Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 20, 2026
08:51
Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Multiple Sclerosis at 7.0 Tesla
Published on: February 19, 2021
Simultaneous T2, T2*, and R2' Mapping for Multiple Sclerosis Using Nonlinear Model-Based Reconstruction of
Jose Raul Velasquez Vides1,2, Carl J J Herrmann1,3, Thomas Gladytz1
1Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Berlin Ultrahigh Field Facility (B.U.F.F.), Berlin, Germany.
Magnetic Resonance in Medicine
|June 19, 2026
Summary
This study introduces a faster MRI technique combining 2in1-RARE-EPI acquisition and nonlinear reconstruction for brain imaging in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. The method accelerates scans by 7.5-fold, improving lesion detection and visualization.
Area of Science:
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging
- Neuroimaging
- Medical Physics
Background:
- Multiple Sclerosis (MS) diagnosis and monitoring rely on advanced neuroimaging techniques.
- Current MRI methods for quantitative mapping of T2, T2*, and R2' are often limited by long acquisition times and sensitivity to motion and off-resonance effects.
- Accelerated and accurate parametric mapping is crucial for improving patient compliance and enabling broader clinical studies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate the synergistic potential of undersampled radial 2in1-RARE-EPI acquisition and nonlinear model-based reconstruction.
- To achieve accelerated and simultaneous T2, T2*, and R2' mapping in the brains of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients.
- To overcome limitations of conventional reference techniques in MS brain imaging.
Main Methods:
- Implemented a novel 2in1-RARE-EPI sequence combining RARE and EPI modules for T2 and T2* data acquisition.
- Applied nonlinear model-based reconstruction to estimate T2, T2*, and R2' maps directly from undersampled k-space data.
- Conducted a retrospective undersampling experiment comparing nonlinear model-based reconstruction with parallel imaging compressed sensing (PICS) and validated against multiecho spin-echo (MSE) and multiecho gradient-echo (MGRE) methods in phantoms, healthy subjects, and MS patients.
Main Results:
- Achieved a 7.5-fold acceleration in scan time for T2, T2*, and R2' mapping compared to reference methods.
- The proposed method demonstrated agreement with reference techniques in phantoms and in vivo.
- Nonlinear model-based reconstruction showed superior spatial detail and accuracy over PICS at higher acceleration factors, enabling detection of focal MS lesions and visualization of the central vein sign.
Conclusions:
- The developed nonlinear model-based reconstruction of 2in1-RARE-EPI significantly reduces scan time.
- This acceleration enhances patient compliance and provides a foundation for using T2, T2*, and R2' as imaging biomarkers in MS.
- The technique shows promise for improved clinical studies and diagnostics in multiple sclerosis.
