Tracking brain motion during the cardiac cycle using spiral cine-DENSE MRI.
Cardiac-synchronized brain motion is well documented, but the accurate measurement of such motion on the pixel-by-pixel basis has been hampered by the lack of proper imaging technique. In this article, the authors present the implementation of an autotracking spiral cine displacement-encoded stimulation echo (DENSE) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique for the measurement of pulsatile brain motion during the cardiac cycle. Displacement-encoded dynamic MR images of three healthy volunteers were acquired throughout the cardiac cycle using the spiral cine-DENSE pulse sequence gated to the R wave of an electrocardiogram. Pixelwise Lagrangian displacement maps were computed, and 2D displacement as a function of time was determined for selected regions of interests. Different intracranial structures exhibited characteristic motion amplitude, direction, and pattern throughout the cardiac cycle. Time-resolved displacement curves revealed the pathway of pulsatile motion from brain stem to peripheral brain lobes. These preliminary results demonstrated that the spiral cine-DENSE MRI technique can be used to measure cardiac-synchronized pulsatile brain motion on the pixel-by-pixel basis with high temporal/spatial resolution and sensitivity.
Zhong
Xiaodong
X
Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22908, USA.
Meyer
Craig H
CH
Schlesinger
David J
DJ
Sheehan
Jason P
JP
Epstein
Frederick H
FH
Larner
James M
JM
Benedict
Stanley H
SH
Read
Paul W
PW
Sheng
Ke
K
Cai
Jing
J
D000328:Adult; D000465:Algorithms; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D006321:Heart / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D019028:Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Cine / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D009068:Movement; D013997:Time Factors