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Keywords: Image acquisition: Quantification, Image acquisition: Sequences, Image acquisition: Multiparametric

This lecture highlights the clinical needs and challenges of neuro and body MRI, with a focus on Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, epilepsy, cancer, and liver disease. Although MR imaging is a powerful tool, standard techniques may not provide the necessary information for accurate diagnosis and treatment monitoring. Advanced MRI and quantitative approaches offer promising results but have yet to fully penetrate clinical practice due to their limitations. The lecture emphasizes the need for interdisciplinary collaboration to advance the field and meet clinical demands. The potential of emerging technologies such as AI-driven image reconstruction and quantitative MRI is discussed as future directions.

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Keywords: Contrast mechanisms: Diffusion

Diffusion weighted MRI (DWI) and diffusion-tensor MRI (DTI) are MRI techniques that enable measuring the self-diffusion of water molecules in soft tissues. DWI and DTI methods enable quantitative estimates of the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) or mean diffusivity (MD), fractional anisotropy (FA), fastest direction of diffusion (eigenvectors and tracts), and more. DWI and DTI measures are uniquely sensitive to tissue orientation and organization and provide insight to tissue changes that accord with edema, anisotropy, cellularity, and more. DWI and DTI are powerful research and diagnostic clinical tools with applications in the brain, body (abdominal), chest, muscles, prostate, breasts, and beyond. 

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Keywords: Contrast mechanisms: Spectroscopy

Magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRS/I) provides metabolic markers that could be employed for improved patient management.  This talk will summarize the challenges of MRS/I, recent advances for a more standardized approach, machine learning studies for improved MRS/I, and the importance of quantitative metabolic markers of the brain and other body parts in the clinics.  

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Keywords: Contrast mechanisms: Electromagnetic tissue properties

It will be explained on which tissue properties magnetic susceptibility, electric permittivity and electric conductivity depend, what data needs to be acquired to map these properties, influence these properties depend on field strength.

Learn that:

• QSM can be used to quantify tissue magnetic susceptibility and visualized iron rich structures Magnetic susceptibility depends on tissue (micro)structure and geometry
• Water/fat chemical shift needs to be considered for body QSM
• Conductivity (σ) and permittivity (ε) depend on frequency, temperature
• Associated with ion concentrations and mobility, tissue type and density, pathology
• Can be used for local SAR estimation and planning of electromagnetic related therapies

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Meng Yin

Keywords: Contrast mechanisms: Elastography

Many disease processes cause marked changes in tissue mechanical properties. Mechanical properties are therefore promising biomarkers for monitoring and characterizing various pathophysiologic conditions of soft tissues. MR-based elastography is a phase-contrast technique for estimating multiple mechanical properties and boundary conditions by imaging propagating shear waves generated from a standardized extrinsic vibrating source. In practice, the innovative stiffness biomarker is beginning to see widespread clinical use for assessing hepatic fibrosis as an alternative to biopsy. There is significant potential to further develop elastography techniques to implement three-dimensional multiparametric methods that have promise for distinguishing varying pathophysiologic states of many other organs.

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Keywords: Image acquisition: Quantification, Transferable skills: Commercialisation, Transferable skills: Intellectual Property

This presentation focuses on strategies for promoting standardization and dissemination of quantitative MRI technology, spanning the pathway from invention to eventual adoption in patient care.  The presentation draws on lessons that were learned in the development and dissemination of MR elastography, which is now a standard of clinical practice, deployed on thousands of MRI systems around the world.  This presentation reviews strategies for addressing hurdles and opportunities, technical and regulatory challenges, and approaches for obtaining clinical buy-in for new quantitative MRI-based techniques.