Simultaneous zero echo time fMRI of rat brain and spinal cord

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Medical Imaging
• Biophysics

Background:

• Functional assessments of the central nervous system (CNS) are crucial for various research fields.
• Conventional MRI techniques face challenges in simultaneously imaging distant regions like the brain and spinal cord due to artifacts and field-of-view limitations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a novel MRI approach for artifact-free, simultaneous functional MRI (fMRI) of both the brain and spinal cord.
• To overcome the limitations of conventional MRI in acquiring simultaneous images from distant fields of view.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a zero TE Multi-Band-SWeep Imaging with Fourier Transformation (MB-SWIFT) technique at 9.4T.
• Employed a simultaneous dual-field-of-view (FOV) configuration with two separate RF coils, one for the brain and one for the spinal cord.
• Conducted hindlimb stimulation fMRI studies in eight Sprague-Dawley rats.

Main Results:

• Demonstrated robust and specific neural activations in both the brain and spinal cord during hindlimb stimulation.
• Confirmed the feasibility of the novel approach for simultaneous functional assessment of the lumbar spinal cord and brain in rats at both individual and group levels.

Conclusions:

• The study successfully demonstrated the feasibility of a novel dual-FOV fMRI approach using zero-TE MB-SWIFT.
• This methodology paves the way for human translation and comprehensive CNS functional evaluations in conditions like pain, spinal cord injury, neurodegenerative diseases, and aging.