Creation of appropriate contrast-weighting and analysis of brain diseases by synthetic and quantitative MRI

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K19852
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Radiation science
• Research Institution: Juntendo University
• Principal Investigator: Hagiwara Akifumi 順天堂大学, 医学部, 助教 (20768535)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: MRI / Synthetic MRI / Quantitative MRI / 多発性硬化症 / Sturge-Weber症候群 / 視神経脊髄炎

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Synthetic MRI enables creation of any contrast-weighted image by post-processing based on a single quantitative MRI sequence for simultaneous quantification of T1 and T2 relaxation times and proton density. Myelin map can also be created based on these values. In this study, we established the reliability of the quantitative values acquired by synthetic MRI, which would be beneficial in multi-center study in the future. We also adjusted the contrast-weighted images created by synthetic MRI and applied them to diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS) and brain metastases for detecting focal lesions. Further, we detected white matter damage in patients with MS by quantitative MR values, and showed that myelin map was more sensitive to the disease process of MS than T1, T2, and proton density. Myelin map could be a clinical biomarker of MS clinical practice in the future.

Free Research Field

脳MRI

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

Synthetic MRIで得られる各種定量値を3つの異なる会社のMRI機器にて包括的に評価し、Synthetic MRIによる多施設共同研究への道が開かれた。Synthetic MRIのミエリン量マップが時間のかかる従来法と白質においてよく相関することを示し、また、ミエリン量マップが従来法MRIでは検出できないMSの白質障害・灰白質障害を検出し、いずれに対しても他のMRI定量値より感度の高いバイオマーカーであることを示した。臨床応用への道が開かれたと考えられる。多発性硬化症プラーク検出におけるSynthetic MRIの適切なコントラストも見出した。