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MESMERISED: Super-accelerating T1 relaxometry and diffusion MRI with STEAM at 7 T for quantitative multi-contrast and
F J Fritz1, B A Poser2, A Roebroeck2
1Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands; Institut für Systemische Neurowissenschaften, Zentrum für Experimentelle Medizin, Universitätklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Hamburg, Deutschland.
A new MRI sequence, MESMERISED, enables faster and more efficient quantitative imaging of brain T1, T2, and diffusion contrasts at 7 Tesla. This super-acceleration technique significantly reduces scan times, improving microstructure modeling capabilities.
Area of Science:
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
- Neuroimaging
- Biophysical Modeling
Background:
- Quantitative imaging of T1, T2, and diffusion is crucial for brain microstructure analysis.
- Acquisition time and challenges at ultra-high fields (7T) limit current quantitative MRI techniques.
- Existing methods struggle with extensive diffusion sampling, high b-values, and long diffusion times.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce and validate the MESMERISED (Multiplexed Echo Shifted Multiband Excited and Recalled Imaging of STEAM Encoded Diffusion) sequence.
- To demonstrate super-acceleration for quantitative T1, T2, and diffusion imaging at 7T.
- To enhance time efficiency for multi-component microstructure modeling.
Main Methods:
- Developed MESMERISED sequence combining echo-shifting (ES) and multiband (MB) acceleration.
- Implemented ES factor independent of MB acceleration for multiplicative (ESxMB) acceleration.
- Validated MESMERISED for whole-brain T1 relaxometry, multi-shell diffusion MRI, and diffusion time sampling at 7T.
Main Results:
- Achieved total acceleration factors up to 36 (1.8mm) and 54 (1.25mm) for quantitative T1 mapping, representing 6x-9x speedups.
- Acquired 370 whole-brain diffusion volumes (up to b=7000 s/mm²) in under 8 minutes (2mm) or 11 minutes (1.8mm), with 3.4x speedup.
- Demonstrated 70% higher SNR efficiency for high b-value diffusion imaging and efficient sampling of diffusion times up to 290ms.
Conclusions:
- MESMERISED enables unprecedented time efficiency for quantitative T1, T2, and diffusion imaging at 7T.
- The sequence facilitates advanced diffusion modeling and multi-component microstructure analysis.
- MESMERISED significantly expands the possibilities for comprehensive quantitative multi-contrast mapping in neuroimaging.
