Shim Jeong-Min, Cho Seo-Eun, Kang Seung-Gul, Kang Chang-Ki
Neuroscience Research Institute, Gachon University, Incheon, South Korea.
Department of Psychiatry, Gil Medical Center, Gachon University College of Medicine, Incheon, South Korea.
Front Neuroanat. 2022 Aug 25;16:950650. doi: 10.3389/fnana.2022.950650. eCollection 2022.
There still are limitations associated with quantifying myelin content using brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) despite several studies conducted on this subject. Therefore, this study aimed: (1) to propose a myelin-related mapping technique to obtain the quantitative R1/T2* (q-Ratio) that has the advantage of quick processing and less dependency on imaging parameters, (2) to validate this adapted q-Ratio method by comparing the quantitative myelin-related map with those acquired through an existing mapping method [T1-weighted/T2*-weighted (w-Ratio)], and (3) to determine the q-Ratio myelin-related values in the white and gray matter, and the relationship between the q-Ratio myelin-related value and cerebral volume size in regions of interest (ROIs) in a healthy population. The multi-echo magnetization-prepared 2 rapid gradient echoes (ME-MP2RAGE) sequence was used in a 7 Tesla (7T) MRI for the acquisition of data regarding myelin content in 10 healthy participants. A correlation analysis was performed between myelin-related values obtained through the q-Ratio and w-Ratio methods. Additionally, myelin distribution was analyzed and compared in the white and gray matter, and the correlation between cerebral volume size and q-Ratio myelin-related value was analyzed in ROIs in the brain. The myelin-related maps acquired through the q-Ratio and w-Ratio methods were significantly correlated ( < 0.001), but the q-Ratio myelin-related map was much clearer. Additionally, the cerebral volume size in the gray matter was 399.40% larger than that in the white matter, but the q-Ratio myelin-related value in the gray matter was 80.83% lower than that of the white matter. Furthermore, volume size was positively correlated with q-Ratio myelin-related values in the white matter ( = 0.509, = 0.006) but not in the gray matter ( = -0.133, = 0.402). In this study, we validated using a q-Ratio myelin-related map that was acquired in one imaging sequence at 7T MRI. In addition, we found a significant correlation between ROI volume size and the q-Ratio myelin-related value in the white matter but not in the gray matter. It is expected that this technique could be applied to the study of various neuropsychiatric diseases related to demyelination in the future.
尽管已经针对此主题开展了多项研究，但使用脑磁共振成像（MRI）对髓磷脂含量进行量化仍存在局限性。因此，本研究旨在：（1）提出一种与髓磷脂相关的映射技术，以获取具有处理速度快且对成像参数依赖性较小优势的定量R1/T2*（q比值）；（2）通过将定量的髓磷脂相关图谱与通过现有映射方法[T1加权/T2*加权（w比值）]获取的图谱进行比较，来验证这种改进的q比值方法；（3）确定健康人群白质和灰质中的q比值髓磷脂相关值，以及感兴趣区域（ROI）中q比值髓磷脂相关值与脑容量大小之间的关系。在7特斯拉（7T）MRI中使用多回波磁化准备快速梯度回波（ME-MP2RAGE）序列，采集了10名健康参与者的髓磷脂含量数据。对通过q比值和w比值方法获得的髓磷脂相关值进行了相关性分析。此外，分析并比较了白质和灰质中的髓磷脂分布，并在脑的ROI中分析了脑容量大小与q比值髓磷脂相关值之间的相关性。通过q比值和w比值方法获得的髓磷脂相关图谱显著相关（<0.001），但q比值髓磷脂相关图谱更清晰。此外，灰质中的脑容量大小比白质中的大399.40%，但灰质中的q比值髓磷脂相关值比白质中的低80.83%。此外，容量大小与白质中的q比值髓磷脂相关值呈正相关（=0.509，=0.006），但与灰质中的无相关性（=-0.133，=0.402）。在本研究中，我们验证了使用在7T MRI的一个成像序列中获取的q比值髓磷脂相关图谱。此外，我们发现ROI容量大小与白质中的q比值髓磷脂相关值之间存在显著相关性，但与灰质中的无相关性。预计该技术未来可应用于各种与脱髓鞘相关的神经精神疾病的研究。
