NON-DIFFUSION MAPPING OF WHITE MATTER PROTONS

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This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. The goal of this research is to develop ways of visualizing white matter regions in the brain which is in conjunction but separate from DTI or diffusion tensor imaging. Since DTI may have drop-outs, this method of mapping pooling of white matter protons provides a secondary means of showing where the white matter is which can be overlaid onto DTI maps for better understanding of the structure of the white matter maps. This pooling sequence uses rapid MRI for enhancing water hydrogen protons which are near or adjacent to white matter protons. The sequence has been written and preliminary data shows celar white matter structures different from those seen from DTI. The method, called WIMP, or White Matter Protons uses a spiral sequence and can be expanded to single- or multi-shot methods. One advantage of the method is that it minimizes the SAR values at high-fields which is crucial for studies at very high fields such as our 7T whole-body system. The bound water fractions can be seen without MT effects or prepulses. It displays true proton dilution principles. The results give excellent gray-white matter conspicuity with a wealth of new information regarding the bound water fractions.