Line-scan diffusion tensor MR imaging at 0.2 T: feasibility study.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate and measure apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and fractional anisotropy (FA) values using data obtained with line-scan diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) of human brains on a 0.2 Tesla MR imager.


METHODS
Diffusion-tensor imaging (DTI) was performed on eight healthy volunteers. The signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) of white matter and cerebrospinal fluid were measured. ADC and FA were also measured from the data obtained from all subjects. Three-dimensional corticospinal fiber tracts were reconstructed from the DT images and a qualitative evaluation was done.


RESULTS
The total scan time was 52 minutes 30 seconds for 18 slices with full-tensor images covering the whole brain. The ADCs and FAs show the appropriate values, in comparison with values obtained at high field strength in previous studies. Corticospinal fibers were demonstrated more clearly on images obtained at 0.2 T than at 1.5T.


CONCLUSIONS
DTI at low field strength may be feasible for clinical use to estimate the white matter of brain with limited coverage, which often may be sufficient.
Hori
Masaaki
M
Department of Radiology, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi, Japan. masahori-tky@umin.ac.jp
Aoki
Shigeki
S
Okubo
Toshiyuki
T
Ishigame
Keiichi
K
Kumagai
Hiroshi
H
Araki
Tsutomu
T
D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male