The Use of Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Radiation Therapy Treatment Simulation and Planning.

Ever since its introduction as a diagnostic imaging tool the potential of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in radiation therapy (RT) treatment simulation and planning has been recognized. Recent technical advances have addressed many of the impediments to use of this technology and as a result have resulted in rapid and growing adoption of MRI in RT. The purpose of this article is to provide a broad review of the multiple uses of MR in the RT treatment simulation and planning process, identify several of the most used clinical scenarios in which MR is integral to the simulation and planning process, highlight existing limitations and provide multiple unmet needs thereby highlighting opportunities for the diagnostic MR imaging community to contribute and collaborate with our oncology colleagues. EVIDENCE LEVEL: 5 TECHNICAL EFFICACY: Stage 5.

Left-Right Intensity Asymmetries Vary Depending on Scanner Model for FLAIR and T1 Weighted MRI Images.

BACKGROUND: Localized regions of left-right image intensity asymmetry (LRIA) were incidentally observed on T2 -weighted (T2 -w) and T1 -weighted (T1 -w) diagnostic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) images. Suspicion of herpes encephalitis resulted in unnecessary follow-up imaging. A nonbiological imaging artifact that can lead to diagnostic uncertainty was identified. PURPOSE: To investigate whether systematic LRIA exist for a range of scanner models and to determine if LRIA can introduce diagnostic uncertainty. STUDY TYPE: A retrospective study using the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) data base. SUBJECTS: One thousand seven hundred fifty-three (median age: 72, males/females: 878/875) unique participants with longitudinal data were included. FIELD STRENGTH: 3T. SEQUENCES: T1 -w three-dimensional inversion-recovery spoiled gradient-echo (IR-SPGR) or magnetization-prepared rapid gradient-echo (MP-RAGE) and T2 -w fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) long tau fast spin echo inversion recovery (LT-FSE-IR). Only General Electric, Philips, and Siemens' product sequences were used. ASSESSMENT: LRIA was calculated as the left-right percent difference with respect to the mean intensity from automated anatomical atlas segmented regions. Three neuroradiologists with 37 (**), 32 (**), and 3 (**) years of experience rated the clinical impact of 30 T2 -w three-dimensional FLAIR exams with LRIA to determine the diagnostic uncertainty. Statistical comparisons between retrospective intensity normalized T1 m and original T1 -w images were made. STATISTICAL TESTS: For each image type, a linear mixed effects model was fit using LRIA scores from all scanners, regions, and participants as the outcome and age and sex as predictors. Statistical significance was defined as having a P-value <0.05. RESULTS: LRIA scores were significantly different from zero on most scanners. All clinicians were uncertain or recommended definite diagnostic follow-up in 62.5% of cases with LRIA >10%. Individuals with acute brain pathology or focal neurologic deficits are not enrolled in ADNI; therefore, focal signal abnormalities were considered false positives. DATA CONCLUSION: LRIA is system specific, systematic, creates diagnostic uncertainty, and impacts IR-SPGR, MP-RAGE, and LT-FSE-IR product sequences. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 2 Technical Efficacy Stage: 3.

TURBINE-MRE: A 3D hybrid radial-Cartesian EPI acquisition for MR elastography.

PURPOSE: To develop a novel magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) acquisition using a hybrid radial EPI readout scheme (TURBINE), and to demonstrate its feasibility to obtain wave images and stiffness maps in a phantom and in vivo brain. METHOD: The proposed 3D TURBINE-MRE is based on a spoiled gradient-echo MRE sequence with the EPI readout radially rotating about the phase-encoding axis to sample a full 3D k-space. A polyvinyl chloride phantom and 6 volunteers were scanned on a compact 3T GE scanner with a 32-channel head coil at 80 Hz and 60 Hz external vibration, respectively. For comparison, a standard 2D, multislice, spin-echo (SE) EPI-MRE acquisition was also performed with the same motion encoding and resolution. The TURBINE-MRE images were off-line reconstructed with iterative SENSE algorithm. The regional ROI analysis was performed on the 6 volunteers, and the median stiffness values were compared between SE-EPI-MRE and TURBINE-MRE. RESULTS: The 3D wave-field images and the generated stiffness maps were comparable between TURBINE-MRE and standard SE-EPI-MRE for the phantom and the volunteers. The Bland-Altman plot showed no significant difference in the median regional stiffness values between the two methods. The stiffness measured with the 2 methods had a strong linear relationship with a Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.943. CONCLUSION: We demonstrated the feasibility of the new TURBINE-MRE sequence for acquiring the desired 3D wave-field data and stiffness maps in a phantom and in-vivo brains. This pilot study encourages further exploration of TURBINE-MRE for functional MRE, free-breathing abdominal MRE, and cardiac MRE applications.

Application of Adaptive Image Receive Coil Technology for Whole-Brain Imaging.

OBJECTIVE. The Adaptive Image Receive (AIR) radiofrequency coil is an emergent technology that is lightweight and flexible and exhibits electrical characteristics that overcome many of the limitations of traditional rigid coil designs. The purpose of this study was to apply the AIR coil for whole-brain imaging and compare the performance of a prototype AIR coil array with the performance of conventional head coils. SUBJECTS AND METHODS. A phantom and 15 healthy adult participants were imaged. A prototype 16-channel head AIR coil was compared with conventional 8-and 32-channel head coils using clinically available MRI sequences. During consensus review, two board-certified neuroradiologists graded the AIR coil compared with an 8-channel coil and a 32-channel coil on a 5-point ordinal scale in multiple categories. One- and two-sided Wilcoxon signed rank tests were performed. Noise covariance matrices and geometry factor (g-factor) maps were calculated. RESULTS. The signal-to-noise ratio, structural sharpness, and overall image quality scores of the prototype 16-channel AIR coil were better than those of the 8-channel coil but were not as good as those of the 32-channel coil. Noise covariance matrices showed stable performance of the AIR coil across participants. The median g-factors for the 16-channel AIR coil were, overall, less than those of the 8-channel coil but were greater than those of the 32-channel coil. CONCLUSION. On average, the prototype 16-channel head AIR coil outperformed a conventional 8-channel head coil but did not perform as well as a conventional 32-channel head coil. This study shows the feasibility of the novel AIR coil technology for imaging the brain and provides insight for future coil design improvements.

Whole-brain 3D MR fingerprinting brain imaging: clinical validation and feasibility to patients with meningioma.

PURPOSE: MR fingerprinting (MRF) is a MR technique that allows assessment of tissue relaxation times. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the clinical application of this technique in patients with meningioma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A whole-brain 3D isotropic 1mm3 acquisition under a 3.0T field strength was used to obtain MRF T1 and T2-based relaxometry values in 4:38 s. The accuracy of values was quantified by scanning a quantitative MR relaxometry phantom. In vivo evaluation was performed by applying the sequence to 20 subjects with 25 meningiomas. Regions of interest included the meningioma, caudate head, centrum semiovale, contralateral white matter and thalamus. For both phantom and subjects, mean values of both T1 and T2 estimates were obtained. Statistical significance of differences in mean values between the meningioma and other brain structures was tested using a Friedman's ANOVA test. RESULTS: MR fingerprinting phantom data demonstrated a linear relationship between measured and reference relaxometry estimates for both T1 (r2 = 0.99) and T2 (r2 = 0.97). MRF T1 relaxation times were longer in meningioma (mean ± SD 1429 ± 202 ms) compared to thalamus (mean ± SD 1054 ± 58 ms; p = 0.004), centrum semiovale (mean ± SD 825 ± 42 ms; p < 0.001) and contralateral white matter (mean ± SD 799 ± 40 ms; p < 0.001). MRF T2 relaxation times were longer for meningioma (mean ± SD 69 ± 27 ms) as compared to thalamus (mean ± SD 27 ± 3 ms; p < 0.001), caudate head (mean ± SD 39 ± 5 ms; p < 0.001) and contralateral white matter (mean ± SD 35 ± 4 ms; p < 0.001) CONCLUSIONS: Phantom measurements indicate that the proposed 3D-MRF sequence relaxometry estimations are valid and reproducible. For in vivo, entire brain coverage was obtained in clinically feasible time and allows quantitative assessment of meningioma in clinical practice.

Whole brain 3D MR fingerprinting in multiple sclerosis: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND: MR fingerprinting (MRF) is a novel imaging method proposed for the diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis (MS). This study aims to determine if MR Fingerprinting (MRF) relaxometry can differentiate frontal normal appearing white matter (F-NAWM) and splenium in patients diagnosed with MS as compared to controls and to characterize the relaxometry of demyelinating plaques relative to the time of diagnosis. METHODS: Three-dimensional (3D) MRF data were acquired on a 3.0T MRI system resulting in isotropic voxels (1 × 1 × 1 mm3) and a total acquisition time of 4 min 38 s. Data were collected on 18 subjects paired with 18 controls. Regions of interest were drawn over MRF-derived T1 relaxometry maps encompassing selected MS lesions, F-NAWM and splenium. T1 and T2 relaxometry features from those segmented areas were used to classify MS lesions from F-NAWM and splenium with T-distributed stochastic neighbor embedding algorithms. Partial least squares discriminant analysis was performed to discriminate NAWM and Splenium in MS compared with controls. RESULTS: Mean out-of-fold machine learning prediction accuracy for discriminant results between MS patients and controls for F-NAWM was 65 % (p = 0.21) and approached 90 % (p < 0.01) for the splenium. There was significant positive correlation between time since diagnosis and MS lesions mean T2 (p = 0.015), minimum T1 (p = 0.03) and negative correlation with splenium uniformity (p = 0.04). Perfect discrimination (AUC = 1) was achieved between selected features from MS lesions and F-NAWM. CONCLUSIONS: 3D-MRF has the ability to differentiate between MS and controls based on relaxometry properties from the F-NAWM and splenium. Whole brain coverage allows the assessment of quantitative properties within lesions that provide chronological assessment of the time from MS diagnosis.

Regional assessment of in vivo myocardial stiffness using 3D magnetic resonance elastography in a porcine model of myocardial infarction.

PURPOSE: The stiffness of a myocardial infarct affects the left ventricular pump function and remodeling. Magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) is a noninvasive imaging technique for measuring soft-tissue stiffness in vivo. The purpose of this study was to investigate the feasibility of assessing in vivo regional myocardial stiffness with high-frequency 3D cardiac MRE in a porcine model of myocardial infarction, and compare the results with ex vivo uniaxial tensile testing. METHODS: Myocardial infarct was induced in a porcine model by embolizing the left circumflex artery. Fourteen days postinfarction, MRE imaging was performed in diastole using an echocardiogram-gated spin-echo echo-planar-imaging sequence with 140-Hz vibrations and 3D MRE processing. The MRE stiffness and tensile modulus from uniaxial testing were compared between the remote and infarcted myocardium. RESULTS: Myocardial infarcts showed increased in vivo MRE stiffness compared with remote myocardium (4.6 ± 0.7 kPa versus 3.0 ± 0.6 kPa, P = 0.02) within the same pig. Ex vivo uniaxial mechanical testing confirmed the in vivo MRE results, showing that myocardial infarcts were stiffer than remote myocardium (650 ± 80 kPa versus 110 ± 20 kPa, P = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrate the feasibility of assessing in vivo regional myocardial stiffness with high-frequency 3D cardiac MRE. Magn Reson Med 79:361-369, 2018. © 2017 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

Cardiac MR elastography using reduced-FOV, single-shot, spin-echo EPI.

PURPOSE: To implement a reduced field of view (rFOV) technique for cardiac MR elastography (MRE) and to demonstrate the improvement in image quality of both magnitude images and post-processed MRE stiffness maps compared to the conventional full field of view (full-FOV) acquisition. METHODS: With Institutional Review Board approval, 17 healthy volunteers underwent both full-FOV and rFOV cardiac MRE scans using 140-Hz vibrations. Two cardiac radiologists blindly compared the magnitude images and stiffness maps and graded the images based on several image quality attributes using a 5-point ordinal scale. Fisher's combined probability test was performed to assess the overall evaluation. The octahedral shear strain-based signal-to-noise ratio (OSS-SNR) and median stiffness over the left ventricular myocardium were also compared. RESULTS: One volunteer was excluded because of an inconsistent imaging resolution during the exam. In the remaining 16 volunteers (9 males, 7 females), the rFOV scans outperformed the full-FOV scans in terms of subjective image quality and ghosting artifacts in the magnitude images and stiffness maps, as well as the overall preference. The quantitative measurements showed that rFOV had significantly higher OSS-SNR (median: 1.4 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.2-1.5] vs. 2.1 [95% CI: 1.8-2.4]), P < 0.05) compared to full-FOV. Although no significant change was found in the median myocardial stiffness between the 2 scans, we observed a decrease in the stiffness variation within the myocardium from 2.1 kPa (95% CI: [1.9, 2.3]) to 1.9 kPa (95% CI: [1.7, 2.0]) for full-FOV and rFOV, respectively (P < 0.05) in a subgroup of 7 subjects with ghosting present in the myocardium. CONCLUSION: This pilot volunteer study demonstrated that rFOV cardiac MRE has the capability to reduce ghosting and to improve image quality in both MRE magnitude images and stiffness maps. Magn Reson Med 80:231-238, 2018. © 2017 The Authors Magnetic Resonance in Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited and is not used for commercial purposes.

Application of Modified Spin-Echo-based Sequences for Hepatic MR Elastography: Evaluation, Comparison with the Conventional Gradient-Echo Sequence, and Preliminary Clinical Experience.

Purpose To (a) evaluate modified spin-echo (SE) magnetic resonance (MR) elastographic sequences for acquiring MR images with improved signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in patients in whom the standard gradient-echo (GRE) MR elastographic sequence yields low hepatic signal intensity and (b) compare the stiffness values obtained with these sequences with those obtained with the conventional GRE sequence. Materials and Methods This HIPAA-compliant retrospective study was approved by the institutional review board; the requirement to obtain informed consent was waived. Data obtained with modified SE and SE echo-planar imaging (EPI) MR elastographic pulse sequences with short echo times were compared with those obtained with the conventional GRE MR elastographic sequence in two patient cohorts, one that exhibited adequate liver signal intensity and one that exhibited low liver signal intensity. Shear stiffness values obtained with the three sequences in 130 patients with successful GRE-based examinations were retrospectively tested for statistical equivalence by using a 5% margin. In 47 patients in whom GRE examinations were considered to have failed because of low SNR, the SNR and confidence level with the SE-based sequences were compared with those with the GRE sequence. Results The results of this study helped confirm the equivalence of SE MR elastography and SE-EPI MR elastography to GRE MR elastography (P = .0212 and P = .0001, respectively). The SE and SE-EPI MR elastographic sequences provided substantially improved SNR and stiffness inversion confidence level in 47 patients in whom GRE MR elastography had failed. Conclusion Modified SE-based MR elastographic sequences provide higher SNR MR elastographic data and reliable stiffness measurements; thus, they enable quantification of stiffness in patients in whom the conventional GRE MR elastographic sequence failed owing to low signal intensity. The equivalence of the three sequences indicates that the current diagnostic thresholds are applicable to SE MR elastographic sequences for assessing liver fibrosis. © RSNA, 2016.

In vivo, high-frequency three-dimensional cardiac MR elastography: Feasibility in normal volunteers.

PURPOSE: Noninvasive stiffness imaging techniques (elastography) can image myocardial tissue biomechanics in vivo. For cardiac MR elastography (MRE) techniques, the optimal vibration frequency for in vivo experiments is unknown. Furthermore, the accuracy of cardiac MRE has never been evaluated in a geometrically accurate phantom. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the necessary driving frequency to obtain accurate three-dimensional (3D) cardiac MRE stiffness estimates in a geometrically accurate diastolic cardiac phantom and to determine the optimal vibration frequency that can be introduced in healthy volunteers. METHODS: The 3D cardiac MRE was performed on eight healthy volunteers using 80 Hz, 100 Hz, 140 Hz, 180 Hz, and 220 Hz vibration frequencies. These frequencies were tested in a geometrically accurate diastolic heart phantom and compared with dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). RESULTS: The 3D Cardiac MRE was shown to be feasible in volunteers at frequencies as high as 180 Hz. MRE and DMA agreed within 5% at frequencies greater than 180 Hz in the cardiac phantom. However, octahedral shear strain signal to noise ratios and myocardial coverage was shown to be highest at a frequency of 140 Hz across all subjects. CONCLUSION: This study motivates future evaluation of high-frequency 3D MRE in patient populations. Magn Reson Med 77:351-360, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Quantitative 3D magnetic resonance elastography: Comparison with dynamic mechanical analysis.

PURPOSE: Magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) is a rapidly growing noninvasive imaging technique for measuring tissue mechanical properties in vivo. Previous studies have compared two-dimensional MRE measurements with material properties from dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) devices that were limited in frequency range. Advanced DMA technology now allows broad frequency range testing, and three-dimensional (3D) MRE is increasingly common. The purpose of this study was to compare 3D MRE stiffness measurements with those of DMA over a wide range of frequencies and shear stiffnesses. METHODS: 3D MRE and DMA were performed on eight different polyvinyl chloride samples over 20-205 Hz with stiffness between 3 and 23 kPa. Driving frequencies were chosen to create 1.1, 2.2, 3.3, 4.4, 5.5, and 6.6 effective wavelengths across the diameter of the cylindrical phantoms. Wave images were analyzed using direct inversion and local frequency estimation algorithm with the curl operator and compared with DMA measurements at each corresponding frequency. Samples with sufficient spatial resolution and with an octahedral shear strain signal-to-noise ratio > 3 were compared. RESULTS: Consistency between the two techniques was measured with the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and was excellent with an overall ICC of 0.99. CONCLUSIONS: 3D MRE and DMA showed excellent consistency over a wide range of frequencies and stiffnesses. Magn Reson Med 77:1184-1192, 2017. © 2016 The Authors Magnetic Resonance in Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs License, which permits use and distribution in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, the use is non-commercial and no modifications or adaptations are made.

Quantitative assessment of lung stiffness in patients with interstitial lung disease using MR elastography.

PURPOSE: To investigate the use of magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) in the quantitative assessment of pulmonary fibrosis by comparing quantitative shear stiffness measurements of lung parenchyma in patients diagnosed with fibrotic interstitial lung disease (ILD) and healthy controls. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A 1.5T spin-echo, echo planar imaging MRE (SE-EPI MRE) pulse sequence was utilized to assess absolute lung shear stiffness in 15 patients with diagnosed ILD and in 11 healthy controls. Data were collected at residual volume (RV) and total lung capacity (TLC). Spirometry data were obtained immediately prior to scanning. To test for statistical significance between RV and TLC shear stiffness estimates a two-sample t-test was performed. To assess variability within individual subject shear stiffness estimates, the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Krippendorff's alpha were calculated. RESULTS: Patients with ILD exhibited an average (±1 standard deviation) shear stiffness of 2.74 (±0.896) kPa at TLC and 1.32 (±0.300) kPa at RV. The corresponding values for healthy individuals were 1.33 (±0.195) kPa and 0.849 (±0.250) kPa, respectively. The difference in shear stiffness between RV and TLC was statistically significant (P < 0.001). At TLC, the ICC and alpha values were 0.909 and 0.887, respectively. At RV, the ICC and alpha values were 0.852 and 0.862, respectively. CONCLUSION: In subjects with known fibrotic interstitial lung disease, parenchymal shear stiffness is increased when compared to normal controls at both RV and TLC, with TLC demonstrating the most significant difference. MRE-derived parenchymal shear stiffness is a promising new noninvasive imaging-based biomarker of interstitial lung disease. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 1 Technical Efficacy: Stage 2 J. MAGN. RESON. IMAGING 2017;46:365-374.

Cardiac MR elastography for quantitative assessment of elevated myocardial stiffness in cardiac amyloidosis.

PURPOSE: To evaluate if cardiac magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) can measure increased stiffness in patients with cardiac amyloidosis. Myocardial tissue stiffness plays an important role in cardiac function. A noninvasive quantitative imaging technique capable of measuring myocardial stiffness could aid in disease diagnosis, therapy monitoring, and disease prognostic strategies. We recently developed a high-frequency cardiac MRE technique capable of making noninvasive stiffness measurements. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In all, 16 volunteers and 22 patients with cardiac amyloidosis were enrolled in this study after Institutional Review Board approval and obtaining formal written consent. All subjects were imaged head-first in the supine position in a 1.5T closed-bore MR imager. 3D MRE was performed using 5 mm isotropic resolution oblique short-axis slices and a vibration frequency of 140 Hz to obtain global quantitative in vivo left ventricular stiffness measurements. The median stiffness was compared between the two cohorts. An octahedral shear strain signal-to-noise ratio (OSS-SNR) threshold of 1.17 was used to exclude exams with insufficient motion amplitude. RESULTS: Five volunteers and six patients had to be excluded from the study because they fell below the 1.17 OSS-SNR threshold. The myocardial stiffness of cardiac amyloid patients (median: 11.4 kPa, min: 9.2, max: 15.7) was significantly higher (P = 0.0008) than normal controls (median: 8.2 kPa, min: 7.2, max: 11.8). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates the feasibility of 3D high-frequency cardiac MRE as a contrast-agent-free diagnostic imaging technique for cardiac amyloidosis. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 2 Technical Efficacy: Stage 2 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2017;46:1361-1367.

EUS-guided ethanol lavage does not reliably ablate pancreatic cystic neoplasms (with video).

BACKGROUND: The true efficacy of EUS-guided ethanol lavage (EEL) of pancreatic cystic neoplasms is unclear. This study aimed to assess long-term outcomes and adverse events of EEL by using a standardized protocol. METHODS: Single-center, prospective, pilot study in which participants with suspected mucinous cyst neoplasms or branch duct intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms ≥1 cm in maximum diameter underwent EEL with 80% ethanol. Follow-up cross-sectional imaging was obtained to assess for changes in cyst volume. RESULTS: Twenty-three patients underwent EEL (57% male, mean age 70 years). Mean duration of follow-up was 40 months (range 9-82 months). Mean calculated final concentration of ethanol achieved in treated cysts was 50% (range 0%-79%). Complete resolution of pancreatic cystic neoplasms occurred in 2 participants (9%). When stratified into those participants who achieved ≥80% versus <80% reduction in cyst volume, no statistically significant differences were seen with regard to patient demographics, cyst characteristics, or final concentration of ethanol achieved in the treated cyst. Greater decreases in cyst volume were seen in presumed nonmucinous cysts compared with presumed mucinous cysts (P = .006). Two early adverse events occurred. Five participants died during the study follow-up period (4 from nonpancreatic causes), including 1 participant who was diagnosed with pancreatic adenocarcinoma thought to have arisen from the treated branch duct intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm 41 months after undergoing EEL. CONCLUSIONS: As performed in this study, EEL therapy does not appear to be a promising method for prevention of malignancy in pancreatic cysts. Endoscopic methods that effectively and completely ablate pancreatic cystic neoplasms are needed. ( CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT02158039.).

Three-dimensional Physical Modeling: Applications and Experience at Mayo Clinic.

Radiologists will be at the center of the rapid technologic expansion of three-dimensional (3D) printing of medical models, as accurate models depend on well-planned, high-quality imaging studies. This article outlines the available technology and the processes necessary to create 3D models from the radiologist's perspective. We review the published medical literature regarding the use of 3D models in various surgical practices and share our experience in creating a hospital-based three-dimensional printing laboratory to aid in the planning of complex surgeries.

MR elastography derived shear stiffness--a new imaging biomarker for the assessment of early tumor response to chemotherapy.

PURPOSE: The overall goal is to develop magnetic resonance elastography derived shear stiffness as a biomarker for the early identification of chemotherapy response, allowing dose, agent type and treatment regimen to be tailored on a per patient basis, improving therapeutic outcome and minimizing normal tissue toxicity. The specific purpose of this study is to test the feasibility of this novel biomarker to measure the treatment response in a well-known chemotherapy model. METHODS: Tumors were grown in the right flank of genetically modified mice by subcutaneous injection of DoHH2 (non-Hodgkin's lymphoma) cells. Magnetic resonance elastography was used to quantify tumor stiffness before and after injection of a chemotherapeutic agent or saline. Histological tests were also performed on the tumors. RESULTS: A significant decrease (P < 0.0001) in magnetic resonance elastography-derived tumor shear stiffness was observed within 4 days of chemotherapy treatment, while no appreciable change was observed in saline-treated tumors. No significant change in volume occurred at this early stage, but there were decreased levels of cellular proliferation in chemotherapy-treated tumors. CONCLUSION: These results demonstrate that magnetic resonance elastography-derived estimates of shear stiffness reflect an initial response to cytotoxic therapy and suggest that this metric could be an early and sensitive biomarker of tumor response to chemotherapy.

Estimation of the absolute shear stiffness of human lung parenchyma using (1) H spin echo, echo planar MR elastography.

PURPOSE: To develop a rapid proton MR elastography (MRE) technique that can quantify the absolute shear stiffness of lung parenchyma, to investigate the ability to differentiate respiration-dependent stiffness variations of the lung, and to demonstrate clinical feasibility. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A spin-echo echo planar imaging MRE sequence (SE-EPI MRE) with a very short echo time was developed and tested in a series of five healthy volunteers at three different lung volumes: (i) residual volume (RV), (ii) total lung capacity (TLC), (iii) and midway between RV and TLC (MID). At each volume, lung density was quantified using a MR-based density mapping sequence. For reference, data were acquired using the previously described spin-echo lung MRE sequence (SE-MRE). MRE data were also acquired in a patient with proven Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) to test clinical feasibility. RESULTS: The SE-EPIMRE sequence reduced total acquisition time by a factor of 2 compared with the SE-MRE sequence. Lung parenchyma median shear stiffness for the 5 volunteers quantified with the SE-EPI MRE sequence was 0.9 kPa, 1.1 kPa, and 1.6 kPa at RV, MID, and TLC, respectively. The corresponding values obtained with the SE-MRE sequence were 0.9 kPa, 1.1 kPa, and 1.5 kPa. Absolute shear stiffness was also successfully measured in the IPF patient. CONCLUSION: The results indicate that stiffness variations due to respiration could be measured with the SE-EPIMRE technique and were equivalent to values generated by the previously described SE-MRE approach. Preliminary data obtained from the patient demonstrate clinical feasibility.

Magnetic resonance 4D flow reveals unusual hemodynamics associated with aneurysm formation and a possible cause of cryptogenic stroke in a patient with aortic dissection.

Four-dimensional flow is a magnetic resonance technology that has undergone significant technical improvements in recent years. With increasingly rapid acquisition times and new postprocessing tools, it can provide a tool for demonstrating and visualizing cardiovascular flow phenomena, which may offer new insights into disease. We present an interesting clinical case in which 4-dimensional flow demonstrates potential etiologies for 2 interesting phenomena in the same patient: (1) development of an unusual aneurysm and (2) cryptogenic stroke.