Sharma Smily, Nayak Abhishek, Thomas Bejoy, Kesavadas Chandrasekharan
Department of Imaging Sciences and Interventional Radiology, Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Thiruvananthapuram, 695011, Kerala, India.
Neuroradiology. 2025 Mar;67(3):509-527. doi: 10.1007/s00234-025-03547-8. Epub 2025 Jan 31.
Synthetic MR is a quantitative MRI method that measures tissue relaxation times and generates multiple contrast-weighted images using suitable algorithms. The present article principally discusses the multiple dynamic multiple echo (MDME) technique of synthetic MR and briefly describes other quantitative MR sequences.
Using illustrative cases, various applications of the MDME sequence in neuroradiology are explained. The MDME sequence allows rapid quantification of tissue relaxation times in a scan duration of 5-7 minutes for full brain coverage. It also has the additional advantages of myelin quantification and automatic segmentation of brain volumes.
Applications including reducing scan time, improved detection of demyelinating plaques in Multiple Sclerosis (MS), objective assessment and follow-up for brain atrophy in neurodegenerative MS and dementia cases, and applications in stroke imaging and neuro-oncology are discussed. Uses in the pediatric population, including assessment of brain development and progression of myelination in children, evaluation of white matter disorders, and evaluation of pediatric and adult epilepsy, are elaborated. Quantitative evaluation by synthetic MR is discussed, which allows homogenization and objectification of the radiology data and can serve as a valuable source for artificial intelligence and future multicentre studies. A brief discussion on the technique, other quantitative MR methods, and limitations of the MDME sequence is also presented.
The article intends to provide an explicit and comprehensive review of the applications of synthetic MR in neuroradiology, exploring its potential as a routine sequence in daily neuroimaging practice.
合成磁共振成像（Synthetic MR）是一种定量磁共振成像方法，可测量组织弛豫时间，并使用合适的算法生成多对比度加权图像。本文主要讨论合成磁共振成像的多动态多回波（MDME）技术，并简要描述其他定量磁共振序列。
通过示例病例，解释MDME序列在神经放射学中的各种应用。MDME序列能够在5 - 7分钟的扫描时间内对全脑进行覆盖，快速定量组织弛豫时间。它还具有髓鞘定量和脑容量自动分割的额外优势。
讨论了其应用，包括缩短扫描时间、提高多发性硬化症（MS）中脱髓鞘斑块的检测、对神经退行性MS和痴呆病例中脑萎缩的客观评估和随访，以及在中风成像和神经肿瘤学中的应用。阐述了在儿科人群中的应用，包括评估儿童脑发育和髓鞘形成进展、评估白质疾病以及评估儿科和成人癫痫。讨论了合成磁共振成像的定量评估，它可使放射学数据同质化和客观化，并可作为人工智能和未来多中心研究的宝贵资源。还简要讨论了该技术、其他定量磁共振方法以及MDME序列的局限性。
本文旨在对合成磁共振成像在神经放射学中的应用进行清晰全面的综述，探讨其作为日常神经影像实践中常规序列的潜力。
