| 1. |
- Lagerstrand, Kerstin M, et al.
(author)
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Contrast agent influences MRI phase-contrast flow measurements in small vessels.
- 2010
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In: Magnetic resonance in medicine. - : Wiley. - 1522-2594 .- 0740-3194. ; 64:1, s. 42-46
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Contrast-enhanced MR angiography is often combined with phase contrast (PC) flow measurement to answer a particular clinical question. The contrast agent that is administered during contrast-enhanced MR angiography may still be present in the blood during the consecutive PC flow measurement. The aim of this work was to evaluate the influence of contrast agent on PC flow measurements in small vessels. For that purpose, both in vivo measurements and computer simulations were performed. The dependence of the PC flow quantification on the signal amplitude difference between blood and stationary background tissue for various vessel sizes was characterized. Results show that the partial-volume effect strongly affects the accuracy of the PC flow quantification when the imaged vessel is small compared to the spatial resolution. A higher blood-to-background-contrast level during imaging significantly increases the partial-volume effect and thereby reduces the accuracy of the flow quantification. On the other hand, a higher blood-to-background-contrast level facilitated the segmentation of the vessel for flow rate determination. PC flow measurements should therefore be performed after contrast agent administration in large vessels, but before contrast agent administration in small vessels.
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| 2. |
- Lagerstrand, Kerstin M, et al.
(author)
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Flow-induced disturbances in balanced steady-state free precession images: means to reduce or exploit them.
- 2009
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In: Magnetic resonance in medicine : official journal of the Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine / Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. - : Wiley. - 1522-2594. ; 61:4, s. 893-8
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In this work computer simulations and phantom measurements are presented that show the effect of flow on in-plane balanced steady-state free precession images. The images were studied for various flow velocities, excitation regions, relaxation times, RF-pulse angles, and off-resonance frequencies. The work shows that flow-induced disturbances are present in the images, but can be reduced by the application of inhomogeneous excitation regions. Also, a velocity quantification method that utilizes the disturbances was developed and proved to quantify flow velocities accurately. The work concluded that the flow-induced disturbances can be reduced to improve image quality, but can also be exploited to quantify the flow velocity.
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| 3. |
- Lagerstrand, Kerstin M, et al.
(author)
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Quantitative phase-contrast flow MRI measurements in the presence of a second vessel closely positioned to the examined vessel.
- 2006
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In: Journal of magnetic resonance imaging : JMRI. - : Wiley. - 1053-1807 .- 1522-2586. ; 23:2, s. 156-62
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- PURPOSE: To examine the influence of the truncated sampling of k-space data on the accuracy of phase-contrast (PC) flow quantifications in the presence of nearby vessels. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Computer simulations were performed along with some experimental validations on a flow phantom and a normal subject. RESULTS: The accuracy of the PC flow quantification decreased when a second vessel was positioned closely to the examined vessel. The effect strongly depended on the peak flow velocity in the second vessel relative to the velocity encoding (venc) level of the MRI acquisition, and on the position and area of the second vessel. CONCLUSION: Due to the truncated sampling of the k-space data, signal leaked from nearby vessels and distorted the PC flow quantification in the examined vessel. The presented results suggest specific experimental conditions to minimize this flow quantification error.
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| 4. |
- Ljungberg, Maria, et al.
(author)
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31P MR spectroscopy to evaluate the efficacy of hepatic artery embolization in the treatment of neuroendocrine liver metastases.
- 2012
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In: Acta radiologica (Stockholm, Sweden : 1987). - : SAGE Publications. - 1600-0455 .- 0284-1851. ; 53:10, s. 1118-1126
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BackgroundIt is common to treat patients with metastatic disease from gastrointestinal neuroendocrine (NE) tumors with surgical reduction to prolong survival. This can be combined with hepatic arterial embolization (HAE) and medical treatment to reduce hormonal symptoms. Today there are no rapid and reliable methods to evaluate the efficacy of HAE in the treatment of neuroendocrine liver metastasis.PurposeTo investigate metabolic changes in hepatic metastases of NE tumors following HAE, and to establish if there are any early spectral patterns that might indicate therapeutic efficacy based on in vivo (31)P MRS data.Material and MethodsVolume selective (31)P MRS was used to study 11 patients with disseminated NE tumors with regional lymph nodes and bilobar liver metastases. Measurements were performed before and 1 and 3 days after HAE.ResultsNon-responders had significantly higher PME/Pi and αNTP/ΣNTP ratios than the responders before HAE (P < 0.05). Three days after HAE, non-responders still had significantly higher αNTP/ΣNTP than the responders did (P < 0.05). We also observed trends for increased PME ratios 3 days after HAE, decreased ATP-levels, and liberated Pi in responders.ConclusionThis (31)P-MRS study showed significant differences in PME/Pi and αNTP/ΣP ratios between responders and non-responders on the day before HAE, which is an interesting finding that may reflect intrinsic properties of the tumor tissue. We also observed trends for cell membrane renewal and increased energy consumption in responders after HAE. These results demonstrate potentials for (31)P-MRS to predict individual responsiveness prior to HAE.
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| 5. |
- Starck, Göran, et al.
(author)
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Anterior to posterior hippocampal MRS metabolite difference is mainly a partial volume effect.
- 2010
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In: Acta radiologica. - : SAGE Publications. - 1600-0455 .- 0284-1851. ; 51:3, s. 351-359
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: The concentration of N-acetylaspartate (NAA) in hippocampus, as measured with magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), and the ratio of NAA/(choline (Cho) + creatine (Cr)) are valuable tools in the lateralization of temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). MRS of hippocampus is also increasingly used to study certain psychiatric and degenerative diseases. However, the reliability of such measurements of hippocampus has been questioned. PURPOSE: To re-evaluate MRS imaging data from prior control subjects with regard to variation of metabolite concentrations in hippocampus from anterior to posterior and the partial volume (R)contribution to the measurements from adjacent tissue. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Twelve healthy subjects, mean age 33 years, were studied with MRS imaging. The measurement volume was angled along the temporal horns and metabolite concentration images were reconstructed at the MR system. Regions of interest (ROIs) in the anterior, medial, and posterior parts of both hippocampi were evaluated. Signal normalization to the total MRS signal from all ROIs permitted pooling of individual data with different and unknown signal scaling. One subject was re-examined with a high resolution three-dimensional (3D) volume of the brain for evaluation of partial volumes in the MRS examination. RESULTS: Overall, there were significantly lower concentrations of NAA in the anterior parts, and of (Cho+Cr) in the posterior parts, while the NAA/(Cho+Cr) ratio in the posterior parts of the mesial temporal lobes was significantly higher. Hippocampus accounted for one-half, one-third, and one-quarter of the anterior, middle, and posterior ROIs, respectively. The NAA/(Cho+Cr) ratio thus showed a reverse relationship to the relative volume of hippocampal tissue within the ROI. CONCLUSION: Metabolite concentrations in the mesial temporal lobe obtained with MRS imaging represent the mean value of hippocampus and a considerable amount of adjacent tissue. To assess the hippocampus alone, an actual voxel well below 1 cm(3) and a sub-centimeter slice thickness are required.
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| 6. |
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| 7. |
- Vikhoff-Baaz, Barbro, et al.
(author)
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Lateralisation with magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging in temporal lobe epilepsy: an evaluation of visual and region-of-interest analysis of metabolite concentration images.
- 2001
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In: Neuroradiology. - 0028-3940. ; 43:9, s. 721-7
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We carried out spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) on nine consecutive patients with temporal lobe epilepsy being assessed for epilepsy surgery, and nine neurologically healthy, age-matched volunteers. A volume of interest (VOI) was angled along the temporal horns on axial and sagittal images, and symmetrically over the temporal lobes on coronal images. Images showing the concentrations of N-acetylaspartate (NAA) and of choline-containing compounds plus creatine and phosphocreatine (Cho + Cr) were used for lateralisation. We compared assessment by visual inspection and by signal analysis from regions of interest (ROI) in different positions, where side-to-side differences in NAA/(Cho + Cr) ratio were used for lateralisation. The NAA/ (Cho + Cr) ratio from the different ROI was also compared with that in the brain stem to assess if the latter could be used as an internal reference, e. g., for identification of bilateral changes. The metabolite concentration images were found useful for lateralisation of temporal lobe abnormalities related to epilepsy. Visual analysis can, with high accuracy, be used routinely. ROI analysis is useful for quantifying changes, giving more quantitative information about spatial distribution and the degree of signal loss. There was a large variation in NAA/ (Cho + Cr) values in both patients and volunteers. The brain stem may be used as a reference for identification of bilateral changes.
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