| 1. |
- Afzali, Maryam, et al.
(författare)
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In vivo diffusion MRI of the human heart using a 300 mT/m gradient system
- 2024
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Ingår i: Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. - 0740-3194.
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose: This work reports for the first time on the implementation and application of cardiac diffusion-weighted MRI on a Connectom MR scanner with a maximum gradient strength of 300 mT/m. It evaluates the benefits of the increased gradient performance for the investigation of the myocardial microstructure. Methods: Cardiac diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) experiments were performed on 10 healthy volunteers using a spin-echo sequence with up to second- and third-order motion compensation ((Formula presented.) and (Formula presented.)) and (Formula presented.), and 1000 (Formula presented.) (twice the (Formula presented.) commonly used on clinical scanners). Mean diffusivity (MD), fractional anisotropy (FA), helix angle (HA), and secondary eigenvector angle (E2A) were calculated for b = [100, 450] (Formula presented.) and b = [100, 1000] (Formula presented.) for both (Formula presented.) and (Formula presented.). Results: The MD values with (Formula presented.) are slightly higher than with (Formula presented.) with (Formula presented.) for (Formula presented.) and (Formula presented.) for (Formula presented.). A reduction in MD is observed by increasing the (Formula presented.) from 450 to 1000 (Formula presented.) ((Formula presented.) for (Formula presented.) and (Formula presented.) for (Formula presented.)). The difference between FA, E2A, and HA was not significant in different schemes ((Formula presented.)). Conclusion: This work demonstrates cardiac DWI in vivo with higher b-value and higher order of motion compensated diffusion gradient waveforms than is commonly used. Increasing the motion compensation order from (Formula presented.) to (Formula presented.) and the maximum b-value from 450 to 1000 (Formula presented.) affected the MD values but FA and the angular metrics (HA and E2A) remained unchanged. Our work paves the way for cardiac DWI on the next-generation MR scanners with high-performance gradient systems.
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| 2. |
- Cardone-Noott, Louie, et al.
(författare)
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A Computational Investigation into the Effect of Infarction on Clinical Human Electrophysiology Biomarkers
- 2014
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Ingår i: Proceedings of the 41st Computing in Cardiology Conference, CinC 2014, Cambridge, United States, 7-10 September 2014. - 2325-8861. ; 41, s. 673-676
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- The electrocardiogram (ECG) is often used to diag-nose myocardial infarction, but sensitivity and specificityare low. Here we present a computational framework forsolving the bidomain equations over an image-based hu-man geometry and simulating the 12 lead ECG. First, wedemonstrate this approach by evaluating a population ofeight models with varying distributions of local action po-tential duration, and report that only the model with apico-basal and inter-ventricular heterogeneities produces con-cordant T waves. Second, we simulate the effects of anold anterior infarct, which causes a reduction in T waveamplitude and width. Our methodology can contribute tothe understanding of ECG alterations under challengingconditions for clinical diagnosis.
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| 3. |
- Ibanez, Borja, et al.
(författare)
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Cardiac MRI Endpoints in Myocardial Infarction Experimental and Clinical Trials : JACC Scientific Expert Panel
- 2019
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Ingår i: Journal of the American College of Cardiology. - : Elsevier BV. - 0735-1097. ; 74:2, s. 238-256
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- After a reperfused myocardial infarction (MI), dynamic tissue changes occur (edema, inflammation, microvascular obstruction, hemorrhage, cardiomyocyte necrosis, and ultimately replacement by fibrosis). The extension and magnitude of these changes contribute to long-term prognosis after MI. Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) is the gold-standard technique for noninvasive myocardial tissue characterization. CMR is also the preferred methodology for the identification of potential benefits associated with new cardioprotective strategies both in experimental and clinical trials. However, there is a wide heterogeneity in CMR methodologies used in experimental and clinical trials, including time of post-MI scan, acquisition protocols, and, more importantly, selection of endpoints. There is a need for standardization of these methodologies to improve the translation into a real clinical benefit. The main objective of this scientific expert panel consensus document is to provide recommendations for CMR endpoint selection in experimental and clinical trials based on pathophysiology and its association with hard outcomes.
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| 4. |
- Lasič, Samo, et al.
(författare)
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Motion-compensated b-tensor encoding for in vivo cardiac diffusion-weighted imaging
- 2020
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Ingår i: NMR in Biomedicine. - : Wiley. - 0952-3480 .- 1099-1492. ; 33:2
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Motion is a major confound in diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) in the body, and it is a common cause of image artefacts. The effects are particularly severe in cardiac applications, due to the nonrigid cyclical deformation of the myocardium. Spin echo-based DWI commonly employs gradient moment-nulling techniques to desensitise the acquisition to velocity and acceleration, ie, nulling gradient moments up to the 2nd order (M2-nulled). However, current M2-nulled DWI scans are limited to encode diffusion along a single direction at a time. We propose a method for designing b-tensors of arbitrary shapes, including planar, spherical, prolate and oblate tensors, while nulling gradient moments up to the 2nd order and beyond. The design strategy comprises initialising the diffusion encoding gradients in two encoding blocks about the refocusing pulse, followed by appropriate scaling and rotation, which further enables nulling undesired effects of concomitant gradients. Proof-of-concept assessment of in vivo mean diffusivity (MD) was performed using linear and spherical tensor encoding (LTE and STE, respectively) in the hearts of five healthy volunteers. The results of the M2-nulled STE showed that (a) the sequence was robust to cardiac motion, and (b) MD was higher than that acquired using standard M2-nulled LTE, where diffusion-weighting was applied in three orthogonal directions, which may be attributed to the presence of restricted diffusion and microscopic diffusion anisotropy. Provided adequate signal-to-noise ratio, STE could significantly shorten estimation of MD compared with the conventional LTE approach. Importantly, our theoretical analysis and the proposed gradient waveform design may be useful in microstructure imaging beyond diffusion tensor imaging where the effects of motion must be suppressed.
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| 5. |
- Lasič, Samo, et al.
(författare)
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Stay on the Beat With Tensor-Valued Encoding: Time-Dependent Diffusion and Cell Size Estimation in ex vivo Heart
- 2022
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Ingår i: Frontiers in Physics. - : Frontiers Media SA. - 2296-424X. ; 10
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Diffusion encoding with free gradient waveforms can provide increased microstructural specificity in heterogeneous tissues compared to conventional encoding approaches. This is achieved by considering specific aspects of encoding, such as b-tensor shape, sensitivity to bulk motion and to time-dependent diffusion (TDD). In tensor-valued encoding, different b-tensor shapes are used, such as in linear tensor encoding (LTE) or spherical tensor encoding (STE). STE can be employed for estimation of mean diffusivity (MD) or in combination with LTE to probe average microscopic anisotropy unconfounded by orientation dispersion. While tensor-valued encoding has been successfully applied in the brain and other organs, its potential and limitations have not yet been fully explored in cardiac applications. To avoid artefacts due to motion, which are particularly challenging in cardiac imaging, arbitrary b-tensors can be designed with motion compensation, i.e. gradient moment nulling, while also nulling the adverse effects of concomitant gradients. Encoding waveforms with varying degrees of motion compensation may however have significantly different sensitivities to TDD. This effect can be prominent in tissues with relatively large cell sizes such as in the heart and can be used advantageously to provide further tissue information. To account for TDD in tensor-valued encoding, the interplay between asynchronous gradients simultaneously applied along different directions needs to be considered. As the first step toward in vivo cardiac applications, our overarching goal was to explore the feasibility of acceleration compensated tensor-valued encoding on preclinical and clinical scanners ex vivo. We have demonstrated strong and predictable variation of MD due to TDD in mouse and pig hearts using a wide range of LTE and STE with progressively increasing degrees of motion compensation. Our preliminary data from acceleration compensated STE and LTE at high b-values, attainable on the preclinical scanner, indicate that TDD needs to be considered in experiments with varying b-tensor shapes. We have presented a novel theoretical framework, which enables cell size estimation, helps to elucidate limitations and provides a basis for further optimizations of experiments probing both mean diffusivity and microscopic anisotropy in the heart.
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| 6. |
- Szczepankiewicz, Filip, et al.
(författare)
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Motion-compensated gradient waveforms for tensor-valued diffusion encoding by constrained numerical optimization
- 2021
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Ingår i: Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. - : Wiley. - 1522-2594 .- 0740-3194. ; 85:4, s. 2117-2126
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- PURPOSE: Diffusion-weighted MRI is sensitive to incoherent tissue motion, which may confound the measured signal and subsequent analysis. We propose a "motion-compensated" gradient waveform design for tensor-valued diffusion encoding that negates the effects bulk motion and incoherent motion in the ballistic regime.METHODS: Motion compensation was achieved by constraining the magnitude of gradient waveform moment vectors. The constraint was incorporated into a numerical optimization framework, along with existing constraints that account for b-tensor shape, hardware restrictions, and concomitant field gradients. We evaluated the efficacy of encoding and motion compensation in simulations, and we demonstrated the approach by linear and planar b-tensor encoding in a healthy heart in vivo.RESULTS: The optimization framework produced asymmetric motion-compensated waveforms that yielded b-tensors of arbitrary shape with improved efficiency compared with previous designs for tensor-valued encoding, and equivalent efficiency to previous designs for linear (conventional) encoding. Technical feasibility was demonstrated in the heart in vivo, showing vastly improved data quality when using motion compensation. The optimization framework is available online in open source.CONCLUSION: Our gradient waveform design is both more flexible and efficient than previous methods, facilitating tensor-valued diffusion encoding in tissues in which motion would otherwise confound the signal. The proposed design exploits asymmetric encoding times, a single refocusing pulse or multiple refocusing pulses, and integrates compensation for concomitant gradient effects throughout the imaging volume.
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| 7. |
- Teh, Irvin, et al.
(författare)
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Cardiac q-space trajectory imaging by motion-compensated tensor-valued diffusion encoding in human heart in vivo
- 2023
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Ingår i: Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. - : Wiley. - 0740-3194 .- 1522-2594. ; 90:1, s. 150-165
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose: Tensor-valued diffusion encoding can probe more specific features of tissue microstructure than what is available by conventional diffusion weighting. In this work, we investigate the technical feasibility of tensor-valued diffusion encoding at high b-values with q-space trajectory imaging (QTI) analysis, in the human heart in vivo. Methods: Ten healthy volunteers were scanned on a 3T scanner. We designed time-optimal gradient waveforms for tensor-valued diffusion encoding (linear and planar) with second-order motion compensation. Data were analyzed with QTI. Normal values and repeatability were investigated for the mean diffusivity (MD), fractional anisotropy (FA), microscopic FA (μFA), isotropic, anisotropic and total mean kurtosis (MKi, MKa, and MKt), and orientation coherence (Cc). A phantom, consisting of two fiber blocks at adjustable angles, was used to evaluate sensitivity of parameters to orientation dispersion and diffusion time. Results: QTI data in the left ventricular myocardium were MD = 1.62 ± 0.07 μm2/ms, FA = 0.31 ± 0.03, μFA = 0.43 ± 0.07, MKa = 0.20 ± 0.07, MKi = 0.13 ± 0.03, MKt = 0.33 ± 0.09, and Cc = 0.56 ± 0.22 (mean ± SD across subjects). Phantom experiments showed that FA depends on orientation dispersion, whereas μFA was insensitive to this effect. Conclusion: We demonstrated the first tensor-valued diffusion encoding and QTI analysis in the heart in vivo, along with first measurements of myocardial μFA, MKi, MKa, and Cc. The methodology is technically feasible and provides promising novel biomarkers for myocardial tissue characterization.
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