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Quantitative susceptibility mapping of human brain at 3T: a multisite reproducibility study
1From the Department of Computer Science and Information Engineering (P.-Y.L., T.-C.C., M.-L.W.).
AJNR. American Journal of Neuroradiology
|October 24, 2014
Summary
Quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) shows reproducible brain iron measurements across sites. Precision varies by brain region, but QSM is suitable for multisite and longitudinal studies.
Area of Science:
- Neuroimaging
- Biomedical Engineering
- Radiology
Background:
- Quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) is a powerful tool for assessing brain iron deposition.
- Iron accumulation is linked to various neurological pathologies.
- Assessing QSM reproducibility across different imaging sites is crucial for clinical translation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the reproducibility of in vivo quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) in the human brain.
- To compare the precision of QSM across multiple imaging sites.
- To assess the performance of iterative and deterministic QSM algorithms.
Main Methods:
- Susceptibility values were measured in 5 brain regions of 9 healthy subjects.
- Phantom experiments were used for calibration.
- Subjects underwent repeated imaging on 3 different 3T MRI systems to assess within-site and cross-site precision.
- Iterative and deterministic QSM algorithms were implemented and compared.
Main Results:
- Deterministic QSM was ~700x faster but showed more streaking artifacts than iterative QSM.
- Regions like the putamen and globus pallidus showed high precision (0.005 ppm).
- Regions near the skull base, such as the red nucleus, had larger imprecision (~0.01 ppm).
- Cross-site errors were comparable to within-site errors.
Conclusions:
- QSM reproducibility in the human brain is region-dependent.
- Achieved precision supports the use of QSM in longitudinal and multisite studies.
- QSM can be utilized for tracking changes in brain tissue magnetic susceptibility, such as in aging.
