Magnetization transfer contrast has yielded insight into brain tissue microstructure changes across the lifespan and in a range of disorders. This progress has been aided by the development of quantitative magnetization transfer imaging techniques able to extract intrinsic properties of the tissue that are independent of the specifics of the data acquisition. While the tissue properties extract...

We report a semiautomated postprocessing method based on magnetization transfer MR imaging that can quantify the extent of global disease in patients with multiple sclerosis. The technique combines segmentation and quantitative analysis of imaging data reflecting the structural integrity of white matter. Applications of this technique may include assessment of disease progress and of the effica...

Quantitative magnetization transfer (qMT) imaging yields indices describing the interactions between free water protons and immobile macromolecular protons. These indices include the macromolecular to free pool size ratio (PSR), which has been shown to be correlated with myelin content in white matter. Because of the long scan times required for whole-brain imaging (≈20-30 min), qMT studies of ...

OBJECTIVE To estimate longitudinal changes in a quantitative whole-brain and tract-specific MRI study of multiple sclerosis (MS), with the intent of assessing the feasibility of this approach in clinical trials. METHODS A total of 78 individuals with MS underwent a median of 3 scans over 2 years. Diffusion tensor imaging indices, magnetization transfer ratio, and T2 relaxation time were analy...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Recent work has shown a potential for excessive heating of deep brain stimulation electrodes during MR imaging. This in vitro study investigates the relationship between electrode heating and the specific absorption rate (SAR) of several MR images. METHODS In vitro testing was performed by using a 1.5-T MR imaging system and a head transmit-receive coil, with bilateral ...

PURPOSE To develop a framework to fully characterize quantitative magnetization transfer indices in the human cervical cord in vivo within a clinically feasible time. METHODS A dedicated spinal cord imaging protocol for quantitative magnetization transfer was developed using a reduced field-of-view approach with echo planar imaging (EPI) readout. Sequence parameters were optimized based in th...