CAREER: Tissue Microstructure Characterization through Exchange Mapping with Magnetic Resonance Fingerprinting

主要研究者：Seiberlich，Nicole E.提案编号：1553441组织微观结构特性已被证明在疾病存在时会发生变化，但这些特性难以在体内快速准确地测量。该项目的目标是开发和测试一种称为MRF-X的新技术，通过使用标准磁共振成像（MRI）扫描仪以新的方式收集数据来探测体内组织的微观结构。在优化MRF-X方法后，将测量骨骼肌和脑组织的特性，并量化健康和异常组织之间的差异。这项技术将使研究人员能够研究疾病的进展，并允许医生检查组织的微观结构，以更好地诊断患者的疾病。 这个为期五年的项目的目标是开发，验证和部署新的技术，在体内组织微观结构表征。这些组织微结构测量将通过收集磁共振（MR）成像数据来进行，这些数据已被编码，以类似于最近引入的MR指纹技术的方式同时包含有关多个组织特性的信息。通过优化MR脉冲序列，使其对组织区室之间的变化敏感，将有可能收集有关目前无法在体内直接测量的微观结构的信息，包括组织区室之间的水交换速率和细胞内/细胞外体积分数。 该提案的具体目标是：1）开发用于体积分数和交换性质的快速和稳健的体内定量的技术（MRF-X），2）表征和验证健康骨骼肌和脑组织中的水交换速率和体积分数，3）通过比较正常脑组织和多发性硬化症的性质，探索水交换作为脑疾病生物标志物的用途（MS）病变，以及4）为本科生和研究生开发连接信号处理和医学成像的正式课程和实验室经验，向K-12学生介绍生物医学成像和工程，并鼓励女性和代表性不足的少数民族追求科学和工程。拟议的研究计划涉及开发新的成像技术，目标是解决有关组织隔室之间相互作用的性质以及它们在病理条件下如何被修改的基本问题。使用MRF-X，将有可能探索健康活体组织的组织结构和功能，并使用这些新的生物标志物来帮助理解和诊断疾病。体内组织微结构表征的稳健和快速技术的开发将确保该技术可立即转化为临床使用，从而可能导致更早和更准确的疾病诊断。此外，它将有可能探测各种疾病的潜在机制，包括但不限于阿尔茨海默病？的疾病和MS，使用MRF-X。K-12，本科生和研究生的教育和指导将被整合到研究中，以吸引学生，特别是女性和代表性不足的少数民族，在生物医学成像。这个奖项是由CBET的生物医学工程计划由数学科学部的数学生物学计划共同资助。

PI: Seiberlich, Nicole E.Proposal Number: 1553441 Tissue microstructure properties have been shown to change in the presence of disease, but these properties are difficult to measure quickly and accurately in vivo. The goal of this project is to develop and test a new technique, known as MRF-X, to probe in vivo tissue microstructure by using standard Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scanners to collect data in a new way. After optimizing the MRF-X method, the properties of both skeletal muscle and brain tissue will be measured, and differences between healthy and abnormal tissue quantified. This technique will enable researchers to study how diseases progress as well as allow physicians to examine tissue microstructure to better diagnose disease in their patients. The goal of this five-year project is to develop, validate, and deploy novel techniques for in vivo tissue microstructure characterization. These tissue microstructure measurements will be performed by collecting Magnetic Resonance (MR) imaging data that have been encoded to contain information about multiple tissue properties simultaneously in a manner similar to the recently introduced MR Fingerprinting technique. By optimizing the MR pulse sequence to be sensitive to variations between tissue compartments, it will be possible to collect information about microstructure which cannot currently be measured directly in vivo, including water exchange rates between tissue compartments and intracellular/extracellular volume fractions. The specific objectives of the proposal are to: 1) Develop a technique (MRF-X) for rapid and robust in vivo quantification of volume fractions and exchange properties, 2) Characterize and validate water exchange rates and volume fraction in healthy skeletal muscle and brain tissue, 3) Explore the use of water exchange as a biomarker for disease in the brain by comparing properties of normal brain tissue and multiple sclerosis (MS) lesions, and 4) Develop formal course work and laboratory experiences linking signal processing and medical imaging for undergraduate and graduate students, introduce K-12 students to biomedical imaging and engineering, and encourage women and underrepresented minorities to pursue science and engineering. The proposed research plan involves the development of new imaging techniques with the goal of addressing fundamental questions about the nature of interactions between tissue compartments and how they are modified under pathological conditions. Using MRF-X, it will be possible to explore tissue structure and function in healthy living tissue, and also to use these new biomarkers to aid in the understanding and diagnosis of disease. The development of a robust and rapid technique for in vivo tissue microstructure characterization will ensure that the technique is immediately translatable for clinical use, potentially leading to earlier and more accurate diagnosis of disease. Moreover, it will be possible to probe the underlying mechanisms of various diseases, including but not limited to Alzheimer?s disease and MS, using MRF-X. The education and mentorship of K-12, undergraduate, and graduate students will be integrated into the research to engage students, especially women and underrepresented minorities, in biomedical imaging.This award was made by the Biomedical Engineering program of CBET was co-funded by the Mathematical Biology program of the Division of Mathematical Sciences.