MRI-based myelin water imaging: A technical review

Area of Science:

• Neuroimaging
• Biophysics
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Background:

• Myelin water imaging detects a unique MRI signal from water within the myelin sheath.
• This signal is crucial for non-invasively assessing myelin integrity in the central nervous system.
• Changes in myelin are implicated in various neurological disorders.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review current acquisition and analysis strategies for myelin water imaging.
• To present research on the validity and clinical applicability of these methods.
• To compare different myelin water imaging techniques and discuss their limitations.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing literature on myelin water imaging techniques.
• Analysis of studies evaluating the accuracy and clinical relevance of various methods.
• Comparative assessment of different imaging protocols and data processing strategies.

Main Results:

• Multiple acquisition and analysis strategies exist for myelin water imaging.
• Research demonstrates the potential clinical applicability of these methods for assessing myelin.
• Each method presents unique advantages, difficulties, and model limitations.

Conclusions:

• Myelin water imaging provides a valuable, myelin-specific MRI signal for in vivo assessment.
• Further research and refinement of imaging methods are needed to overcome current limitations.
• Myelin water imaging holds significant promise for understanding and diagnosing white matter diseases.