MRI Measurement of the Mechanical Vulnerability of the Brain

项目摘要：这个生物工程研究伙伴关系（BRP）将提供全面的 测量不同年龄的男性和女性的人脑的3D变形， 不同类型、方向和频率的运动。然后，我们将开发使用这些数据的方法， 建立和评估创伤性脑损伤（TBI）和慢性创伤性脑病（CTE）的计算机模型。 这些数据和利用它们的方法将使下一代计算机模型能够预测慢性疾病。 头部反复撞击的影响。因此，我们将解决对数据和数据驱动方法的未满足需求， 指导和评估脑损伤的计算机模型。我们现在可以测量整个 大脑由（i）谐波颅骨运动（使用MR弹性成像，MRE）和（ii）脉冲线性和角度 颅骨加速度（使用标记的MRI）。这些测量可以量化的机械脆弱性， 大脑，这将是非常有价值的三类最终用户：（A）计算机模型的开发人员，谁需要 这些定量数据和工具，以建立和评估模拟;（B）保护设备的制造商，谁需要 合理设计头盔和传感器的数据;以及（C）临床医生和TBI研究人员，他们需要数据来 了解损伤机制，设计相关的动物研究，并改进治疗方法。我们提出三项任务： 任务1：在不同方向和频率的谐波颅骨运动期间通过MRE测量脑变形; 任务2：在不同方向/持续时间的冲击颅骨运动期间通过标记MRI测量脑变形; 任务3：开发并演示数据驱动工具，以改进3D大脑变形的计算机模型。 将对不同年龄的男性和女性受试者进行基于MR的测量，以阐明其影响 性别和年龄对大脑机械脆弱性的影响。顺利完成这些任务将提供：㈠ 新的定量数据，捕捉年龄/性别差异的大脑力学使用谐波运动在一个强大的 和可访问的成像模式（MRE），（ii）新的数据，以量化大脑变形下的轻度脉冲负荷， 以及（iii）精确模拟大脑变形以及评估和解释模型预测的新能力。 这种伙伴关系涉及四个地点具有独特专业知识和能力的研究人员。华盛顿大学; 亨利杰克逊基金会、约翰霍普金斯大学和特拉华州大学。该团队将使用 新颖的脉冲序列，以在多个激励频率和方向上有效地执行3D MRE，并且将 应用新的分析方法，从标记的MRI中找到大脑运动的自然频率和模式。的 该项目获得了前所未有的数据，将不同年龄的受试者的大脑变形与头骨运动联系起来， 性别，将被利用，以提供一个新的框架，模拟慢性影响对大脑的影响。

PROJECT ABSTRACT: This Bioengineering Research Partnership (BRP) will deliver comprehensive measurements of 3D deformation of the human brain, in males and females of different ages, caused by skull motions of different types, directions, and frequency content. We will then develop methods to use these data to build and evaluate computer models of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). Such data and methods to exploit them will enable the next generation of computer models to predict the chronic effects of repeated head impacts. We will thus address the un-met need for data and data-driven methods to guide and evaluate computer models of brain injury. We can now measure 3D deformation throughout the brain caused by (i) harmonic skull motion (using MR elastography, MRE), and (ii) impulsive linear and angular skull acceleration (using tagged MRI). These measurements can quantify the mechanical vulnerability of the brain, which will be of great value to three classes of end-users: (A) developers of computer models, who need these quantitative data and tools to build and assess simulations; (B) makers of protective equipment, who need data to rationally design helmets and sensors; and (C) clinicians and TBI researchers, who need data to understand injury mechanisms, design relevant animal studies, and improve therapies. We propose three tasks: Task 1: Measure brain deformation by MRE during harmonic skull motion of different directions and frequencies; Task 2: Measure brain deformation by tagged MRI during impulsive skull motion of different directions/durations; Task 3: Develop and demonstrate data-driven tools to improve computer models of 3D brain deformation. MR-based measurements will be performed in male and female subjects of different ages to illuminate the effects of gender and age on the brain’s mechanical vulnerability. Successful completion of these tasks will provide: (i) new quantitative data that captures age/sex differences in brain mechanics using harmonic motion in a robust and accessible imaging modality (MRE), (ii) new data to quantify brain deformation under mild impulsive loading, and (iii) new capability to accurately simulate brain deformation, and to evaluate and interpret model predictions. This partnership involves researchers with distinct expertise and capabilities at four sites. Washington University; the Henry Jackson Foundation; Johns Hopkins University; and the University of Delaware. The team will use novel pulse sequences to efficiently perform 3D MRE at multiple excitation frequencies and directions, and will apply new analysis methods to find natural frequencies and modes of brain motion from tagged MRI. The unprecedented data from this project, relating brain deformation to skull motion in subjects of different age and sex, will be exploited to provide a new framework for modeling the effects of chronic impact on the brain.