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Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging in rat kidney using two-dimensional navigated, interleaved echo-planar
Qiang Liu1,2,3, Zhongbiao Xu4, Kaixuan Zhao1,2,3
1School of Biomedical Engineering, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
NMR in Biomedicine
|November 25, 2021
Summary
This study demonstrates that two-dimensional navigated, interleaved multishot echo-planar imaging (EPI) significantly improves kidney diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) in rats. This advanced EPI technique enhances image quality and reduces distortion for better renal microstructure analysis.
Area of Science:
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
- Renal Physiology
- Preclinical Research
Background:
- Kidney diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) is crucial for assessing renal microstructure.
- Traditional single-shot EPI techniques suffer from image distortion and lower contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR).
- High-field MRI (7.0 Tesla) offers enhanced sensitivity but requires advanced imaging methods for optimal results.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the feasibility of 2D navigated, interleaved multishot EPI for improved rat kidney DWI at 7.0 T.
- To compare the image quality and geometric accuracy of multishot EPI against conventional DWI techniques.
- To assess the ability of the enhanced DWI method to characterize renal microstructure.
Main Methods:
- Developed and implemented fully sampled interleaved four-shot EPI with 2D navigators for kidney DWI in Sprague-Dawley rats (n=7) at 7.0 T.
- Compared image quality (CNR) and geometric distortion (Dice, Hausdorff) with T2-weighted RARE and single-shot EPI (with/without parallel imaging).
- Calculated mean diffusivity (MD) and fractional anisotropy (FA) in renal cortex and medulla to assess microstructural differences.
Main Results:
- Four-shot EPI achieved the highest CNR and lowest geometric distortion compared to single-shot EPI variants.
- The Dice similarity coefficient for four-shot EPI (0.92) was superior to ss-EPI without PI (0.77) and ss-EPI with PI (0.88).
- FA maps from four-shot EPI clearly delineated anisotropic regions, and significant differences in MD and FA between renal cortex and medulla were observed.
Conclusions:
- 2D navigated, interleaved multishot EPI provides high-quality kidney DWI in rats at 7.0 T.
- This method significantly reduces image distortion, preserving the anatomic integrity of renal structures.
- The technique facilitates detailed characterization of renal microstructure, showing promise for preclinical studies.
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