Synthetic Brain MRI: Review of Current Concepts and Future Directions

Synthetic magnetic resonance imaging is a novel imaging technique that allows generating multiple contrast-weighted images based on relaxivity measurements of tissue properties in a single acquisition using a multiecho, multidelay saturation recovery spin-echo sequence. The synthetic images can be generated postacquisition from the parametric tissue maps, which can be beneficial to reduce scan time and improve patient throughput. Based on relaxometry maps, synthetic magnetic resonance imaging can also perform brain tissue segmentation and myelin quantification without additional scan time. The quantitative analysis may have implications for understanding and monitoring of the evolution of the maturation process. Similarly, the myelination process is vitally important to central nervous system functioning. Measuring myelin volume could provide relevant information for the diagnosis and treatment of patients with myelination disorders.