RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Synthetic MR Imaging–Based WM Signal Suppression Identifies Neonatal Brainstem Pathways in Vivo
JF American Journal of Neuroradiology
JO Am. J. Neuroradiol.
FD American Society of Neuroradiology
SP 1817
OP 1823
DO 10.3174/ajnr.A7710
VO 43
IS 12
A1 V.U. Schmidbauer
A1 M.S. Yildirim
A1 G.O. Dovjak
A1 M. Weber
A1 M.C. Diogo
A1 R.-I. Milos
A1 V. Giordano
A1 F. Prayer
A1 M. Stuempflen
A1 K. Goeral
A1 J. Buchmayer
A1 K. Klebermass-Schrehof
A1 A. Berger
A1 D. Prayer
A1 G. Kasprian
YR 2022
UL http://www.ajnr.org/content/43/12/1817.abstract
AB BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Multidynamic multiecho sequence–based imaging enables investigators to reconstruct multiple MR imaging contrasts on the basis of a single scan. This study investigated the feasibility of synthetic MRI-based WM signal suppression (syWMSS), a synthetic inversion recovery approach in which a short TI suppresses myelin-related signals, for the identification of early myelinating brainstem pathways.MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-one cases of neonatal MR imaging, which included multidynamic multiecho data and conventionally acquired T1- and T2-weighted sequences, were analyzed. The multidynamic multiecho postprocessing software SyMRI was used to generate syWMSS data (TR/TE/TI = 3000/5/410 ms). Two raters discriminated early myelinating brainstem pathways (decussation of the superior cerebellar peduncle, medial lemniscus, central tegmental tract, and medial longitudinal fascicle [the latter 3 assessed at the level of the pons]) on syWMSS data and reference standard contrasts.RESULTS: On the basis of syWMSS data, the decussation of the superior cerebellar peduncle (31/31); left/right medial lemniscus (31/31; 30/31); left/right central tegmental tract (19/31; 20/31); and left/right medial longitudinal fascicle (30/31) were reliably identified by both raters. On the basis of T1-weighted contrasts, the decussation of the superior cerebellar peduncle (14/31); left/right medial lemniscus (22/31; 16/31); left/right central tegmental tract (1/31); and left/right medial longitudinal fascicle (9/31; 8/31) were reliably identified by both raters. On the basis of T2-weighted contrasts, the decussation of the superior cerebellar peduncle (28/31); left/right medial lemniscus (16/31; 12/31); left/right central tegmental tract (23/31; 18/31); and left/right medial longitudinal fascicle (15/31; 14/31) were reliably identified by both raters.CONCLUSIONS: syWMSS data provide a feasible imaging technique with which to study early myelinating brainstem pathways. MR imaging approaches that use myelin signal suppression contribute to a more sensitive assessment of myelination patterns at early stages of cerebral development.CTTcentral tegmental tractDSCPdecussation of superior cerebellar peduncleFGATIRfast gray matter acquisition T1 inversion recoveryGAgestational ageICCintraclass correlation coefficientMDMEmultidynamic multiechoMLmedial lemniscusMLFmedial longitudinal fasciclesyWMSSsynthetic MRI-based WM signal suppression