The proposed 3D pSPGR sequence for water T2 estimation in skeletal muscle correlated well with reference values in phantoms (R2 > 0.8), healthy controls (R2 = 0.69), and pathological muscles (R2 = 0.87).
Does a 3D partially spoiled gradient echo sequence provide accurate water T2 estimation in skeletal muscle compared to reference spectroscopic and multi-spin echo imaging?
The proposed 3D pSPGR sequence provides efficient and motion-robust water T2 estimation in skeletal muscle, including small moving organs like the tongue.
Abstract Purpose To propose a motion robust 3D sequence for water T 2 () estimation in skeletal muscle tissues. Methods A estimation method is proposed, using 10 image volumes acquired with a partially spoiled gradient echo (pSPGR) sequence, varying the RF phase‐cycling increment and prescribed flip angle. The complex signal evolution is fit with a bi‐component water/fat model to extract and account for B 1 and fat fraction confounders. Accuracy and precision were evaluated using numerical simulations. Cartesian and radial implementations of the sequence were tested. In phantoms, results were compared with reference spectroscopic and multi‐spin echo imaging techniques. Several in vivo experiments evaluated robustness to B 1 field inhomogeneities, sensitivity to physiological and pathological variations in on the thigh muscles. Results In phantoms, values were highly correlated with reference spectroscopy and multi spin echo values ( R 2 > 0.8). In vivo, values were correlated with reference values in healthy controls ( R 2 = 0.69) and pathological muscles ( R 2 = 0.87) and were not affected by B 1 inhomogeneities ( R 2 = 0.06). In the tongue muscle, a significant reduction in the SD of values was observed using the radial compared to the Cartesian pSPGR sequence (−28%). Conclusion The proposed approach provides efficient 3D estimation in skeletal muscle, including small moving organs like the tongue. This broadens the range of accessible targets for characterizing heterogeneous impairment of muscle tissue, while retaining durations compatible with clinical research.
Vermeulen et al. (Tue,) conducted a other in Skeletal muscle imaging. 3D sequence for water T2 estimation using partially spoiled gradient echo (pSPGR) vs. Reference spectroscopic and multi-spin echo imaging techniques was evaluated on Accuracy and precision of T2 estimation. The proposed 3D pSPGR sequence for water T2 estimation in skeletal muscle correlated well with reference values in phantoms (R2 > 0.8), healthy controls (R2 = 0.69), and pathological muscles (R2 = 0.87).