Juergen Hennig

Multiecho Sequences with Variable Refocusing Flip Angles: Optimization of Signal Behavior Using Smooth Transitions between Pseudo Steady States (TRAPS)

A variation of the rapid acquisition with relaxation enhancement (RARE) sequence (also called turbo spin‐echo (TSE) or fast spin‐echo (FSE)) is presented. This technique uses variable flip angles along the echo train such that magnetization is initially prepared into the static pseudo steady state (PSS) for a low refocusing flip angle (α < 180°). It is shown that after such a preparation, magnetization will always stay very close to the static PSS even after significant variation of the subsequent refocusing flip angles. This allows the design of TSE sequences in which high refocusing flip angles yielding 100% of the attainable signal are applied only for the important echoes encoding for the center of k‐space. It is demonstrated that a reduction of the RF power (RFP) by a factor of 2.5–6 can be achieved without any loss in signal intensity. The contribution of stimulated‐echo pathways leads to a reduction of the effective TE by a factor ft, which for typical implementations is on the order of 0.5–0.8. This allows the use of longer echo readout times, and thus longer echo trains, for acquiring images with a given T2 contrast. Magn Reson Med 49:527–535, 2003.

Visual Processing in Infants and Children Studied Using Functional MRI

We studied the development of visual processing in 58 children, ranging from 1 d to 12 y of age (median age 29 mo), using functional magnetic resonance imaging. All but nine children had either been sedated using chloral hydrate (n = 12) or pentobarbital (n = 28). Nine children were studied under a full halothane/N2O:O2 anesthesia. In the first postnatal month, 30% of the neonates showed a positive blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) contrast signal, whereas, for infants between the ages of 1 mo and 1 y, 27% did so. Thirty-one percent of children between 1 and 6 y of age and 71% of children aged 6 y and above showed a positive BOLD contrast signal change to our visual stimulation paradigm.Besides the usual positive BOLD contrast signal change, we also noted that a large portion of the children measured displayed a negative BOLD contrast signal change. This negative BOLD contrast signal change was observed in 30% of children up to 1 mo of age, in 27% between 1 mo and 1 y of age, in 47% between 1 and 6 y of age, and in 14% of children 6 y and older. In the children in which we observed a negative correlating BOLD contrast signal change, the locus was more anterior and more lateral than the positive BOLD contrast signal, placing it in the secondary visual cortical area. The results indicate that when using functional magnetic resonance imaging on children, the primary visual cortical area does not respond functionally in the same manner as that of the adult until 1.5 y of age. This supports earlier clinical and electrophysiologic findings that different cortical mechanisms seem to contribute to visual perception at different times postnatally.

Absence of N-acetylaspartate in the human brain: Impact on neurospectroscopy?

N‐acetylaspartate (NAA) contributes to the most prominent signal in proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H‐MRS) of the adult human brain. We report the absence of NAA in the brain of a 3‐year‐old child with neurodevelopmental retardation and moderately delayed myelination. Since normal concentration of NAA in body fluids is hardly detectable, 1H‐MRS is a noninvasive technique for identifying neurometabolic diseases with absent NAA. This report puts NAA as a neuronal marker to question. Ann Neurol 2001;49:518–521

Quantitative diffusion tensor MR imaging of the brain: field strength related variance of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and fractional anisotropy (FA) scalars

The objectives were to study the “impact” of the magnetic field strength on diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) metrics and also to determine whether magnetic-field-related differences in T2-relaxation times of brain tissue influence DTI measurements. DTI was performed on 12 healthy volunteers at 1.5 and 3.0 Tesla (within 2 h) using identical DTI scan parameters. Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and fractional anisotropy (FA) values were measured at multiple gray and white matter locations. ADC and FA values were compared and analyzed for statistically significant differences. In addition, DTI measurements were performed at different echo times (TE) for both field strengths. ADC values for gray and white matter were statistically significantly lower at 3.0 Tesla compared with 1.5 Tesla (% change between −1.94% and −9.79%). FA values were statistically significantly higher at 3.0 Tesla compared with 1.5 Tesla (% change between +4.04 and 11.15%). ADC and FA values are not significantly different for TE=91xa0ms and TE=125xa0ms. Thus, ADC and FA values vary with the used field strength. Comparative clinical studies using ADC or FA values should consequently compare ADC or FA results with normative ADC or FA values that have been determined for the field strength used.

Calculation of flip angles for echo trains with predefined amplitudes with the extended phase graph (EPG)‐algorithm: Principles and applications to hyperecho and TRAPS sequences

The article presents an algorithm for calculation of flip angles in multiecho experiments to generate echoes with predefined amplitudes based on the extended phase graph algorithm. The algorithm can be used to optimize the echo envelope and thus the point spread function (PSF) in hyperecho and TRAPS (transition into the pseudosteady state) experiments while minimizing the total RF power. Implementations at 3 T using echo trains with Gaussian and Lorentzian PSF demonstrate a reduction in RF power by a factor of 3–5 while maintaining high image quality. Magn Reson Med 51:68–80, 2004.

Tracking dynamic resting-state networks at higher frequencies using MR-encephalography.

Current resting-state network analysis often looks for coherent spontaneous BOLD signal fluctuations at frequencies below 0.1 Hz in a multiple-minutes scan. However hemodynamic signal variation can occur at a faster rate, causing changes in functional connectivity at a smaller time scale. In this study we proposed to use MREG technique to increase the temporal resolution of resting-state fMRI. A three-dimensional single-shot concentric shells trajectory was used instead of conventional EPI, with a TR of 100 ms and a nominal spatial resolution of 4 × 4 × 4 mm(3). With this high sampling rate we were able to resolve frequency components up to 5 Hz, which prevents major physiological noises from aliasing with the BOLD signal of interest. We used a sliding-window method on signal components at different frequency bands, to look at the non-stationary connectivity maps over the course of each scan session. The aim of the study paradigm was to specifically observe visual and motor resting-state networks. Preliminary results have found corresponding networks at frequencies above 0.1 Hz. These networks at higher frequencies showed better stability in both spatial and temporal dimensions from the sliding-window analysis of the time series, which suggests the potential of using high temporal resolution MREG sequences to track dynamic resting-state networks at sub-minute time scale.

Contrast behavior and relaxation effects of conventional and hyperecho-turbo spin echo sequences at 1.5 and 3 T†

To overcome specific absorption rate (SAR) limitations of spin‐echo‐based MR imaging techniques, especially at (ultra) high fields, rapid acquisition relaxation enhancement/TSE (turbo spin echo)/fast spin echo sequences in combination with constant or variable low flip angles such as hyperechoes and TRAPS (hyperTSE) have been introduced. Due to the multiple spin echo and stimulated echo pathways involved in the signal formation, the contrast behavior of such sequences depends on both T2 and T1 relaxation times. In this work, constant and various variable flip angle sequences were analyzed in a volunteer study. It is demonstrated that a single effective echo time parameter TEeff can be calculated that accurately describes the overall T2 weighted image contrast. TEeff can be determined by means of the extended phase graph concept and is practically independent of field strength. Using the described formalism, the contrast of any TSE sequence can be predicted. HyperTSE sequences are demonstrated to show a robust and well‐defined T2 contrast allowing clinical routine MRI to be performed with SAR reductions of typically at least 70%. Magn Reson Med, 2006.

Phase coherent averaging in magnetic resonance spectroscopy using interleaved navigator scans: Compensation of motion artifacts and magnetic field instabilities

The quality of spectra in 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) is strongly affected by temporal signal instabilities during the acquisition. One reason for these instabilities are hardware imperfections, e.g., drifts of the main magnetic field in superconducting magnets. This is of special concern in high‐field systems where the specification of the field stability is close to the spectral linewidth. A second major potential source of artifacts, particularly in clinical MRS, is patient motion. Using standard acquisition schemes of phase‐cycled averaging of the individual acquisitions, long‐term effects (field drifts) as well as changes on a shorter time scale (motion) can severely reduce spectral quality. The new technique for volume‐selective MRS presented here is based on the additional interleaved acquisition of a navigator signal during the recovery time of the metabolite acquisition. It corrects for temporal signal instabilities by means of a deconvolution of the metabolite and the navigator signal. This leads to phase‐corrected individual metabolite scans and upon summation to a phase‐coherent averaging scheme. The interleaved navigator acquisition does not require any user interaction or supervision, while sequence efficiency is maintained. Magn Reson Med 47:1077–1082, 2002.

Is there a BOLD response of the visual cortex on stimulation of the vision-related acupoint GB 37?

To determine whether or not acupuncture of guangming (GB 37) produces a significant response of the visual cortex detectable by means of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).

In vivo noninvasive 4D pressure difference mapping in the human aorta: Phantom comparison and application in healthy volunteers and patients†

In this work, we present a systematic phantom comparison and clinical application of noninvasive pressure difference mapping in the human aorta based on time‐resolved 3D phase contrast data. Relative pressure differences were calculated based on integration and iterative refinement of pressure gradients derived from MR‐based three‐directional velocity vector fields (flow‐sensitive 4D MRI with spatial/temporal resolution ∼ 2.1 mm3/40 ms) using the Navier‐Stokes equation. After in vitro study using a stenosis phantom, time‐resolved 3D pressure gradients were systematically evaluated in the thoracic aorta in a group of 12 healthy subjects and 6 patients after repair for aortic coarctation. Results from the phantom study showed good agreement with expected values and standard methods (Bernoulli). Data of healthy subjects showed good intersubject consistency and good agreement with the literature. In patients, pressure waveforms showed elevated peak values. Pressure gradients across the stenosis were compared with reference measurements from Doppler ultrasound. The MRI findings demonstrated a significant correlation (r = 0.96, P < 0.05) but moderate underestimation (14.7% ± 15.5%) compared with ultrasound when the maximum pressure difference for all possible paths connecting proximal and distal locations of the stenosis were used. This study demonstrates the potential of the applied approach to derive additional quantitative information such as pressure gradients from time‐resolved 3D phase contrast MRI. Magn Reson Med, 2011.