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Microscopic susceptibility anisotropy imaging
Enrico Kaden1,2, Noemi G Gyori1,2, S Umesh Rudrapatna3
1Centre for Medical Image Computing, University College London, London, UK.
Magnetic Resonance in Medicine
|May 8, 2020
Summary
This study introduces microscopic susceptibility anisotropy imaging to map brain tissue microstructure. The novel method disentangles magnetic susceptibility from fiber orientation, improving microstructural integrity assessment.
Area of Science:
- Neuroimaging
- Biophysics
- Materials Science
Background:
- Gradient-echo MRI signals in brain white matter are influenced by fiber orientation relative to the magnetic field.
- Accurate mapping of microstructure-specific magnetic susceptibility requires accounting for orientation effects.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel framework for mapping microscopic susceptibility anisotropy in heterogeneous brain tissue.
- To disentangle tissue magnetic susceptibility from axon orientation effects in gradient-echo MRI.
Main Methods:
- Introduced microscopic susceptibility anisotropy imaging (MSAI).
- Utilized diffusion MRI data to infer orientational tissue structure.
- Factored out magnetic field direction dependence from frequency difference signals.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated proxy maps of microscopic susceptibility anisotropy in a human pilot study.
- Results were unconfounded by fiber crossings, orientation dispersion, and magnetic field direction.
- The technique requires dual-echo gradient-echo scans and a 2-shell diffusion protocol.
Conclusions:
- Quantitative recovery of microscopic susceptibility features is improved.
- The method enhances the assessment of microstructural tissue integrity in the presence of orientational heterogeneity.
