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- Eriksson, Joakim, et al.
(author)
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Measurements of Kinematic Properties of the Cervical Spine Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging
- 1998
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Other publication (other academic/artistic)abstract
- This paper presents kinematic data on the cervical and upper thoracic spine, based on measurements made on 20 Scandinavian healthy, female volunteers, aged 22-58 years (mean age 40.4). The aim was to provide anatomical in vivo data, primarily intended as data for biomechanical modelling of the upper spine. Together with the measurements of standard anthropometric body dimensions, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to capture the inner anatomy for each subject. A rigid linkage system is described for the vertebrae C1 –Tvi, with one link per vertebra. Measurements include link lengths, link rotations, and antero-posterior endpoints of the spinous process. Furthermore, correlation coefficients are calculated between link lengths and anthropometric measurements. Also presented are regression equations for each link length, with stature as a predictor. Using additional images of lower accuracy, a sub-study (N=15) investigated possible differences in link length and link rotation between non-flexion and maximum-flexion of the neck. The differences in link lengths were significant (p>0.05) for only 1 of 16 measured links (Cii-Tx). Regarding link rotation, differences were significant for 4 links (Cv–T1). Finally, the precision of the results was evaluated using two methods: by using a phantom for determining the geometrical uncertainties caused by the scanner; and by comparing results between two repeated measurement rounds. The phantom test revealed that the pixel resolution and magnetic field inhomogenities had only a minor influence on the results. The comparisons of repeated measurements revealed a significant difference for the links Ci and Cii, indicating that the landmarks for determining the occipital and Ci/Cii joints were the most difficult to identify on the images.
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| 3. |
- Knutsson, Linda, et al.
(author)
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Combined diffusion weighting and CSF suppression in functional MRI.
- 2002
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In: NMR in Biomedicine. - : Wiley. - 0952-3480. ; 15:3, s. 235-240
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In this study, EPI pulse sequences with diffusion weighting for reduction of contributions from large vessels and inversion pulses in order to minimize the effects of CSF pulsations and CSF partial volume effects were developed for BOLD contrast investigations in functional MR imaging. One inversion recovery echo-planar imaging (IR-EPI) pulse sequence and one IR-EPI with additional diffusion weighting (DW-IR-EPI) were developed and compared to a standard gradient-echo EPI sequence in a cortical stimulation experiment in nine healthy volunteers. Stimulation of motor cortex was performed using a semi-complex finger-tapping paradigm in seven periods of alternating rest and stimulation. Comparison between the three pulse sequences was made by measuring the activated volume in each subject, as well as by calculating the relative signal increase during stimulation. Due to different baseline signal-to-noise levels in the images generated by the three pulse sequences, artificial noise was added so that the comparative investigation could be performed independently of the noise level. The activated volume was 128 +/- 73 pixels (mean +/- SD) using the standard EPI pulse sequence, 31 +/- 12 pixels using IR-EPI and 15 +/- 13 pixels when DW-IR-EPI was employed. The relative signal increase was 5.7 +/- 1.1% using standard EPI, 11.5 +/- 3.1% using IR-EPI and 9.9 +/- 2.4% using DW-IR-EPI. The activated volume obtained with the addition of extra noise, i.e. at equal S/N, was 70 +/- 50 pixels using the standard EPI, and when using IR-EPI, the activated volume was 28 +/- 13 pixels. At equal S/N, the signal increase was 7.3 +/- 1.4% using standard EPI and 12.0 +/- 3.6% using IR-EPI. In BOLD contrast imaging, a combination of diffusion weighting and inversion recovery appeared to reduce false activation caused by CSF pulsation and blood flow in large vessels.
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| 4. |
- Wirestam, Ronnie, et al.
(author)
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Assessment of regional cerebral blood flow by dynamic susceptibility contrast MRI using different deconvolution techniques
- 2000
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In: Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. - 1522-2594. ; 43:5, s. 691-700
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) was assessed using dynamic susceptibility-contrast MRI at 1.5 T. A simultaneous dual FLASH pulse sequence and Gd-DTPA-BMA (0.3 mmol/kg b.w.) were used for examination of 43 volunteers, measuring rCBF in frontal white matter (WM) and in gray matter in the thalamus (GM). Arterial input functions (AIFs) were registered 1) in the carotid artery and 2) in an artery within the GM/WM slice. The measured concentration-vs. -time curve was deconvolved with the AIF using both Fourier Transform (FT) and Singular Value Decomposition (SVD). Relative rCBF was given by the height of the deconvolved response curve. For each volunteer, eight different rCBF maps were calculated, representing different combinations of deconvolution techniques, AIFs, and filters. The average GM-WM rCBF ratios ranged from 2.0-2.2, depending on methodology. Absolute rCBF was 68 +/- 28 ml/(min 100 g) in GM and 35 +/- 13 ml/(min 100g) in WM (mean +/- SD, n = 39). GM-WM rCBF ratios obtained using SVD were 6-10% higher than corresponding ratios obtained using FT.
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