Sodium MR Neuroimaging

Area of Science:

• Neuroradiology
• Medical Imaging Physics

Background:

• Sodium MR imaging (SMI) shows promise for complementing proton MR imaging in neurology.
• Historically limited by low signal, SMI is becoming more feasible due to technological advancements.
• Potential applications include brain tumors, ischemic stroke, and epilepsy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the fundamental physics of sodium MR imaging for neuroradiologists.
• To discuss factors influencing clinical feasibility and current controversies in SMI.
• To explore the future clinical applications of SMI in neurologic diseases.

Main Methods:

• Review of fundamental physics of sodium MR imaging.
• Discussion of technical improvements in imaging techniques and hardware.
• Analysis of current literature on clinical applications and controversies.

Main Results:

• Recent improvements in imaging techniques and hardware are enhancing SMI utility.
• SMI is nearing clinical realism for diagnosing and monitoring neurologic conditions.
• The review covers the basics of SMI physics relevant to clinical settings.

Conclusions:

• Sodium MR imaging is poised to become a valuable clinical tool in neuroradiology.
• Advancements are overcoming previous signal limitations, enabling broader applications.
• SMI holds significant potential for diagnosis, phenotyping, and therapeutic monitoring in neurologic diseases.