title: Accelerated magnetic resonance diffusion tensor imaging of the median nerve using simultaneous multi-slice echo planar imaging with blipped CAIPIRINHA.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the feasibility of MR diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) of the median nerve using simultaneous multi-slice echo planar imaging (EPI) with blipped CAIPIRINHA.
  
  
  METHODS
  After federal ethics board approval, MR imaging of the median nerves of eight healthy volunteers (mean age, 29.4 years; range, 25-32) was performed at 3 T using a 16-channel hand/wrist coil. An EPI sequence (b-value, 1,000 s/mm(2); 20 gradient directions) was acquired without acceleration as well as with twofold and threefold slice acceleration. Fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD) and quality of nerve tractography (number of tracks, average track length, track homogeneity, anatomical accuracy) were compared between the acquisitions using multivariate ANOVA and the Kruskal-Wallis test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Acquisition time was 6:08 min for standard DTI, 3:38 min for twofold and 2:31 min for threefold acceleration. No differences were found regarding FA (standard DTI: 0.620 ± 0.058; twofold acceleration: 0.642 ± 0.058; threefold acceleration: 0.644 ± 0.061; p ≥ 0.217) and MD (standard DTI: 1.076 ± 0.080 mm(2)/s; twofold acceleration: 1.016 ± 0.123 mm(2)/s; threefold acceleration: 0.979 ± 0.153 mm(2)/s; p ≥ 0.074). Twofold acceleration yielded similar tractography quality compared to standard DTI (p > 0.05). With threefold acceleration, however, average track length and track homogeneity decreased (p = 0.004-0.021).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Accelerated DTI of the median nerve is feasible. Twofold acceleration yields similar results to standard DTI.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  • Standard DTI of the median nerve is limited by its long acquisition time. • Simultaneous multi-slice acquisition is a new technique for accelerated DTI. • Accelerated DTI of the median nerve yields similar results to standard DTI.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital of Zurich, University of Zurich, Raemistrasse 100, CH-8091, Zurich, Switzerland. lukas.filli@usz.ch.
authors.forename: Lukas
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Filli
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroradiology, University Hospital of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Piccirelli
authors.affiliation: Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital of Zurich, University of Zurich, Raemistrasse 100, CH-8091, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kenkel
authors.affiliation: Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital of Zurich, University of Zurich, Raemistrasse 100, CH-8091, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Boss
authors.affiliation: Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital of Zurich, University of Zurich, Raemistrasse 100, CH-8091, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Andrei
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Manoliu
authors.affiliation: Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital of Zurich, University of Zurich, Raemistrasse 100, CH-8091, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Gustav
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Andreisek
authors.affiliation: Siemens Medical Solutions USA Inc, Charlestown, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Himanshu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bhat
authors.affiliation: Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital of Zurich, University of Zurich, Raemistrasse 100, CH-8091, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Val M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Runge
authors.affiliation: Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital of Zurich, University of Zurich, Raemistrasse 100, CH-8091, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Roman
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Guggenberger
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016880:Anisotropy; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D056324:Diffusion Tensor Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D017352:Echo-Planar Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D064368:Healthy Volunteers; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008475:Median Nerve / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*
keywords: Diffusion tensor imaging; Diffusion tractography; Echo-planar imaging; Median nerve; Simultaneous multi-slice