Multi-sequence whole-brain intracranial vessel wall imaging at 7.0 tesla

Area of Science:

• Radiology
• Neuroimaging
• Vascular Imaging

Background:

• Intracranial vessel wall magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is crucial for diagnosing vessel wall abnormalities.
• Current vessel wall imaging techniques are limited by restricted coverage and fewer contrast weightings.
• Advanced 7.0-T MRI holds potential for improved intracranial imaging.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a multi-sequence, whole-brain coverage protocol for 7.0-T intracranial vessel wall MRI.
• To assess the diagnostic performance of new whole-brain sequences compared to existing limited-coverage methods.

Main Methods:

• A modified magnetisation-preparation inversion recovery turbo-spin-echo (MPIR-TSE) sequence was employed for proton density (PD)-, T1-, and T2-weighted imaging.
• The protocol achieved 190-mm whole-brain coverage.
• Image quality and conspicuity were assessed by three observers in healthy volunteers and patients with cerebrovascular disease.

Main Results:

• All whole-brain sequences demonstrated good conspicuity of arterial vessel walls.
• Limited-coverage sequences showed slightly better conspicuity than whole-brain sequences.
• Whole-brain T1-weighted sequences yielded the highest signal intensity ratios in patients, indicating strong potential for abnormality characterization.

Conclusions:

• The developed whole-brain multi-sequence protocol enables comprehensive assessment of intracranial arterial vessel walls with diverse contrast weightings.
• These 7.0-T MRI sequences show promise for characterizing intracranial vessel wall abnormalities, similar to current carotid plaque imaging techniques.
• The protocol facilitates full visualization of the cerebral arterial tree, aiding in the diagnosis of cerebrovascular diseases.