scholarly journals Diffusion Kurtosis Imaging of the neonatal Spinal Cord: design and application of the first processing pipeline implemented in Spinal Cord Toolbox

Mapping Intimacies â—½  
2021 â—½  
Author(s):  
Rosella Trò â—½  
Monica Roascio â—½  
Domenico Tortora â—½  
Mariasavina Severino â—½  
Andrea Rossi â—½  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord â—½  
Diagnostic Value â—½  
Clinical Applications â—½  
Diffusion Kurtosis Imaging â—½  
Tissue Microstructure â—½  
Stage Of Development â—½  
Study Results â—½  
Non Gaussian â—½  
Diffusion Kurtosis â—½  
Age Range

AbstractDiffusion Kurtosis Imaging (DKI) has undisputed advantages over more classical diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging (dMRI), as witnessed by a fast-increasing number of clinical applications and software packages widely adopted in brain imaging domain. Despite its power in probing tissue microstructure compared to conventional MRI, DKI is still largely underutilized in Spinal Cord (SC) imaging because of its inherently demanding technological requirements.If state-of-the-art hardware advancements have recently allowed to make great strides in applying this emerging method to adult and child SC, the same does not apply to neonatal setting. Indeed, amplified technical issues related to SC district in this age range have made this field still unexplored. However, results arising from recent application of DKI to adult and child SC are promising enough to suggest how informative this technique would be in investigating newborns, too.Due to its extreme sensitivity to non-gaussian diffusion, DKI proves particularly suitable for detecting complex, subtle, fast microstructural changes occurring in this area at this early and critical stage of development, and not identifiable with only DTI. Given the multiplicity of congenital anomalies of the spinal canal, their crucial effect on later developmental outcome, and the close interconnection between SC region and the above brain, managing to apply such a method to neonatal cohort becomes of utmost importance.In this work, we illustrate the first semi-automated pipeline for handling with DKI data of neonatal SC, from acquisition setting to estimation of diffusion (DTI & DKI) measures, through accurate adjustment of processing algorithms customized for adult SC. Each processing step of this pipeline, built on Spinal Cord Toolbox (SCT) software, has undergone Quality Control check by supervision of an expert pediatric neuroradiologist, and the overall procedure has preliminarily been tested in a pilot clinical case study. Results of this application agree with findings achieved in a corresponding adult survey, thus confirming validity of adopted pipeline and diagnostic value of DKI in pediatrics. This novel tool hence paves the wave for extending its application also to other promising advanced dMRI models, such as Neurite Orientation Dispersion and Density Imaging (NODDI), and to a wider range of potential clinical applications concerning neonatal period.

scholarly journals Differential cortical microstructural maturation in the preterm human brain with diffusion kurtosis and tensor imaging

2019 â—½  
Vol 116 (10) â—½  
pp. 4681-4688 â—½  
Author(s):  
Minhui Ouyang â—½  
Tina Jeon â—½  
Aristeidis Sotiras â—½  
Qinmu Peng â—½  
Virendra Mishra â—½  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Human Brain â—½  
Diffusion Tensor â—½  
Cortical Plate â—½  
Diffusion Kurtosis Imaging â—½  
Third Trimester â—½  
Microstructural Changes â—½  
The Third â—½  
Cortical Regions â—½  
Non Gaussian â—½  
Diffusion Kurtosis

During the third trimester, the human brain undergoes rapid cellular and molecular processes that reshape the structural architecture of the cerebral cortex. Knowledge of cortical differentiation obtained predominantly from histological studies is limited in localized and small cortical regions. How cortical microstructure is differentiated across cortical regions in this critical period is unknown. In this study, the cortical microstructural architecture across the entire cortex was delineated with non-Gaussian diffusion kurtosis imaging as well as conventional diffusion tensor imaging of 89 preterm neonates aged 31–42 postmenstrual weeks. The temporal changes of cortical mean kurtosis (MK) or fractional anisotropy (FA) were heterogeneous across the cortical regions. Cortical MK decreases were observed throughout the studied age period, while cortical FA decrease reached its plateau around 37 weeks. More rapid decreases in MK were found in the primary visual region, while faster FA declines were observed in the prefrontal cortex. We found that distinctive cortical microstructural changes were coupled with microstructural maturation of associated white matter tracts. Both cortical MK and FA measurements predicted the postmenstrual age of preterm infants accurately. This study revealed a differential 4D spatiotemporal cytoarchitectural signature inferred by non-Gaussian diffusion barriers inside the cortical plate during the third trimester. The cytoarchitectural processes, including dendritic arborization and neuronal density decreases, were inferred by regional cortical FA and MK measurements. The presented findings suggest that cortical MK and FA measurements could be used as effective imaging markers for cortical microstructural changes in typical and potentially atypical brain development.

Three-dimensional characterization of non-gaussian water diffusion in humans using diffusion kurtosis imaging

NMR in Biomedicine â—½  
10.1002/nbm.1020 â—½  
2006 â—½  
Vol 19 (2) â—½  
pp. 236-247 â—½  
Author(s):  
Hanzhang Lu â—½  
Jens H. Jensen â—½  
Anita Ramani â—½  
Joseph A. Helpern
Keyword(s):  
Three Dimensional â—½  
Water Diffusion â—½  
Diffusion Kurtosis Imaging â—½  
Non Gaussian â—½  
Diffusion Kurtosis

scholarly journals White matter microstructural integrity across the adult lifespan: Combined perspective of diffusion tensor and kurtosis imaging

2021 â—½  
Author(s):  
Hiba Taha â—½  
Jordan A Chad â—½  
J. Jean Chen
Keyword(s):  
White Matter â—½  
Brain Aging â—½  
Diffusion Tensor â—½  
Diffusion Imaging â—½  
General Pattern â—½  
B Value â—½  
Diffusion Kurtosis Imaging â—½  
Adult Lifespan â—½  
Non Gaussian â—½  
Diffusion Kurtosis

Studies of healthy brain aging have reported diffusivity patterns associated with white matter degeneration using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), which assumes that diffusion measured at the typical b-value (approximately 1000 s/mm2) is Gaussian. Diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) is an extension of DTI that measures non-Gaussian diffusion (kurtosis) to better capture microenvironmental changes by incorporating additional data at a higher b-value. In this study, using UK Biobank data (b values of 1000 and 2000 s/mm2), we investigate (1) the extent of novel information gained from adding diffusional kurtosis to diffusivity observations in aging, and (2) how conventional DTI metrics in aging compare with diffusivity metrics derived from DKI, which are corrected for kurtosis. We find a general pattern of lower kurtosis alongside higher diffusivity among older adults. We also find differences between diffusivity metrics derived from DTI and DKI, emphasizing the importance of accounting for non-Gaussian diffusion. This work highlights the utility of measuring diffusional kurtosis as a simple addition to conventional diffusion imaging of aging.

scholarly journals Evaluation of microstructural changes in spinal cord of patients with degenerative cervical myelopathy by diffusion kurtosis imaging and investigate the correlation with JOA score

BMC Neurology â—½  
2020 â—½  
Vol 20 (1) â—½  
Author(s):  
Zhuohang Liu â—½  
Bingyang Bian â—½  
Gang Wang â—½  
Cheukying Tian â—½  
Zhenshan Lv â—½  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord â—½  
Cervical Myelopathy â—½  
Diffusion Kurtosis Imaging â—½  
Microstructural Changes â—½  
Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy â—½  
Diffusion Kurtosis

Non-Gaussian diffusion alterations on diffusion kurtosis imaging in patients with early Alzheimer’s disease

2016 â—½  
Vol 616 â—½  
pp. 11-18 â—½  
Author(s):  
Lixiang Yuan â—½  
Man Sun â—½  
Yuanyuan Chen â—½  
Miaomiao Long â—½  
Xin Zhao â—½  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease â—½  
Alzheimer's Disease â—½  
Diffusion Kurtosis Imaging â—½  
Early Alzheimer’S Disease â—½  
Non Gaussian â—½  
Diffusion Kurtosis

scholarly journals Spatially selective 2D RF inner field of view (iFOV) diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) of the pediatric spinal cord

NeuroImage Clinical â—½  
2016 â—½  
Vol 11 â—½  
pp. 61-67 â—½  
Author(s):  
Chris J. Conklin â—½  
Devon M. Middleton â—½  
Mahdi Alizadeh â—½  
Jürgen Finsterbusch â—½  
David L. Raunig â—½  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord â—½  
Field Of View â—½  
Diffusion Kurtosis Imaging â—½  
Diffusion Kurtosis

Investigation of the Non-Gaussian Water Diffusion Properties in Bladder Cancer Using Diffusion Kurtosis Imaging

2015 â—½  
Vol 39 (2) â—½  
pp. 281-285 â—½  
Author(s):  
Shiteng Suo â—½  
Xiaoxi Chen â—½  
Xiang Ji â—½  
Zhiguo Zhuang â—½  
Lianming Wu â—½  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bladder Cancer â—½  
Water Diffusion â—½  
Diffusion Kurtosis Imaging â—½  
Non Gaussian â—½  
Diffusion Kurtosis â—½  
Diffusion Properties

scholarly journals The Role of Non-Gaussian Models of Diffusion Weighted MRI in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Systematic Review

10.3390/jcm10122641 â—½  
2021 â—½  
Vol 10 (12) â—½  
pp. 2641
Author(s):  
Liberatore Tramontano â—½  
Carlo Cavaliere â—½  
Marco Salvatore â—½  
Valentina Brancato
Keyword(s):  
Hepatocellular Carcinoma â—½  
Systematic Review â—½  
Current Knowledge â—½  
Exponential Model â—½  
Response To Treatment â—½  
Diffusion Kurtosis Imaging â—½  
Diffusion Weighted â—½  
Non Gaussian â—½  
Diffusion Kurtosis

The importance of Diffusion Weighted Imaging (DWI) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has been widely handled in the literature. Due to the mono-exponential model limitations, several studies recently investigated the role of non-Gaussian DWI models in HCC. However, their results are variable and inconsistent. Therefore, the aim of this systematic review is to summarize current knowledge on non-Gaussian DWI techniques in HCC. A systematic search of the literature, including PubMed, Google Scholar, MEDLINE, and ScienceDirect databases, was performed to identify original articles since 2010 that evaluated the role of non-Gaussian DWI models for HCC diagnosis, grading, response to treatment, and prognosis. Studies were grouped and summarized according to the non-Gaussian DWI models investigated. We focused on the most used non-Gaussian DWI models (Intravoxel Incoherent Motion (IVIM), Diffusion Kurtosis Imaging (DKI), and Stretched Exponential—SE). The quality of included studies was evaluated by using QUADAS-2 and QUIPS tools. Forty-three articles were included, with IVIM and DKI being the most investigated models. Although the role of non-Gaussian DWI models in clinical settings has not fully been established, our findings showed that their parameters may potentially play a role in HCC. Further studies are required to identify a standardized DWI acquisition protocol for HCC diagnosis, grading, response to treatment, and prognosis.

scholarly journals Feasibility of Diffusion Kurtosis Imaging in Evaluating Cervical Spinal Cord Injury in Multiple Sclerosis

2022 â—½  
Author(s):  
BingYang Bian â—½  
ZhuoHang Liu â—½  
ZhiQing Shao â—½  
Pu Tian â—½  
YaQian Liang â—½  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis â—½  
Spinal Cord â—½  
White Matter â—½  
Therapeutic Effect â—½  
Gray Matter â—½  
Cervical Spinal Cord â—½  
Diffusion Kurtosis Imaging â—½  
Cord Injury â—½  
Before And After â—½  
Diffusion Kurtosis

Abstract Background：Quantitative evaluation of cervical spinal cord (CSC) injury in multiple sclerosis has always been a difficulty. The present study aimed to evaluate the lesion, normal-appearing gray matter (GM) and white matter (WM) damage, and therapeutic effect using diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) on CSC of patients with multiple sclerosis.Methods: A total of 48 patients with MS and 30 healthy adults, underwent routine MR scan and DKI of CSC. DKI-metrics were measured in the lesions and in the normal-appearing gray and white matter. MS patients were divided into those with and without T2-hyperintense lesions. Disability was assessed by the expanded disability status scale before and after therapy.Results：1) Significant differences were detected in MK, MD, and FA values between patients and healthy subjects (P < 0.05) and between patients with CSC T2-hyperintense and patients without T2-hyperintense (P < 0.05); 2) Compared to healthy, GM-MK and WM-FA were statistically reduced in patients without T2-hyperintense (P < 0.05). 3) Significant differences were observed in MK, MD, and FA between patients with T2-hyperintense after therapy (P < 0.05), as well as GM-MK and WM-FA in patients without T2-hyperintense (P < 0.05); 4) EDSS was correlated with MK values, as well as EDSS scores and MK values after therapy.Conclusions：1) DKI-metrics can detect and quantitatively evaluate the changes in cervical spinal cord micropathological structure; 2) MK values are sensitive metrics to detect the damage of gray matter; 3) MK values quantitatively evaluate the clinical disability progression and the therapeutic effect in MS patients.

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