Functional MRI of the Brainstem for Assessing Its Autonomic Functions: From Imaging Parameters and Analysis to Functional Atlas.
J Magn Reson Imaging
; 2024 Feb 09.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-38339792
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
The brainstem is a crucial component of the central autonomic nervous (CAN) system. Functional MRI (fMRI) of the brainstem remains challenging due to a range of factors, including diverse imaging protocols, analysis, and interpretation.PURPOSE:
To develop an fMRI protocol for establishing a functional atlas in the brainstem. STUDY TYPE Prospective cross-sectional study.SUBJECTS:
Ten healthy subjects (four males, six females). FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE Using a 3.0 Tesla MR scanner, we acquired T1-weighted images and three different fMRI scans using fMRI protocols of the optimized functional Imaging of Brainstem (FIBS), the Human Connectome Project (HCP), and the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) project. ASSESSMENT The temporal signal-to-noise-ratio (TSNR) of fMRI data was compared between the FIBS, HCP, and ABCD protocols. Additionally, the main normalization algorithms (i.e., FSL-FNIRT, SPM-DARTEL, and ANTS-SyN) were compared to identify the best approach to normalize brainstem data using root-mean-square (RMS) error computed based on manually defined reference points. Finally, a functional autonomic brainstem atlas that maps brainstem regions involved in the CAN system was defined using meta-analysis and data-driven approaches. STATISTICAL TESTS ANOVA was used to compare the performance of different imaging and preprocessing pipelines with multiple comparison corrections (P ≤ 0.05). Dice coefficient estimated ROI overlap, with 50% overlap between ROIs identified in each approach considered significant.RESULTS:
The optimized FIBS protocol showed significantly higher brainstem TSNR than the HCP and ABCD protocols (P ≤ 0.05). Furthermore, FSL-FNIRT RMS error (2.1 ± 1.22 mm; P ≤ 0.001) exceeded SPM (1.5 ± 0.75 mm; P ≤ 0.01) and ANTs (1.1 ± 0.54 mm). Finally, a set of 12 final brainstem ROIs with dice coefficient ≥0.50, as a step toward the development of a functional brainstem atlas. DATACONCLUSION:
The FIBS protocol yielded more robust brainstem CAN results and outperformed both the HCP and ABCD protocols. EVIDENCE LEVEL 2 TECHNICAL EFFICACY Stage 1.
Texto completo:
1
Colección:
01-internacional
Banco de datos:
MEDLINE
Tipo de estudio:
Observational_studies
/
Prognostic_studies
Idioma:
En
Revista:
J Magn Reson Imaging
Asunto de la revista:
DIAGNOSTICO POR IMAGEM
Año:
2024
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Australia