Intravoxel Incoherent Motion at 7 Tesla to quantify human spinal cord perfusion: limitations and promises
Simon Lévy
Aix-Marseille Univ, CNRS, CRMBM, Marseille, France
APHM, Hopital Universitaire Timone, CEMEREM, Marseille, France
Aix-Marseille Univ, IFSTTAR, LBA, Marseille, France
iLab-Spine International Associated Laboratory, Marseille-Montreal, France-Canada
Search for more papers by this authorStanislas Rapacchi
Aix-Marseille Univ, CNRS, CRMBM, Marseille, France
APHM, Hopital Universitaire Timone, CEMEREM, Marseille, France
Search for more papers by this authorAurélien Massire
Aix-Marseille Univ, CNRS, CRMBM, Marseille, France
APHM, Hopital Universitaire Timone, CEMEREM, Marseille, France
iLab-Spine International Associated Laboratory, Marseille-Montreal, France-Canada
Search for more papers by this authorMaxime Guye
Aix-Marseille Univ, CNRS, CRMBM, Marseille, France
APHM, Hopital Universitaire Timone, CEMEREM, Marseille, France
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Virginie Callot
Aix-Marseille Univ, CNRS, CRMBM, Marseille, France
APHM, Hopital Universitaire Timone, CEMEREM, Marseille, France
iLab-Spine International Associated Laboratory, Marseille-Montreal, France-Canada
Correspondence
Virginie Callot, Centre de Résonance Magnétique Biologique et Médicale (CRMBM, UMR 7339, CNRS / Aix-Marseille Université), 27 bd Jean Moulin, 13385 Marseille cedex 05, France.
Email: [email protected]
Search for more papers by this authorSimon Lévy
Aix-Marseille Univ, CNRS, CRMBM, Marseille, France
APHM, Hopital Universitaire Timone, CEMEREM, Marseille, France
Aix-Marseille Univ, IFSTTAR, LBA, Marseille, France
iLab-Spine International Associated Laboratory, Marseille-Montreal, France-Canada
Search for more papers by this authorStanislas Rapacchi
Aix-Marseille Univ, CNRS, CRMBM, Marseille, France
APHM, Hopital Universitaire Timone, CEMEREM, Marseille, France
Search for more papers by this authorAurélien Massire
Aix-Marseille Univ, CNRS, CRMBM, Marseille, France
APHM, Hopital Universitaire Timone, CEMEREM, Marseille, France
iLab-Spine International Associated Laboratory, Marseille-Montreal, France-Canada
Search for more papers by this authorMaxime Guye
Aix-Marseille Univ, CNRS, CRMBM, Marseille, France
APHM, Hopital Universitaire Timone, CEMEREM, Marseille, France
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Virginie Callot
Aix-Marseille Univ, CNRS, CRMBM, Marseille, France
APHM, Hopital Universitaire Timone, CEMEREM, Marseille, France
iLab-Spine International Associated Laboratory, Marseille-Montreal, France-Canada
Correspondence
Virginie Callot, Centre de Résonance Magnétique Biologique et Médicale (CRMBM, UMR 7339, CNRS / Aix-Marseille Université), 27 bd Jean Moulin, 13385 Marseille cedex 05, France.
Email: [email protected]
Search for more papers by this authorAbstract
Purpose
To develop a noninvasive technique to map human spinal cord (SC) perfusion in vivo. More specifically, to implement an intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) protocol at ultrahigh field for the human SC and assess parameters estimation errors.
Methods
Monte-Carlo simulations were conducted to assess estimation errors of 2 standard IVIM fitting approaches (two-step versus one-step fit) over the range of IVIM values reported for the human brain and for typical SC diffusivities. Required signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) was inferred for estimation of the parameters product, fIVIMD* (microvascular fraction times pseudo-diffusion coefficient), within 10% error margins. In-vivo IVIM imaging of the SC was performed at 7T in 6 volunteers. An image processing pipeline is proposed to generate IVIM maps and register them for an atlas-based region-wise analysis.
Results
Required b = 0 SNRs for 10% error estimation on fIVIMD* with the one-step fit were 159 and 185 for diffusion-encoding perpendicular and parallel to the SC axis, respectively. Average in vivo b = 0 SNR within cord was 141 ± 79, corresponding to estimation errors of 12.7% and 14.7% according to numerical simulations. Slice- and group-averaging reduced noise in IVIM maps, highlighting the difference in perfusion between gray and white matter. Mean ± standard deviation fIVIM and D* values across subjects within gray (respectively white) matter were 16.0 ± 1.7 (15.0 ± 1.6)% and 11.4 ± 2.9 (11.5 ± 2.4) × 10−3 mm2/s.
Conclusion
Single-subject data SNR at 7T was insufficient for reliable perfusion estimation. However, atlas-averaged IVIM maps highlighted the higher microvascular fraction of gray matter compared to white matter, providing first results of healthy human SC perfusion mapping with MRI.
Supporting Information
| Filename | Description |
|---|---|
| mrm28195-sup-0001-Supinfo.pdfPDF document, 3.1 MB |
FIGURE S1 Experimental optimization of acquisition parameters FIGURE S2 Comparison of IVIM fitting approaches for the human spinal cord: the two-step segmented approach versus the one-step approach FIGURE S3 In vivo SNR distribution within spinal cord for the cohort studied TABLE S1 Acquisition protocol |
Please note: The publisher is not responsible for the content or functionality of any supporting information supplied by the authors. Any queries (other than missing content) should be directed to the corresponding author for the article.
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