 years old) participants. In this group, education explained 21% of the variance in WBNAA. More WBNAA was related to more years of formal education in adults and younger elders. Prospective studies can determine whether this relationship reflects a true advantage from years of training versus innate characteristics predisposing a subject to higher achievements later in life. We propose that late-life WBNAA may be more affected by other factors acting at midlife and later. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Imaging review of cerebrospinal fluid leaks

OpenAIRE

Naga V Vemuri; Lakshmi S P Karanam; Venkatesh Manchikanti; Srinivas Dandamudi; Sampath K Puvvada; Vineet K Vemuri

2017-01-01

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak occurs due to a defect in the dura and skull base. Trauma remains the most common cause of CSF leak; however, a significant number of cases are iatrogenic, and result from a complication of functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS). Early diagnosis of CSF leak is of paramount importance to prevent life-threatening complications such as brain abscess and meningitis. Imaging plays a crucial role in the detection and characterization of CSF leaks. Three-dimensiona...

An attenuation correction method for PET/CT images

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ue, Hidenori; Yamazaki, Tomohiro; Haneishi, Hideaki

2006-01-01

In PET/CT systems, accurate attenuation correction can be achieved by creating an attenuation map from an X-ray CT image. On the other hand, respiratory-gated PET acquisition is an effective method for avoiding motion blurring of the thoracic and abdominal organs caused by respiratory motion. In PET/CT systems employing respiratory-gated PET, using an X-ray CT image acquired during breath-holding for attenuation correction may have a large effect on the voxel values, especially in regions with substantial respiratory motion. In this report, we propose an attenuation correction method in which, as the first step, a set of respiratory-gated PET images is reconstructed without attenuation correction, as the second step, the motion of each phase PET image from the PET image in the same phase as the CT acquisition timing is estimated by the previously proposed method, as the third step, the CT image corresponding to each respiratory phase is generated from the original CT image by deformation according to the motion vector maps, and as the final step, attenuation correction using these CT images and reconstruction are performed. The effectiveness of the proposed method was evaluated using 4D-NCAT phantoms, and good stability of the voxel values near the diaphragm was observed. (author)

In vivo quantitative whole-brain diffusion tensor imaging analysis of APP/PS1 transgenic mice using voxel-based and atlas-based methods

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Qin, Yuan-Yuan [Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Department of Radiology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Wuhan (China); The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, The Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Baltimore, MD (United States); Li, Mu-Wei; Oishi, Kenichi [The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, The Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Baltimore, MD (United States); Zhang, Shun; Zhang, Yan; Zhao, Ling-Yun; Zhu, Wen-Zhen [Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Department of Radiology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Wuhan (China); Lei, Hao [Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan Center for Magnetic Resonance, State Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Wuhan (China)

2013-08-15

Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) has been applied to characterize the pathological features of Alzheimer's disease (AD) in a mouse model, although little is known about whether these features are structure specific. Voxel-based analysis (VBA) and atlas-based analysis (ABA) are good complementary tools for whole-brain DTI analysis. The purpose of this study was to identify the spatial localization of disease-related pathology in an AD mouse model. VBA and ABA quantification were used for the whole-brain DTI analysis of nine APP/PS1 mice and wild-type (WT) controls. Multiple scalar measurements, including fractional anisotropy (FA), trace, axial diffusivity (DA), and radial diffusivity (DR), were investigated to capture the various types of pathology. The accuracy of the image transformation applied for VBA and ABA was evaluated by comparing manual and atlas-based structure delineation using kappa statistics. Following the MR examination, the brains of the animals were analyzed for microscopy. Extensive anatomical alterations were identified in APP/PS1 mice, in both the gray matter areas (neocortex, hippocampus, caudate putamen, thalamus, hypothalamus, claustrum, amygdala, and piriform cortex) and the white matter areas (corpus callosum/external capsule, cingulum, septum, internal capsule, fimbria, and optic tract), evidenced by an increase in FA or DA, or both, compared to WT mice (p < 0.05, corrected). The average kappa value between manual and atlas-based structure delineation was approximately 0.8, and there was no significant difference between APP/PS1 and WT mice (p > 0.05). The histopathological changes in the gray matter areas were confirmed by microscopy studies. DTI did, however, demonstrate significant changes in white matter areas, where the difference was not apparent by qualitative observation of a single-slice histological specimen. This study demonstrated the structure-specific nature of pathological changes in APP/PS1 mouse, and also showed the

A new method for detecting hemoglobin directly in whole blood using photon attenuation techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Medhat, M.E.

2014-01-01

The objective of the proposed work is focused on measuring iron concentration directly in whole blood as tool for estimating hemoglobin and anemic conditions in patients across the world. The investigated method depends on theory of photon attenuation through transmission of low energy in whole blood sample. The mathematical expressions for calculating hemoglobin and iron deficit on blood using photon attenuation are derived. Calculations are carried out for estimating concentration of iron in blood samples taken from children, adults and old patients and therefore measuring their hemoglobin and iron deficit from normal values. Theoretical mass attenuation coefficient values were obtained using the XCOM program. A high-resolution gamma-ray spectrometry based on high purity germanium detector was employed to measure attenuation of strongly collimated monoenergetic gamma beam through blood samples. (author)

MR-based attenuation correction in brain PET based on UTE sequences

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cabello, Jorge; Nekolla, Stephan G; Ziegler, Sibylle I [Department of Nuclear Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München (Germany)

2014-07-29

Attenuation correction (AC) in brain PET/MR has recently emerged as one of the challenging tasks in the PET/MR field. It has been shown that to ignore the attenuation produced by bone can lead to errors ranging from 5-30% in regions close to bone structures. Since the information provided by the MR signal is not directly related to tissue attenuation, alternative methods have to be developed. Signal from bone tissue is difficult to measure given its short transverse relaxation time (T2). Ultrashort-echo time (UTE) pulse sequences were developed to measure signal from tissues with short T2. A combination of two consecutive UTE echoes has been used in several works to measure signal from bone tissue. The first echo is able to measure signal from bone tissue in addition to soft tissue, while the second echo contains most of the soft tissue contained in the first echo but not bone. In this work we extract the attenuation information from the difference between the logarithm of two images obtained after applying two consecutive UTE pulse sequences using the mMR scanner (Siemens Healthcare). Subsequently, image processing techniques are applied to reduce the noise and extract air cavities within the head. The resulting image is converted to linear attenuation coefficients, generating what is known as µ-map, to be used during reconstruction. For comparison purposes PET/CT scans of the same patients were acquired prior to the PET/MR scan. Additional µ-maps obtained for comparison were extracted from a Dixon sequence (used in clinical routine) and an additional µ-map calculated by the scanner based on UTE pulse sequences. Preliminary quantitative results measured in the cerebellum, using the value obtained with CT-based AC as reference, show differences of 34% without AC, 13% using the Dixon-based and UTE-based provided by the scanner, and 0.8% with the AC strategy presented here.

Slip Interface Imaging Predicts Tumor-Brain Adhesion in Vestibular Schwannomas.

Science.gov (United States)

Yin, Ziying; Glaser, Kevin J; Manduca, Armando; Van Gompel, Jamie J; Link, Michael J; Hughes, Joshua D; Romano, Anthony; Ehman, Richard L; Huston, John

2015-11-01

To test the clinical feasibility and usefulness of slip interface imaging (SII) to identify and quantify the degree of tumor-brain adhesion in patients with vestibular schwannomas. S With institutional review board approval and after obtaining written informed consent, SII examinations were performed in nine patients with vestibular schwannomas. During the SII acquisition, a low-amplitude mechanical vibration is applied to the head with a pillow-like device placed in the head coil and the resulting shear waves are imaged by using a phase-contrast pulse sequence with motion-encoding gradients synchronized with the applied vibration. Imaging was performed with a 3-T magnetic resonance (MR) system in less than 7 minutes. The acquired shear motion data were processed with two different algorithms (shear line analysis and calculation of octahedral shear strain [OSS]) to identify the degree of tumor-brain adhesion. Blinded to the SII results, neurosurgeons qualitatively assessed tumor adhesion at the time of tumor resection. Standard T2-weighted, fast imaging employing steady-state acquisition (FIESTA), and T2-weighted fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) imaging were reviewed to identify the presence of cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) clefts around the tumors. The performance of the use of the CSF cleft and SII to predict the degree of tumor adhesion was evaluated by using the κ coefficient and McNemar test. Among the nine patients, SII agreed with the intraoperative assessment of the degree of tumor adhesion in eight patients (88.9%; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 57%, 98%), with four of four, three of three, and one of two cases correctly predicted as no adhesion, partial adhesion, and complete adhesion, respectively. However, the T2-weighted, FIESTA, and T2-weighted FLAIR images that used the CSF cleft sign to predict adhesion agreed with surgical findings in only four cases (44.4% [four of nine]; 95% CI: 19%, 73%). The κ coefficients indicate good agreement (0

Brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging Does Not Contribute to the Diagnosis of Chronic Neuroborreliosis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aalto, A.; Sjoewall, J.; Davidsson, L.; Forsberg, P.; Smedby, Oe. [Div. of Radiology, Dept. of Medicine and Care, and Div. of Infectious Diseases, Dept. of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, Linkoeping Univ., Linkoeping (Sweden)

2007-09-15

Background: Borrelia infections, especially chronic neuroborreliosis (NB), may cause considerable diagnostic problems. This diagnosis is based on symptoms and findings in the cerebrospinal fluid but is not always conclusive. Purpose: To evaluate brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in chronic NB, to compare the findings with healthy controls, and to correlate MRI findings with disease duration. Material and Methods: Sixteen well-characterized patients with chronic NB and 16 matched controls were examined in a 1.5T scanner with a standard head coil. T1- (with and without gadolinium), T2-, and diffusion-weighted imaging plus fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) imaging were used. Results: White matter lesions and lesions in the basal ganglia were seen in 12 patients and 10 controls (no significant difference). Subependymal lesions were detected in patients down to the age of 25 and in the controls down to the age of 43. The number of lesions was correlated to age both in patients ( = 0.83, P<0.01) and in controls ( = 0.61, P<0.05), but not to the duration of disease. Most lesions were detected with FLAIR, but many also with T2-weighted imaging. Conclusion: A number of MRI findings were detected in patients with chronic NB, although the findings were unspecific when compared with matched controls and did not correlate with disease duration. However, subependymal lesions may constitute a potential finding in chronic NB.

The value of whole-brain CT perfusion imaging and CT angiography using a 320-slice CT scanner in the diagnosis of MCI and AD patients

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Bo; Gu, Guo-jun; Jiang, Hong; Guo, Yi [Medical School of Tongji University, Department of Medical Imaging, Tongji Hospital, Shanghai (China); Shen, Xing [Traditional Chinese Hospital, Department of Radiology, Kun Shan, Jiangsu Province (China); Li, Bo; Zhang, Wei [Medical School of Jiaotong University, Department of Medical Imaging, Renji Hospital, Shanghai (China)

2017-11-15

To validate the value of whole-brain computed tomography perfusion (CTP) and CT angiography (CTA) in the diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Whole-brain CTP and four-dimensional CT angiography (4D-CTA) images were acquired in 30 MCI, 35 mild AD patients, 35 moderate AD patients, 30 severe AD patients and 50 normal controls (NC). Cerebral blood flow (CBF), cerebral blood volume (CBV), mean transit time (MTT), time to peak (TTP), and correlation between CTP and 4D-CTA were analysed. Elevated CBF in the left frontal and temporal cortex was found in MCI compared with the NC group. However, TTP was increased in the left hippocampus in mild AD patients compared with NC. In moderate and severe AD patients, hypoperfusion was found in multiple brain areas compared with NC. Finally, we found that the extent of arterial stenosis was negatively correlated with CBF in partial cerebral cortex and hippocampus, and positively correlated with TTP in these areas of AD and MCI patients. Our findings suggest that whole-brain CTP and 4D-CTA could serve as a diagnostic modality in distinguishing MCI and AD, and predicting conversion from MCI based on TTP of left hippocampus. (orig.)

The value of whole-brain CT perfusion imaging and CT angiography using a 320-slice CT scanner in the diagnosis of MCI and AD patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Bo; Gu, Guo-jun; Jiang, Hong; Guo, Yi; Shen, Xing; Li, Bo; Zhang, Wei

2017-01-01

To validate the value of whole-brain computed tomography perfusion (CTP) and CT angiography (CTA) in the diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Whole-brain CTP and four-dimensional CT angiography (4D-CTA) images were acquired in 30 MCI, 35 mild AD patients, 35 moderate AD patients, 30 severe AD patients and 50 normal controls (NC). Cerebral blood flow (CBF), cerebral blood volume (CBV), mean transit time (MTT), time to peak (TTP), and correlation between CTP and 4D-CTA were analysed. Elevated CBF in the left frontal and temporal cortex was found in MCI compared with the NC group. However, TTP was increased in the left hippocampus in mild AD patients compared with NC. In moderate and severe AD patients, hypoperfusion was found in multiple brain areas compared with NC. Finally, we found that the extent of arterial stenosis was negatively correlated with CBF in partial cerebral cortex and hippocampus, and positively correlated with TTP in these areas of AD and MCI patients. Our findings suggest that whole-brain CTP and 4D-CTA could serve as a diagnostic modality in distinguishing MCI and AD, and predicting conversion from MCI based on TTP of left hippocampus. (orig.)

Integrated PET/MR breast cancer imaging: Attenuation correction and implementation of a 16-channel RF coil

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oehmigen, Mark, E-mail: mark.oehmigen@uni-due.de; Lindemann, Maike E. [High Field and Hybrid MR Imaging, University Hospital Essen, Essen 45147 (Germany); Lanz, Titus [Rapid Biomedical GmbH, Rimpar 97222 (Germany); Kinner, Sonja [Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and Neuroradiology, University Hospital Essen, Essen 45147 (Germany); Quick, Harald H. [High Field and Hybrid MR Imaging, University Hospital Essen, Essen 45147, Germany and Erwin L. Hahn Institute for MR Imaging, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen 45141 (Germany)

2016-08-15

Purpose: This study aims to develop, implement, and evaluate a 16-channel radiofrequency (RF) coil for integrated positron emission tomography/magnetic resonance (PET/MR) imaging of breast cancer. The RF coil is designed for optimized MR imaging performance and PET transparency and attenuation correction (AC) is applied for accurate PET quantification. Methods: A 16-channel breast array RF coil was designed for integrated PET/MR hybrid imaging of breast cancer lesions. The RF coil features a lightweight rigid design and is positioned with a spacer at a defined position on the patient table of an integrated PET/MR system. Attenuation correction is performed by generating and applying a dedicated 3D CT-based template attenuation map. Reposition accuracy of the RF coil on the system patient table while using the positioning frame was tested in repeated measurements using MR-visible markers. The MR, PET, and PET/MR imaging performances were systematically evaluated using modular breast phantoms. Attenuation correction of the RF coil was evaluated with difference measurements of the active breast phantoms filled with radiotracer in the PET detector with and without the RF coil in place, serving as a standard of reference measurement. The overall PET/MR imaging performance and PET quantification accuracy of the new 16-channel RF coil and its AC were then evaluated in first clinical examinations on ten patients with local breast cancer. Results: The RF breast array coil provides excellent signal-to-noise ratio and signal homogeneity across the volume of the breast phantoms in MR imaging and visualizes small structures in the phantoms down to 0.4 mm in plane. Difference measurements with PET revealed a global loss and thus attenuation of counts by 13% (mean value across the whole phantom volume) when the RF coil is placed in the PET detector. Local attenuation ranging from 0% in the middle of the phantoms up to 24% was detected in the peripheral regions of the phantoms at

Brain-computer interfaces increase whole-brain signal to noise.

Science.gov (United States)

Papageorgiou, T Dorina; Lisinski, Jonathan M; McHenry, Monica A; White, Jason P; LaConte, Stephen M

2013-08-13

Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) can convert mental states into signals to drive real-world devices, but it is not known if a given covert task is the same when performed with and without BCI-based control. Using a BCI likely involves additional cognitive processes, such as multitasking, attention, and conflict monitoring. In addition, it is challenging to measure the quality of covert task performance. We used whole-brain classifier-based real-time functional MRI to address these issues, because the method provides both classifier-based maps to examine the neural requirements of BCI and classification accuracy to quantify the quality of task performance. Subjects performed a covert counting task at fast and slow rates to control a visual interface. Compared with the same task when viewing but not controlling the interface, we observed that being in control of a BCI improved task classification of fast and slow counting states. Additional BCI control increased subjects' whole-brain signal-to-noise ratio compared with the absence of control. The neural pattern for control consisted of a positive network comprised of dorsal parietal and frontal regions and the anterior insula of the right hemisphere as well as an expansive negative network of regions. These findings suggest that real-time functional MRI can serve as a platform for exploring information processing and frontoparietal and insula network-based regulation of whole-brain task signal-to-noise ratio.

Radiosurgery for brain metastases: is whole brain radiation therapy necessary?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Forstner, Julie M.; Sneed, Penny K.; Lamborn, Kathleen R.; Shu, H.-K.G.; McDermott, Michael W.; Park, Elaine; Ho, Maria; Chang, Susan; Gutin, Philip H.; Phillips, Theodore L.; Wara, William M.; Larson, David A.

1996-01-01

Purpose: Because whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT) carries a significant risk of dementia in long-term survivors, it is desirable to determine if some patients with brain metastases may be managed with radiosurgery (RS) alone, reserving WBRT for salvage therapy as needed. To begin to approach this problem, we retrospectively reviewed freedom from brain failure/progression (Brain FFP) and survival of patients with newly-diagnosed solitary or multiple brain metastases treated with Gamma Knife RS ± WBRT. Materials and Methods: All patients treated at our institution with Gamma Knife RS for newly-diagnosed solitary or multiple (2-8) brain metastases from September 1991 through December 1995 were reviewed. Whether or not WBRT was given depended on physician preference and referral patterns. Brain FFP was measured from the date of RS until development of a new brain metastasis or progression of a treated metastasis, with censoring at the time of the last imaging study. Survival was measured from the date of RS until death or last clinical follow-up. Actuarial curves were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared with the log rank test. Multivariate analyses to adjust for known prognostic variables (age, KPS, history of extracranial metastases, and total target volume) were performed using the Cox proportional hazards model. Results: From September 1991-December 1995, 90 patients with newly-diagnosed brain metastases underwent RS. Three patients treated palliatively to a small component of their intracranial disease were excluded, leaving 54 treated with RS alone and 33 treated with RS + WBRT. Age ranged from 31-83 years (median, 59 years), KPS from 60-100 (median, 90), and total target volume from 0.15-26.1 cm 3 (median, 5.5 cm 3 ). Fifty patients had a history of extracranial metastases. Results are shown below. In the RS alone group, (22(54)) patients (41%) had a brain failure and (20(54)) (37%) died without evidence of brain failure. In the RS + WBRT group

Novel MRI methodology to detect human whole-brain connectivity changes after ingestion of fructose or glucose

Science.gov (United States)

Tsao, Sinchai; Wilkins, Bryce; Page, Kathleen A.; Singh, Manbir

2012-03-01

A novel MRI protocol has been developed to investigate the differential effects of glucose or fructose consumption on whole-brain functional brain connectivity. A previous study has reported a decrease in the fMRI blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) signal of the hypothalamus following glucose ingestion, but due to technical limitations, was restricted to a single slice covering the hypothalamus, and thus unable to detect whole-brain connectivity. In another previous study, a protocol was devised to acquire whole-brain fMRI data following food intake, but only after restricting image acquisition to an MR sampling or repetition time (TR) of 20s, making the protocol unsuitable to detect functional connectivity above 0.025Hz. We have successfully implemented a continuous 36-min, 40 contiguous slices, whole-brain BOLD acquisition protocol on a 3T scanner with TR=4.5s to ensure detection of up to 0.1Hz frequencies for whole-brain functional connectivity analysis. Human data were acquired first with ingestion of water only, followed by a glucose or fructose drink within the scanner, without interrupting the scanning. Whole-brain connectivity was analyzed using standard correlation methodology in the 0.01-0.1 Hz range. The correlation coefficient differences between fructose and glucose ingestion among targeted regions were converted to t-scores using the water-only correlation coefficients as a null condition. Results show a dramatic increase in the hypothalamic connectivity to the hippocampus, amygdala, insula, caudate and the nucleus accumben for fructose over glucose. As these regions are known to be key components of the feeding and reward brain circuits, these results suggest a preference for fructose ingestion.

Effects of scatter and attenuation corrections on phantom and clinical brain SPECT

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prando, S.; Robilotta, C.C.R.; Oliveira, M.A.; Alves, T.C.; Busatto Filho, G.

2002-01-01

Aim: The present work evaluated the effects of combinations of scatter and attenuation corrections on the analysis of brain SPECT. Materials and Methods: We studied images of the 3D Hoffman brain phantom and from a group of 20 depressive patients with confirmed cardiac insufficiency (CI) and 14 matched healthy controls (HC). Data were acquired with a Sophy-DST/SMV-GE dual-head camera after venous injection of 1110MBq 99m Tc-HMPAO. Two energy windows, 15% on 140keV and 30% centered on 108keV of the Compton distribution, were used to obtain corresponding sets of 128x128x128 projections. Tomograms were reconstructed using OSEM (2 iterations, 8 sub-sets) and Metz filter (order 8, 4 pixels FWHM psf) and FBP with Butterworth filter (order 10, frequency 0.7 Nyquist). Ten combinations of Jaszczak correction (factors 0.3, 0.4 and 0.5) and the 1st order Chang correction (u=0.12cm -1 and 0.159cm -1 ) were applied on the phantom data. In all the phantom images, contrast and signal-noise ratio between 3 ROIs (ventricle, occipital and thalamus) and cerebellum, as well as the ratio between activities in gray and white matters, were calculated and compared with the expected values. The patients images were corrected with k=0.5 and u=0.159cm -1 and reconstructed with OSEM and Metz filter. The images were inspected visually and blood flow comparisons between the CI and the HC groups were performed using Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM). Results: The best results in the analysis of the contrast and activities ratio were obtained with k=0.5 and u=0.159cm -1 . The results of the activities ratio obtained with OSEM e Metz filter are similar to those published by Laere et al.[J.Nucl.Med 2000;41:2051-2062]. The method of correction using effective attenuation coefficient produced results visually acceptable, but inadequate for the quantitative evaluation. The results of signal-noise ratio are better with OSEM than FBP reconstruction method. The corrections in the CI patients studies

320-Multidetector row whole-head dynamic subtracted CT angiography and whole-brain CT perfusion before and after carotid artery stenting: Technical note

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

San Millan Ruiz, Diego; Murphy, Kieran; Gailloud, Philippe

2010-01-01

Introduction: Multidetector CT (MDCT) is increasingly used for the investigation of neurovascular disorders, but restricted z-axis coverage (3.2 cm for 64-MDCT) currently limits perfusion to a small portion of the brain close to the circle of Willis, and precludes dynamic angiographic appreciation of the entire brain circulation. We illustrate the clinical potential of recently developed 320-MDCT extending the z-axis coverage to 16 cm in a patient with symptomatic carotid artery stenosis. Methods: In a 74-year-old patient presenting with critical symptomatic stenosis of the left CCA, pre- and post-carotid artery stenting whole-head subtracted dynamic MDCT angiography and perfusion were obtained in addition to CT angiography of the supra-aortic trunks. Both whole-head subtracted MDCT angiography and perfusion demonstrated delayed left ICA circulation, which normalized after carotid stenting. Discussion: 320-MDCT offers unprecedented z-axis coverage allowing for whole-brain perfusion and subtracted dynamic angiography of the entire intracranial circulation. These innovations can consolidate the role of MDCT as a first intention imaging technique for cerebrovascular disorders, in particular for the acute management of stroke.

Skull and cerebrospinal fluid effects on microwave radiation propagation in human brain

Science.gov (United States)

Ansari, M. A.; Zarei, M.; Akhlaghipour, N.; Niknam, A. R.

2017-12-01

The determination of microwave absorption distribution in the human brain is necessary for the detection of brain tumors using thermo-acoustic imaging and for removing them using hyperthermia treatment. In contrast to ionizing radiation, hyperthermia treatment can be applied to remove tumors inside the brain without the concern of including secondary malignancies, which typically form from the neuronal cells of the septum pellucidum. The aim of this study is to determine the microwave absorption distribution in an adult human brain and to study the effects of skull and cerebrospinal fluid on the propagation of microwave radiation inside the brain. To this end, we simulate the microwave absorption distribution in a realistic adult brain model (Colin 27) using the mesh-based Monte Carlo (MMC) method. This is because in spite of there being other numerical methods, the MMC does not require a large memory, even for complicated geometries, and its algorithm is simple and easy to implement with low computational cost. The brain model is constructed using high-resolution (1 mm isotropic voxel) and low noise magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans and its volume contains 181×217×181 voxels, covering the brain completely. Using the MMC method, the radiative transport equation is solved and the absorbed microwave energy distribution in different brain regions is obtained without any fracture or anomaly. The simulation results show that the skull and cerebrospinal fluid guide the microwave radiation and suppress its penetration through deep brain compartments as a shielding factor. These results reveal that the MMC can be used to predict the amount of required energy to increase the temperature inside the tumour during hyperthermia treatment. Our results also show why a deep tumour inside an adult human brain cannot be efficiently treated using hyperthermia treatment. Finally, the accuracy of the presented numerical method is verified using the signal flow graph technique.

Using X-ray transmission/attenuation to quantify fluid absorption in cracked concrete

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Weiss, Jason; Geiker, Mette R.; Hansen, Kurt Kielsgaard

2015-01-01

Cracks can alter the rate of fluid transport in concrete. Unfortunately, however, quantitative information is lacking to provide definitive statements regarding the extent to which cracks reduce durability or long-term performance. This paper describes a study that used X-ray transmission......-ray attenuation measurements were taken using a grid of points around the crack. By repeating this measurement and comparing the change in X-ray transmission/attenuation, the ingress of the fluid could be determined by locating the position of the moisture front. An approach is presented to determine the geometry...

Quantitative estimation of a ratio of intracranial cerebrospinal fluid volume to brain volume based on segmentation of CT images in patients with extra-axial hematoma.

Science.gov (United States)

Nguyen, Ha Son; Patel, Mohit; Li, Luyuan; Kurpad, Shekar; Mueller, Wade

2017-02-01

Background Diminishing volume of intracranial cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in patients with space-occupying masses have been attributed to unfavorable outcome associated with reduction of cerebral perfusion pressure and subsequent brain ischemia. Objective The objective of this article is to employ a ratio of CSF volume to brain volume for longitudinal assessment of space-volume relationships in patients with extra-axial hematoma and to determine variability of the ratio among patients with different types and stages of hematoma. Patients and methods In our retrospective study, we reviewed 113 patients with surgical extra-axial hematomas. We included 28 patients (age 61.7 +/- 17.7 years; 19 males, nine females) with an acute epidural hematoma (EDH) ( n = 5) and subacute/chronic subdural hematoma (SDH) ( n = 23). We excluded 85 patients, in order, due to acute SDH ( n = 76), concurrent intraparenchymal pathology ( n = 6), and bilateral pathology ( n = 3). Noncontrast CT images of the head were obtained using a CT scanner (2004 GE LightSpeed VCT CT system, tube voltage 140 kVp, tube current 310 mA, 5 mm section thickness) preoperatively, postoperatively (3.8 ± 5.8 hours from surgery), and at follow-up clinic visit (48.2 ± 27.7 days after surgery). Each CT scan was loaded into an OsiriX (Pixmeo, Switzerland) workstation to segment pixels based on radiodensity properties measured in Hounsfield units (HU). Based on HU values from -30 to 100, brain, CSF spaces, vascular structures, hematoma, and/or postsurgical fluid were segregated from bony structures, and subsequently hematoma and/or postsurgical fluid were manually selected and removed from the images. The remaining images represented overall brain volume-containing only CSF spaces, vascular structures, and brain parenchyma. Thereafter, the ratio between the total number of voxels representing CSF volume (based on values between 0 and 15 HU) to the total number of voxels

Evaluation of Possible Prognostic Factors of Fulminant Acute Disseminated Encephalomyelitis (ADEM) on Magnetic Resonance Imaging with Fluid-Attenuated Inversion Recovery (FLAIR) and Diffusion-Weighted Imaging

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Donmez, F.Y.; Aslan, H.; Coskun, M. (Dept. of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Baskent Univ., Ankara (Turkey))

2009-04-15

Background: Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) may be a rapidly progressive disease with different clinical outcomes. Purpose: To investigate the radiological findings of fulminant ADEM on diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) images, and to correlate these findings with clinical outcome. Material and Methods: Initial and follow-up magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans in eight patients were retrospectively evaluated for distribution of lesions on FLAIR images and presence of hemorrhage or contrast enhancement. DWI of the patients was evaluated as to cytotoxic versus vasogenic edema. The clinical records were analyzed, and MRI results and clinical outcome were correlated. Results: Four of the eight patients died, three had full recovery, and one had residual cortical blindness. The distribution of the hyperintense lesions on FLAIR sequence was as follows: frontal (37.5%), parietal (50%), temporal (37.5%), occipital (62.5%), basal ganglia (50%), pons (37.5%), mesencephalon (37.5%), and cerebellum (50%). Three of the patients who died had brainstem involvement. Two patients had a cytotoxic edema, one of whom died, and the other developed cortical blindness. Six patients had vasogenic edema: three of these patients had a rapid progression to coma and died; three of them recovered. Conclusion: DWI is not always helpful for evaluating the evolution or predicting the outcome of ADEM. However, extension of the lesions, particularly brainstem involvement, may have an influence on the prognosis.

Quantitative Gd-DOTA uptake from cerebrospinal fluid into rat brain using 3D VFA-SPGR at 9.4T.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Hedok; Mortensen, Kristian; Sanggaard, Simon; Koch, Palle; Brunner, Hans; Quistorff, Bjørn; Nedergaard, Maiken; Benveniste, Helene

2018-03-01

We propose a quantitative technique to assess solute uptake into the brain parenchyma based on dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI). With this approach, a small molecular weight paramagnetic contrast agent (Gd-DOTA) is infused in the cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) and whole brain gadolinium concentration maps are derived. We implemented a 3D variable flip angle spoiled gradient echo (VFA-SPGR) longitudinal relaxation time (T1) technique, the accuracy of which was cross-validated by way of inversion recovery rapid acquisition with relaxation enhancement (IR-RARE) using phantoms. Normal Wistar rats underwent Gd-DOTA infusion into CSF via the cisterna magna and continuous MRI for approximately 130 min using T1-weighted imaging. Dynamic Gd-DOTA concentration maps were calculated and parenchymal uptake was estimated. In the phantom study, T1 discrepancies between the VFA-SPGR and IR-RARE sequences were approximately 6% with a transmit coil inhomogeneity correction. In the in vivo study, contrast transport profiles indicated maximal parenchymal retention of approximately 19% relative to the total amount delivered into the cisterna magna. Imaging strategies for accurate 3D contrast concentration mapping at 9.4T were developed and whole brain dynamic concentration maps were derived to study solute transport via the glymphatic system. The newly developed approach will enable future quantitative studies of the glymphatic system in health and disease states. Magn Reson Med 79:1568-1578, 2018. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

Penetration and distribution of gadolinium-based contrast agents into the cerebrospinal fluid in healthy rats: a potential pathway of entry into the brain tissue.

Science.gov (United States)

Jost, Gregor; Frenzel, Thomas; Lohrke, Jessica; Lenhard, Diana Constanze; Naganawa, Shinji; Pietsch, Hubertus

2017-07-01

Signal hyperintensity on unenhanced MRI in certain brain regions has been reported after multiple administrations of some, but not all, gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs). One potential initial pathway of GBCA entry into the brain, infiltration from blood into the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), was systematically evaluated in this preclinical study. GBCA infiltration and distribution in the CSF were investigated in healthy rats using repeated fluid-attenuated MRI up to 4 h after high-dose (1.8 mmol/kg) administration of six marketed and one experimental GBCA. Additionally, gadolinium measurements in CSF, blood and brain tissue samples (after 24 h) were performed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Enhanced MRI signals in the CSF spaces with similar distribution kinetics were observed for all GBCAs. No substantial differences in the gadolinium concentrations among the marketed GBCAs were found in the CSF, blood or brain tissue. After 4.5 h, the concentration in the CSF was clearly higher than in blood but was almost completely cleared and lower than the brain tissue concentration after 24 h. In contrast to the brain signal hyperintensities, no differences in penetration and distribution into the CSF of healthy rats exist among the marketed GBCAs. • Gadolinium-based contrast agents can cross the blood-CSF barrier. • Fluid-attenuated MRI shows GBCA distribution with CSF flow. • GBCA structure and physicochemical properties do not impact CSF penetration and distribution. • GBCA clearance from CSF was almost complete within 24 h in rats. • CSF is a potential pathway of GBCA entry into the brain.

Whole-organ atlas imaged by label-free high-resolution photoacoustic microscopy assisted by a microtome

Science.gov (United States)

Wong, Terence T. W.; Zhang, Ruiying; Hsu, Hsun-Chia; Maslov, Konstantin I.; Shi, Junhui; Chen, Ruimin; Shung, K. Kirk; Zhou, Qifa; Wang, Lihong V.

2018-02-01

In biomedical imaging, all optical techniques face a fundamental trade-off between spatial resolution and tissue penetration. Therefore, obtaining an organelle-level resolution image of a whole organ has remained a challenging and yet appealing scientific pursuit. Over the past decade, optical microscopy assisted by mechanical sectioning or chemical clearing of tissue has been demonstrated as a powerful technique to overcome this dilemma, one of particular use in imaging the neural network. However, this type of techniques needs lengthy special preparation of the tissue specimen, which hinders broad application in life sciences. Here, we propose a new label-free three-dimensional imaging technique, named microtomy-assisted photoacoustic microscopy (mPAM), for potentially imaging all biomolecules with 100% endogenous natural staining in whole organs with high fidelity. We demonstrate the first label-free mPAM, using UV light for label-free histology-like imaging, in whole organs (e.g., mouse brains), most of them formalin-fixed and paraffin- or agarose-embedded for minimal morphological deformation. Furthermore, mPAM with dual wavelength illuminations is also employed to image a mouse brain slice, demonstrating the potential for imaging of multiple biomolecules without staining. With visible light illumination, mPAM also shows its deep tissue imaging capability, which enables less slicing and hence reduces sectioning artifacts. mPAM could potentially provide a new insight for understanding complex biological organs.

Cerebrospinal fluid leak (image)

Science.gov (United States)

... brain and spinal cord by acting like a liquid cushion. The fluid allows the organs to be buoyant protecting them from blows or other trauma. Inside the skull the cerebrospinal fluid is contained by the dura which covers ...

Influence of image reconstruction methods on statistical parametric mapping of brain PET images

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yin Dayi; Chen Yingmao; Yao Shulin; Shao Mingzhe; Yin Ling; Tian Jiahe; Cui Hongyan

2007-01-01

Objective: Statistic parametric mapping (SPM) was widely recognized as an useful tool in brain function study. The aim of this study was to investigate if imaging reconstruction algorithm of PET images could influence SPM of brain. Methods: PET imaging of whole brain was performed in six normal volunteers. Each volunteer had two scans with true and false acupuncturing. The PET scans were reconstructed using ordered subsets expectation maximization (OSEM) and filtered back projection (FBP) with 3 varied parameters respectively. The images were realigned, normalized and smoothed using SPM program. The difference between true and false acupuncture scans was tested using a matched pair t test at every voxel. Results: (1) SPM corrected multiple comparison (P corrected uncorrected <0.001): SPM derived from the images with different reconstruction method were different. The largest difference, in number and position of the activated voxels, was noticed between FBP and OSEM re- construction algorithm. Conclusions: The method of PET image reconstruction could influence the results of SPM uncorrected multiple comparison. Attention should be paid when the conclusion was drawn using SPM uncorrected multiple comparison. (authors)

Physiological neuronal decline in healthy aging human brain - An in vivo study with MRI and short echo-time whole-brain (1)H MR spectroscopic imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Ding, Xiao-Qi; Maudsley, Andrew A; Sabati, Mohammad; Sheriff, Sulaiman; Schmitz, Birte; Schütze, Martin; Bronzlik, Paul; Kahl, Kai G; Lanfermann, Heinrich

2016-08-15

Knowledge of physiological aging in healthy human brain is increasingly important for neuroscientific research and clinical diagnosis. To investigate neuronal decline in normal aging brain eighty-one healthy subjects aged between 20 and 70years were studied with MRI and whole-brain (1)H MR spectroscopic imaging. Concentrations of brain metabolites N-acetyl-aspartate (NAA), choline (Cho), total creatine (tCr), myo-inositol (mI), and glutamine+glutamate (Glx) in ratios to internal water, and the fractional volumes of brain tissue were estimated simultaneously in eight cerebral lobes and in cerebellum. Results demonstrated that an age-related decrease in gray matter volume was the largest contribution to changes in brain volume. Both lobar NAA and the fractional volume of gray matter (FVGM) decreased with age in all cerebral lobes, indicating that the decreased NAA was predominantly associated with decreased gray matter volume and neuronal density or metabolic activity. In cerebral white matter Cho, tCr, and mI increased with age in association with increased fractional volume, showing altered cellular membrane turn-over, energy metabolism, and glial activity in human aging white matter. In cerebellum tCr increased while brain tissue volume decreased with age, showing difference to cerebral aging. The observed age-related metabolic and microstructural variations suggest that physiological neuronal decline in aging human brain is associated with a reduction of gray matter volume and neuronal density, in combination with cellular aging in white matter indicated by microstructural alterations and altered energy metabolism in the cerebellum. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Towards Implementing an MR-based PET Attenuation Correction Method for Neurological Studies on the MR-PET Brain Prototype

Science.gov (United States)

Catana, Ciprian; van der Kouwe, Andre; Benner, Thomas; Michel, Christian J.; Hamm, Michael; Fenchel, Matthias; Fischl, Bruce; Rosen, Bruce; Schmand, Matthias; Sorensen, A. Gregory

2013-01-01

A number of factors have to be considered for implementing an accurate attenuation correction (AC) in a combined MR-PET scanner. In this work, some of these challenges were investigated and an AC method based entirely on the MR data obtained with a single dedicated sequence was developed and used for neurological studies performed with the MR-PET human brain scanner prototype. Methods The focus was on the bone/air segmentation problem, the bone linear attenuation coefficient selection and the RF coil positioning. The impact of these factors on the PET data quantification was studied in simulations and experimental measurements performed on the combined MR-PET scanner. A novel dual-echo ultra-short echo time (DUTE) MR sequence was proposed for head imaging. Simultaneous MR-PET data were acquired and the PET images reconstructed using the proposed MR-DUTE-based AC method were compared with the PET images reconstructed using a CT-based AC. Results Our data suggest that incorrectly accounting for the bone tissue attenuation can lead to large underestimations (>20%) of the radiotracer concentration in the cortex. Assigning a linear attenuation coefficient of 0.143 or 0.151 cm−1 to bone tissue appears to give the best trade-off between bias and variability in the resulting images. Not identifying the internal air cavities introduces large overestimations (>20%) in adjacent structures. Based on these results, the segmented CT AC method was established as the “silver standard” for the segmented MR-based AC method. Particular to an integrated MR-PET scanner, ignoring the RF coil attenuation can cause large underestimations (i.e. up to 50%) in the reconstructed images. Furthermore, the coil location in the PET field of view has to be accurately known. Good quality bone/air segmentation can be performed using the DUTE data. The PET images obtained using the MR-DUTE- and CT-based AC methods compare favorably in most of the brain structures. Conclusion An MR-DUTE-based AC

Toward implementing an MRI-based PET attenuation-correction method for neurologic studies on the MR-PET brain prototype.

Science.gov (United States)

Catana, Ciprian; van der Kouwe, Andre; Benner, Thomas; Michel, Christian J; Hamm, Michael; Fenchel, Matthias; Fischl, Bruce; Rosen, Bruce; Schmand, Matthias; Sorensen, A Gregory

2010-09-01

Several factors have to be considered for implementing an accurate attenuation-correction (AC) method in a combined MR-PET scanner. In this work, some of these challenges were investigated, and an AC method based entirely on the MRI data obtained with a single dedicated sequence was developed and used for neurologic studies performed with the MR-PET human brain scanner prototype. The focus was on the problem of bone-air segmentation, selection of the linear attenuation coefficient for bone, and positioning of the radiofrequency coil. The impact of these factors on PET data quantification was studied in simulations and experimental measurements performed on the combined MR-PET scanner. A novel dual-echo ultrashort echo time (DUTE) MRI sequence was proposed for head imaging. Simultaneous MR-PET data were acquired, and the PET images reconstructed using the proposed DUTE MRI-based AC method were compared with the PET images that had been reconstructed using a CT-based AC method. Our data suggest that incorrectly accounting for the bone tissue attenuation can lead to large underestimations (>20%) of the radiotracer concentration in the cortex. Assigning a linear attenuation coefficient of 0.143 or 0.151 cm(-1) to bone tissue appears to give the best trade-off between bias and variability in the resulting images. Not identifying the internal air cavities introduces large overestimations (>20%) in adjacent structures. On the basis of these results, the segmented CT AC method was established as the silver standard for the segmented MRI-based AC method. For an integrated MR-PET scanner, in particular, ignoring the radiofrequency coil attenuation can cause large underestimations (i.e., images. Furthermore, the coil location in the PET field of view has to be accurately known. High-quality bone-air segmentation can be performed using the DUTE data. The PET images obtained using the DUTE MRI- and CT-based AC methods compare favorably in most of

Effects of Exercise Following Lateral Fluid Percussion Brain Injury in Rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Hicks, Ramona R.; Boggs, Arden; Leider, Denise; Kraemer, Philip; Brown, Russell; Scheff, Stephen W.; Seroogy, Kim B.

1998-01-01

Previous studies have suggested that brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is involved in memory and learning, and may be neuroprotective following various brain insults. Exercise has been found to increase BDNF mRNA levels in various brain regions, including specific subpopulations of hippocampal neurons. In the present study, we were interested in whether following traumatic brain injury, exercise could increase BDNF mRNA expression, attenuate neuropathology, and improve cognitive and neuromoter performance. We subjected adult male Sprague-Dawley rats to a fluid percussion brain injury, followed by either 18 days of treadmill exercise or handling. Spatial memory was evaluated in a Morris Water Maze (MWM) and motor function was evaluated with a battery of neuromotor tests. Neuropathology was evaluated by measuring the cortical lesion volume and the extent of neuronal loss in the hipocampus. Expression of BDNF mRNA in the hippocampus was assessed with in situ hybridization and densitometry. Hybridization signal for BDNF mRNA was significantly increased bilaterally in the exercise group in hippocampal regions CA1 and CA3 (p<0.05), but not in the granule cell layer of the dentate gyrus. No significant differences were observed between the groups in neuropathology, spatial memory, or motor performance. This study suggests that after traumatic brain injury, exercise elevates BDNF mRNA in specific regions of the hippocampus.

Whole-brain functional magnetic resonance imaging of cerebral arteriovenous malformations involving the motor pathways

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ozdoba, C.; Remonda, L.; Loevblad, K.O.; Schroth, G.; Nirkko, A.C.

2002-01-01

To investigate cortical, basal ganglia and cerebellar activation in patients with arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) involving the motor pathways, we studied ten patients (six male, four female, mean age 30.3 years, range 7.4-44.1) by whole-brain functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in a 1.5-T scanner with the EPI-BOLD-technique. In seven cases multiple fMRI studies were available, acquired in the course of the multi-session endovascular interventional treatment. Self-paced right- and left-handed finger-tapping tasks were used to invoke activation. In six patients a super-selective amytal test (Wada test) was performed during diagnostic pre-interventional angiography studies. Abnormal cortical activation patterns, with activation of the primary sensorimotor area, the supplementary motor area and/or the cerebellum shifted to unphysiological locations, were found in four patients. In all cases, localization of the AVM could account for the changes from the normal. After endovascular procedures, fMRI demonstrated shifts in the activation pattern in three patients. In the six patients that had undergone fMRI studies and the Wada test, both methods yielded comparable results. The fact that AVMs are structural anomalies for which the brain can partly compensate ('plasticity') was underlined by these results. fMRI is a valuable tool in the pre-therapeutic evaluation and post-interventional follow-up of patients with cerebral AVMs in whom an operation or an endovascular procedure is planned. (orig.)

MR imaging of multiple sclerosis in patients with negative cerebrospinal fluid

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dooms, G.C.; Mathurin, P.; Cornelis, G.; Laterre, E.C.; Demeure, R.

1986-01-01

A prospective study was performed to assess the value of MR imaging for detecting demyelinating disease of the brain in 50 patients with clinically suspected multiple sclerosis but negative cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The MR imaging examinations were performed with a superconducting magnet (Philips Gyroscan S15) operating at 0.5T. A multisection, double spin-echo technique was used in all cases (TR = 2,100 msec, TE = 50 and 100 msec). No abnormality was demonstrated in eight patients. In the others, lesions were usually located in the periventricular white matter (rounded masses and/or high signal intensity bands along the lateral ventricles), the brain stem and thalami (12 patients), and the cerebellum (6 patients). In conclusion, MR imaging appears to be an exquisite imaging modality for confirmation of clinically suspected multiple sclerosis in patients with negative CSF. However, it must include examination of the spinal cord when the brain examination is negative

Improving the quantitative accuracy of optical-emission computed tomography by incorporating an attenuation correction: application to HIF1 imaging

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, E.; Bowsher, J.; Thomas, A. S.; Sakhalkar, H.; Dewhirst, M.; Oldham, M.

2008-10-01

Optical computed tomography (optical-CT) and optical-emission computed tomography (optical-ECT) are new techniques for imaging the 3D structure and function (including gene expression) of whole unsectioned tissue samples. This work presents a method of improving the quantitative accuracy of optical-ECT by correcting for the 'self'-attenuation of photons emitted within the sample. The correction is analogous to a method commonly applied in single-photon-emission computed tomography reconstruction. The performance of the correction method was investigated by application to a transparent cylindrical gelatin phantom, containing a known distribution of attenuation (a central ink-doped gelatine core) and a known distribution of fluorescing fibres. Attenuation corrected and uncorrected optical-ECT images were reconstructed on the phantom to enable an evaluation of the effectiveness of the correction. Significant attenuation artefacts were observed in the uncorrected images where the central fibre appeared ~24% less intense due to greater attenuation from the surrounding ink-doped gelatin. This artefact was almost completely removed in the attenuation-corrected image, where the central fibre was within ~4% of the others. The successful phantom test enabled application of attenuation correction to optical-ECT images of an unsectioned human breast xenograft tumour grown subcutaneously on the hind leg of a nude mouse. This tumour cell line had been genetically labelled (pre-implantation) with fluorescent reporter genes such that all viable tumour cells expressed constitutive red fluorescent protein and hypoxia-inducible factor 1 transcription-produced green fluorescent protein. In addition to the fluorescent reporter labelling of gene expression, the tumour microvasculature was labelled by a light-absorbing vasculature contrast agent delivered in vivo by tail-vein injection. Optical-CT transmission images yielded high-resolution 3D images of the absorbing contrast agent, and

Improving the quantitative accuracy of optical-emission computed tomography by incorporating an attenuation correction: application to HIF1 imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, E; Bowsher, J; Thomas, A S; Sakhalkar, H; Dewhirst, M; Oldham, M

2008-01-01

Optical computed tomography (optical-CT) and optical-emission computed tomography (optical-ECT) are new techniques for imaging the 3D structure and function (including gene expression) of whole unsectioned tissue samples. This work presents a method of improving the quantitative accuracy of optical-ECT by correcting for the 'self'-attenuation of photons emitted within the sample. The correction is analogous to a method commonly applied in single-photon-emission computed tomography reconstruction. The performance of the correction method was investigated by application to a transparent cylindrical gelatin phantom, containing a known distribution of attenuation (a central ink-doped gelatine core) and a known distribution of fluorescing fibres. Attenuation corrected and uncorrected optical-ECT images were reconstructed on the phantom to enable an evaluation of the effectiveness of the correction. Significant attenuation artefacts were observed in the uncorrected images where the central fibre appeared ∼24% less intense due to greater attenuation from the surrounding ink-doped gelatin. This artefact was almost completely removed in the attenuation-corrected image, where the central fibre was within ∼4% of the others. The successful phantom test enabled application of attenuation correction to optical-ECT images of an unsectioned human breast xenograft tumour grown subcutaneously on the hind leg of a nude mouse. This tumour cell line had been genetically labelled (pre-implantation) with fluorescent reporter genes such that all viable tumour cells expressed constitutive red fluorescent protein and hypoxia-inducible factor 1 transcription-produced green fluorescent protein. In addition to the fluorescent reporter labelling of gene expression, the tumour microvasculature was labelled by a light-absorbing vasculature contrast agent delivered in vivo by tail-vein injection. Optical-CT transmission images yielded high-resolution 3D images of the absorbing contrast agent

Rapid whole brain myelin water content mapping without an external water standard at 1.5T.

Science.gov (United States)

Nguyen, Thanh D; Spincemaille, Pascal; Gauthier, Susan A; Wang, Yi

2017-06-01

The objective of this study is to develop rapid whole brain mapping of myelin water content (MWC) at 1.5T. The Fast Acquisition with Spiral Trajectory and T2prep (FAST-T2) pulse sequence originally developed for myelin water fraction (MWF) mapping was modified to obtain fast mapping of T1 and receiver coil sensitivity needed for MWC computation. The accuracy of the proposed T1 mapping was evaluated by comparing with the standard IR-FSE method. Numerical simulations were performed to assess the accuracy and reliability of the proposed MWC mapping. We also compared MWC values obtained with either cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) or an external water tube attached to the subject's head as the water reference. Our results from healthy volunteers show that whole brain MWC mapping is feasible in 7min and provides accurate brain T1 values. Regional brain WC and MWC measurements obtained with the internal CSF-based water standard showed excellent correlation (R>0.99) and negligible bias within narrow limits of agreement compared to those obtained with an external water standard. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Hybrid PET/MR imaging: an algorithm to reduce metal artifacts from dental implants in Dixon-based attenuation map generation using a multiacquisition variable-resonance image combination sequence.

Science.gov (United States)

Burger, Irene A; Wurnig, Moritz C; Becker, Anton S; Kenkel, David; Delso, Gaspar; Veit-Haibach, Patrick; Boss, Andreas

2015-01-01

It was the aim of this study to implement an algorithm modifying Dixon-based MR imaging datasets for attenuation correction in hybrid PET/MR imaging with a multiacquisition variable resonance image combination (MAVRIC) sequence to reduce metal artifacts. After ethics approval, in 8 oncologic patients with dental implants data were acquired in a trimodality setup with PET/CT and MR imaging. The protocol included a whole-body 3-dimensional dual gradient-echo sequence (Dixon) used for MR imaging-based PET attenuation correction and a high-resolution MAVRIC sequence, applied in the oral area compromised by dental implants. An algorithm was implemented correcting the Dixon-based μ maps using the MAVRIC in areas of Dixon signal voids. The artifact size of the corrected μ maps was compared with the uncorrected MR imaging μ maps. The algorithm was robust in all patients. There was a significant reduction in mean artifact size of 70.5% between uncorrected and corrected μ maps from 697 ± 589 mm(2) to 202 ± 119 mm(2) (P = 0.016). The proposed algorithm could improve MR imaging-based attenuation correction in critical areas, when standard attenuation correction is hampered by metal artifacts, using a MAVRIC. © 2015 by the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Inc.

SNR-optimized phase-sensitive dual-acquisition turbo spin echo imaging: a fast alternative to FLAIR.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Hyunyeol; Park, Jaeseok

2013-07-01

Phase-sensitive dual-acquisition single-slab three-dimensional turbo spin echo imaging was recently introduced, producing high-resolution isotropic cerebrospinal fluid attenuated brain images without long inversion recovery preparation. Despite the advantages, the weighted-averaging-based technique suffers from noise amplification resulting from different levels of cerebrospinal fluid signal modulations over the two acquisitions. The purpose of this work is to develop a signal-to-noise ratio-optimized version of the phase-sensitive dual-acquisition single-slab three-dimensional turbo spin echo. Variable refocusing flip angles in the first acquisition are calculated using a three-step prescribed signal evolution while those in the second acquisition are calculated using a two-step pseudo-steady state signal transition with a high flip-angle pseudo-steady state at a later portion of the echo train, balancing the levels of cerebrospinal fluid signals in both the acquisitions. Low spatial frequency signals are sampled during the high flip-angle pseudo-steady state to further suppress noise. Numerical simulations of the Bloch equations were performed to evaluate signal evolutions of brain tissues along the echo train and optimize imaging parameters. In vivo studies demonstrate that compared with conventional phase-sensitive dual-acquisition single-slab three-dimensional turbo spin echo, the proposed optimization yields 74% increase in apparent signal-to-noise ratio for gray matter and 32% decrease in imaging time. The proposed method can be a potential alternative to conventional fluid-attenuated imaging. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The evolution of whole-body imaging.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Moran, Deirdre E

2012-02-01

This article reviews the evolution of whole-body imaging, discussing the history and development of radiography, nuclear medicine, computed tomography (CT), positron emission tomography (PET), combined PET-CT, and magnetic resonance imaging. The obstacles hindering progress toward whole-body imaging using each of these modalities, and the technical advances that were developed to overcome them, are reviewed. The effectiveness and the limitations of whole-body imaging with each of these techniques are also briefly discussed.

Image fusion between whole body FDG PET images and whole body MRI images using a full-automatic mutual information-based multimodality image registration software

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Uchida, Yoshitaka; Nakano, Yoshitada; Fujibuchi, Toshiou; Isobe, Tomoko; Kazama, Toshiki; Ito, Hisao

2006-01-01

We attempted image fusion between whole body PET and whole body MRI of thirty patients using a full-automatic mutual information (MI) -based multimodality image registration software and evaluated accuracy of this method and impact of the coregistrated imaging on diagnostic accuracy. For 25 of 30 fused images in body area, translating gaps were within 6 mm in all axes and rotating gaps were within 2 degrees around all axes. In head and neck area, considerably much gaps caused by difference of head inclination at imaging occurred in 16 patients, however these gaps were able to decrease by fused separately. In 6 patients, diagnostic accuracy using PET/MRI fused images was superior compared by PET image alone. This work shows that whole body FDG PET images and whole body MRI images can be automatically fused using MI-based multimodality image registration software accurately and this technique can add useful information when evaluating FDG PET images. (author)

In Vivo H MR spectroscopic imaging of human brain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choe, Bo Young; Suh, Tae Suk; Choi, Kyo Ho; Bahk, Yong Whee; Shinn, Kyung Sub

1994-01-01

To evaluate the spatial distribution of various proton metabolites in the human brain with use of water-suppressed in vivo H MR spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) technique. All of water-suppressed in vivo H MRSI were performed on 1.5 T whole-body MRI/MRS system using Stimulated Echo Acquisition Method (STEAM) Chemical Shift Imaging (CSI) pulse sequence. T1-weighted MR images were used for CSI field of view (FOV; 24 cm). Voxel size of 1.5 cm 3 was designated from the periphery of the brain which was divided by 1024 X 16 X 16 data points. Metabolite images of N-acetylaspartate (NAA), creatine/ phosphocreatine (Cr) + choline/phosphocholine (Cho), and complex of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) + glutamate (Glu) were obtained on the human brain. Our preliminary study suggests that in vivo H MRSI could provide the metabolite imaging to compensate for hypermetabolism on Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scans on the basis of the metabolic informations on brain tissues. The unique ability of in vivo H MRSI to offer noninvasive information about tissue biochemistry in disease states will stimulate on clinical research and disease diagnosis

A study on CT attenuation and MR signal intensity of protein solution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Joung Hae; Choi, Dae Seob; Kim, Soon; Lee, Hyeon Kyeong; Oh, Hyeon Hee; Kim, Seung Hyeon; Lee, Sung Woo; Chang, Kee Hyun; Chung, Jun Ho

2001-01-01

To correlate CT attenuation and MR signal intensity with concentration of protein solution. CT and MR examinations of a phantom containing bovine serum albumin solutions of various concentrations ranging from 0 to 55% were performed. CT Hounsfield units(HUs), MR signal intensities, and apparent diffusion coefficients (ADCs) of each albumin solution were measured, and CT HUs and MR signal intensities of the solutions were compared with those of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), white matter, and cortical gray matter. CT HU increased gradually with increasing albumin concentration. On T1-weighted images(T1WI), signal intensity increased with increasing albumin concentrations of up to 35% but then decreased. On T2-weighted images(T2Wl), gradually decreasing signal intensity and increasing albumin concentration were observed Fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) and diffusion-weighted images (DWls) showed that signal intensity peaked at a concentration of 10% and then gradually decreased. The ADC of the solution gradually decreased as concentration increased. Compared with those of normal brain structures, the CT HUs of solutions at concentrations of over 20% were higher than those of white and gray matter. At T1WI, the signal intensities of 10-45% solutions were similar to or higher than that of the gray matter. At T2Wl, the signal intensities of solutions above 25, 35, and 40% were lower than those of CSF, gray matter, and white matter, respectively. FLAIR images showed that the signal intensities of 5-35% solutions were higher than that of gray matter. The CT attenuation of albumin solution increased gradually with increasing concentration. MR signal intensities peaked at 35% concentration on T1WI and at 10% on FLAIR and DW images, respectively, and then gradually decreased. T2Wl and ADC map images showed gradually decreasing signal intensity and ADC as albumin concentration increased

Parameterization of the Age-Dependent Whole Brain Apparent Diffusion Coefficient Histogram

Science.gov (United States)

Batra, Marion; Nägele, Thomas

2015-01-01

Purpose. The distribution of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values in the brain can be used to characterize age effects and pathological changes of the brain tissue. The aim of this study was the parameterization of the whole brain ADC histogram by an advanced model with influence of age considered. Methods. Whole brain ADC histograms were calculated for all data and for seven age groups between 10 and 80 years. Modeling of the histograms was performed for two parts of the histogram separately: the brain tissue part was modeled by two Gaussian curves, while the remaining part was fitted by the sum of a Gaussian curve, a biexponential decay, and a straight line. Results. A consistent fitting of the histograms of all age groups was possible with the proposed model. Conclusions. This study confirms the strong dependence of the whole brain ADC histograms on the age of the examined subjects. The proposed model can be used to characterize changes of the whole brain ADC histogram in certain diseases under consideration of age effects. PMID:26609526

Parameterization of the Age-Dependent Whole Brain Apparent Diffusion Coefficient Histogram

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Uwe Klose

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Purpose. The distribution of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC values in the brain can be used to characterize age effects and pathological changes of the brain tissue. The aim of this study was the parameterization of the whole brain ADC histogram by an advanced model with influence of age considered. Methods. Whole brain ADC histograms were calculated for all data and for seven age groups between 10 and 80 years. Modeling of the histograms was performed for two parts of the histogram separately: the brain tissue part was modeled by two Gaussian curves, while the remaining part was fitted by the sum of a Gaussian curve, a biexponential decay, and a straight line. Results. A consistent fitting of the histograms of all age groups was possible with the proposed model. Conclusions. This study confirms the strong dependence of the whole brain ADC histograms on the age of the examined subjects. The proposed model can be used to characterize changes of the whole brain ADC histogram in certain diseases under consideration of age effects.

Quantitative Evaluation of 2 Scatter-Correction Techniques for 18F-FDG Brain PET/MRI in Regard to MR-Based Attenuation Correction.

Science.gov (United States)

Teuho, Jarmo; Saunavaara, Virva; Tolvanen, Tuula; Tuokkola, Terhi; Karlsson, Antti; Tuisku, Jouni; Teräs, Mika

2017-10-01

In PET, corrections for photon scatter and attenuation are essential for visual and quantitative consistency. MR attenuation correction (MRAC) is generally conducted by image segmentation and assignment of discrete attenuation coefficients, which offer limited accuracy compared with CT attenuation correction. Potential inaccuracies in MRAC may affect scatter correction, because the attenuation image (μ-map) is used in single scatter simulation (SSS) to calculate the scatter estimate. We assessed the impact of MRAC to scatter correction using 2 scatter-correction techniques and 3 μ-maps for MRAC. Methods: The tail-fitted SSS (TF-SSS) and a Monte Carlo-based single scatter simulation (MC-SSS) algorithm implementations on the Philips Ingenuity TF PET/MR were used with 1 CT-based and 2 MR-based μ-maps. Data from 7 subjects were used in the clinical evaluation, and a phantom study using an anatomic brain phantom was conducted. Scatter-correction sinograms were evaluated for each scatter correction method and μ-map. Absolute image quantification was investigated with the phantom data. Quantitative assessment of PET images was performed by volume-of-interest and ratio image analysis. Results: MRAC did not result in large differences in scatter algorithm performance, especially with TF-SSS. Scatter sinograms and scatter fractions did not reveal large differences regardless of the μ-map used. TF-SSS showed slightly higher absolute quantification. The differences in volume-of-interest analysis between TF-SSS and MC-SSS were 3% at maximum in the phantom and 4% in the patient study. Both algorithms showed excellent correlation with each other with no visual differences between PET images. MC-SSS showed a slight dependency on the μ-map used, with a difference of 2% on average and 4% at maximum when a μ-map without bone was used. Conclusion: The effect of different MR-based μ-maps on the performance of scatter correction was minimal in non-time-of-flight 18 F-FDG PET

Brain imaging and brain function

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sokoloff, L.

1985-01-01

This book is a survey of the applications of imaging studies of regional cerebral blood flow and metabolism to the investigation of neurological and psychiatric disorders. Contributors review imaging techniques and strategies for measuring regional cerebral blood flow and metabolism, for mapping functional neural systems, and for imaging normal brain functions. They then examine the applications of brain imaging techniques to the study of such neurological and psychiatric disorders as: cerebral ischemia; convulsive disorders; cerebral tumors; Huntington's disease; Alzheimer's disease; depression and other mood disorders. A state-of-the-art report on magnetic resonance imaging of the brain and central nervous system rounds out the book's coverage

Fluid-fluid level on MR image: significance in Musculoskeletal diseases

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Chung, Hye Won; Lee, Kyung Won [Seoul Naitonal University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of). Coll. of Medicine; Song, Chi Sung [Seoul City Boramae Hospital, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Han, Sang Wook; Kang, Heung Sik [Seoul Naitonal University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of). Coll. of Medicine

1998-01-01

To evaluate the frequency, number and signal intensity of fluid-fluid levels of musculoskeletal diseases on MR images, and to determine the usefulness of this information for the differentiation of musculoskeletal diseases. MR images revealed fluid-fluid levels in the following diseases : giant cell tumor(6), telangiectatic osteosarcoma(4), aneurysmal bone cyst(3), synovial sarcoma(3), chondroblastoma(2), soft tissue tuberculous abscess(2), hematoma(2), hemangioma (1), neurilemmoma(1), metastasis(1), malignant fibrous histiocytoma(1), bursitis(1), pyogenic abscess(1), and epidermoid inclusion cyst(1). Fourteen benign tumors and ten malignant, three abscesses, and the epidermoid inclusion cyst showed only one fluid-fluid level in a unilocular cyst. On T1-weighted images, the signal intensities of fluid varied, but on T2-weighted images, superior layers were in most cases more hyperintense than inferior layers. Because fluid-fluid layers are a nonspecific finding, it is difficult to specifically diagnose each disease according to the number of fluid-fluid levels or signal intensity of fluid. In spite of the nonspecificity of fluid-fluid levels, they were frequently seen in cases of giant cell tumor, telangiectatic osteosarcoma, aneurysmal bone cycle, and synovial sarcoma. Nontumorous diseases such abscesses and hematomas also demonstrated this finding. (author). 11 refs., 1 tab., 4 figs.

Fluid-fluid level on MR image: significance in Musculoskeletal diseases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chung, Hye Won; Lee, Kyung Won; Han, Sang Wook; Kang, Heung Sik

1998-01-01

To evaluate the frequency, number and signal intensity of fluid-fluid levels of musculoskeletal diseases on MR images, and to determine the usefulness of this information for the differentiation of musculoskeletal diseases. MR images revealed fluid-fluid levels in the following diseases : giant cell tumor(6), telangiectatic osteosarcoma(4), aneurysmal bone cyst(3), synovial sarcoma(3), chondroblastoma(2), soft tissue tuberculous abscess(2), hematoma(2), hemangioma (1), neurilemmoma(1), metastasis(1), malignant fibrous histiocytoma(1), bursitis(1), pyogenic abscess(1), and epidermoid inclusion cyst(1). Fourteen benign tumors and ten malignant, three abscesses, and the epidermoid inclusion cyst showed only one fluid-fluid level in a unilocular cyst. On T1-weighted images, the signal intensities of fluid varied, but on T2-weighted images, superior layers were in most cases more hyperintense than inferior layers. Because fluid-fluid layers are a nonspecific finding, it is difficult to specifically diagnose each disease according to the number of fluid-fluid levels or signal intensity of fluid. In spite of the nonspecificity of fluid-fluid levels, they were frequently seen in cases of giant cell tumor, telangiectatic osteosarcoma, aneurysmal bone cycle, and synovial sarcoma. Nontumorous diseases such abscesses and hematomas also demonstrated this finding. (author). 11 refs., 1 tab., 4 figs

Forced running exercise attenuates hippocampal neurogenesis impairment and the neurocognitive deficits induced by whole-brain irradiation via the BDNF-mediated pathway

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ji, Jian-feng; Ji, Sheng-jun; Sun, Rui; Li, Kun; Zhang, Yuan; Zhang, Li-yuan; Tian, Ye

2014-01-01

Highlights: •Forced exercise can ameliorate WBI induced cognitive impairment in our rat model. •Mature BDNF plays an important role in the effects of forced exercise. •Exercise may be a possible treatment of the radiation-induced cognitive impairment. -- Abstract: Cranial radiotherapy induces progressive and debilitating cognitive deficits, particularly in long-term cancer survivors, which may in part be caused by the reduction of hippocampal neurogenesis. Previous studies suggested that voluntary exercise can reduce the cognitive impairment caused by radiation therapy. However, there is no study on the effect of forced wheel exercise and little is known about the molecular mechanisms mediating the effect of exercise. In the present study, we investigated whether the forced running exercise after irradiation had the protective effects of the radiation-induced cognitive impairment. Sixty-four Male Sprague–Dawley rats received a single dose of 20 Gy or sham whole-brain irradiation (WBI), behavioral test was evaluated using open field test and Morris water maze at 2 months after irradiation. Half of the rats accepted a 3-week forced running exercise before the behavior detection. Immunofluorescence was used to evaluate the changes in hippocampal neurogenesis and Western blotting was used to assess changes in the levels of mature brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), phosphorylated tyrosine receptor kinase B (TrkB) receptor, protein kinase B (Akt), extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), calcium-calmodulin dependent kinase (CaMKII), cAMP-calcium response element binding protein (CREB) in the BDNF–pCREB signaling. We found forced running exercise significantly prevented radiation-induced cognitive deficits, ameliorated the impairment of hippocampal neurogenesis and attenuated the down-regulation of these proteins. Moreover, exercise also increased behavioral performance, hippocampal neurogenesis and elevated BDNF–pCREB signaling in non

Forced running exercise attenuates hippocampal neurogenesis impairment and the neurocognitive deficits induced by whole-brain irradiation via the BDNF-mediated pathway

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ji, Jian-feng; Ji, Sheng-jun; Sun, Rui; Li, Kun; Zhang, Yuan; Zhang, Li-yuan; Tian, Ye, E-mail: dryetian@hotmail.com

2014-01-10

Highlights: •Forced exercise can ameliorate WBI induced cognitive impairment in our rat model. •Mature BDNF plays an important role in the effects of forced exercise. •Exercise may be a possible treatment of the radiation-induced cognitive impairment. -- Abstract: Cranial radiotherapy induces progressive and debilitating cognitive deficits, particularly in long-term cancer survivors, which may in part be caused by the reduction of hippocampal neurogenesis. Previous studies suggested that voluntary exercise can reduce the cognitive impairment caused by radiation therapy. However, there is no study on the effect of forced wheel exercise and little is known about the molecular mechanisms mediating the effect of exercise. In the present study, we investigated whether the forced running exercise after irradiation had the protective effects of the radiation-induced cognitive impairment. Sixty-four Male Sprague–Dawley rats received a single dose of 20 Gy or sham whole-brain irradiation (WBI), behavioral test was evaluated using open field test and Morris water maze at 2 months after irradiation. Half of the rats accepted a 3-week forced running exercise before the behavior detection. Immunofluorescence was used to evaluate the changes in hippocampal neurogenesis and Western blotting was used to assess changes in the levels of mature brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), phosphorylated tyrosine receptor kinase B (TrkB) receptor, protein kinase B (Akt), extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), calcium-calmodulin dependent kinase (CaMKII), cAMP-calcium response element binding protein (CREB) in the BDNF–pCREB signaling. We found forced running exercise significantly prevented radiation-induced cognitive deficits, ameliorated the impairment of hippocampal neurogenesis and attenuated the down-regulation of these proteins. Moreover, exercise also increased behavioral performance, hippocampal neurogenesis and elevated BDNF–pCREB signaling in non

Retractor-induced brain shift compensation in image-guided neurosurgery

Science.gov (United States)

Fan, Xiaoyao; Ji, Songbai; Hartov, Alex; Roberts, David; Paulsen, Keith

2013-03-01

In image-guided neurosurgery, intraoperative brain shift significantly degrades the accuracy of neuronavigation that is solely based on preoperative magnetic resonance images (pMR). To compensate for brain deformation and to maintain the accuracy in image guidance achieved at the start of surgery, biomechanical models have been developed to simulate brain deformation and to produce model-updated MR images (uMR) to compensate for brain shift. To-date, most studies have focused on shift compensation at early stages of surgery (i.e., updated images are only produced after craniotomy and durotomy). Simulating surgical events at later stages such as retraction and tissue resection are, perhaps, clinically more relevant because of the typically much larger magnitudes of brain deformation. However, these surgical events are substantially more complex in nature, thereby posing significant challenges in model-based brain shift compensation strategies. In this study, we present results from an initial investigation to simulate retractor-induced brain deformation through a biomechanical finite element (FE) model where whole-brain deformation assimilated from intraoperative data was used produce uMR for improved accuracy in image guidance. Specifically, intensity-encoded 3D surface profiles at the exposed cortical area were reconstructed from intraoperative stereovision (iSV) images before and after tissue retraction. Retractor-induced surface displacements were then derived by coregistering the surfaces and served as sparse displacement data to drive the FE model. With one patient case, we show that our technique is able to produce uMR that agrees well with the reconstructed iSV surface after retraction. The computational cost to simulate retractor-induced brain deformation was approximately 10 min. In addition, our approach introduces minimal interruption to the surgical workflow, suggesting the potential for its clinical application.

Quantification of traumatic meningeal injury using dynamic contrast enhanced (DCE) fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) imaging

Science.gov (United States)

Castro, Marcelo A.; Williford, Joshua P.; Cota, Martin R.; MacLaren, Judy M.; Dardzinski, Bernard J.; Latour, Lawrence L.; Pham, Dzung L.; Butman, John A.

2016-03-01

Traumatic meningeal injury is a novel imaging marker of traumatic brain injury, which appears as enhancement of the dura on post-contrast T2-weighted FLAIR images, and is likely associated with inflammation of the meninges. Dynamic Contrast Enhanced MRI provides a better discrimination of abnormally perfused regions. A method to properly identify those regions is presented. Images of seventeen patients scanned within 96 hours of head injury with positive traumatic meningeal injury were normalized and aligned. The difference between the pre- and last post-contrast acquisitions was segmented and voxels in the higher class were spatially clustered. Spatial and morphological descriptors were used to identify the regions of enhancement: a) centroid; b) distance to the brain mask from external voxels; c) distance from internal voxels; d) size; e) shape. The method properly identified thirteen regions among all patients. The method failed in one case due to the presence of a large brain lesion that altered the mask boundaries. Most false detections were correctly rejected resulting in a sensitivity and specificity of 92.9% and 93.6%, respectively.

MR imaging of the developing brain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chi, T.L.; Oh, C.H.; Medina, L.R.; Bello, J.A.; Khandji, A.G.; Hilal, S.K.; Paviakis, S.G.

1987-01-01

MR imaging is an excellent modality for the study of normal developments as well as pathologic derangements of cerebrospinal fluid flow and myelin formation. The authors studied children less than 3 years old using a single-echo technique at 1.5 T. T1 and T2 values for the gray and white matter were measured. The signal intensity and the measured T2 values of the white matter were higher than those of the gray matter at term until 8 or 9 months of age. In patients with hydrocephalus, the gray/white matter contrast on the T2-weighted images was not altered, but he measured T2 values were prolonged, probably reflecting diffuse brain edema. The T2 values are presented graphically showing the normal range of variations. In children whose values fall outside the range, alterations of brain water content or a dysmyelination process should be suspected

Developing predictive imaging biomarkers using whole-brain classifiers: Application to the ABIDE I dataset

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Swati Rane

2017-03-01

Full Text Available We designed a modular machine learning program that uses functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI data in order to distinguish individuals with autism spectrum disorders from neurodevelopmentally normal individuals. Data was selected from the Autism Brain Imaging Dataset Exchange (ABIDE I Preprocessed Dataset.

Accurate and robust brain image alignment using boundary-based registration.

Science.gov (United States)

Greve, Douglas N; Fischl, Bruce

2009-10-15

The fine spatial scales of the structures in the human brain represent an enormous challenge to the successful integration of information from different images for both within- and between-subject analysis. While many algorithms to register image pairs from the same subject exist, visual inspection shows that their accuracy and robustness to be suspect, particularly when there are strong intensity gradients and/or only part of the brain is imaged. This paper introduces a new algorithm called Boundary-Based Registration, or BBR. The novelty of BBR is that it treats the two images very differently. The reference image must be of sufficient resolution and quality to extract surfaces that separate tissue types. The input image is then aligned to the reference by maximizing the intensity gradient across tissue boundaries. Several lower quality images can be aligned through their alignment with the reference. Visual inspection and fMRI results show that BBR is more accurate than correlation ratio or normalized mutual information and is considerably more robust to even strong intensity inhomogeneities. BBR also excels at aligning partial-brain images to whole-brain images, a domain in which existing registration algorithms frequently fail. Even in the limit of registering a single slice, we show the BBR results to be robust and accurate.

High-resolution imaging of the large non-human primate brain using microPET: a feasibility study

Science.gov (United States)

Naidoo-Variawa, S.; Hey-Cunningham, A. J.; Lehnert, W.; Kench, P. L.; Kassiou, M.; Banati, R.; Meikle, S. R.

2007-11-01

The neuroanatomy and physiology of the baboon brain closely resembles that of the human brain and is well suited for evaluating promising new radioligands in non-human primates by PET and SPECT prior to their use in humans. These studies are commonly performed on clinical scanners with 5 mm spatial resolution at best, resulting in sub-optimal images for quantitative analysis. This study assessed the feasibility of using a microPET animal scanner to image the brains of large non-human primates, i.e. papio hamadryas (baboon) at high resolution. Factors affecting image accuracy, including scatter, attenuation and spatial resolution, were measured under conditions approximating a baboon brain and using different reconstruction strategies. Scatter fraction measured 32% at the centre of a 10 cm diameter phantom. Scatter correction increased image contrast by up to 21% but reduced the signal-to-noise ratio. Volume resolution was superior and more uniform using maximum a posteriori (MAP) reconstructed images (3.2-3.6 mm3 FWHM from centre to 4 cm offset) compared to both 3D ordered subsets expectation maximization (OSEM) (5.6-8.3 mm3) and 3D reprojection (3DRP) (5.9-9.1 mm3). A pilot 18F-2-fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose ([18F]FDG) scan was performed on a healthy female adult baboon. The pilot study demonstrated the ability to adequately resolve cortical and sub-cortical grey matter structures in the baboon brain and improved contrast when images were corrected for attenuation and scatter and reconstructed by MAP. We conclude that high resolution imaging of the baboon brain with microPET is feasible with appropriate choices of reconstruction strategy and corrections for degrading physical effects. Further work to develop suitable correction algorithms for high-resolution large primate imaging is warranted.

High-resolution imaging of the large non-human primate brain using microPET: a feasibility study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Naidoo-Variawa, S [Discipline of Medical Radiation Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Sydney, PO Box 170, Lidcombe, NSW 1825, Sydney (Australia); Hey-Cunningham, A J [Discipline of Medical Radiation Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Sydney, PO Box 170, Lidcombe, NSW 1825, Sydney (Australia); Lehnert, W [Discipline of Medical Radiation Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Sydney, PO Box 170, Lidcombe, NSW 1825, Sydney (Australia); Kench, P L [Discipline of Medical Radiation Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Sydney, PO Box 170, Lidcombe, NSW 1825, Sydney (Australia); Kassiou, M [Discipline of Medical Radiation Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Sydney, PO Box 170, Lidcombe, NSW 1825, Sydney (Australia); Banati, R [Discipline of Medical Radiation Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Sydney, PO Box 170, Lidcombe, NSW 1825, Sydney (Australia); Meikle, S R [Discipline of Medical Radiation Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Sydney, PO Box 170, Lidcombe, NSW 1825, Sydney (Australia)

2007-11-21

The neuroanatomy and physiology of the baboon brain closely resembles that of the human brain and is well suited for evaluating promising new radioligands in non-human primates by PET and SPECT prior to their use in humans. These studies are commonly performed on clinical scanners with 5 mm spatial resolution at best, resulting in sub-optimal images for quantitative analysis. This study assessed the feasibility of using a microPET animal scanner to image the brains of large non-human primates, i.e. papio hamadryas (baboon) at high resolution. Factors affecting image accuracy, including scatter, attenuation and spatial resolution, were measured under conditions approximating a baboon brain and using different reconstruction strategies. Scatter fraction measured 32% at the centre of a 10 cm diameter phantom. Scatter correction increased image contrast by up to 21% but reduced the signal-to-noise ratio. Volume resolution was superior and more uniform using maximum a posteriori (MAP) reconstructed images (3.2-3.6 mm{sup 3} FWHM from centre to 4 cm offset) compared to both 3D ordered subsets expectation maximization (OSEM) (5.6-8.3 mm{sup 3}) and 3D reprojection (3DRP) (5.9-9.1 mm{sup 3}). A pilot {sup 18}F-2-fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose ([{sup 18}F]FDG) scan was performed on a healthy female adult baboon. The pilot study demonstrated the ability to adequately resolve cortical and sub-cortical grey matter structures in the baboon brain and improved contrast when images were corrected for attenuation and scatter and reconstructed by MAP. We conclude that high resolution imaging of the baboon brain with microPET is feasible with appropriate choices of reconstruction strategy and corrections for degrading physical effects. Further work to develop suitable correction algorithms for high-resolution large primate imaging is warranted.

Handedness- and Brain Size-Related Efficiency Differences in Small-World Brain Networks: A Resting-State Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study

OpenAIRE

Li, Meiling; Wang, Junping; Liu, Feng; Chen, Heng; Lu, Fengmei; Wu, Guorong; Yu, Chunshui; Chen, Huafu

2015-01-01

The human brain has been described as a complex network, which integrates information with high efficiency. However, the relationships between the efficiency of human brain functional networks and handedness and brain size remain unclear. Twenty-one left-handed and 32 right-handed healthy subjects underwent a resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging scan. The whole brain functional networks were constructed by thresholding Pearson correlation matrices of 90 cortical and subcortical...

Degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine: a prospective comparison of fast T1-weighted fluid-attenuated inversion recovery and T1-weighted turbo spin echo MR imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Erdem, L. Oktay; Erdem, C. Zuhal; Acikgoz, Bektas; Gundogdu, Sadi

2005-01-01

Objective: To compare fast T1-weighted fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) and T1-weighted turbo spin-echo (TSE) imaging of the degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine. Materials and methods: Thirty-five consecutive patients (19 females, 16 males; mean age 41 years, range 31-67 years) with suspected degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine were prospectively evaluated. Sagittal images of the lumbar spine were obtained using T1-weighted TSE and fast T1-weighted FLAIR sequences. Two radiologists compared these sequences both qualitatively and quantitatively. Results: On qualitative evaluation, CSF nulling, contrast at the disc-CSF interface, the disc-spinal cord (cauda equina) interface, and the spinal cord (cauda equina)-CSF interface of fast T1-weighted FLAIR images were significantly higher than those for T1-weighted TSE images (P < 0.001). On quantitative evaluation of the first 15 patients, signal-to-noise ratios of cerebrospinal fluid of fast T1-weighted FLAIR imaging were significantly lower than those for T1-weighted TSE images (P < 0.05). Contrast-to-noise ratios of spinal cord/CSF and normal bone marrow/disc for fast T1-weighted FLAIR images were significantly higher than those for T1-weighted TSE images (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Results in our study have shown that fast T1-weighted FLAIR imaging may be a valuable imaging modality in the armamentarium of lumbar spinal T1-weighted MR imaging, because the former technique has definite superior advantages such as CSF nulling, conspicuousness of the normal anatomic structures and changes in the lumbar spinal discogenic disease and image contrast and also almost equally acquisition times

Degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine: a prospective comparison of fast T1-weighted fluid-attenuated inversion recovery and T1-weighted turbo spin echo MR imaging

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Erdem, L. Oktay [Department of Radiology, Zonguldak Karaelmas University, School of Medicine, 6700 Kozlu, Zonguldak (Turkey)]. E-mail: sunarerdem@yahoo.com; Erdem, C. Zuhal [Department of Radiology, Zonguldak Karaelmas University, School of Medicine, 6700 Kozlu, Zonguldak (Turkey); Acikgoz, Bektas [Department of Neurosurgery, Zonguldak Karaelmas University, School of Medicine, Zonguldak (Turkey); Gundogdu, Sadi [Department of Radiology, Zonguldak Karaelmas University, School of Medicine, 6700 Kozlu, Zonguldak (Turkey)

2005-08-01

Objective: To compare fast T1-weighted fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) and T1-weighted turbo spin-echo (TSE) imaging of the degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine. Materials and methods: Thirty-five consecutive patients (19 females, 16 males; mean age 41 years, range 31-67 years) with suspected degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine were prospectively evaluated. Sagittal images of the lumbar spine were obtained using T1-weighted TSE and fast T1-weighted FLAIR sequences. Two radiologists compared these sequences both qualitatively and quantitatively. Results: On qualitative evaluation, CSF nulling, contrast at the disc-CSF interface, the disc-spinal cord (cauda equina) interface, and the spinal cord (cauda equina)-CSF interface of fast T1-weighted FLAIR images were significantly higher than those for T1-weighted TSE images (P < 0.001). On quantitative evaluation of the first 15 patients, signal-to-noise ratios of cerebrospinal fluid of fast T1-weighted FLAIR imaging were significantly lower than those for T1-weighted TSE images (P < 0.05). Contrast-to-noise ratios of spinal cord/CSF and normal bone marrow/disc for fast T1-weighted FLAIR images were significantly higher than those for T1-weighted TSE images (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Results in our study have shown that fast T1-weighted FLAIR imaging may be a valuable imaging modality in the armamentarium of lumbar spinal T1-weighted MR imaging, because the former technique has definite superior advantages such as CSF nulling, conspicuousness of the normal anatomic structures and changes in the lumbar spinal discogenic disease and image contrast and also almost equally acquisition times.

Clinical usefulness of scatter and attenuation correction for brain single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) in pediatrics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adachi, Itaru; Doi, Kenji; Komori, Tsuyoshi; Hou, Nobuyoshi; Tabuchi, Koujirou; Matsui, Ritsuo; Sueyoshi, Kouzou; Utsunomiya, Keita; Narabayashi, Isamu

1998-01-01

This investigation was undertaken to study clinical usefulness of scatter and attenuation correction (SAC) of brain SPECT in infants to compare the standard reconstruction (STD). The brain SPECT was performed in 31 patients with 19 epilepsy, 5 cerebro-vascular disease, 2 brain tumor, 3 meningitis, 1 hydrocephalus and psychosis (mean age 5.0±4.9 years old). Many patients was necessary to be injected sedatives for restraining body motion after Technetium-99m hexamethylpropylene amine oxime ( 99m Tc-HMPAO) was injected at the convulsion or rest. Brain SPECT data were acquired with triple detector gamma camera (GCA-9300 Toshiba Japan). These data were reconstructed by filtered backprojection after the raw data were corrected by triple energy windows method of scatter correction and Chang filtered method of attenuation correction. The same data was reconstructed by filtered backprojection without these corrections. Both SAC and STD SPECT images were analyzed by the visual interpretation. The uptake ratio of cerebral basal nuclei was calculated by the counts of the thalamus or lenticular nuclei divided by the cortex. All images of SAC method were excellent than that of STD method. The thalamic uptake ratio in SAC method was higher than that of STD method (1.22±0.09>0.87±0.22 p 1.02±0.16 p<0.01). Transmission scan is the most suitable method of absorption correction. But the transmission scan is not adequate for examination of children, because this scan needs a lot of time and the infants are exposed by the line source radioisotope. It was concluded that these scatter and absorption corrections were most suitable method for brain SPECT in pediatrics. (author)

Reproducibility of brain ADC histograms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Steens, S.C.A.; Buchem, M.A. van; Admiraal-Behloul, F.; Schaap, J.A.; Hoogenraad, F.G.C.; Wheeler-Kingshott, C.A.M.; Tofts, P.S.; Cessie, S. le

2004-01-01

The aim of this study was to assess the effect of differences in acquisition technique on whole-brain apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) histogram parameters, as well as to assess scan-rescan reproducibility. Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) was performed in 7 healthy subjects with b-values 0-800, 0-1000, and 0-1500 s/mm 2 and fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) DWI with b-values 0-1000 s/mm 2 . All sequences were repeated with and without repositioning. The peak location, peak height, and mean ADC of the ADC histograms and mean ADC of a region of interest (ROI) in the white matter were compared using paired-sample t tests. Scan-rescan reproducibility was assessed using paired-sample t tests, and repeatability coefficients were reported. With increasing maximum b-values, ADC histograms shifted to lower values, with an increase in peak height (p<0.01). With FLAIR DWI, the ADC histogram shifted to lower values with a significantly higher, narrower peak (p<0.01), although the ROI mean ADC showed no significant differences. For scan-rescan reproducibility, no significant differences were observed. Different DWI pulse sequences give rise to different ADC histograms. With a given pulse sequence, however, ADC histogram analysis is a robust and reproducible technique. Using FLAIR DWI, the partial-voluming effect of cerebrospinal fluid, and thus its confounding effect on histogram analyses, can be reduced

Whole brain radiotherapy for brain metastases: The technique of irradiation influences the dose to parotid glands

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Loos, G.; Paulon, R.; Verrelle, P.; Lapeyre, M.

2012-01-01

In the treatment of brain metastases, whole brain radiotherapy can be carried out according two distinct methods: one using multi-leaf collimator for field shaping and protection of organs at risk, and a second one is to make a rotation of the field to avoid the eyes. The aim of the study was to compare for 10 patients the dose distributions at organs at risk for each method. Patients received 30 Gy in 10 fractions. Except for parotid glands, the dose received by organs at risk and the planning target volume was the same with each method. For whole brain radiotherapy, excluding the cisterna cerebellomedullaris, the mean parotid dose was 9.63 Gy using the multi-leaf collimator versus 12.32 Gy using the field rotation (P = 0.04). For whole brain radiotherapy including the cisterna cerebellomedullaris, the mean parotid dose was 11.12 Gy using the multi-leaf collimator versus 20.06 Gy using field rotation (P < 0.001). Using the multi-leaf collimator seems recommended for whole brain radiotherapy, to reduce the dose to the parotids. (authors)

Ribbon scanning confocal for high-speed high-resolution volume imaging of brain.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alan M Watson

Full Text Available Whole-brain imaging is becoming a fundamental means of experimental insight; however, achieving subcellular resolution imagery in a reasonable time window has not been possible. We describe the first application of multicolor ribbon scanning confocal methods to collect high-resolution volume images of chemically cleared brains. We demonstrate that ribbon scanning collects images over ten times faster than conventional high speed confocal systems but with equivalent spectral and spatial resolution. Further, using this technology, we reconstruct large volumes of mouse brain infected with encephalitic alphaviruses and demonstrate that regions of the brain with abundant viral replication were inaccessible to vascular perfusion. This reveals that the destruction or collapse of large regions of brain micro vasculature may contribute to the severe disease caused by Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus. Visualization of this fundamental impact of infection would not be possible without sampling at subcellular resolution within large brain volumes.

Usefulness of combined fat- and fluid-suppressed SPIR-FLAIR images in optic neurits : Comparison with fat-suppressed SPIR or STIR images

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Hye Yeon; Son, Seok Hyun; Eun, Choong Ki; Han, Sang Suk

2001-01-01

To compare the usefulness of combined fat- and fluid-suppressed selective partial inversion recovery-fluid attenuated inversion recovery(SPIR-FLAIR) images in the detection of high signal intensity of the optic nerve in optic neuritis with that of fat-suppressed selective partial inversion recovery(SPIR) or short inversion time inversion recovery(STIR) images. Two radiologists independently analyzed randomly mixed MR images of 16 lesions in 14 patients (M:F=7:7; mean age, 40 years) in whom optic neuritis had been clinically diagnosed. All subjects underwent both SPIR-FLAIR and fat-suppressed SPIR or STIR imaging, in a blind fashion. In order to evaluate the optic nerve, coronal images perpendicular to its long axis were obtained. The detection rate of high signal intensity of the optic nerve, the radiologists preferred imaging sequences, and intersubject consistency of detection were evaluated. 'High signal intensity' was defined as the subjective visual evaluation of increased signal intensity compared with that of the contralateral optic nerve or that of white matter. The mean detection rate of high signal intensity of the optic nerve was 90% for combined fat- and fluid-suppressed SPIR-FLAIR images, and 59% for fat-suppressed SPIR or STIR images. In all cases in which the signal intensity observed on SPIR-FLAIR images was normal, that on fat-suppressed SPIR or STIR images was also normal. The radiologists preferred the contrast properties of SPIR-FLAIR to those of fat-suppressed SPIR or STIR images. In the diagnosis of optic neuritis using MRI, combined fat- and fluid-suppressed SPIR-FLAIR images were more useful for the detection of high signal intensity of the optic nerve than fat-suppressed SPIR or STIR images. For the evaluation of optic neuritis, combined fat- and fluid-suppressed SPIR-FLAIR imaging is superior to fat-suppressed SPIR or STIR imaging

Evaluation of quantitative planar 90Y bremsstrahlung whole-body imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Minarik, D; Ljungberg, M; Gleisner, K Sjoegreen; Segars, P

2009-01-01

With high-dose administration of 90 Y labeled antibodies, it is possible to image 90 Y without an admixture of 111 In. We have earlier shown that it is possible to perform quantitative 90 Y bremsstrahlung SPECT for dosimetry purposes with reasonable accuracy. However, whole-body (WB) activity quantification with the conjugate view method is not as time consuming as SPECT and has been the method of choice for dosimetry. We have investigated the possibility of using a conjugate view method where scatter-, backscatter- and septal-penetration compensations are performed by inverse filtering and attenuation correction is performed with a WB x-ray image, for total-body and organ activity quantification of 90 Y. The method was evaluated using both Monte Carlo simulated scintillation camera images using realistic source distributions, and by an experimental phantom study. The method was evaluated in terms of image quality and accuracy of the activity quantification. The experimental phantom study was performed using the RSD torso phantom with 90 Y activity uniformly distributed in the liver insert. A GE Discovery VH/Hawkeye system was used to acquire the image. The simulation study was performed for a realistic activity distribution in the NCAT anthropomorphic phantom where 90 Y bremsstrahlung images were generated using the SIMIND MC program. Two different phantom configurations and two activity distributions were simulated. To mimic the RSD phantom experiment one simulation study was also made with 90 Y activity located only in the liver. The SIMIND program was configured to resemble a GE Discovery VH/Hawkeye system. An x-ray projector program was used to generate whole-body x-ray images from the NCAT phantom for attenuation correction in the conjugate view method. Organ activities were calculated from ROIs that exactly covered the organs. Corrections for background activity, overlapping activity and source extension in the depth direction were applied on the ROI data

Incidence of Leukoencephalopathy After Whole-Brain Radiation Therapy for Brain Metastases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ebi, Junko; Sato, Hisashi; Nakajima, Masaru; Shishido, Fumio

2013-01-01

Purpose: To evaluate the incidence of leukoencephalopathy after whole-brain radiation therapy (WBRT) in patients with brain metastases. Methods and Materials: We retrospectively reviewed 111 patients who underwent WBRT for brain metastases from April 2001 through March 2008 and had evaluable computed tomography (CT) and/or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at least 1 month after completion of WBRT. We evaluated the leukoencephalopathy according to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events, version 3.0. The patients who had brain tumor recurrence after WBRT were censored at the last follow-up CT or MRI without recurrence. To evaluate the risk factors for leukoencephalopathy, bivariate analysis was performed using a logistic regression analysis adjusted for follow-up time. Factors included in the analysis were age, gender, dose fractionation, 5-fluorouracil, methotrexate, cisplatin, and other chemotherapeutic agents. Results: The median age of the 111 patients was 60.0 years (range, 23-89 years). The median follow-up was 3.8 months (range, 1.0-38.1 months). Leukoencephalopathy developed in 23 of the 111 patients. Grades 1, 2, and 3 were observed in 8, 7, and 8 patients, respectively. The incidence was 34.4% (11 of 32), 42.9% (6 of 14), 66.7% (2 of 3), and 100% (2 of 2) of the patients who were followed up for ≥6, ≥12, ≥24, and ≥36 months, respectively. In the bivariate analysis, older age (≥65 years) was significantly correlated with higher risk of leukoencephalopathy (odds ratio 3.31; 95% confidence interval 1.15-9.50; P=.03). Conclusions: The incidence of leukoencephalopathy after WBRT was 34.4% with ≥6 months follow-up, and increased with longer follow-up. Older age was a significant risk factor. The schedule of WBRT for patients with brain metastases should be carefully determined, especially for favorable patients

Post-marketing surveillance of OraQuick whole blood and oral fluid rapid HIV testing.

Science.gov (United States)

Wesolowski, Laura G; MacKellar, Duncan A; Facente, Shelley N; Dowling, Teri; Ethridge, Steven F; Zhu, Julia H; Sullivan, Patrick S

2006-08-01

Post-marketing surveillance was conducted to monitor the performance of the OraQuick Advance rapid HIV-1/2 antibody test (OraQuick) on whole blood and oral fluid. Surveillance of routinely collected data on clients tested with OraQuick in 368 testing sites affiliated with 17 state and city health departments between 11 August 2004 and 30 June 2005. For whole blood and oral fluid, we report the median (range) health department OraQuick specificity and positive predictive value (PPV), and the number of clients with discordant results (e.g. who had a reactive rapid test not confirmed positive by Western blot or indirect immunofluorescence). At one site with lower than expected oral-fluid specificity, we evaluated whether device expiration, manufacturing lot, operator practices, or device-storage or testing-area temperatures were associated with false-positive tests. During the surveillance period, 135 724 whole blood and 26 066 oral fluid rapid tests were conducted. The median health department whole blood OraQuick specificity was 99.98% (range: 99.73-100%) and PPV was 99.24% (range: 66.67-100%); the median oral fluid specificity was 99.89% (range: 99.44-100%) and PPV was 90.00% (range: 50.00-100%). A total of 124 discordant results were reported from 68 (0.05%) whole blood and 56 (0.22%) oral fluid rapid tests. The oral fluid specificity at the site with excess oral fluid false-positive tests was 98.7% (95% confidence interval: 98.18-99.11%). The increase in false-positive tests at that site was not associated with any specific device characteristic, operator procedure or temperature condition. The specificity of OraQuick performed on whole blood and oral fluid during post-marketing surveillance was compatible with the manufacturer's claim within the package insert. However, one site experienced lower than expected oral fluid specificity. Sites that observe that the specificity of OraQuick is lower than the range indicated in the package insert should notify the

Ultra-high-speed imaging of the brain by the echo planar technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Worthington, B.S.; Stehling, M.K.; Ordidge, R.J.; Coxon, R.; Howseman, A.M.; Chapman, B.; Turner, R.; Firth, J.L.; Mansfield, P.

1988-01-01

Reduced examination time, greater patient tolerance and throughput, and the ability to study vascular and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow phenomena are important advantages of ultra-high-speed brain imaging. The EPI derivatives BEST and MBEST create a complete 128 X 128-pixel image in 64 msec and 128 msec, respectively. In BEST images, T2 weighting is altered by adjusting the echo time, modulus BEST images have intrinsic T2 weighting. Repetition time alterations provide variable T1 weighting in both. Volunteer and patient studies illustrate how selective contrast manipulation allows excellent discrimination between gray and white matter and the brain and the CSF, enabling the demonstration of pathology

MR image-guided portal verification for brain treatment field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yin, F.-F.; Gao, Q.H.; Xie, H.; Nelson, D.F.; Yu, Y.; Kwok, W.E.; Totterman, S.; Schell, M.C.; Rubin, P.

1996-01-01

and marrow information within the skull. Next, a ray-tracing method is used to generate a projection (pseudo-portal) image at the planned treatment position. In this situation, the ray-tracing is simply performed on pixels rather than attenuation coefficients. The skull and its relative positions are also projected to the pseudo-portal image and are used as 'hint' for the search of similar features in the portal images. A Canny edge detector is applied to the region of treatment field and is used to enhance brain contour and skull. The skull in the brain is then identified using a snake technique which is guided by the ''hint'', the projected features from MR images. Finally, a Chamfer matching technique is used to correlate features between the MR projection and portal images. Results: MR image-guided portal verification technique is evaluated using a clinical patient case who has an astrocytoma brain tumor and is treated by radiation therapy. The segmented results for brain MR slice images indicate that a wavelet-based image segmentation technique provides a reasonable estimation for the brain skull. Compared to the brain portal image, the method developed in this study for the generation of brain projection images provides skull structure about 3 mm differences. However, overall matching results are within 2 mm compared to the results between portal and simulation images. In addition, tumor volume can be accurately visualized in the projection image and be mapped over to portal images for treatment verification with this approach. Conclusions: A method for MR image-guided portal verification of brain treatment field is being developed. Although the projection image from MR images dose not have the similar radiographic appearance as portal images, it provides certain essential anatomical features (landmarks and gross tumor) as well as their relative locations to be used as references for computerized portal verification

Examination of the role of magnetic resonance imaging in multiple sclerosis: A problem-orientated approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

McFarland Henry

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI has brought in several benefits to the study of Multiple Sclerosis (MS. It provides accurate measurement of disease activity, facilitates precise diagnosis, and aid in the assessment of newer therapies. The imaging guidelines for MS are broadly divided in to approaches for imaging patients with suspected MS or clinically isolated syndromes (CIS or for monitoring patients with established MS. In this review, the technical aspects of MR imaging for MS are briefly discussed. The imaging process need to capture the twin aspects of acute MS viz. the autoimmune acute inflammatory process and the neurodegenerative process. Gadolinium enhanced MRI can identify acute inflammatory lesions precisely. The commonly applied MRI marker of disease progression is brain atrophy. Whole brain magnetization Transfer Ratio (MTR and Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS are two other techniques use to monitor disease progression. A variety of imaging techniques such as Double Inversion Recovery (DIR, Spoiled Gradient Recalled (SPGR acquisition, and Fluid Attenuated Inversion Recovery (FLAIR have been utilized to study the cortical changes in MS. MRI is now extensively used in the Phase I, II and III clinical trials of new therapies. As the technical aspects of MRI advance rapidly, and higher field strengths become available, it is hoped that the impact of MRI on our understanding of MS will be even more profound in the next decade.

Metric to quantify white matter damage on brain magnetic resonance images

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Valdes Hernandez, Maria del C.; Munoz Maniega, Susana; Anblagan, Devasuda; Bastin, Mark E.; Wardlaw, Joanna M.; Chappell, Francesca M.; Morris, Zoe; Sakka, Eleni; Dickie, David Alexander; Royle, Natalie A.; Armitage, Paul A.; Deary, Ian J.

2017-01-01

Quantitative assessment of white matter hyperintensities (WMH) on structural Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is challenging. It is important to harmonise results from different software tools considering not only the volume but also the signal intensity. Here we propose and evaluate a metric of white matter (WM) damage that addresses this need. We obtained WMH and normal-appearing white matter (NAWM) volumes from brain structural MRI from community dwelling older individuals and stroke patients enrolled in three different studies, using two automatic methods followed by manual editing by two to four observers blind to each other. We calculated the average intensity values on brain structural fluid-attenuation inversion recovery (FLAIR) MRI for the NAWM and WMH. The white matter damage metric is calculated as the proportion of WMH in brain tissue weighted by the relative image contrast of the WMH-to-NAWM. The new metric was evaluated using tissue microstructure parameters and visual ratings of small vessel disease burden and WMH: Fazekas score for WMH burden and Prins scale for WMH change. The correlation between the WM damage metric and the visual rating scores (Spearman ρ > =0.74, p =0.72, p < 0.0001). The repeatability of the WM damage metric was better than WM volume (average median difference between measurements 3.26% (IQR 2.76%) and 5.88% (IQR 5.32%) respectively). The follow-up WM damage was highly related to total Prins score even when adjusted for baseline WM damage (ANCOVA, p < 0.0001), which was not always the case for WMH volume, as total Prins was highly associated with the change in the intense WMH volume (p = 0.0079, increase of 4.42 ml per unit change in total Prins, 95%CI [1.17 7.67]), but not with the change in less-intense, subtle WMH, which determined the volumetric change. The new metric is practical and simple to calculate. It is robust to variations in image processing methods and scanning protocols, and sensitive to subtle and severe white

Postmortem magnetic resonance images of the injured brain: effective evidence in the courtroom.

Science.gov (United States)

Harris, L S

1991-09-01

Magnetic resonance images (MRI) of the whole, formalin-fixed brain produce details of pathologic changes deep within brain substance not apparent on external examination. Photographs of these radiographic images present pathologic features in a black-and-white, 2-dimensional format which has proven particularly effective in court before judge and jury. This pathologist has noted acceptance of such photographs in explaining to jurors the details of his testimony in selected cases where brain trauma resulted in a wrongful death. Penetrating missile wounds and blunt impact injuries are particularly well documented by this method.

Comparison of T1-weighted fast spin-echo and T1-weighted fluid-attenuated inversion recovery images of the lumbar spine at 3.0 Tesla

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lavdas, Eleftherios; Vlychou, Marianna; Arikidis, Nikos; Kapsalaki, Eftychia; Roka, Violetta; Fezoulidis, Ioannis V.

2010-01-01

Background: T1-weighted fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) sequence has been reported to provide improved contrast between lesions and normal anatomical structures compared to T1-weighted fast spin-echo (FSE) imaging at 1.5T regarding imaging of the lumbar spine. Purpose: To compare T1-weighted FSE and fast T1-weighted FLAIR imaging in normal anatomic structures and degenerative and metastatic lesions of the lumbar spine at 3.0T. Material and Methods: Thirty-two consecutive patients (19 females, 13 males; mean age 44 years, range 30-67 years) with lesions of the lumbar spine were prospectively evaluated. Sagittal images of the lumbar spine were obtained using T1-weighted FSE and fast T1-weighted FLAIR sequences. Both qualitative and quantitative analyses measuring the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), and relative contrast (ReCon) between degenerative and metastatic lesions and normal anatomic structures were conducted, comparing these sequences. Results: On quantitative evaluation, SNRs of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), nerve root, and fat around the root of fast T1-weighted FLAIR imaging were significantly lower than those of T1-weighted FSE images (P<0.001). CNRs of normal spinal cord/CSF and disc herniation/ CSF for fast T1-weighted FLAIR images were significantly higher than those for T1-weighted FSE images (P<0.001). ReCon of normal spinal cord/CSF, disc herniation/CSF, and vertebral lesions/CSF for fast T1-weighted FLAIR images were significantly higher than those for T1-weighted FSE images (P<0.001). On qualitative evaluation, it was found that CSF nulling and contrast at the spinal cord (cauda equina)/CSF interface for T1-weighted FLAIR images were significantly superior compared to those for T1-weighted FSE images (P<0.001), and the disc/spinal cord (cauda equina) interface was better for T1-weighted FLAIR images (P<0.05). Conclusion: The T1-weighted FLAIR sequence may be considered as the preferred lumbar spine imaging

Whole-body biodistribution and brain PET imaging with [{sup 18}F]AV-45, a novel amyloid imaging agent - a pilot study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lin, K.-J. [Department of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taiwan (China); Department of Medical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, Chang Gung University, Taiwan (China); Hsu, W.-C. [Department of Neurology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taiwan (China); Hsiao, I.-T.; Wey, S.-P. [Department of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taiwan (China); Department of Medical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, Chang Gung University, Taiwan (China); Jin, L.-W. [M.I.N.D. Institute and Department of Pathology, University of California, Davis, CA (United States); Skovronsky, Daniel [Avid Radiopharmaceuticals, Inc., Philadelphia, PA (United States); Wai, Y.-Y. [Department of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taiwan (China); Department of Radiology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taiwan (China); Chang, H.-P.; Lo, C.-W.; Yao, C.H.; Yen, T.-C. [Department of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taiwan (China); Kung, M.-P. [Department of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taiwan (China); Department of Radiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA (United States)

2010-05-15

Purpose: The compound (E)-4-(2-(6-(2-(2-(2-{sup 18}F-fluoroethoxy)ethoxy)ethoxy) pyridin-3-yl)vinyl)-N-methylbenzenamine ([{sup 18}F]AV-45) is a novel radiopharmaceutical capable of selectively binding to {beta}-amyloid (A{beta}) plaques. This pilot study reports the safety, biodistribution, and radiation dosimetry of [{sup 18}F]AV-45 in human subjects. Methods: In vitro autoradiography and fluorescent staining of postmortem brain tissue from patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and cognitively healthy subjects were performed to assess the specificity of the tracer. Biodistribution was assessed in three healthy elderly subjects (mean age: 60.0{+-}5.2 years) who underwent 3-h whole-body positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomographic (CT) scans after a bolus injection of 381.9{+-}13.9 MBq of [{sup 18}F]AV-45. Another six subjects (three AD patients and three healthy controls, mean age: 67.7{+-}13.6 years) underwent brain PET studies. Source organs were delineated on PET/CT. All subjects underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for obtaining structural information. Results: In vitro autoradiography revealed exquisitely high specific binding of [{sup 18}F]AV-45 to postmortem AD brain sections, but not to the control sections. There were no serious adverse events throughout the study period. The peak uptake of the tracer in the brain was 5.12{+-}0.41% of the injected dose. The highest absorbed organ dose was to the gallbladder wall (184.7{+-}78.6 {mu}Gy/MBq, 4.8 h voiding interval). The effective dose equivalent and effective dose values for [{sup 18}F]AV-45 were 33.8{+-}3.4 {mu}Sv/MBq and 19.3{+-}1.3 {mu}Sv/MBq, respectively. Conclusion: [{sup 18}F]AV-45 binds specifically to A{beta} in vitro, and is a safe PET tracer for studying A{beta} distribution in human brain. The dosimetry is suitable for clinical and research application.

Whole-brain activity maps reveal stereotyped, distributed networks for visuomotor behavior.

Science.gov (United States)

Portugues, Ruben; Feierstein, Claudia E; Engert, Florian; Orger, Michael B

2014-03-19

Most behaviors, even simple innate reflexes, are mediated by circuits of neurons spanning areas throughout the brain. However, in most cases, the distribution and dynamics of firing patterns of these neurons during behavior are not known. We imaged activity, with cellular resolution, throughout the whole brains of zebrafish performing the optokinetic response. We found a sparse, broadly distributed network that has an elaborate but ordered pattern, with a bilaterally symmetrical organization. Activity patterns fell into distinct clusters reflecting sensory and motor processing. By correlating neuronal responses with an array of sensory and motor variables, we find that the network can be clearly divided into distinct functional modules. Comparing aligned data from multiple fish, we find that the spatiotemporal activity dynamics and functional organization are highly stereotyped across individuals. These experiments systematically reveal the functional architecture of neural circuits underlying a sensorimotor behavior in a vertebrate brain. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Noninvasive imaging of brain oxygen metabolism in children with primary nocturnal enuresis during natural sleep.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Bing; Huang, Mingzhu; Zhang, Xu; Ma, Hongwei; Peng, Miao; Guo, Qiyong

2017-05-01

A series of studies have revealed that nocturnal enuresis is closely related to hypoxia in children with primary nocturnal enuresis (PNE). However, brain oxygen metabolism of PNE children has not been investigated before. The purpose of this study was to investigate changes in whole-brain cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen (CMRO 2 ), cerebral blood flow (CBF), and oxygen extraction fraction (OEF) in children suffering from PNE. We used the newly developed T2-relaxation-under-spin-tagging (TRUST) magnetic resonance imaging technique. Neurological evaluation, structural imaging, phase-contrast, and the TRUST imaging method were applied in children with PNE (n = 37) and healthy age- and sex-matched control volunteers (n = 39) during natural sleep to assess whole-brain CMRO 2 , CBF, OEF, and arousal from sleep scores. Results showed that whole-brain CMRO 2 and OEF values of PNE children were higher in controls, while there was no significant difference in CBF. Consequently, OEF levels of PNE children were increased to maintain oxygen supply. The elevation of OEF was positively correlated with the difficulty of arousal. Our results provide the first evidence that high oxygen consumption and high OEF values could make PNE children more susceptible to hypoxia, which may induce cumulative arousal deficits and make them more prone to nocturnal enuresis. Hum Brain Mapp 38:2532-2539, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Brain imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mishkin, F.S.

1978-01-01

The techniques of brain imaging and results in perfusion studies and delayed images are outlined. An analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of the brain scan in a variety of common problems is discussed, especially as compared with other available procedures. Both nonneoplastic and neoplastic lesions are considered. (Auth/C.F.)

Human brain imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuhar, M.J.

1987-01-01

Just as there have been dramatic advances in the molecular biology of the human brain in recent years, there also have been remarkable advances in brain imaging. This paper reports on the development and broad application of microscopic imaging techniques which include the autoradiographic localization of receptors and the measurement of glucose utilization by autoradiography. These approaches provide great sensitivity and excellent anatomical resolution in exploring brain organization and function. The first noninvasive external imaging of receptor distributions in the living human brain was achieved by positron emission tomography (PET) scanning. Developments, techniques and applications continue to progress. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is also becoming important. Its initial clinical applications were in examining the structure and anatomy of the brain. However, more recent uses, such as MRI spectroscopy, indicate the feasibility of exploring biochemical pathways in the brain, the metabolism of drugs in the brain, and also of examining some of these procedures at an anatomical resolution which is substantially greater than that obtainable by PET scanning. The issues will be discussed in greater detail

Do patients with very few brain metastases from breast cancer benefit from whole-brain radiotherapy in addition to radiosurgery?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rades, Dirk; Huttenlocher, Stefan; Hornung, Dagmar; Blanck, Oliver; Schild, Steven E; Fischer, Dorothea

2014-01-01

An important issue in palliative radiation oncology is the whether whole-brain radiotherapy should be added to radiosurgery when treating a limited number of brain metastases. To optimize personalized treatment of cancer patients with brain metastases, the value of whole-brain radiotherapy should be described separately for each tumor entity. This study investigated the role of whole-brain radiotherapy added to radiosurgery in breast cancer patients. Fifty-eight patients with 1–3 brain metastases from breast cancer were included in this retrospective study. Of these patients, 30 were treated with radiosurgery alone and 28 with radiosurgery plus whole-brain radiotherapy. Both groups were compared for local control of the irradiated metastases, freedom from new brain metastases and survival. Furthermore, eight additional factors were analyzed including dose of radiosurgery, age at radiotherapy, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance score, number of brain metastases, maximum diameter of all brain metastases, site of brain metastases, extra-cranial metastases and the time from breast cancer diagnosis to radiotherapy. The treatment regimen had no significant impact on local control in the univariate analysis (p = 0.59). Age ≤59 years showed a trend towards improved local control on univariate (p = 0.066) and multivariate analysis (p = 0.07). On univariate analysis, radiosurgery plus whole-brain radiotherapy (p = 0.040) and ECOG 0–1 (p = 0.012) showed positive associations with freedom from new brain metastases. Both treatment regimen (p = 0.039) and performance status (p = 0.028) maintained significance on multivariate analysis. ECOG 0–1 was positively correlated with survival on univariate analysis (p < 0.001); age ≤59 years showed a strong trend (p = 0.054). On multivariate analysis, performance status (p < 0.001) and age (p = 0.041) were significant. In breast cancer patients with few brain metastases, radiosurgery plus whole-brain

Clinical usefulness of scatter and attenuation correction for brain single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) in pediatrics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Adachi, Itaru; Doi, Kenji; Komori, Tsuyoshi; Hou, Nobuyoshi; Tabuchi, Koujirou; Matsui, Ritsuo; Sueyoshi, Kouzou; Utsunomiya, Keita; Narabayashi, Isamu [Osaka Medical Coll., Takatsuki (Japan)

1998-01-01

This investigation was undertaken to study clinical usefulness of scatter and attenuation correction (SAC) of brain SPECT in infants to compare the standard reconstruction (STD). The brain SPECT was performed in 31 patients with 19 epilepsy, 5 cerebro-vascular disease, 2 brain tumor, 3 meningitis, 1 hydrocephalus and psychosis (mean age 5.0{+-}4.9 years old). Many patients was necessary to be injected sedatives for restraining body motion after Technetium-99m hexamethylpropylene amine oxime ({sup 99m}Tc-HMPAO) was injected at the convulsion or rest. Brain SPECT data were acquired with triple detector gamma camera (GCA-9300 Toshiba Japan). These data were reconstructed by filtered backprojection after the raw data were corrected by triple energy windows method of scatter correction and Chang filtered method of attenuation correction. The same data was reconstructed by filtered backprojection without these corrections. Both SAC and STD SPECT images were analyzed by the visual interpretation. The uptake ratio of cerebral basal nuclei was calculated by the counts of the thalamus or lenticular nuclei divided by the cortex. All images of SAC method were excellent than that of STD method. The thalamic uptake ratio in SAC method was higher than that of STD method (1.22{+-}0.09>0.87{+-}0.22 p<0.01). The lenticular nuclear uptake ratio in SAC method was higher than that of STD method (1.26{+-}0.15>1.02{+-}0.16 p<0.01). Transmission scan is the most suitable method of absorption correction. But the transmission scan is not adequate for examination of children, because this scan needs a lot of time and the infants are exposed by the line source radioisotope. It was concluded that these scatter and absorption corrections were most suitable method for brain SPECT in pediatrics. (author)

Increased self-diffusion of brain water in hydrocephalus measured by MR imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gideon, P.; Thomsen, C.; Gjerris, F.; Soerensen, P.S.; Henriksen, O.

1994-01-01

We used MR imaging to measure the apparent brain water self-diffusion in 5 patients with normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH), in 2 patients with high pressure hydrocephalus (HPH), and in 8 agematched controls. In all patients with NPH significant elevations of the apparent diffusion coefficients (ADC) of brain water were found within periventricular white matter, in the corpus callosum, in the internal capsule, within cortical gray matter, and in cerebrospinal fluid, whereas normal ADCs were found within the basal ganglia. In 2 patients with HPH elevated ADCs were found most prominently within white matter and in one patient reexamined one year after surgery. ADCs were unchanged in nearly all brain regions. The increased ADC values in hydrocephalus patients may be caused by factors such as changes in myelin-associated bound water, increased Virchow-Robin spaces, and increased extracellular brain water fraction. For further studies of brain water diffusion in hydrocephalus patients, echo-planar imaging techniques with imaging times of a few seconds may be valuable. (orig.)

Gamma knife radiosurgery for ten or more brain metastases. Analysis of the whole brain irradiation doses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakaya, Kotaro; Hori, Tomokatsu; Izawa, Masahiro; Yamamoto, Masaaki

2002-01-01

Gamma knife (GK) radiosurgery has recently been recognized as the most powerful treatment modality in managing patients with brain metastasis, be they radioresistant or not, solitary or multiple. Very recently, this treatment has been employed in patients with numerous brain metastases, even those with 10 or more lesions. However, cumulative irradiation doses to the whole brain, with such treatment, remain unknown. Since the Gamma Plan ver. 5.10 (ver. 5.30 is presently available, Leksell Gamma Plan) became available in November, 1998, 105 GK procedures have been performed at our two facilities, Tokyo Women's Medical University and Katsuta Hospital Mito Gamma House. The median lesion number was 17, ranging 10-43, and the median cumulative volume of all tumors was 8.72 cm 3 , ranging 0.41-81.41 cm 3 . The selected doses at the lesion periphery ranged 12-25 Gy, the median being 20 Gy. Based on these treatment protocols, the cumulative irradiation dose was computed. The median cumulative irradiation dose to the whole brain was 4.83, ranging 2.16-8.51 Gy: the median integrated dose to the whole brain was 6.2 J, ranging 2.16-11.9 J. The median brain volumes receiving ≥2, ≥5, ≥10, ≥15 and ≥20 Gy were 1105 (range: 410-1501), 309 (46-1247), 64 (13-282), 24 (2-77), and 8 (0-40) cm 3 , respectively. The cumulative whole brain irradiation doses for patients with numerous radiosurgical targets were considered not to exceed the threshold level of normal brain necrosis. (author)

Whole-brain background-suppressed pCASL MRI with 1D-accelerated 3D RARE Stack-Of-Spirals readout.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marta Vidorreta

Full Text Available Arterial Spin Labeled (ASL perfusion MRI enables non-invasive, quantitative measurements of tissue perfusion, and has a broad range of applications including brain functional imaging. However, ASL suffers from low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR, limiting image resolution. Acquisitions using 3D readouts are optimal for background-suppression of static signals, but can be SAR intensive and typically suffer from through-plane blurring. In this study, we investigated the use of accelerated 3D readouts to obtain whole-brain, high-SNR ASL perfusion maps and reduce SAR deposition. Parallel imaging was implemented along the partition-encoding direction in a pseudo-continuous ASL sequence with background-suppression and 3D RARE Stack-Of-Spirals readout, and its performance was evaluated in three small cohorts. First, both non-accelerated and two-fold accelerated single-shot versions of the sequence were evaluated in healthy volunteers during a motor-photic task, and the performance was compared in terms of temporal SNR, GM-WM contrast, and statistical significance of the detected activation. Secondly, single-shot 1D-accelerated imaging was compared to a two-shot accelerated version to assess benefits of SNR and spatial resolution for applications in which temporal resolution is not paramount. Third, the efficacy of this approach in clinical populations was assessed by applying the single-shot 1D-accelerated version to a larger cohort of elderly volunteers. Accelerated data demonstrated the ability to detect functional activation at the subject level, including cerebellar activity, without loss in the perfusion signal temporal stability and the statistical power of the activations. The use of acceleration also resulted in increased GM-WM contrast, likely due to reduced through-plane partial volume effects, that were further attenuated with the use of two-shot readouts. In a clinical cohort, image quality remained excellent, and expected effects of age and sex

Structure of nanoparticles in transformer oil-based magnetic fluids, anisotropy of acoustic attenuation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kúdelčík, Jozef; Bury, Peter; Kopčanský, Peter; Timko, Milan

2015-01-01

The anisotropy of acoustic attenuation in transformer oil-based magnetic fluids upon the external magnetic field was studied to discover the structure of nanoparticles. When a magnetic field is increased, the interaction between the external magnetic field and the magnetic moments of the nanoparticles leads to the aggregation of magnetic nanoparticles and following clusters formation. However, the temperature of magnetic fluids and the concentration of nanoparticles also have very important influence on the structural changes. The measurement of the dependence of the acoustic attenuation on the angle between the magnetic field direction and acoustic wave vector (anisotropy) can give the useful information about the structure of magnetic nanoparticles formations. In the present, the results of anisotropy measurements of the transformer oil-based magnetic fluids are described and using appropriate theory the basic parameters of clusters are calculated. On the basis of the performed calculations, the proportion of the acoustic wave energy used for excitation of the translational and rotational degrees of freedom was also established. - Highlights: • Nanoparticles formation in transformer oil-based magnetic fluids was investigated. • The anisotropy acoustic spectroscopy as the method of investigation was used. • The external conditions on the structure of magnetic fluids were studied. • The structure parameters using suitable theoretical model were determined

Structure of nanoparticles in transformer oil-based magnetic fluids, anisotropy of acoustic attenuation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kúdelčík, Jozef, E-mail: kudelcik@fyzika.uniza.sk [Department of Physics, University of Žilina, Univerzitná 1, 010 01 Žilina (Slovakia); Bury, Peter [Department of Physics, University of Žilina, Univerzitná 1, 010 01 Žilina (Slovakia); Kopčanský, Peter; Timko, Milan [Department of Magnetism, IEP SAS, Watsonova 47, 040 01 Košice (Slovakia)

2015-08-15

The anisotropy of acoustic attenuation in transformer oil-based magnetic fluids upon the external magnetic field was studied to discover the structure of nanoparticles. When a magnetic field is increased, the interaction between the external magnetic field and the magnetic moments of the nanoparticles leads to the aggregation of magnetic nanoparticles and following clusters formation. However, the temperature of magnetic fluids and the concentration of nanoparticles also have very important influence on the structural changes. The measurement of the dependence of the acoustic attenuation on the angle between the magnetic field direction and acoustic wave vector (anisotropy) can give the useful information about the structure of magnetic nanoparticles formations. In the present, the results of anisotropy measurements of the transformer oil-based magnetic fluids are described and using appropriate theory the basic parameters of clusters are calculated. On the basis of the performed calculations, the proportion of the acoustic wave energy used for excitation of the translational and rotational degrees of freedom was also established. - Highlights: • Nanoparticles formation in transformer oil-based magnetic fluids was investigated. • The anisotropy acoustic spectroscopy as the method of investigation was used. • The external conditions on the structure of magnetic fluids were studied. • The structure parameters using suitable theoretical model were determined.

Comparing three-dimensional serial optical coherence tomography histology to MRI imaging in the entire mouse brain

Science.gov (United States)

Castonguay, Alexandre; Lefebvre, Joël; Pouliot, Philippe; Lesage, Frédéric

2018-01-01

An automated serial histology setup combining optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging with vibratome sectioning was used to image eight wild type mouse brains. The datasets resulted in thousands of volumetric tiles resolved at a voxel size of (4.9×4.9×6.5) μm3 stitched back together to give a three-dimensional map of the brain from which a template OCT brain was obtained. To assess deformation caused by tissue sectioning, reconstruction algorithms, and fixation, OCT datasets were compared to both in vivo and ex vivo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) imaging. The OCT brain template yielded a highly detailed map of the brain structure, with a high contrast in white matter fiber bundles and was highly resemblant to the in vivo MRI template. Brain labeling using the Allen brain framework showed little variation in regional brain volume among imaging modalities with no statistical differences. The high correspondence between the OCT template brain and its in vivo counterpart demonstrates the potential of whole brain histology to validate in vivo imaging.

Non-arteritic anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy: evaluation of the brain and optic pathway by conventional MRI and magnetisation transfer imaging

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Argyropoulou, Maria I.; Zikou, Anastasia K.; Tzovara, Ioanna; Margariti, Persefoni [University of Ioannina, Department of Radiology, Medical School, Ioannina (Greece); Nikas, Alexios; Asproudis, Ioannis [University of Ioannina, Ophthalmologic Clinic, Medical School, Ioannina (Greece); Blekas, Kostandinos; Galatsanos, Nikolaos [University of Ioannina, Department of Informatics, Ioannina (Greece)

2007-07-15

The purpose of the study was to examine the brain and the visual pathway of patients with non-arteritic anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy (NAION) by using conventional MRI (cMRI) and volumetric magnetisation transfer imaging (MTI). Thirty NAION patients, aged 67.5 {+-} 8.14 years, and 28 age- and gender-matched controls were studied. MTI was used to measure the magnetisation transfer ratio (MTR) of the chiasm and for MTR histograms of the brain. The presence of areas of white matter hyperintensity (WMH) was evaluated on fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) images. Area of the optic nerves (ONs) and volume of the chiasm were assessed, as were coronal short-tau inversion recovery (STIR) and MTI images, respectively. More areas of WMH were observed in patients (total 419; mean 14.4; SD 19) than in controls (total 127; mean 4.7; SD 5.7), P < 0.001. Area (in square millimetres) of the affected ONs, volume(in cubic millimetres) and MTR (in percent) of the chiasm (10.7 {+-} 4.6), (75.8 {+-} 20.2), (56.4 {+-} 6.5), respectively, were lower in patients than in controls (13.6 {+-} 4.3), (158.2 {+-} 75.3) (62.1 {+-} 6.2), respectively, P < 0.05. Mean MTR of brain histograms was lower in patients (53.0 {+-} 8.0) than in controls (58.0 {+-} 5.6), P < 0.05. NAION is characterised by decreased ON and chiasmatic size. The low MTR of the chiasm and brain associated with increased areas of WMH may be suggestive of demyelination and axonal damage due to generalised cerebral vascular disease. (orig.)

Dosimetric analysis of the alopecia preventing effect of hippocampus sparing whole brain radiation therapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mahadevan, Anand; Sampson, Carrie; LaRosa, Salvatore; Floyd, Scott R.; Wong, Eric T.; Uhlmann, Erik J.; Sengupta, Soma; Kasper, Ekkehard M.

2015-01-01

Whole brain radiation therapy (WBRT) is widely used for the treatment of brain metastases. Cognitive decline and alopecia are recognized adverse effects of WBRT. Recently hippocampus sparing whole brain radiation therapy (HS-WBRT) has been shown to reduce the incidence of memory loss. In this study, we found that multi-field intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), with strict constraints to the brain parenchyma and to the hippocampus, reduces follicular scalp dose and prevents alopecia. Suitable patients befitting the inclusion criteria of the RTOG 0933 trial received Hippocampus sparing whole brain radiation. On follow up, they were noticed to have full scalp hair preservation. 5 mm thickness of follicle bearing scalp in the radiation field was outlined in the planning CT scans. Conventional opposed lateral WBRT radiation fields were applied to these patient-specific image sets and planned with the same nominal dose of 30 Gy in 10 fractions. The mean and maximum dose to follicle bearing skin and Dose Volume Histogram (DVH) data were analyzed for conventional and HS-WBRT. Paired t-test was used to compare the means. All six patients had fully preserved scalp hair and remained clinically cognitively intact 1–3 months after HS-WBRT. Compared to conventional WBRT, in addition to the intended sparing of the Hippocampus, HS-WBRT delivered significantly lower mean dose (22.42 cGy vs. 16.33 cGy, p < 0.0001), V 24 (9 cc vs. 44 cc, p < 0.0000) and V 30 (9 cc vs. 0.096 cc, p = 0.0106) to follicle hair bearing scalp and prevented alopecia. There were no recurrences in the Hippocampus area. HS-WBRT, with an 11-field set up as described, while attempting to conserve hippocampus radiation and maintain radiation dose to brain inadvertently spares follicle-bearing scalp and prevents alopecia

Whole body imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

de Luca, P.C.; Stoddart, H.F.; Jeffries, D.

1976-01-01

A whole body imaging system rapidly forms a quality image of the bony structure, soft tissue or specific organs of a patient who has been injected with a suitable radioactive tracer chemical. A radiation detector head assembly includes a number of detector subassemblies, each having a lead collimator with tapered holes for admitting gamma radiation from a small area of the patient to a scintillation crystal that converts the gamma rays admitted by the collimator into visible or ultraviolet energy pulses. A photomultiplier converts these pulses into electrical pulses. A row of equally spaced detector subassemblies reciprocate within a nonreciprocating lead shield along the long axis of the array over a distance substantially equal to the separation between adjacent ones of the small areas. Associated electronic and electromechanical apparatus control the reciprocating motion and the longitudinal motion of the radiation detector head assembly, and process the photodetected signals to produce in a relatively short time a visible image of the radiant energy emanating from the whole body of the patient scanned

Comparison of whole-body-imaging methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rollo, F.D.; Hoffer, P.

1977-01-01

Currently there are four different devices that have found clinical utility in whole-body imaging. These are the rectilinear scanner, the multicrystal whole-body scanner, the Anger-type camera with a whole-body-imaging table, and the tomoscanner. In this text, the basic theory of operation and a discussion of the advantages and disadvantages in whole-body imaging is presented for each device. When applicable, a comparative assessment of the various devices is also presented. As with all else in life, there is no simple answer to the question ''which total body imaging device is best.'' Institutions with a very heavy total-body-imaging load may prefer to use an already available dual-headed rectilinear scanner system for these studies, rather than invest in a new instrument. Institutions with moderate total-body-imaging loads may wish to invest in moving table or moving camera devices which make total body imaging more convenient but retain the basic flexibility of the camera. The large-field Anger camera with or without motion offers another flexible option to these institutions. The laboratory with a very heavy total body imaging load may select efficiency over flexibility, thereby freeing up other instruments for additional studies. Finally, reliability as well as availability and quality of local service must be considered. After all, design features of an instrument become irrelevant when it is broken down and awaiting repair

Whole brain radiotherapy with radiosensitizer for brain metastases

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Viani Gustavo

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Purpose To study the efficacy of whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT with radiosensitizer in comparison with WBRT alone for patients with brain metastases in terms of overall survival, disease progression, response to treatment and adverse effects of treatment. Methods A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCT was performed in order to compare WBRT with radiosensitizer for brain metastases and WBRT alone. The MEDLINE, EMBASE, LILACS, and Cochrane Library databases, in addition to Trial registers, bibliographic databases, and recent issues of relevant journals were researched. Significant reports were reviewed by two reviewers independently. Results A total of 8 RCTs, yielding 2317 patients were analyzed. Pooled results from this 8 RCTs of WBRT with radiosensitizer have not shown a meaningful improvement on overall survival compared to WBRT alone OR = 1.03 (95% CI0.84–1.25, p = 0.77. Also, there was no difference in local brain tumor response OR = 0.8(95% CI 0.5 – 1.03 and brain tumor progression (OR = 1.11, 95% CI 0.9 – 1.3 when the two arms were compared. Conclusion Our data show that WBRT with the following radiosentizers (ionidamine, metronidazole, misonodazole, motexafin gadolinium, BUdr, efaproxiral, thalidomide, have not improved significatively the overall survival, local control and tumor response compared to WBRT alone for brain metastases. However, 2 of them, motexafin- gadolinium and efaproxiral have been shown in recent publications (lung and breast to have positive action in lung and breast carcinoma brain metastases in association with WBRT.

Disrupted Topological Organization in Whole-Brain Functional Networks of Heroin-Dependent Individuals: A Resting-State fMRI Study

OpenAIRE

Jiang, Guihua; Wen, Xue; Qiu, Yingwei; Zhang, Ruibin; Wang, Junjing; Li, Meng; Ma, Xiaofen; Tian, Junzhang; Huang, Ruiwang

2013-01-01

Neuroimaging studies have shown that heroin addiction is related to abnormalities in widespread local regions and in the functional connectivity of the brain. However, little is known about whether heroin addiction changes the topological organization of whole-brain functional networks. Seventeen heroin-dependent individuals (HDIs) and 15 age-, gender-matched normal controls (NCs) were enrolled, and the resting-state functional magnetic resonance images (RS-fMRI) were acquired from these subj...

Lean body mass correction of standardized uptake value in simultaneous whole-body positron emission tomography and magnetic resonance imaging

Science.gov (United States)

Jochimsen, Thies H.; Schulz, Jessica; Busse, Harald; Werner, Peter; Schaudinn, Alexander; Zeisig, Vilia; Kurch, Lars; Seese, Anita; Barthel, Henryk; Sattler, Bernhard; Sabri, Osama

2015-06-01

This study explores the possibility of using simultaneous positron emission tomography—magnetic resonance imaging (PET-MRI) to estimate the lean body mass (LBM) in order to obtain a standardized uptake value (SUV) which is less dependent on the patients' adiposity. This approach is compared to (1) the commonly-used method based on a predictive equation for LBM, and (2) to using an LBM derived from PET-CT data. It is hypothesized that an MRI-based correction of SUV provides a robust method due to the high soft-tissue contrast of MRI. A straightforward approach to calculate an MRI-derived LBM is presented. It is based on the fat and water images computed from the two-point Dixon MRI primarily used for attenuation correction in PET-MRI. From these images, a water fraction was obtained for each voxel. Averaging over the whole body yielded the weight-normalized LBM. Performance of the new approach in terms of reducing variations of 18F-Fludeoxyglucose SUVs in brain and liver across 19 subjects was compared with results using predictive methods and PET-CT data to estimate the LBM. The MRI-based method reduced the coefficient of variation of SUVs in the brain by 41  ± 10% which is comparable to the reduction by the PET-CT method (35  ± 10%). The reduction of the predictive LBM method was 29  ± 8%. In the liver, the reduction was less clear, presumably due to other sources of variation. In conclusion, employing the Dixon data in simultaneous PET-MRI for calculation of lean body mass provides a brain SUV which is less dependent on patient adiposity. The reduced dependency is comparable to that obtained by CT and predictive equations. Therefore, it is more comparable across patients. The technique does not impose an overhead in measurement time and is straightforward to implement.

Whole body hyperthermia, but not skin hyperthermia, accelerates brain and locomotor limb circulatory strain and impairs exercise capacity in humans

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Trangmar, Steven J; Chiesa, Scott T; Kalsi, Kameljit K

2017-01-01

Cardiovascular strain and hyperthermia are thought to be important factors limiting exercise capacity in heat-stressed humans, however, the contribution of elevations in skin (Tsk) versus whole body temperatures on exercise capacity has not been characterized. To ascertain their relationships...... was associated with a plateau in MCA and two-legged vascular conductance (VC). Mechanistically, the falling MCA VC was coupled to reductions in PaCO2, whereas the plateau in leg vascular conductance was related to markedly elevated plasma [NA] and a plateau in plasma ATP These findings reveal that whole-body...... hyperthermia, but not skin hyperthermia, compromises exercise capacity in heat-stressed humans through the early attenuation of brain and active muscle blood flow....

Brain-wide pathway for waste clearance captured by contrast-enhanced MRI.

Science.gov (United States)

Iliff, Jeffrey J; Lee, Hedok; Yu, Mei; Feng, Tian; Logan, Jean; Nedergaard, Maiken; Benveniste, Helene

2013-03-01

The glymphatic system is a recently defined brain-wide paravascular pathway for cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and interstitial fluid (ISF) exchange that facilitates efficient clearance of solutes and waste from the brain. CSF enters the brain along para-arterial channels to exchange with ISF, which is in turn cleared from the brain along para-venous pathways. Because soluble amyloid β clearance depends on glymphatic pathway function, we proposed that failure of this clearance system contributes to amyloid plaque deposition and Alzheimer's disease progression. Here we provide proof of concept that glymphatic pathway function can be measured using a clinically relevant imaging technique. Dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI was used to visualize CSF-ISF exchange across the rat brain following intrathecal paramagnetic contrast agent administration. Key features of glymphatic pathway function were confirmed, including visualization of para-arterial CSF influx and molecular size-dependent CSF-ISF exchange. Whole-brain imaging allowed the identification of two key influx nodes at the pituitary and pineal gland recesses, while dynamic MRI permitted the definition of simple kinetic parameters to characterize glymphatic CSF-ISF exchange and solute clearance from the brain. We propose that this MRI approach may provide the basis for a wholly new strategy to evaluate Alzheimer's disease susceptibility and progression in the live human brain.

Voxel-based analysis of whole-brain effects of age and gender on dopamine transporter SPECT imaging in healthy subjects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eusebio, Alexandre; Azulay, Jean-Philippe; Ceccaldi, Mathieu; Girard, Nadine; Mundler, Olivier; Guedj, Eric

2012-01-01

Several studies have shown age- and gender-related differences in striatal dopamine transporter (DaT) binding. These studies were based on a striatal region on interest approach that may have underestimated these effects and could not evaluate extrastriatal regions. Our aim was to determine the effects at the voxel level of age and gender on whole-brain DaT distribution using [ 123 I]FP-CIT SPECT in healthy subjects. We performed a whole-brain [ 123 I]FP-CIT SPECT voxel-based analysis using SPM8 and a standardized normalization template (p < 0.05, corrected using the false discovery rate method) in 51 healthy subjects aged from 21 to 79 years. We found an age-related DaT binding decrease in the striatum, anterior cingulate/medial frontal cortices and insulo-opercular cortices. Also DaT binding ratios were higher in women than men in the striatum and opercular cortices. This study showed both striatal and extrastriatal age-related and gender-related differences in DaT binding in healthy subjects using a whole-brain voxel-based non-a priori approach. These differences highlight the need for careful age and gender matching in DaT analyses of neuropsychiatric disorders. (orig.)

Voxel-based analysis of whole-brain effects of age and gender on dopamine transporter SPECT imaging in healthy subjects

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Eusebio, Alexandre; Azulay, Jean-Philippe [APHM, Hopital de la Timone, Service de Neurologie et Pathologie du Mouvement, Marseille (France); CNRS, Aix-Marseille Univ, Institut de Neurosciences de la Timone, Marseille (France); Ceccaldi, Mathieu [APHM, Hopital de la Timone, Service de Neurologie et de Neuropsychologie, Marseille (France); Aix-Marseille Univ, UMR Inserm 1106, Institut de Neurosciences des Systemes, Marseille (France); Girard, Nadine [APHM, Hopital de la Timone, Service de Neuroradiologie diagnostique et interventionnelle, Marseille (France); Mundler, Olivier [APHM, Hopital de la Timone, Service Central de Biophysique et Medecine Nucleaire, Marseille (France); Aix-Marseille Univ, CERIMED, Marseille (France); Guedj, Eric [CNRS, Aix-Marseille Univ, Institut de Neurosciences de la Timone, Marseille (France); APHM, Hopital de la Timone, Service Central de Biophysique et Medecine Nucleaire, Marseille (France); Aix-Marseille Univ, CERIMED, Marseille (France)

2012-11-15

Several studies have shown age- and gender-related differences in striatal dopamine transporter (DaT) binding. These studies were based on a striatal region on interest approach that may have underestimated these effects and could not evaluate extrastriatal regions. Our aim was to determine the effects at the voxel level of age and gender on whole-brain DaT distribution using [{sup 123}I]FP-CIT SPECT in healthy subjects. We performed a whole-brain [{sup 123}I]FP-CIT SPECT voxel-based analysis using SPM8 and a standardized normalization template (p < 0.05, corrected using the false discovery rate method) in 51 healthy subjects aged from 21 to 79 years. We found an age-related DaT binding decrease in the striatum, anterior cingulate/medial frontal cortices and insulo-opercular cortices. Also DaT binding ratios were higher in women than men in the striatum and opercular cortices. This study showed both striatal and extrastriatal age-related and gender-related differences in DaT binding in healthy subjects using a whole-brain voxel-based non-a priori approach. These differences highlight the need for careful age and gender matching in DaT analyses of neuropsychiatric disorders. (orig.)

Comparison between MRI-based attenuation correction methods for brain PET in dementia patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cabello, Jorge; Lukas, Mathias; Pyka, Thomas; Nekolla, Stephan G.; Ziegler, Sibylle I.; Rota Kops, Elena; Shah, N. Jon; Ribeiro, Andre; Yakushev, Igor

2016-01-01

The combination of Positron Emission Tomography (PET) with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in hybrid PET/MRI scanners offers a number of advantages in investigating brain structure and function. A critical step of PET data reconstruction is attenuation correction (AC). Accounting for bone in attenuation maps (μ-map) was shown to be important in brain PET studies. While there are a number of MRI-based AC methods, no systematic comparison between them has been performed so far. The aim of this work was to study the different performance obtained by some of the recent methods presented in the literature. To perform such a comparison, we focused on [ 18 F]-Fluorodeoxyglucose-PET/MRI neurodegenerative dementing disorders, which are known to exhibit reduced levels of glucose metabolism in certain brain regions. Four novel methods were used to calculate μ-maps from MRI data of 15 patients with Alzheimer's dementia (AD). The methods cover two atlas-based methods, a segmentation method, and a hybrid template/segmentation method. Additionally, the Dixon-based and a UTE-based method, offered by a vendor, were included in the comparison. Performance was assessed at three levels: tissue identification accuracy in the μ-map, quantitative accuracy of reconstructed PET data in specific brain regions, and precision in diagnostic images at identifying hypometabolic areas. Quantitative regional errors of -20-10 % were obtained using the vendor's AC methods, whereas the novel methods produced errors in a margin of ±5 %. The obtained precision at identifying areas with abnormally low levels of glucose uptake, potentially regions affected by AD, were 62.9 and 79.5 % for the two vendor AC methods, the former ignoring bone and the latter including bone information. The precision increased to 87.5-93.3 % in average for the four new methods, exhibiting similar performances. We confirm that the AC methods based on the Dixon and UTE sequences provided by the vendor are inferior

Comparison between MRI-based attenuation correction methods for brain PET in dementia patients

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cabello, Jorge; Lukas, Mathias; Pyka, Thomas; Nekolla, Stephan G.; Ziegler, Sibylle I. [Technische Universitaet Muenchen, Nuklearmedizinische Klinik und Poliklinik, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Munich (Germany); Rota Kops, Elena; Shah, N. Jon [Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH, Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine 4, Medical Imaging Physics, Juelich (Germany); Ribeiro, Andre [Forschungszentrum Juelich GmbH, Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine 4, Medical Imaging Physics, Juelich (Germany); Institute of Biophysics and Biomedical Engineering, Lisbon (Portugal); Yakushev, Igor [Technische Universitaet Muenchen, Nuklearmedizinische Klinik und Poliklinik, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Munich (Germany); Institute TUM Neuroimaging Center (TUM-NIC), Munich (Germany)

2016-11-15

The combination of Positron Emission Tomography (PET) with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in hybrid PET/MRI scanners offers a number of advantages in investigating brain structure and function. A critical step of PET data reconstruction is attenuation correction (AC). Accounting for bone in attenuation maps (μ-map) was shown to be important in brain PET studies. While there are a number of MRI-based AC methods, no systematic comparison between them has been performed so far. The aim of this work was to study the different performance obtained by some of the recent methods presented in the literature. To perform such a comparison, we focused on [{sup 18}F]-Fluorodeoxyglucose-PET/MRI neurodegenerative dementing disorders, which are known to exhibit reduced levels of glucose metabolism in certain brain regions. Four novel methods were used to calculate μ-maps from MRI data of 15 patients with Alzheimer's dementia (AD). The methods cover two atlas-based methods, a segmentation method, and a hybrid template/segmentation method. Additionally, the Dixon-based and a UTE-based method, offered by a vendor, were included in the comparison. Performance was assessed at three levels: tissue identification accuracy in the μ-map, quantitative accuracy of reconstructed PET data in specific brain regions, and precision in diagnostic images at identifying hypometabolic areas. Quantitative regional errors of -20-10 % were obtained using the vendor's AC methods, whereas the novel methods produced errors in a margin of ±5 %. The obtained precision at identifying areas with abnormally low levels of glucose uptake, potentially regions affected by AD, were 62.9 and 79.5 % for the two vendor AC methods, the former ignoring bone and the latter including bone information. The precision increased to 87.5-93.3 % in average for the four new methods, exhibiting similar performances. We confirm that the AC methods based on the Dixon and UTE sequences provided by the vendor are

Magnetic resonance imaging at 3.0 tesla detects more lesions in acute optic neuritis than at 1.5 tesla

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Kirsten; Rostrup, Egill; Frederiksen, Jette L

2006-01-01

OBJECTIVE:: We sought to assess whether magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at 3.0 T detects more brain lesions in acute optic neuritis (ON) than MRI at 1.5 T. MATERIALS AND METHODS:: Twenty-eight patients with acute ON were scanned at both field-strengths using fast-fluid-attenuated inversion recov...

Effect of chronic forced swimming stress on whole brain radiation induced cognitive dysfunction and related mechanism

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Yuan; Sun Rui; Zhu Yaqun; Zhang Liyuan; Ji Jianfeng; Li Kun; Tian Ye

2014-01-01

Objective: To explore whether chronic forced swimming stress could improve whole brain radiation induced cognitive dysfunction and possible mechanism. Methods: Thirty-nine one month old male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized into sham control group(C), swimming group(C-S), radiation group(R), and radiation plus swimming group(R-S). Radiation groups were given a single dose of 20 Gy on whole-brain. Rats in the swimming groups were trained with swimming of 15 min/d, 5 d/w. Rat behavior was performed 3 months after radiation in an order of free activity in an open field and the Morris water maze test including the place navigation and spatial probe tests. Then, the protein expressions of BDNF, P-ERK, T-ERK, P-CREB and T-CREB in the rat hippocampus tissue were assayed by Western blot. Results: On the day 2, in the place navigation test of Morris water maze, the latency of swimming group was significantly shorter than that of sham group, the latency of sham group was significantly shorter than that of radiation group, and the latency of radiation swimming group was significantly shorter than that of radiation group(P 0.05). Western blot assay showed that the expressions of BDNF and its downstream signals including P-ERK and P-CREB were markedly reduced by radiation (P < 0.05), but this reduction was attenuated by the chronic forced swimming stress. Conclusion: The chronic forced swimming stress could improve whole brain radiation induced cognitive dysfunction by up-regulating the expressions of BDNF and its downstream signal molecules of P-ERK and P-CREB in hippocampus. (authors)

PIXE analysis of cerebrospinal fluid before and after brain transplantation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ma Xinpei; Wang Junke.

1992-01-01

Considering methodology of PIXE quantitative analysis based on Inner-standard, we provide a simple and convenient method to measure the elemental relative sensitivity curve. The concentrations of 16 various elements in cerebrospinal fluid samples before and after brain transplantation have been investigated and compared with those of normal person's and transplanted tissues. The experimental results show that the brain transplantation results in apparently curative effects in compensating and regulating the element concentrations in cerebrospinal fluid and improvement of elemental physiological metabolism. It illustrates that the appropriate concentrations of trace elements in cerebrospinal fluid play an undoubtedly important role in keeping the normal physiological function of brain and central nervous system. (author)

Decreased integration and information capacity in stroke measured by whole brain models of resting state activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Adhikari, Mohit H; Hacker, Carl D; Siegel, Josh S; Griffa, Alessandra; Hagmann, Patric; Deco, Gustavo; Corbetta, Maurizio

2017-04-01

While several studies have shown that focal lesions affect the communication between structurally normal regions of the brain, and that these changes may correlate with behavioural deficits, their impact on brain's information processing capacity is currently unknown. Here we test the hypothesis that focal lesions decrease the brain's information processing capacity, of which changes in functional connectivity may be a measurable correlate. To measure processing capacity, we turned to whole brain computational modelling to estimate the integration and segregation of information in brain networks. First, we measured functional connectivity between different brain areas with resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging in healthy subjects (n = 26), and subjects who had suffered a cortical stroke (n = 36). We then used a whole-brain network model that coupled average excitatory activities of local regions via anatomical connectivity. Model parameters were optimized in each healthy or stroke participant to maximize correlation between model and empirical functional connectivity, so that the model's effective connectivity was a veridical representation of healthy or lesioned brain networks. Subsequently, we calculated two model-based measures: 'integration', a graph theoretical measure obtained from functional connectivity, which measures the connectedness of brain networks, and 'information capacity', an information theoretical measure that cannot be obtained empirically, representative of the segregative ability of brain networks to encode distinct stimuli. We found that both measures were decreased in stroke patients, as compared to healthy controls, particularly at the level of resting-state networks. Furthermore, we found that these measures, especially information capacity, correlate with measures of behavioural impairment and the segregation of resting-state networks empirically measured. This study shows that focal lesions affect the brain's ability to

Whole Brain Irradiation With Hippocampal Sparing and Dose Escalation on Multiple Brain Metastases: A Planning Study on Treatment Concepts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prokic, Vesna; Wiedenmann, Nicole; Fels, Franziska; Schmucker, Marianne; Nieder, Carsten; Grosu, Anca-Ligia

2013-01-01

Purpose: To develop a new treatment planning strategy in patients with multiple brain metastases. The goal was to perform whole brain irradiation (WBI) with hippocampal sparing and dose escalation on multiple brain metastases. Two treatment concepts were investigated: simultaneously integrated boost (SIB) and WBI followed by stereotactic fractionated radiation therapy sequential concept (SC). Methods and Materials: Treatment plans for both concepts were calculated for 10 patients with 2-8 brain metastases using volumetric modulated arc therapy. In the SIB concept, the prescribed dose was 30 Gy in 12 fractions to the whole brain and 51 Gy in 12 fractions to individual brain metastases. In the SC concept, the prescription was 30 Gy in 12 fractions to the whole brain followed by 18 Gy in 2 fractions to brain metastases. All plans were optimized for dose coverage of whole brain and lesions, simultaneously minimizing dose to the hippocampus. The treatment plans were evaluated on target coverage, homogeneity, and minimal dose to the hippocampus and organs at risk. Results: The SIB concept enabled more successful sparing of the hippocampus; the mean dose to the hippocampus was 7.55 ± 0.62 Gy and 6.29 ± 0.62 Gy, respectively, when 5-mm and 10-mm avoidance regions around the hippocampus were used, normalized to 2-Gy fractions. In the SC concept, the mean dose to hippocampus was 9.8 ± 1.75 Gy. The mean dose to the whole brain (excluding metastases) was 33.2 ± 0.7 Gy and 32.7 ± 0.96 Gy, respectively, in the SIB concept, for 5-mm and 10-mm hippocampus avoidance regions, and 37.23 ± 1.42 Gy in SC. Conclusions: Both concepts, SIB and SC, were able to achieve adequate whole brain coverage and radiosurgery-equivalent dose distributions to individual brain metastases. The SIB technique achieved better sparing of the hippocampus, especially when a10-mm hippocampal avoidance region was used.

Whole brain and brain regional coexpression network interactions associated with predisposition to alcohol consumption.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lauren A Vanderlinden

Full Text Available To identify brain transcriptional networks that may predispose an animal to consume alcohol, we used weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA. Candidate coexpression modules are those with an eigengene expression level that correlates significantly with the level of alcohol consumption across a panel of BXD recombinant inbred mouse strains, and that share a genomic region that regulates the module transcript expression levels (mQTL with a genomic region that regulates alcohol consumption (bQTL. To address a controversy regarding utility of gene expression profiles from whole brain, vs specific brain regions, as indicators of the relationship of gene expression to phenotype, we compared candidate coexpression modules from whole brain gene expression data (gathered with Affymetrix 430 v2 arrays in the Colorado laboratories and from gene expression data from 6 brain regions (nucleus accumbens (NA; prefrontal cortex (PFC; ventral tegmental area (VTA; striatum (ST; hippocampus (HP; cerebellum (CB available from GeneNetwork. The candidate modules were used to construct candidate eigengene networks across brain regions, resulting in three "meta-modules", composed of candidate modules from two or more brain regions (NA, PFC, ST, VTA and whole brain. To mitigate the potential influence of chromosomal location of transcripts and cis-eQTLs in linkage disequilibrium, we calculated a semi-partial correlation of the transcripts in the meta-modules with alcohol consumption conditional on the transcripts' cis-eQTLs. The function of transcripts that retained the correlation with the phenotype after correction for the strong genetic influence, implicates processes of protein metabolism in the ER and Golgi as influencing susceptibility to variation in alcohol consumption. Integration of these data with human GWAS provides further information on the function of polymorphisms associated with alcohol-related traits.

Automatic planning on hippocampal avoidance whole-brain radiotherapy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Shuo, E-mail: shuo0220@gmail.com; Zheng, Dandan; Zhang, Chi; Ma, Rongtao; Bennion, Nathan R.; Lei, Yu; Zhu, Xiaofeng; Enke, Charles A.; Zhou, Sumin

2017-04-01

Mounting evidence suggests that radiation-induced damage to the hippocampus plays a role in neurocognitive decline for patients receiving whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT). Hippocampal avoidance whole-brain radiotherapy (HA-WBRT) has been proposed to reduce the putative neurocognitive deficits by limiting the dose to the hippocampus. However, urgency of palliation for patients as well as the complexities of the treatment planning may be barriers to protocol enrollment to accumulate further clinical evidence. This warrants expedited quality planning of HA-WBRT. Pinnacle{sup 3} Automatic treatment planning was designed to increase planning efficiency while maintaining or improving plan quality and consistency. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the performance of the Pinnacle{sup 3} Auto-Planning on HA-WBRT treatment planning. Ten patients previously treated for brain metastases were selected. Hippocampal volumes were contoured on T1 magnetic resonance (MR) images, and planning target volumes (PTVs) were generated based on RTOG0933. The following 2 types of plans were generated by Pinnacle{sup 3} Auto-Planning: the one with 2 coplanar volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) arcs and the other with 9-field noncoplanar intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). D{sub 2%} and D{sub 98%} of PTV were used to calculate homogeneity index (HI). HI and Paddick Conformity index (CI) of PTV as well as D{sub 100%} and D{sub max} of the hippocampus were used to evaluate the plan quality. All the auto-plans met the dose coverage and constraint objectives based on RTOG0933. The auto-plans eliminated the necessity of generating pseudostructures by the planners, and it required little manual intervention which expedited the planning process. IMRT quality assurance (QA) results also suggest that all the auto-plans are practically acceptable on delivery. Pinnacle{sup 3} Auto-Planning generates acceptable plans by RTOG0933 criteria without time-consuming planning process. The

Automatic planning on hippocampal avoidance whole-brain radiotherapy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Shuo; Zheng, Dandan; Zhang, Chi; Ma, Rongtao; Bennion, Nathan R.; Lei, Yu; Zhu, Xiaofeng; Enke, Charles A.; Zhou, Sumin

2017-01-01

Mounting evidence suggests that radiation-induced damage to the hippocampus plays a role in neurocognitive decline for patients receiving whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT). Hippocampal avoidance whole-brain radiotherapy (HA-WBRT) has been proposed to reduce the putative neurocognitive deficits by limiting the dose to the hippocampus. However, urgency of palliation for patients as well as the complexities of the treatment planning may be barriers to protocol enrollment to accumulate further clinical evidence. This warrants expedited quality planning of HA-WBRT. Pinnacle 3 Automatic treatment planning was designed to increase planning efficiency while maintaining or improving plan quality and consistency. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the performance of the Pinnacle 3 Auto-Planning on HA-WBRT treatment planning. Ten patients previously treated for brain metastases were selected. Hippocampal volumes were contoured on T1 magnetic resonance (MR) images, and planning target volumes (PTVs) were generated based on RTOG0933. The following 2 types of plans were generated by Pinnacle 3 Auto-Planning: the one with 2 coplanar volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) arcs and the other with 9-field noncoplanar intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). D 2% and D 98% of PTV were used to calculate homogeneity index (HI). HI and Paddick Conformity index (CI) of PTV as well as D 100% and D max of the hippocampus were used to evaluate the plan quality. All the auto-plans met the dose coverage and constraint objectives based on RTOG0933. The auto-plans eliminated the necessity of generating pseudostructures by the planners, and it required little manual intervention which expedited the planning process. IMRT quality assurance (QA) results also suggest that all the auto-plans are practically acceptable on delivery. Pinnacle 3 Auto-Planning generates acceptable plans by RTOG0933 criteria without time-consuming planning process. The expedited quality planning achieved by

Accelerated whole-brain multi-parameter mapping using blind compressed sensing.

Science.gov (United States)

Bhave, Sampada; Lingala, Sajan Goud; Johnson, Casey P; Magnotta, Vincent A; Jacob, Mathews

2016-03-01

To introduce a blind compressed sensing (BCS) framework to accelerate multi-parameter MR mapping, and demonstrate its feasibility in high-resolution, whole-brain T1ρ and T2 mapping. BCS models the evolution of magnetization at every pixel as a sparse linear combination of bases in a dictionary. Unlike compressed sensing, the dictionary and the sparse coefficients are jointly estimated from undersampled data. Large number of non-orthogonal bases in BCS accounts for more complex signals than low rank representations. The low degree of freedom of BCS, attributed to sparse coefficients, translates to fewer artifacts at high acceleration factors (R). From 2D retrospective undersampling experiments, the mean square errors in T1ρ and T2 maps were observed to be within 0.1% up to R = 10. BCS was observed to be more robust to patient-specific motion as compared to other compressed sensing schemes and resulted in minimal degradation of parameter maps in the presence of motion. Our results suggested that BCS can provide an acceleration factor of 8 in prospective 3D imaging with reasonable reconstructions. BCS considerably reduces scan time for multiparameter mapping of the whole brain with minimal artifacts, and is more robust to motion-induced signal changes compared to current compressed sensing and principal component analysis-based techniques. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Curcumin attenuates collagen-induced inflammatory response through the "gut-brain axis".

Science.gov (United States)

Dou, Yannong; Luo, Jinque; Wu, Xin; Wei, Zhifeng; Tong, Bei; Yu, Juntao; Wang, Ting; Zhang, Xinyu; Yang, Yan; Yuan, Xusheng; Zhao, Peng; Xia, Yufeng; Hu, Huijuan; Dai, Yue

2018-01-06

Previous studies have demonstrated that oral administration of curcumin exhibited an anti-arthritic effect despite its poor bioavailability. The present study aimed to explore whether the gut-brain axis is involved in the therapeutic effect of curcumin. The collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) rat model was induced by immunization with an emulsion of collagen II and complete Freund's adjuvant. Sympathetic and parasympathetic tones were measured by electrocardiographic recordings. Unilateral cervical vagotomy (VGX) was performed before the induction of CIA. The ChAT, AChE activities, and serum cytokine levels were determined by ELISA. The expression of the high-affinity choline transporter 1 (CHT1), ChAT, and vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT) were determined by real-time PCR and immunohistochemical staining. The neuronal excitability of the vagus nerve was determined by whole-cell patch clamp recording. Oral administration of curcumin restored the imbalance between the sympathetic and parasympathetic tones in CIA rats and increased ChAT activity and expression of ChAT and VAChT in the gut, brain, and synovium. Additionally, VGX eliminated the effects of curcumin on arthritis and ACh biosynthesis and transport. Electrophysiological data showed that curcumin markedly increased neuronal excitability of the vagus nerve. Furthermore, selective α7 nAChR antagonists abolished the effects of curcumin on CIA. Our results demonstrate that curcumin attenuates CIA through the "gut-brain axis" by modulating the function of the cholinergic system. These findings provide a novel approach for mechanistic studies of anti-arthritic compounds with low oral absorption and bioavailability.

Novel whole brain segmentation and volume estimation using quantitative MRI

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

West, J.; Warntjes, J.B.M.; Lundberg, P.

2012-01-01

Brain segmentation and volume estimation of grey matter (GM), white matter (WM) and cerebro-spinal fluid (CSF) are important for many neurological applications. Volumetric changes are observed in multiple sclerosis (MS), Alzheimer's disease and dementia, and in normal aging. A novel method is presented to segment brain tissue based on quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (qMRI) of the longitudinal relaxation rate R 1 , the transverse relaxation rate R 2 and the proton density, PD. Previously reported qMRI values for WM, GM and CSF were used to define tissues and a Bloch simulation performed to investigate R 1 , R 2 and PD for tissue mixtures in the presence of noise. Based on the simulations a lookup grid was constructed to relate tissue partial volume to the R 1 -R 2 -PD space. The method was validated in 10 healthy subjects. MRI data were acquired using six resolutions and three geometries. Repeatability for different resolutions was 3.2% for WM, 3.2% for GM, 1.0% for CSF and 2.2% for total brain volume. Repeatability for different geometries was 8.5% for WM, 9.4% for GM, 2.4% for CSF and 2.4% for total brain volume. We propose a new robust qMRI-based approach which we demonstrate in a patient with MS. (orig.)

Novel whole brain segmentation and volume estimation using quantitative MRI

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

West, J. [Linkoeping University, Radiation Physics, Department of Medical and Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Linkoeping (Sweden); Linkoeping University, Center for Medical Imaging Science and Visualization (CMIV), Linkoeping (Sweden); SyntheticMR AB, Linkoeping (Sweden); Warntjes, J.B.M. [Linkoeping University, Center for Medical Imaging Science and Visualization (CMIV), Linkoeping (Sweden); SyntheticMR AB, Linkoeping (Sweden); Linkoeping University and Department of Clinical Physiology UHL, County Council of Oestergoetland, Clinical Physiology, Department of Medical and Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Linkoeping (Sweden); Lundberg, P. [Linkoeping University, Center for Medical Imaging Science and Visualization (CMIV), Linkoeping (Sweden); Linkoeping University and Department of Radiation Physics UHL, County Council of Oestergoetland, Radiation Physics, Department of Medical and Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Linkoeping (Sweden); Linkoeping University and Department of Radiology UHL, County Council of Oestergoetland, Radiology, Department of Medical and Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Linkoeping (Sweden)

2012-05-15

Brain segmentation and volume estimation of grey matter (GM), white matter (WM) and cerebro-spinal fluid (CSF) are important for many neurological applications. Volumetric changes are observed in multiple sclerosis (MS), Alzheimer's disease and dementia, and in normal aging. A novel method is presented to segment brain tissue based on quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (qMRI) of the longitudinal relaxation rate R{sub 1}, the transverse relaxation rate R{sub 2} and the proton density, PD. Previously reported qMRI values for WM, GM and CSF were used to define tissues and a Bloch simulation performed to investigate R{sub 1}, R{sub 2} and PD for tissue mixtures in the presence of noise. Based on the simulations a lookup grid was constructed to relate tissue partial volume to the R{sub 1}-R{sub 2}-PD space. The method was validated in 10 healthy subjects. MRI data were acquired using six resolutions and three geometries. Repeatability for different resolutions was 3.2% for WM, 3.2% for GM, 1.0% for CSF and 2.2% for total brain volume. Repeatability for different geometries was 8.5% for WM, 9.4% for GM, 2.4% for CSF and 2.4% for total brain volume. We propose a new robust qMRI-based approach which we demonstrate in a patient with MS. (orig.)

Field of view extension and truncation correction for MR-based human attenuation correction in simultaneous MR/PET imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blumhagen, Jan O.; Ladebeck, Ralf; Fenchel, Matthias; Braun, Harald; Quick, Harald H.; Faul, David; Scheffler, Klaus

2014-01-01

Purpose: In quantitative PET imaging, it is critical to accurately measure and compensate for the attenuation of the photons absorbed in the tissue. While in PET/CT the linear attenuation coefficients can be easily determined from a low-dose CT-based transmission scan, in whole-body MR/PET the computation of the linear attenuation coefficients is based on the MR data. However, a constraint of the MR-based attenuation correction (AC) is the MR-inherent field-of-view (FoV) limitation due to static magnetic field (B 0 ) inhomogeneities and gradient nonlinearities. Therefore, the MR-based human AC map may be truncated or geometrically distorted toward the edges of the FoV and, consequently, the PET reconstruction with MR-based AC may be biased. This is especially of impact laterally where the patient arms rest beside the body and are not fully considered. Methods: A method is proposed to extend the MR FoV by determining an optimal readout gradient field which locally compensates B 0 inhomogeneities and gradient nonlinearities. This technique was used to reduce truncation in AC maps of 12 patients, and the impact on the PET quantification was analyzed and compared to truncated data without applying the FoV extension and additionally to an established approach of PET-based FoV extension. Results: The truncation artifacts in the MR-based AC maps were successfully reduced in all patients, and the mean body volume was thereby increased by 5.4%. In some cases large patient-dependent changes in SUV of up to 30% were observed in individual lesions when compared to the standard truncated attenuation map. Conclusions: The proposed technique successfully extends the MR FoV in MR-based attenuation correction and shows an improvement of PET quantification in whole-body MR/PET hybrid imaging. In comparison to the PET-based completion of the truncated body contour, the proposed method is also applicable to specialized PET tracers with little uptake in the arms and might reduce the

Determination of the attenuation map in emission tomography

CERN Document Server

Zaidi, H

2002-01-01

Reliable attenuation correction methods for quantitative emission computed tomography (ECT) require accurate delineation of the body contour and often necessitate knowledge of internal anatomical structure. Two broad classes of methods have been used to calculate the attenuation map referred to as "transmissionless" and transmission-based attenuation correction techniques. While calculated attenuation correction belonging to the first class of methods is appropriate for brain studies, more adequate methods must be performed in clinical applications where the attenuation coefficient distribution is not known a priori, and for areas of inhomogeneous attenuation such as the chest. Measured attenuation correction overcomes this problem and utilizes different approaches to determine this map including transmission scanning, segmented magnetic resonance images or appropriately scaled X-ray CT scans acquired either independently on separate or simultaneously on multimodality imaging systems. Combination of data acqu...

Brain spect imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, R.G.L.; Hill, T.C.; Holman, B.L.

1989-01-01

This paper discusses how the rapid development of single-photon radiopharmaceuticals has given new life to tomographic brain imaging in nuclear medicine. Further developments in radiopharmaceuticals and refinements in neuro-SPECT (single-photon emission computed tomography) instrumentation should help to reinstate brain scintigraphy as an important part of neurologic diagnosis. SPECT of the brain evolved from experimentation using prototype instrumentation during the early 1960s. Although tomographic studies provided superior diagnostic accuracy when compared to planar techniques, the arrival of X-ray CT of the head resulted in the rapid demise of technetium brain imaging

Whole-brain activity mapping onto a zebrafish brain atlas.

Science.gov (United States)

Randlett, Owen; Wee, Caroline L; Naumann, Eva A; Nnaemeka, Onyeka; Schoppik, David; Fitzgerald, James E; Portugues, Ruben; Lacoste, Alix M B; Riegler, Clemens; Engert, Florian; Schier, Alexander F

2015-11-01

In order to localize the neural circuits involved in generating behaviors, it is necessary to assign activity onto anatomical maps of the nervous system. Using brain registration across hundreds of larval zebrafish, we have built an expandable open-source atlas containing molecular labels and definitions of anatomical regions, the Z-Brain. Using this platform and immunohistochemical detection of phosphorylated extracellular signal–regulated kinase (ERK) as a readout of neural activity, we have developed a system to create and contextualize whole-brain maps of stimulus- and behavior-dependent neural activity. This mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAP)-mapping assay is technically simple, and data analysis is completely automated. Because MAP-mapping is performed on freely swimming fish, it is applicable to studies of nearly any stimulus or behavior. Here we demonstrate our high-throughput approach using pharmacological, visual and noxious stimuli, as well as hunting and feeding. The resultant maps outline hundreds of areas associated with behaviors.

Whole-brain activity mapping onto a zebrafish brain atlas

Science.gov (United States)

Randlett, Owen; Wee, Caroline L.; Naumann, Eva A.; Nnaemeka, Onyeka; Schoppik, David; Fitzgerald, James E.; Portugues, Ruben; Lacoste, Alix M.B.; Riegler, Clemens; Engert, Florian; Schier, Alexander F.

2015-01-01

In order to localize the neural circuits involved in generating behaviors, it is necessary to assign activity onto anatomical maps of the nervous system. Using brain registration across hundreds of larval zebrafish, we have built an expandable open source atlas containing molecular labels and anatomical region definitions, the Z-Brain. Using this platform and immunohistochemical detection of phosphorylated-Extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK/MAPK) as a readout of neural activity, we have developed a system to create and contextualize whole brain maps of stimulus- and behavior-dependent neural activity. This MAP-Mapping (Mitogen Activated Protein kinase – Mapping) assay is technically simple, fast, inexpensive, and data analysis is completely automated. Since MAP-Mapping is performed on fish that are freely swimming, it is applicable to nearly any stimulus or behavior. We demonstrate the utility of our high-throughput approach using hunting/feeding, pharmacological, visual and noxious stimuli. The resultant maps outline hundreds of areas associated with behaviors. PMID:26778924

Penetration and distribution of gadolinium-based contrast agents into the cerebrospinal fluid in healthy rats: a potential pathway of entry into the brain tissue

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jost, Gregor; Frenzel, Thomas; Lohrke, Jessica; Pietsch, Hubertus [MR and CT Contrast Media Research, Bayer Pharma AG, Berlin (Germany); Lenhard, Diana Constanze [Charite, Institute of Vegetative Physiology, Berlin (Germany); Naganawa, Shinji [Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Department of Radiology, Nagoya (Japan)

2017-07-15

Signal hyperintensity on unenhanced MRI in certain brain regions has been reported after multiple administrations of some, but not all, gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs). One potential initial pathway of GBCA entry into the brain, infiltration from blood into the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), was systematically evaluated in this preclinical study. GBCA infiltration and distribution in the CSF were investigated in healthy rats using repeated fluid-attenuated MRI up to 4 h after high-dose (1.8 mmol/kg) administration of six marketed and one experimental GBCA. Additionally, gadolinium measurements in CSF, blood and brain tissue samples (after 24 h) were performed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Enhanced MRI signals in the CSF spaces with similar distribution kinetics were observed for all GBCAs. No substantial differences in the gadolinium concentrations among the marketed GBCAs were found in the CSF, blood or brain tissue. After 4.5 h, the concentration in the CSF was clearly higher than in blood but was almost completely cleared and lower than the brain tissue concentration after 24 h. In contrast to the brain signal hyperintensities, no differences in penetration and distribution into the CSF of healthy rats exist among the marketed GBCAs. (orig.)

Penetration and distribution of gadolinium-based contrast agents into the cerebrospinal fluid in healthy rats: a potential pathway of entry into the brain tissue

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jost, Gregor; Frenzel, Thomas; Lohrke, Jessica; Pietsch, Hubertus; Lenhard, Diana Constanze; Naganawa, Shinji

2017-01-01

Signal hyperintensity on unenhanced MRI in certain brain regions has been reported after multiple administrations of some, but not all, gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs). One potential initial pathway of GBCA entry into the brain, infiltration from blood into the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), was systematically evaluated in this preclinical study. GBCA infiltration and distribution in the CSF were investigated in healthy rats using repeated fluid-attenuated MRI up to 4 h after high-dose (1.8 mmol/kg) administration of six marketed and one experimental GBCA. Additionally, gadolinium measurements in CSF, blood and brain tissue samples (after 24 h) were performed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Enhanced MRI signals in the CSF spaces with similar distribution kinetics were observed for all GBCAs. No substantial differences in the gadolinium concentrations among the marketed GBCAs were found in the CSF, blood or brain tissue. After 4.5 h, the concentration in the CSF was clearly higher than in blood but was almost completely cleared and lower than the brain tissue concentration after 24 h. In contrast to the brain signal hyperintensities, no differences in penetration and distribution into the CSF of healthy rats exist among the marketed GBCAs. (orig.)

Whole-brain atrophy rate and cognitive decline: longitudinal MR study of memory clinic patients

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sluimer, J.D.; van der Flier, W.M.; Karas, G.B.; Fox, N.C.; Scheltens, P.; Barkhof, F.; Vrenken, H.

2008-01-01

Purpose: To prospectively determine whole-brain atrophy rate in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer disease (AD) and its association with cognitive decline, and investigate the risk of progression to dementia in initially non-demented patients given baseline brain volume and whole-brain

Radiosurgery for brain metastases: is whole brain radiotherapy necessary?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sneed, Penny K.; Lamborn, Kathleen R.; Forstner, Julie M.; McDermott, Michael W.; Chang, Susan; Park, Elaine; Gutin, Philip H.; Phillips, Theodore L.; Wara, William M.; Larson, David A.

1999-01-01

Purpose: Because whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT) may cause dementia in long-term survivors, selected patients with brain metastases may benefit from initial treatment with radiosurgery (RS) alone reserving WBRT for salvage as needed. We reviewed results of RS ± WBRT in patients with newly diagnosed brain metastasis to provide background for a prospective trial. Methods and Materials: Patients with single or multiple brain metastases managed initially with RS alone vs. RS + WBRT (62 vs. 43 patients) from 1991 through February 1997 were retrospectively reviewed. The use of upfront WBRT depended on physician preference and referral patterns. Survival, freedom from progression (FFP) endpoints, and brain control allowing for successful salvage therapy were measured from the date of diagnosis of brain metastases. Actuarial curves were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Analyses to adjust for known prognostic factors were performed using the Cox proportional hazards model (CPHM) stratified by primary site. Results: Survival and local FFP were the same for RS alone vs. RS + WBRT (median survival 11.3 vs. 11.1 months and 1-year local FFP by patient 71% vs. 79%, respectively). Brain FFP (scoring new metastases and/or local failure) was significantly worse for RS alone vs. RS + WBRT (28% vs. 69% at 1 year; CPHM adjusted p = 0.03 and hazard ratio = 0.476). However, brain control allowing for successful salvage of a first failure was not significantly different for RS alone vs. RS + WBRT (62% vs. 73% at 1 year; CPHM adjusted p = 0.56). Conclusions: The omission of WBRT in the initial management of patients treated with RS for up to 4 brain metastases does not appear to compromise survival or intracranial control allowing for salvage therapy as indicated. A randomized trial of RS vs. RS + WBRT is needed to assess survival, quality of life, and cost in good-prognosis patients with newly diagnosed brain metastases

Measurement of the ultrasound attenuation and dispersion in whole human blood and its components from 0-70 MHz.

Science.gov (United States)

Treeby, Bradley E; Zhang, Edward Z; Thomas, Alison S; Cox, Ben T

2011-02-01

The ultrasound attenuation coefficient and dispersion from 0-70 MHz in whole human blood and its components (red blood cells and plasma) at 37°C is reported. The measurements are made using a fixed path substitution technique that exploits optical mechanisms for the generation and detection of ultrasound. This allows the measurements to cover a broad frequency range with a single source and receiver. The measured attenuation coefficient and dispersion in solutions of red blood cells and physiological saline for total haemoglobin concentrations of 10, 15 and 20 g/dL are presented. The attenuation coefficient and dispersion in whole human blood taken from four healthy volunteers by venipuncture is also reported. The power law dependence of the attenuation coefficient is shown to vary across the measured frequency range. This is due to the varying frequency dependence of the different mechanisms responsible for the attenuation. The attenuation coefficient measured at high frequencies is found to be significantly higher than that predicted by historical power law parameters. A review of the attenuation mechanisms in blood along with previously reported experimental measurements is given. Values for the sound speed and density in the tested samples are also presented. Copyright © 2011 World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Implementation of a computer-aided detection tool for quantification of intracranial radiologic markers on brain CT images

Science.gov (United States)

Aghaei, Faranak; Ross, Stephen R.; Wang, Yunzhi; Wu, Dee H.; Cornwell, Benjamin O.; Ray, Bappaditya; Zheng, Bin

2017-03-01

Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) is a form of hemorrhagic stroke that affects middle-aged individuals and associated with significant morbidity and/or mortality especially those presenting with higher clinical and radiologic grades at the time of admission. Previous studies suggested that blood extravasated after aneurysmal rupture was a potentially clinical prognosis factor. But all such studies used qualitative scales to predict prognosis. The purpose of this study is to develop and test a new interactive computer-aided detection (CAD) tool to detect, segment and quantify brain hemorrhage and ventricular cerebrospinal fluid on non-contrasted brain CT images. First, CAD segments brain skull using a multilayer region growing algorithm with adaptively adjusted thresholds. Second, CAD assigns pixels inside the segmented brain region into one of three classes namely, normal brain tissue, blood and fluid. Third, to avoid "black-box" approach and increase accuracy in quantification of these two image markers using CT images with large noise variation in different cases, a graphic User Interface (GUI) was implemented and allows users to visually examine segmentation results. If a user likes to correct any errors (i.e., deleting clinically irrelevant blood or fluid regions, or fill in the holes inside the relevant blood or fluid regions), he/she can manually define the region and select a corresponding correction function. CAD will automatically perform correction and update the computed data. The new CAD tool is now being used in clinical and research settings to estimate various quantitatively radiological parameters/markers to determine radiological severity of aSAH at presentation and correlate the estimations with various homeostatic/metabolic derangements and predict clinical outcome.

Non-arteritic anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy: evaluation of the brain and optic pathway by conventional MRI and magnetisation transfer imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Argyropoulou, Maria I.; Zikou, Anastasia K.; Tzovara, Ioanna; Margariti, Persefoni; Nikas, Alexios; Asproudis, Ioannis; Blekas, Kostandinos; Galatsanos, Nikolaos

2007-01-01

The purpose of the study was to examine the brain and the visual pathway of patients with non-arteritic anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy (NAION) by using conventional MRI (cMRI) and volumetric magnetisation transfer imaging (MTI). Thirty NAION patients, aged 67.5 ± 8.14 years, and 28 age- and gender-matched controls were studied. MTI was used to measure the magnetisation transfer ratio (MTR) of the chiasm and for MTR histograms of the brain. The presence of areas of white matter hyperintensity (WMH) was evaluated on fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) images. Area of the optic nerves (ONs) and volume of the chiasm were assessed, as were coronal short-tau inversion recovery (STIR) and MTI images, respectively. More areas of WMH were observed in patients (total 419; mean 14.4; SD 19) than in controls (total 127; mean 4.7; SD 5.7), P < 0.001. Area (in square millimetres) of the affected ONs, volume(in cubic millimetres) and MTR (in percent) of the chiasm (10.7 ± 4.6), (75.8 ± 20.2), (56.4 ± 6.5), respectively, were lower in patients than in controls (13.6 ± 4.3), (158.2 ± 75.3) (62.1 ± 6.2), respectively, P < 0.05. Mean MTR of brain histograms was lower in patients (53.0 ± 8.0) than in controls (58.0 ± 5.6), P < 0.05. NAION is characterised by decreased ON and chiasmatic size. The low MTR of the chiasm and brain associated with increased areas of WMH may be suggestive of demyelination and axonal damage due to generalised cerebral vascular disease. (orig.)

Methylphenidate attenuates limbic brain inhibition after cocaine-cues exposure in cocaine abusers.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nora D Volkow

2010-07-01

Full Text Available Dopamine (phasic release is implicated in conditioned responses. Imaging studies in cocaine abusers show decreases in striatal dopamine levels, which we hypothesize may enhance conditioned responses since tonic dopamine levels modulate phasic dopamine release. To test this we assessed the effects of increasing tonic dopamine levels (using oral methylphenidate on brain activation induced by cocaine-cues in cocaine abusers. Brain metabolism (marker of brain function was measured with PET and (18FDG in 24 active cocaine abusers tested four times; twice watching a Neutral video (nature scenes and twice watching a Cocaine-cues video; each video was preceded once by placebo and once by methylphenidate (20 mg. The Cocaine-cues video increased craving to the same extent with placebo (68% and with methylphenidate (64%. In contrast, SPM analysis of metabolic images revealed that differences between Neutral versus Cocaine-cues conditions were greater with placebo than methylphenidate; whereas with placebo the Cocaine-cues decreased metabolism (p<0.005 in left limbic regions (insula, orbitofrontal, accumbens and right parahippocampus, with methylphenidate it only decreased in auditory and visual regions, which also occurred with placebo. Decreases in metabolism in these regions were not associated with craving; in contrast the voxel-wise SPM analysis identified significant correlations with craving in anterior orbitofrontal cortex (p<0.005, amygdala, striatum and middle insula (p<0.05. This suggests that methylphenidate's attenuation of brain reactivity to Cocaine-cues is distinct from that involved in craving. Cocaine-cues decreased metabolism in limbic regions (reflects activity over 30 minutes, which contrasts with activations reported by fMRI studies (reflects activity over 2-5 minutes that may reflect long-lasting limbic inhibition following activation. Studies to evaluate the clinical significance of methylphenidate's blunting of cue-induced limbic

Methylphenidate attenuates limbic brain inhibition after cocaine-cues exposure in cocaine abusers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Volkow, N.D.; Wang, G.-J.; Tomasi, D.; Telang, F.; Fowler, J.S.; Pradhan, K.; Jayne, M.; Logan, J.; Goldstein, R.Z.; Alia-Klein, N.; Wong, C.T.

2010-01-01

Dopamine (phasic release) is implicated in conditioned responses. Imaging studies in cocaine abusers show decreases in striatal dopamine levels, which we hypothesize may enhance conditioned responses since tonic dopamine levels modulate phasic dopamine release. To test this we assessed the effects of increasing tonic dopamine levels (using oral methylphenidate) on brain activation induced by cocaine-cues in cocaine abusers. Brain metabolism (marker of brain function) was measured with PET and 18 FDG in 24 active cocaine abusers tested four times; twice watching a Neutral video (nature scenes) and twice watching a Cocaine-cues video; each video was preceded once by placebo and once by methylphenidate (20 mg). The Cocaine-cues video increased craving to the same extent with placebo (68%) and with methylphenidate (64%). In contrast, SPM analysis of metabolic images revealed that differences between Neutral versus Cocaine-cues conditions were greater with placebo than methylphenidate; whereas with placebo the Cocaine-cues decreased metabolism (p<0.005) in left limbic regions (insula, orbitofrontal, accumbens) and right parahippocampus, with methylphenidate it only decreased in auditory and visual regions, which also occurred with placebo. Decreases in metabolism in these regions were not associated with craving; in contrast the voxel-wise SPM analysis identified significant correlations with craving in anterior orbitofrontal cortex (p<0.005), amygdala, striatum and middle insula (p<0.05). This suggests that methylphenidate's attenuation of brain reactivity to Cocaine-cues is distinct from that involved in craving. Cocaine-cues decreased metabolism in limbic regions (reflects activity over 30 minutes), which contrasts with activations reported by fMRI studies (reflects activity over 2-5 minutes) that may reflect long-lasting limbic inhibition following activation. Studies to evaluate the clinical significance of methylphenidate's blunting of cue-induced limbic

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

Science.gov (United States)

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

Metric to quantify white matter damage on brain magnetic resonance images

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Valdes Hernandez, Maria del C.; Munoz Maniega, Susana; Anblagan, Devasuda; Bastin, Mark E.; Wardlaw, Joanna M. [University of Edinburgh, Department of Neuroimaging Sciences, Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, Edinburgh (United Kingdom); University of Edinburgh, Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology, Edinburgh (United Kingdom); UK Dementia Research Institute, Edinburgh Dementia Research Centre, London (United Kingdom); Chappell, Francesca M.; Morris, Zoe; Sakka, Eleni [University of Edinburgh, Department of Neuroimaging Sciences, Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, Edinburgh (United Kingdom); UK Dementia Research Institute, Edinburgh Dementia Research Centre, London (United Kingdom); Dickie, David Alexander; Royle, Natalie A. [University of Edinburgh, Department of Neuroimaging Sciences, Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, Edinburgh (United Kingdom); University of Edinburgh, Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology, Edinburgh (United Kingdom); Armitage, Paul A. [University of Sheffield, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, Sheffield (United Kingdom); Deary, Ian J. [University of Edinburgh, Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology, Edinburgh (United Kingdom); University of Edinburgh, Department of Psychology, Edinburgh (United Kingdom)

2017-10-15

Quantitative assessment of white matter hyperintensities (WMH) on structural Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is challenging. It is important to harmonise results from different software tools considering not only the volume but also the signal intensity. Here we propose and evaluate a metric of white matter (WM) damage that addresses this need. We obtained WMH and normal-appearing white matter (NAWM) volumes from brain structural MRI from community dwelling older individuals and stroke patients enrolled in three different studies, using two automatic methods followed by manual editing by two to four observers blind to each other. We calculated the average intensity values on brain structural fluid-attenuation inversion recovery (FLAIR) MRI for the NAWM and WMH. The white matter damage metric is calculated as the proportion of WMH in brain tissue weighted by the relative image contrast of the WMH-to-NAWM. The new metric was evaluated using tissue microstructure parameters and visual ratings of small vessel disease burden and WMH: Fazekas score for WMH burden and Prins scale for WMH change. The correlation between the WM damage metric and the visual rating scores (Spearman ρ > =0.74, p < 0.0001) was slightly stronger than between the latter and WMH volumes (Spearman ρ > =0.72, p < 0.0001). The repeatability of the WM damage metric was better than WM volume (average median difference between measurements 3.26% (IQR 2.76%) and 5.88% (IQR 5.32%) respectively). The follow-up WM damage was highly related to total Prins score even when adjusted for baseline WM damage (ANCOVA, p < 0.0001), which was not always the case for WMH volume, as total Prins was highly associated with the change in the intense WMH volume (p = 0.0079, increase of 4.42 ml per unit change in total Prins, 95%CI [1.17 7.67]), but not with the change in less-intense, subtle WMH, which determined the volumetric change. The new metric is practical and simple to calculate. It is robust to variations in

Accelerated whole brain intracranial vessel wall imaging using black blood fast spin echo with compressed sensing (CS-SPACE).

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Chengcheng; Tian, Bing; Chen, Luguang; Eisenmenger, Laura; Raithel, Esther; Forman, Christoph; Ahn, Sinyeob; Laub, Gerhard; Liu, Qi; Lu, Jianping; Liu, Jing; Hess, Christopher; Saloner, David

2018-06-01

Develop and optimize an accelerated, high-resolution (0.5 mm isotropic) 3D black blood MRI technique to reduce scan time for whole-brain intracranial vessel wall imaging. A 3D accelerated T 1 -weighted fast-spin-echo prototype sequence using compressed sensing (CS-SPACE) was developed at 3T. Both the acquisition [echo train length (ETL), under-sampling factor] and reconstruction parameters (regularization parameter, number of iterations) were first optimized in 5 healthy volunteers. Ten patients with a variety of intracranial vascular disease presentations (aneurysm, atherosclerosis, dissection, vasculitis) were imaged with SPACE and optimized CS-SPACE, pre and post Gd contrast. Lumen/wall area, wall-to-lumen contrast ratio (CR), enhancement ratio (ER), sharpness, and qualitative scores (1-4) by two radiologists were recorded. The optimized CS-SPACE protocol has ETL 60, 20% k-space under-sampling, 0.002 regularization factor with 20 iterations. In patient studies, CS-SPACE and conventional SPACE had comparable image scores both pre- (3.35 ± 0.85 vs. 3.54 ± 0.65, p = 0.13) and post-contrast (3.72 ± 0.58 vs. 3.53 ± 0.57, p = 0.15), but the CS-SPACE acquisition was 37% faster (6:48 vs. 10:50). CS-SPACE agreed with SPACE for lumen/wall area, ER measurements and sharpness, but marginally reduced the CR. In the evaluation of intracranial vascular disease, CS-SPACE provides a substantial reduction in scan time compared to conventional T 1 -weighted SPACE while maintaining good image quality.

Whole Brain Thinking : An Educational Alternative for Language Instructors

OpenAIRE

Ogawa,Ruby Toshimi

2008-01-01

Whole brain thinking offers new potentials in providing an educational alternative in teaching English as a Second Language (ESL). Prevailing research has shown that the right and the left sides of the brain function and process information differently according to Nobel Prize Winner Roger Sperry in his split-brain research on epileptics. While acknowledging these physical neurological differences, current research suggesting that in view of traditional teaching methods that rely on left-brai...

Transmission-less attenuation estimation from time-of-flight PET histo-images using consistency equations

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yusheng; Defrise, Michel; Metzler, Scott D.; Matej, Samuel

2015-08-01

In positron emission tomography (PET) imaging, attenuation correction with accurate attenuation estimation is crucial for quantitative patient studies. Recent research showed that the attenuation sinogram can be determined up to a scaling constant utilizing the time-of-flight information. The TOF-PET data can be naturally and efficiently stored in a histo-image without information loss, and the radioactive tracer distribution can be efficiently reconstructed using the DIRECT approaches. In this paper, we explore transmission-less attenuation estimation from TOF-PET histo-images. We first present the TOF-PET histo-image formation and the consistency equations in the histo-image parameterization, then we derive a least-squares solution for estimating the directional derivatives of the attenuation factors from the measured emission histo-images. Finally, we present a fast solver to estimate the attenuation factors from their directional derivatives using the discrete sine transform and fast Fourier transform while considering the boundary conditions. We find that the attenuation histo-images can be uniquely determined from the TOF-PET histo-images by considering boundary conditions. Since the estimate of the attenuation directional derivatives can be inaccurate for LORs tangent to the patient boundary, external sources, e.g. a ring or annulus source, might be needed to give an accurate estimate of the attenuation gradient for such LORs. The attenuation estimation from TOF-PET emission histo-images is demonstrated using simulated 2D TOF-PET data.

Preliminary analysis of proton magnetic resonance 1D spectra of cerebrospinal fluid and brain cancer extracts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Toczylowska, B.; Jozwik, A.; Kierul, K.; Matysiak, Z.; Sidor, M.; Wojcik, J.

1999-01-01

In series of cerebrospinal fluid samples from 25 patients proton spectra of magnetic resonance were measured. The spectra were measured also for series of brain tumor tissue extracts received from another 25 patients. This paper presents an attempt to apply statistical methods of image recognition for spectra analysis of the two measured series

SlideJ: An ImageJ plugin for automated processing of whole slide images.

Science.gov (United States)

Della Mea, Vincenzo; Baroni, Giulia L; Pilutti, David; Di Loreto, Carla

2017-01-01

The digital slide, or Whole Slide Image, is a digital image, acquired with specific scanners, that represents a complete tissue sample or cytological specimen at microscopic level. While Whole Slide image analysis is recognized among the most interesting opportunities, the typical size of such images-up to Gpixels- can be very demanding in terms of memory requirements. Thus, while algorithms and tools for processing and analysis of single microscopic field images are available, Whole Slide images size makes the direct use of such tools prohibitive or impossible. In this work a plugin for ImageJ, named SlideJ, is proposed with the objective to seamlessly extend the application of image analysis algorithms implemented in ImageJ for single microscopic field images to a whole digital slide analysis. The plugin has been complemented by examples of macro in the ImageJ scripting language to demonstrate its use in concrete situations.

Whole brain MP2RAGE-based mapping of the longitudinal relaxation time at 9.4T.

Science.gov (United States)

Hagberg, G E; Bause, J; Ethofer, T; Ehses, P; Dresler, T; Herbert, C; Pohmann, R; Shajan, G; Fallgatter, A; Pavlova, M A; Scheffler, K

2017-01-01

Mapping of the longitudinal relaxation time (T 1 ) with high accuracy and precision is central for neuroscientific and clinical research, since it opens up the possibility to obtain accurate brain tissue segmentation and gain myelin-related information. An ideal, quantitative method should enable whole brain coverage within a limited scan time yet allow for detailed sampling with sub-millimeter voxel sizes. The use of ultra-high magnetic fields is well suited for this purpose, however the inhomogeneous transmit field potentially hampers its use. In the present work, we conducted whole brain T 1 mapping based on the MP2RAGE sequence at 9.4T and explored potential pitfalls for automated tissue classification compared with 3T. Data accuracy and T 2 -dependent variation of the adiabatic inversion efficiency were investigated by single slice T 1 mapping with inversion recovery EPI measurements, quantitative T 2 mapping using multi-echo techniques and simulations of the Bloch equations. We found that the prominent spatial variation of the transmit field at 9.4T (yielding flip angles between 20% and 180% of nominal values) profoundly affected the result of image segmentation and T 1 mapping. These effects could be mitigated by correcting for both flip angle and inversion efficiency deviations. Based on the corrected T 1 maps, new, 'flattened', MP2RAGE contrast images were generated, that were no longer affected by variations of the transmit field. Unlike the uncorrected MP2RAGE contrast images acquired at 9.4T, these flattened images yielded image segmentations comparable to 3T, making bias-field correction prior to image segmentation and tissue classification unnecessary. In terms of the T 1 estimates at high field, the proposed correction methods resulted in an improved precision, with test-retest variability below 1% and a coefficient-of-variation across 25 subjects below 3%. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Deep Convolutional Neural Networks for Multi-Modality Isointense Infant Brain Image Segmentation

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Wenlu; Li, Rongjian; Deng, Houtao; Wang, Li; Lin, Weili; Ji, Shuiwang; Shen, Dinggang

2015-01-01

The segmentation of infant brain tissue images into white matter (WM), gray matter (GM), and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) plays an important role in studying early brain development in health and disease. In the isointense stage (approximately 6–8 months of age), WM and GM exhibit similar levels of intensity in both T1 and T2 MR images, making the tissue segmentation very challenging. Only a small number of existing methods have been designed for tissue segmentation in this isointense stage; however, they only used a single T1 or T2 images, or the combination of T1 and T2 images. In this paper, we propose to use deep convolutional neural networks (CNNs) for segmenting isointense stage brain tissues using multi-modality MR images. CNNs are a type of deep models in which trainable filters and local neighborhood pooling operations are applied alternatingly on the raw input images, resulting in a hierarchy of increasingly complex features. Specifically, we used multimodality information from T1, T2, and fractional anisotropy (FA) images as inputs and then generated the segmentation maps as outputs. The multiple intermediate layers applied convolution, pooling, normalization, and other operations to capture the highly nonlinear mappings between inputs and outputs. We compared the performance of our approach with that of the commonly used segmentation methods on a set of manually segmented isointense stage brain images. Results showed that our proposed model significantly outperformed prior methods on infant brain tissue segmentation. In addition, our results indicated that integration of multi-modality images led to significant performance improvement. PMID:25562829

Fluid Mechanics of the Vascular Basement Membrane in the Brain

Science.gov (United States)

Coloma, Mikhail; Hui, Jonathan; Chiarot, Paul; Huang, Peter; Carare, Roxana; McLeod, Kenneth; Schaffer, David

2013-11-01

Beta-amyloid is a normal product of brain metabolic function and is found within the interstitial fluid of the brain. Failure of the clearance of beta-amyloid from the aging brain leads to its accumulation within the walls of arteries and to Alzheimer's disease. The vascular basement membrane (VBM) within the walls of cerebral arteries surrounds the spirally arranged smooth muscle cells and represents an essential pathway for removal of beta-amyloid from the brain. This process fails with the stiffening of arterial walls associated with aging. In this study we hypothesize that the deformation of the VBM associated with arterial pulsations drives the interstitial fluid to drain in the direction opposite of the arterial blood flow. This hypothesis is theoretically investigated by modeling the VBM as a thin, coaxial, fluid-filled porous medium surrounding a periodically deforming cylindrical tube. Flow and boundary conditions required to achieve such a backward clearance are derived through a control volume analysis of mass, momentum, and energy.

Survey: interpolation methods for whole slide image processing.

Science.gov (United States)

Roszkowiak, L; Korzynska, A; Zak, J; Pijanowska, D; Swiderska-Chadaj, Z; Markiewicz, T

2017-02-01

Evaluating whole slide images of histological and cytological samples is used in pathology for diagnostics, grading and prognosis . It is often necessary to rescale whole slide images of a very large size. Image resizing is one of the most common applications of interpolation. We collect the advantages and drawbacks of nine interpolation methods, and as a result of our analysis, we try to select one interpolation method as the preferred solution. To compare the performance of interpolation methods, test images were scaled and then rescaled to the original size using the same algorithm. The modified image was compared to the original image in various aspects. The time needed for calculations and results of quantification performance on modified images were also compared. For evaluation purposes, we used four general test images and 12 specialized biological immunohistochemically stained tissue sample images. The purpose of this survey is to determine which method of interpolation is the best to resize whole slide images, so they can be further processed using quantification methods. As a result, the interpolation method has to be selected depending on the task involving whole slide images. © 2016 The Authors Journal of Microscopy © 2016 Royal Microscopical Society.

Surgical Resection Followed by Whole Brain Radiotherapy Versus Whole Brain Radiotherapy Alone for Single Brain Metastasis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rades, Dirk; Kieckebusch, Susanne; Haatanen, Tiina; Lohynska, Radka; Dunst, Juergen; Schild, Steven E.

2008-01-01

Purpose: To compare the outcome of surgical resection followed by whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT) with WBRT alone in patients treated for single brain metastasis. Methods and Materials: The data from 195 patients with single brain metastases were retrospectively evaluated. Of the 195 patients, 99 underwent resection of the metastasis followed by WBRT and 96 underwent WBRT alone. Seven additional potential prognostic factors were investigated: age, gender, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance score, tumor type, interval between initial tumor diagnosis and WBRT, extracranial metastases, and recursive partitioning analysis class. Both treatment groups were well balanced for these factors. Results: On multivariate analysis, improved survival was associated with resection (relative risk [RR], 1.20; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.11-1.31; p < 0.001), lower recursive partitioning analysis class (RR, 1.58; 95% CI, 1.22-2.06; p < 0.001), age ≤61 years (RR, 1.79; 95% CI, 1.23-2.61; p = 0.002), Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance score of 0-1 (RR, 2.47; 95% CI, 1.70-3.59; p < 0.001), and the absence of extracranial metastases (RR, 1.99; 95% CI, 1.41-2.79; p < 0.001). Improved local control was associated with resection (RR, 1.25; 95% CI, 1.11-1.41; p < 0.001) and age ≤61 years (RR, 1.77; 95% CI, 1.09-2.88; p = 0.020). Improved brain control distant from the original site was associated with lower recursive partitioning analysis class (RR, 1.65; 95% CI, 1.03-2.69; p < 0.035), age ≤61 years (RR, 1.81; 95% CI, 1.12-2.96; p = 0.016), and the absence of extracranial metastases (RR, 2.42; 95% CI, 1.52-3.88; p < 0.001). Improved control within the entire brain was associated with surgery (RR, 1.24; 95% CI, 1.12-1.38; p < 0.001) and age ≤61 years (RR, 1.83; 95% CI, 1.21-2.77; p = 0.004). Conclusion: In patients with a single brain metastasis, the addition of resection to WBRT improved survival, local control at the original metastatic site, and control

Effect of cerebral spinal fluid suppression for diffusional kurtosis imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Alicia W; Jensen, Jens H; Hu, Caixia C; Tabesh, Ali; Falangola, Maria F; Helpern, Joseph A

2013-02-01

To evaluate the cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) partial volume effect on diffusional kurtosis imaging (DKI) metrics in white matter and cortical gray matter. Four healthy volunteers participated in this study. Standard DKI and fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) DKI experiments were performed using a twice-refocused-spin-echo diffusion sequence. The conventional diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) metrics of fractional anisotropy (FA), mean, axial, and radial diffusivity (MD, D[symbol in text], D[symbol in text] together with DKI metrics of mean, axial, and radial kurtosis (MK, K[symbol in text], K[symbol in text], were measured and compared. Single image slices located above the lateral ventricles, with similar anatomical features for each subject, were selected to minimize the effect of CSF from the ventricles. In white matter, differences of less than 10% were observed between diffusion metrics measured with standard DKI and FLAIR-DKI sequences, suggesting minimal CSF contamination. For gray matter, conventional DTI metrics differed by 19% to 52%, reflecting significant CSF partial volume effects. Kurtosis metrics, however, changed by 11% or less, indicating greater robustness with respect to CSF contamination. Kurtosis metrics are less sensitive to CSF partial voluming in cortical gray matter than conventional diffusion metrics. The kurtosis metrics may then be more specific indicators of changes in tissue microstructure, provided the effect sizes for the changes are comparable. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Imaging human brain cyto- and myelo-architecture with quantitative OCT (Conference Presentation)

Science.gov (United States)

Boas, David A.; Wang, Hui; Konukoglu, Ender; Fischl, Bruce; Sakadzic, Sava; Magnain, Caroline V.

2017-02-01

No current imaging technology allows us to directly and without significant distortion visualize the microscopic and defining anatomical features of the human brain. Ex vivo histological techniques can yield exquisite planar images, but the cutting, mounting and staining that are required components of this type of imaging induce distortions that are different for each slice, introducing cross-slice differences that prohibit true 3D analysis. We are overcoming this issue by utilizing Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) with the goal to image whole human brain cytoarchitectural and laminar properties with potentially 3.5 µm resolution in block-face without the need for exogenous staining. From the intrinsic scattering contrast of the brain tissue, OCT gives us images that are comparable to Nissl stains, but without the distortions introduced in standard histology as the OCT images are acquired from the block face prior to slicing and thus without the need for subsequent staining and mounting. We have shown that laminar and cytoarchitectural properties of the brain can be characterized with OCT just as well as with Nissl staining. We will present our recent advances to improve the axial resolution while maintaining contrast; improvements afforded by speckle reduction procedures; and efforts to obtain quantitative maps of the optical scattering coefficient, an intrinsic property of the tissue.

Adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction technology in the application of PET/CT whole body scans

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xin Jun; Zhao Zhoushe; Li Hong; Lu Zhe; Wu Wenkai; Guo Qiyong

2013-01-01

Objective: To improve image quality of low dose CT in whole body PET/CT using adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction (ASiR) technology. Methods: Twice CT scans were performed with GE water model,scan parameters were: 120 kV, 120 and 300 mA respectively. In addition, 30 subjects treated with PET/CT were selected randomly, whole body PET/CT were performed after 18 F-FDG injection of 3.70 MBq/kg, Sharp IR+time of flight + VUE Point HD technology were used for 1.5 min/bed in PET; CT of spiral scan was performed under 120 kV using automatic exposure control technology (30-210 mA, noise index 25). Model and patients whole body CT images were reconstructed with conventional and 40% ASiR methods respectively, and the CT attenuation value and noise index were measured. Results: Research of model and clinical showed that standard deviation of ASiR method in model CT was 33.0% lower than the conventional CT reconstruction method (t =27.76, P<0.01), standard deviation of CT in normal tissues (brain, lung, mediastinum, liver and vertebral body) and lesions (brain, lung, mediastinum, liver and vertebral body) reduced by 21.08% (t =23.35, P<0.01) and 24.43% (t =16.15, P<0.01) respectively, especially for normal liver tissue and liver lesions, standard deviations of CT were reduced by 51.33% (t=34.21, P<0.0) and 49.54% (t=15.21, P<0.01) respectively. Conclusion: ASiR reconstruction method was significantly reduced the noise of low dose CT image and improved the quality of CT image in whole body PET/CT, which seems more suitable for quantitative analysis and clinical applications. (authors)

Comparison of NREM sleep and intravenous sedation through local information processing and whole brain network to explore the mechanism of general anesthesia.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yun; Wang, Shengpei; Pan, Chuxiong; Xue, Fushan; Xian, Junfang; Huang, Yaqi; Wang, Xiaoyi; Li, Tianzuo; He, Huiguang

2018-01-01

The mechanism of general anesthesia (GA) has been explored for hundreds of years, but unclear. Previous studies indicated a possible correlation between NREM sleep and GA. The purpose of this study is to compare them by in vivo human brain function to probe the neuromechanism of consciousness, so as to find out a clue to GA mechanism. 24 healthy participants were equally assigned to sleep or propofol sedation group by sleeping ability. EEG and Ramsay Sedation Scale were applied to determine sleep stage and sedation depth respectively. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (RS-fMRI) was acquired at each status. Regional homogeneity (ReHo) and seed-based whole brain functional connectivity maps (WB-FC maps) were compared. During sleep, ReHo primarily weakened on frontal lobe (especially preoptic area), but strengthened on brainstem. While during sedation, ReHo changed in various brain areas, including cingulate, precuneus, thalamus and cerebellum. Cingulate, fusiform and insula were concomitance of sleep and sedation. Comparing to sleep, FCs between the cortex and subcortical centers (centralized in cerebellum) were significantly attenuated under sedation. As sedation deepening, cerebellum-based FC maps were diminished, while thalamus- and brainstem-based FC maps were increased. There're huge distinctions in human brain function between sleep and GA. Sleep mainly rely on brainstem and frontal lobe function, while sedation is prone to affect widespread functional network. The most significant differences exist in the precuneus and cingulate, which may play important roles in mechanisms of inducing unconciousness by anesthetics. Institutional Review Board (IRB) ChiCTR-IOC-15007454.

SlideJ: An ImageJ plugin for automated processing of whole slide images.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vincenzo Della Mea

Full Text Available The digital slide, or Whole Slide Image, is a digital image, acquired with specific scanners, that represents a complete tissue sample or cytological specimen at microscopic level. While Whole Slide image analysis is recognized among the most interesting opportunities, the typical size of such images-up to Gpixels- can be very demanding in terms of memory requirements. Thus, while algorithms and tools for processing and analysis of single microscopic field images are available, Whole Slide images size makes the direct use of such tools prohibitive or impossible. In this work a plugin for ImageJ, named SlideJ, is proposed with the objective to seamlessly extend the application of image analysis algorithms implemented in ImageJ for single microscopic field images to a whole digital slide analysis. The plugin has been complemented by examples of macro in the ImageJ scripting language to demonstrate its use in concrete situations.

MR image appearance of cerebrospinal fluid flow

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoffman, K.; Quencer, R.M.; Post, M.J.D.; Diaz, R.; Shapiro, R.

1986-01-01

The cerebrospinal fluid flow void phenomenon (FVP) was retrospectively reviewed in 402 brain MR imaging examinations to determine the incidence of, physical parameters responsible for, and clinical significance of the finding. A grading system was devised comparing T2-weighted signal intensities between lateral ventricles and other CSF spaces. FVP was classified as marked, moderate, or absent. Although FVP may be present (240 of 292, 82%) or absent (50 of 292, 18%) in healthy subjects, in all 13 cases of obstructive hydrocephalus (including three cases of normal pressure hydrocephalus) FVP was found. Hydrocephalus ex vacuo revealed no consistent pattern. The authors conclude that FVP may be a normal finding and may help distinguish various types of hydrocephalus

99Tcm-Neurolite brain SPECT imaging as an outcome predictor after brain trauma: initial experience

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Howarth, D.M.; Lan, L.; Booth, G.; Christie, J.; Bookalil, A.; Pollack, M.; Pacey, D.

1999-01-01

Full text: The aim of this study was to use semi-quantitative 99 Tc m -ethylene cysteine dimer (Neurolite) cerebral blood flow (CBF) SPET brain imaging to assess its role in predicting outcome after brain trauma. Twelve adult patients (9 males, 3 females) who sustained moderate to severe brain trauma were studied by CBF/SPET within 4 weeks of the injury (scan A) and again after 1 year (scan B). Clinical assessment was also performed at these times and included extensive neuropsychometric testing. Patients received 800-850 MBq 99 Tc m -Neurolite intravenously, and were imaged using a triple-headed gamma camera with LEUHR fan beam collimators. Processing, filtering, reconstruction and data set selection were identical for scans A and B. Semi-quantitative analysis was performed using 25 regions of interest in the cerebral cortex and deep structures in 2 coronal, 2 sagittal and 3 oblique planes. Normalized mean counts per pixel for the whole brain, and regional brain ratios were calculated. Scans A and B were compared and correlated to the clinical outcome data. Two patients with minimal CBF abnormalities made full recoveries. The remaining 10 had moderate to severe focal CBF defects, which showed no significant improvement at 12 months. Of these patients, 2 had moderate disability, 3 had severe to moderate disability and 2 had severe disability at 12 months. Patients with persisting focal abnormal CBF showed persisting neurological deficits. Neurolite brain CBF imaging is a useful method of predicting outcome after moderate to severe head injury

In vivo imaging of GABAA receptors using sequential whole-volume iodine-123 iomazenil single-photon emission tomography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Busatto, G.F.; Pilowsky, L.S.; Costa, D.C.; Ell, P.J.; Lingford-Hughes, A.; Kerwin, R.W.

1995-01-01

Using a brain-dedicated triple-headed single-photon emission tomography (SPET) system, a sequential whole-volume imaging protocol has been devised to evaluate the regional distribution of iodine-123 iomazenil binding to GABA A receptors in the entire brain. The protocol was piloted in eight normal volunteers (seven males and one female; mean age, 24.8±3.9 years). The patterns obtained were largely compatible with the known distribution of GABA A receptors in the brain as reported in autoradiographic studies, with cerebral cortical regions, particularly the occipital and frontal cortices, displaying the highest 123 I-iomazenil uptake. Measures of time to peak uptake and tracer washout rates presented with the same pattern of regional variation, with later times to peak and slower washout rates in cortical regions compared to other brain areas. Semiquantitative analysis of the data using white matter/ventricle regions as reference demonstrated a plateau of specific 123 I-iomazenil binding in neocortical and cerebellar regions from 60-75 min onwards. These data demonstrate the feasibility of sequential, dynamic whole-volume 123 I-iomazenil SPET imaging. The protocol may be particularly useful in the investigation of neuropsychiatric conditions which are likely to involve more than one focus of GABA abnormalities, such as anxiety disorders and schizophrenia. (orig.)

Brain morphology imaging by 3D microscopy and fluorescent Nissl staining.

Science.gov (United States)

Lazutkin, A A; Komissarova, N V; Toptunov, D M; Anokhin, K V

2013-07-01

Modern optical methods (multiphoton and light-sheet fluorescent microscopy) allow 3D imaging of large specimens of the brain with cell resolution. It is therefore essential to refer the resultant 3D pictures of expression of transgene, protein, and other markers in the brain to the corresponding structures in the atlas. This implies counterstaining of specimens with morphological dyes. However, there are no methods for contrasting large samples of the brain without their preliminary slicing. We have developed a method for fluorescent Nissl staining of whole brain samples. 3D reconstructions of specimens of the hippocampus, olfactory bulbs, and cortex were created. The method can be used for morphological control and evaluation of the effects of various factors on the brain using 3D microscopy technique.

Sodium MR imaging of human brain neoplasms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kobayashi, Shu; Yoshikawa, Kohki; Takakura, Kintomo; Iio, Masahiro

1988-01-01

We reported the experience of the sodium magnetic resonance imaging of 5 patients with brain tumors (4 astrocytomas and 1 craniopharyngioma), using a Siemens 1.5 Tesla superconductive magnet. We used two-dimensional Fourier imaging with a spin-echo scanning sequence (and with the repetition time of 140 msec and the echo time of 11 - 14 msec). The radiofrequency was maintained at 17 MHz. Sodium MR imaging was achieved with a 64 x 64 data acquisition (30 mm slice thickness) in 19.1 min. On the sodium MRI, all four astrocytomas, along with the eye balls and the cerebrospinal fluid spaces, appeared as high-intensity areas. Peritumoral edema is also visualized as highly intense, so that it is difficult to discriminate tumor extent from the surrounding edema. Our comparative studies with malignant glioma cases using the same equipment are needed to clarify the relationship between sodium signal intensities and the malignancy of gliomas, and to evaluate the potential clinical utility of sodium MRI. A craniopharyngioma than contained a yellowish cystic fluid with a sodium concentration as high as CSF was shown on sodium MRI as a mass with highly intense signals. The ability to differentiate extracellular from intracellular sodium, that has been studied by several investigators, would greatly augment the clinical specificity of MR imaging. (author)

Brain washing : Transport of cerebral extracellular fluids and solutes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bedussi, B.

2017-01-01

Regulation of extracellular volume and fluid composition provides a robust microenvironment for brain cells. In peripheral tissue, fluid surplus and solutes are removed from the interstitium via drainage into lymphatic channels. Since the central nervous system lacks a proper lymphatic vasculature,

Evaluation of radiation dose and image quality of CT scan for whole-body pediatric PET/CT: A phantom study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yang, Ching-Ching, E-mail: cyang@tccn.edu.tw [Department of Medical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, Tzu-Chi College of Technology, 970, Hualien, Taiwan (China); Liu, Shu-Hsin [Department of Nuclear Medicine, Buddhist Tzu-Chi General Hospital, 970, Hualien, Taiwan and Department of Medical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, Tzu-Chi College of Technology, 970, Hualien, Taiwan (China); Mok, Greta S. P. [Biomedical Imaging Laboratory, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Macau, Macau (China); Wu, Tung-Hsin [Department of Biomedical Imaging and Radiological Sciences, National Yang-Ming University, 112, Taipei, Taiwan (China)

2014-09-15

Purpose: This study aimed to tailor the CT imaging protocols for pediatric patients undergoing whole-body PET/CT examinations with appropriate attention to radiation exposure while maintaining adequate image quality for anatomic delineation of PET findings and attenuation correction of PET emission data. Methods: The measurements were made by using three anthropomorphic phantoms representative of 1-, 5-, and 10-year-old children with tube voltages of 80, 100, and 120 kVp, tube currents of 10, 40, 80, and 120 mA, and exposure time of 0.5 s at 1.75:1 pitch. Radiation dose estimates were derived from the dose-length product and were used to calculate risk estimates for radiation-induced cancer. The influence of image noise on image contrast and attenuation map for CT scans were evaluated based on Pearson's correlation coefficient and covariance, respectively. Multiple linear regression methods were used to investigate the effects of patient age, tube voltage, and tube current on radiation-induced cancer risk and image noise for CT scans. Results: The effective dose obtained using three anthropomorphic phantoms and 12 combinations of kVp and mA ranged from 0.09 to 4.08 mSv. Based on our results, CT scans acquired with 80 kVp/60 mA, 80 kVp/80 mA, and 100 kVp/60 mA could be performed on 1-, 5-, and 10-year-old children, respectively, to minimize cancer risk due to CT scans while maintaining the accuracy of attenuation map and CT image contrast. The effective doses of the proposed protocols for 1-, 5- and 10-year-old children were 0.65, 0.86, and 1.065 mSv, respectively. Conclusions: Low-dose pediatric CT protocols were proposed to balance the tradeoff between radiation-induced cancer risk and image quality for patients ranging in age from 1 to 10 years old undergoing whole-body PET/CT examinations.

Brain Volume Estimation Enhancement by Morphological Image Processing Tools

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zeinali R.

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Background: Volume estimation of brain is important for many neurological applications. It is necessary in measuring brain growth and changes in brain in normal/ abnormal patients. Thus, accurate brain volume measurement is very important. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI is the method of choice for volume quantification due to excellent levels of image resolution and between-tissue contrast. Stereology method is a good method for estimating volume but it requires to segment enough MRI slices and have a good resolution. In this study, it is desired to enhance stereology method for volume estimation of brain using less MRI slices with less resolution. Methods: In this study, a program for calculating volume using stereology method has been introduced. After morphologic method, dilation was applied and the stereology method enhanced. For the evaluation of this method, we used T1-wighted MR images from digital phantom in BrainWeb which had ground truth. Results: The volume of 20 normal brain extracted from BrainWeb, was calculated. The volumes of white matter, gray matter and cerebrospinal fluid with given dimension were estimated correctly. Volume calculation from Stereology method in different cases was made. In three cases, Root Mean Square Error (RMSE was measured. Case I with T=5, d=5, Case II with T=10, D=10 and Case III with T=20, d=20 (T=slice thickness, d=resolution as stereology parameters. By comparing these results of two methods, it is obvious that RMSE values for our proposed method are smaller than Stereology method. Conclusion: Using morphological operation, dilation allows to enhance the estimation volume method, Stereology. In the case with less MRI slices and less test points, this method works much better compared to Stereology method.

Brain imaging studies of sleep disorder

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakamura, Masaki; Inoue, Yuichi

2014-01-01

Brain imaging studies of narcolepsy (NA)/cataplexy (CA), a typical sleep disorder, are summarized together with techniques of functional and structural imaging means. single photon emission CT (SPECT) is based on the distribution of tracers labeled by single photon emitters like 99m Tc and 123 I for seeing the blood flow and receptors. PET using positron emitters like 15 O and 18 F for blood flow and for glucose metabolism, respectively, is of higher resolution and more quantitative than SPECT. Functional MRI (fMRI) depicts the cerebral activity through signal difference by blood oxygenation level dependence (BOLD) effect, and MR spectroscopy (MRS) depicts and quantifies biomaterials through the difference of their nuclear chemical shifts in the magnetic field. Morphologic imaging studies involve the measurement of the volume of the region of interest by comparison with the reference region such as the whole brain volume. Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) has changed to its more advanced surface-based analysis (SBA) of T1-enhanced image. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is based on the tissue water diffusion. Functional SPECT/PET studies have suggested the decrease of blood flow and metabolic activity in the hypothalamus (HT) and other related regions at the conscious resting state, and locally increased blood flow in cingulate gyrus (CG) and amygdaloid complex (AC) at affective CA/PA seizure. fMRI has suggested the hypoactivity of HT and hyperactivity of AC at the seizure. VBM-based studies have not given the consistent results, but DTI studies have suggested an important participation of AC at the seizure. (T.T.)

Pre- and postcontrast FLAIR MR imaging in the diagnosis of intracranial meningeal pathology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsuchiya, Kazuhiro; Katase, Shichiro; Yoshino, Ayako; Hachiya, Junichi

2000-01-01

Few reports address the use of fluid-attenuated inversion-recovery (FLAIR) images of the brain in the diagnosis of extraaxial lesions. Our purpose was to assess the value of FLAIR images, including postcontrast ones, in the diagnosis of intracranial meningeal diseases. We reviewed precontrast (n=24) and postcontrast (n=20) FLAIR images obtained from 25 patients with infectious meningitis (n=13), carcinomatous meningitis or dissemination of primary brain tumor (n=7), dural metastasis (n=3), and others (n=2) in comparison with fast spin-echo T2-weighted and postcontrast T1-weighted images. In lesion detectability, precontrast FLAIR images were significantly superior to fast spin-echo T2-weighted images but inferior to postcontrast T1-weighted images. There was no significant difference between postcontrast T1-weighted and FLAIR images. Precontrast FLAIR images can substitute for conventional fast spin-echo T2-weighted images. Postcontrast FLAIR images have diagnostic potential equivalent to conventional postcontrast T1-weighted images. (author)

Development of a model for whole brain learning of physiology.

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