The primary objective of this work is to create routinely useful techniques for spin-echo based, three dimensional, single-slab magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the human central nervous system (CNS) in clinically reasonable times. The comprehensive, high-resolution coverage accomplished with these new three-dimensional methods will provide more complete descriptions of pathological components of CNS diseases, higher probabilities of detecting focal abnormalities, and more accurate, quantitative evaluations of the extent of lesions. This work seeks to continue to advance the state of the art for high-resolution MRI of the CNS by building upon the progress achieved with three-dimensional single-slab techniques for imaging the brain during the first phase of this project. The current objectives include improving the temporal resolution for whole brain imaging, developing and evaluating three-dimensional single-slab techniques with other clinically-useful contrast behaviors, and extending the applications of these techniques beyond the brain to other territories of the CNS. Specifically, the research aims to: (1) substantially increase the spatial/temporal resolution of the new pulse sequence architectures, (2) extend the range of their contrast behaviors by adding fluid-attenuated inversion-recovery (FLAIR) contrast and robust separation of fat and water signals, (3)incorporate spatial selectivity to permit efficient, high-resolution imaging of the optic nerves and cervical spine, (4) implement the pulse sequences on an MR imager in a research setting and optimize their design, and (5) demonstrate in a clinical setting that the new techniques yield improved resolution with image contrast and artifacts at least comparable to current two-dimensional spin-echo-based techniques.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01NS035142-06
Application #
6393792
Study Section
Diagnostic Imaging Study Section (DMG)
Program Officer
Heetderks, William J
Project Start
1996-05-01
Project End
2003-08-31
Budget Start
2001-09-01
Budget End
2002-08-31
Support Year
6
Fiscal Year
2001
Total Cost
$432,707
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Virginia
Department
Radiation-Diagnostic/Oncology
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
001910777
City
Charlottesville
State
VA
Country
United States
Zip Code
22904
Moraal, Bastiaan; van den Elskamp, Ivo J; Knol, Dirk L et al. (2010) Long-interval T2-weighted subtraction magnetic resonance imaging: a powerful new outcome measure in multiple sclerosis trials. Ann Neurol 67:667-75
Moraal, Bastiaan; Meier, Dominik S; Poppe, Peter A et al. (2009) Subtraction MR images in a multiple sclerosis multicenter clinical trial setting. Radiology 250:506-14
Wisco, Jonathan J; Rosene, Douglas L; Killiany, Ronald J et al. (2008) A rhesus monkey reference label atlas for template driven segmentation. J Med Primatol 37:250-60
Moraal, Bastiaan; Roosendaal, Stefan D; Pouwels, Petra J W et al. (2008) Multi-contrast, isotropic, single-slab 3D MR imaging in multiple sclerosis. Eur Radiol 18:2311-20
Wisco, Jonathan J; Killiany, Ronald J; Guttmann, Charles R G et al. (2008) An MRI study of age-related white and gray matter volume changes in the rhesus monkey. Neurobiol Aging 29:1563-75
Duan, Y; Hildenbrand, P G; Sampat, M P et al. (2008) Segmentation of subtraction images for the measurement of lesion change in multiple sclerosis. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 29:340-6
Meier, D S; Weiner, H L; Guttmann, C R G (2007) MR imaging intensity modeling of damage and repair in multiple sclerosis: relationship of short-term lesion recovery to progression and disability. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 28:1956-63
Meier, Dominik S; Weiner, Howard L; Guttmann, Charles R G (2007) Time-series modeling of multiple sclerosis disease activity: a promising window on disease progression and repair potential? Neurotherapeutics 4:485-98
Pouwels, Petra J W; Kuijer, Joost P A; Mugler 3rd, John P et al. (2006) Human gray matter: feasibility of single-slab 3D double inversion-recovery high-spatial-resolution MR imaging. Radiology 241:873-9
Wu, Ying; Warfield, Simon K; Tan, I Leng et al. (2006) Automated segmentation of multiple sclerosis lesion subtypes with multichannel MRI. Neuroimage 32:1205-15

Showing the most recent 10 out of 30 publications