Ultrashort Echo Time Magnetization Transfer (UTE-MT) Imaging and Modeling: Magic Angle Independent Biomarkers of Tissue Properties

Overview

Journal NMR Biomed

Publisher Wiley

Date 2016 Sep 7

PMID 27599046

Citations 52

Authors

Ya-Jun Ma

Hongda Shao

Jiang Du

Eric Y Chang

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

MRI biomarkers such as T , T * and T have been widely used, but are confounded by the magic angle effect. The purpose of this study is to investigate the use of the two-dimensional ultrashort echo time magnetization transfer (UTE-MT) sequence for potential magic angle independent MR biomarkers. Magnetization transfer was investigated in cadaveric Achilles tendon samples using the UTE-MT sequence at five MT powers and five frequency offsets ranging from 2 to 50 kHz. The protocol was applied at five sample orientations ranging from 0 to 90° relative to the B field. The results were analyzed with a two-pool quantitative MT model. Multiple T data were also acquired and mono-exponential T * was calculated for each orientation. Macromolecular proton fractions and exchange rates derived from UTE-MT modeling did not appreciably change between the various orientations, whereas the T * relaxation time demonstrated up to a sixfold increase from 0° to 55°. The UTE-MT technique with two-pool modeling shows promise as a clinically compatible technique that is resistant to the magic angle effect. This method provides information on the macromolecular proton pool that cannot be directly obtained by other methods, including regular UTE techniques.

Citing Articles

UTE MRI technical developments and applications in osteoporosis: a review.

Shin S, Chae H, Suprana A, Jerban S, Chang E, Shi L Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2025; 16:1510010.

PMID: 39980853 PMC: 11839439. DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2025.1510010.

Quantitative ultrashort echo time MR imaging of knee osteochondral junction: An ex vivo feasibility study.

Athertya J, Suprana A, Lo J, Lombardi A, Moazamian D, Chang E NMR Biomed. 2024; 37(12):e5253.

PMID: 39197467 PMC: 11657415. DOI: 10.1002/nbm.5253.

Significant age-related differences between lower leg muscles of older and younger female subjects detected by ultrashort echo time magnetization transfer modeling.

Jerban S, Shaterian Mohammadi H, Athertya J, Afsahi A, Shojaeiadib N, Moazamian D NMR Biomed. 2024; 37(12):e5237.

PMID: 39155273 PMC: 11786624. DOI: 10.1002/nbm.5237.

Towards assessing and improving the reliability of ultrashort echo time quantitative magnetization transfer (UTE-qMT) MRI of cortical bone: In silico and ex vivo study.

Shin S, Moazamian D, Tang Q, Jerban S, Ma Y, Du J MAGMA. 2024; 37(6):983-992.

PMID: 39126439 PMC: 11582156. DOI: 10.1007/s10334-024-01190-7.

A feasibility study of in vivo quantitative ultra-short echo time-MRI for detecting early cartilage degeneration.

Su X, Wang Y, Chen J, Liang Z, Wan L, Tang G Insights Imaging. 2024; 15(1):162.

PMID: 38922455 PMC: 11208376. DOI: 10.1186/s13244-024-01734-4.

References

Henkelman R, Stanisz G, Graham S . Magnetization transfer in MRI: a review. NMR Biomed. 2001; 14(2):57-64. DOI: 10.1002/nbm.683. View

Zhang J, Nissi M, Idiyatullin D, Michaeli S, Garwood M, Ellermann J . Capturing fast relaxing spins with SWIFT adiabatic rotating frame spin-lattice relaxation (T1ρ) mapping. NMR Biomed. 2016; 29(4):420-30. PMC: 4805510. DOI: 10.1002/nbm.3474. View

Hodgson R, Evans R, Wright P, Grainger A, OConnor P, Helliwell P . Quantitative magnetization transfer ultrashort echo time imaging of the Achilles tendon. Magn Reson Med. 2011; 65(5):1372-6. DOI: 10.1002/mrm.22715. View

Kim T, Min B, Yoon S, Kim H, Park S, Lee H . An in vitro comparative study of T2 and T2* mappings of human articular cartilage at 3-Tesla MRI using histology as the standard of reference. Skeletal Radiol. 2014; 43(7):947-54. DOI: 10.1007/s00256-014-1872-z. View

Bittersohl B, Hosalkar H, Sondern M, Miese F, Antoch G, Krauspe R . Spectrum of T2* values in knee joint cartilage at 3 T: a cross-sectional analysis in asymptomatic young adult volunteers. Skeletal Radiol. 2014; 43(4):443-52. DOI: 10.1007/s00256-013-1806-1. View

Nissi M, Rieppo J, Toyras J, Laasanen M, Kiviranta I, Jurvelin J . T(2) relaxation time mapping reveals age- and species-related diversity of collagen network architecture in articular cartilage. Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 2006; 14(12):1265-71. DOI: 10.1016/j.joca.2006.06.002. View

Mlynarik V, Szomolanyi P, Toffanin R, Vittur F, Trattnig S . Transverse relaxation mechanisms in articular cartilage. J Magn Reson. 2004; 169(2):300-7. DOI: 10.1016/j.jmr.2004.05.003. View

Xia Y . Magic-angle effect in magnetic resonance imaging of articular cartilage: a review. Invest Radiol. 2000; 35(10):602-21. DOI: 10.1097/00004424-200010000-00007. View

Du J, Statum S, Znamirowski R, Bydder G, Chung C . Ultrashort TE T1ρ magic angle imaging. Magn Reson Med. 2012; 69(3):682-7. DOI: 10.1002/mrm.24296. View

10.

Ramani A, Dalton C, Miller D, Tofts P, Barker G . Precise estimate of fundamental in-vivo MT parameters in human brain in clinically feasible times. Magn Reson Imaging. 2003; 20(10):721-31. DOI: 10.1016/s0730-725x(02)00598-2. View

11.

Cercignani M, Barker G . A comparison between equations describing in vivo MT: the effects of noise and sequence parameters. J Magn Reson. 2008; 191(2):171-83. PMC: 2323944. DOI: 10.1016/j.jmr.2007.12.012. View

12.

Hannila I, Raina S, Tervonen O, Ojala R, Nieminen M . Topographical variation of T2 relaxation time in the young adult knee cartilage at 1.5 T. Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 2009; 17(12):1570-5. DOI: 10.1016/j.joca.2009.05.011. View

13.

Henkelman R, Huang X, Xiang Q, Stanisz G, Swanson S, Bronskill M . Quantitative interpretation of magnetization transfer. Magn Reson Med. 1993; 29(6):759-66. DOI: 10.1002/mrm.1910290607. View

14.

Binks D, Hodgson R, Ries M, Foster R, Smye S, McGonagle D . Quantitative parametric MRI of articular cartilage: a review of progress and open challenges. Br J Radiol. 2013; 86(1023):20120163. PMC: 3608060. DOI: 10.1259/bjr.20120163. View

15.

Du J, Chiang A, Chung C, Statum S, Znamirowski R, Takahashi A . Orientational analysis of the Achilles tendon and enthesis using an ultrashort echo time spectroscopic imaging sequence. Magn Reson Imaging. 2009; 28(2):178-84. DOI: 10.1016/j.mri.2009.06.002. View

16.

Szczepankiewicz F, Lasic S, van Westen D, Sundgren P, Englund E, Westin C . Quantification of microscopic diffusion anisotropy disentangles effects of orientation dispersion from microstructure: applications in healthy volunteers and in brain tumors. Neuroimage. 2014; 104:241-52. PMC: 4252798. DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2014.09.057. View

17.

Cercignani M, Alexander D . Optimal acquisition schemes for in vivo quantitative magnetization transfer MRI. Magn Reson Med. 2006; 56(4):803-10. DOI: 10.1002/mrm.21003. View

18.

Pauli C, Bae W, Lee M, Lotz M, Bydder G, DLima D . Ultrashort-echo time MR imaging of the patella with bicomponent analysis: correlation with histopathologic and polarized light microscopic findings. Radiology. 2012; 264(2):484-93. PMC: 3401353. DOI: 10.1148/radiol.12111883. View

19.

Rautiainen J, Nissi M, Liimatainen T, Herzog W, Korhonen R, Nieminen M . Adiabatic rotating frame relaxation of MRI reveals early cartilage degeneration in a rabbit model of anterior cruciate ligament transection. Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 2014; 22(10):1444-52. DOI: 10.1016/j.joca.2014.04.023. View

20.

Gray M, Burstein D, Lesperance L, Gehrke L . Magnetization transfer in cartilage and its constituent macromolecules. Magn Reson Med. 1995; 34(3):319-25. DOI: 10.1002/mrm.1910340307. View