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Assessing White Matter Microstructure in Brain Regions with Different Myelin Architecture Using MRI
Samuel Groeschel1, Gisela E Hagberg2,3, Thomas Schultz4
1University Children's Hospital Tübingen, Germany.
Plos One
|November 30, 2016
Summary
Quantitative MRI methods reveal distinct myelin characteristics in adolescent white matter. Multimodal imaging provides complementary insights into white matter microstructure, aiding potential biomarker development for neurological disorders.
Area of Science:
- Neuroimaging
- White Matter Microstructure Analysis
- Quantitative MRI
Background:
- Myelin architecture varies across brain regions, influencing white matter (WM) properties.
- Understanding these variations non-invasively is crucial for diagnosing WM disorders.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how myelin differences along the cortico-spinal tract and frontal WM are reflected in quantitative MRI parameters.
- To assess conventional and microstructural MRI sequences for characterizing WM microstructure within feasible scan times.
Main Methods:
- Utilized diffusion imaging, MR spectroscopy (MRS), myelin water fraction (MWF), Magnetization Transfer Imaging, and Quantitative Susceptibility Mapping.
- Assessed 19 healthy adolescents, focusing on regions with known differences in myelin thickness and fiber organization.
Main Results:
- Diffusion imaging, MRS, MWF, MTI, and QSM showed differential myelin sensitivity, offering complementary WM microstructure information.
- Neurite density (NODDI) was more sensitive than fractional anisotropy (FA) in crossing fiber regions.
- MWF, mean diffusivity, and chemical-shift imaging MRS best discriminated between areas with varying myelin content.
Conclusions:
- Multimodal WM microstructure assessment is feasible within clinical scan times.
- New microstructural parameters provide normative data and aid interpretation in regions with diverse myelin architecture.
- These quantitative MRI parameters show potential as biomarkers for WM disorders.
