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R Wirestam

Publications and source records attributed to R Wirestam.

14 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2000

Assessment of regional cerebral blood flow by dynamic susceptibility contrast MRI using different deconvolution techniques.

Regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) was assessed using dynamic susceptibility-contrast MRI at 1.5 T. A simultaneous dual FLASH pulse sequence and Gd-DTPA-BMA (0.3 mmol/kg b.w.) were used for examination of 43 volunteers, measuring rCBF in frontal white matter (WM) and in gray matter in the thalamus (GM). Arterial input functions (AIFs) were registered 1) in the carotid artery and 2) in an artery within the GM/WM slice. The measured concentration-vs. -time curve was deconvolved with the AIF using both Fourier Transform (FT) and Singular Value Decomposition (SVD). Relative rCBF was given by the height of the deconvolved response curve. For each volunteer, eight different rCBF maps were calculated, representing different combinations of deconvolution techniques, AIFs, and filters. The average GM-WM rCBF ratios ranged from 2.0-2.2, depending on methodology. Absolute rCBF was 68 +/- 28 ml/(min 100 g) in GM and 35 +/- 13 ml/(min 100g) in WM (mean +/- SD, n = 39). GM-WM rCBF ratios obtained using SVD were 6-10% higher than corresponding ratios obtained using FT.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Simplified treatment planning for interstitial laser thermotherapy by disregarding light transport: a numerical study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The objective was to investigate the effect of light transport on the temperature distribution and the coagulated volume under conditions relevant to interstitial laser thermotherapy (ILT) of tumors in the human liver. STUDY DESIGN/MATERIALS AND METHODS: Temperature distributions and coagulated volumes produced with a diffusing laser fiber or a conductive heat source, at equal output power, were numerically calculated for tissue with different optical penetration depths. Four irradiation times (5, 10, 20, and 30 min) were studied. A three-dimensional finite-element model was used to calculate the temperature distribution during heating with four conductive heat sources (no light emission). Results were compared with measured temperature distributions during laser irradiation in a gel phantom with known optical properties. RESULTS: Numerical calculations showed that the influence of light transport on the coagulated volume was negligible in tissue with optical penetration depths below 3-4 mm at all studied irradiation times. The phantom experiment indicated good agreement with the calculated temperature distribution, both with a single diffusing laser fiber and with four fibers. CONCLUSION: Light transport influences coagulated volumes only slightly under conditions presented in this work, which is relevant to ILT of tumors in the human liver.

Culture Techniques↗
PubMed1999

Triggering in quantitative diffusion imaging with single-shot EPI.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate any possible effects of brain motion, CSF pulsations and other possible sources of physiological motion in electrocardiographic (ECG) triggered and non-triggered single-shot echo-planar imaging (EPI) measurements of diffusion. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Three different triggering protocols were evaluated in 6 healthy volunteers: 1) ECG triggering with time delay (TD) 100 ms; 2) ECG triggering with TD 400 ms; and 3) no triggering at all. RESULTS: The results obtained showed that white matter mean apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values were similar for all triggering protocols and that the reproducibility in ADC measurements using diffusion-weighted (DW) EPI was good. The average standard deviation of the ADC values was, however, higher for ADC maps obtained without ECG triggering. CONCLUSION: The use of prospective diastolic ECG triggering significantly improves the accuracy of quantitative diffusion measurements but for routine clinical diffusion imaging, where quantitative data is of less importance, the accuracy obtained without ECG triggering can be considered adequate.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Quantitative diffusion coefficient maps using fast spin-echo MRI.

In this work, we have evaluated the performance of a diffusion-sensitive fast spin-echo (FSE) pulse sequence. The proposed pulse sequence utilises velocity-compensating diffusion-encoding gradients and includes the collection of navigator echoes. Spoiler gradients were inserted in the slice-selecting direction to minimise effects from stimulated echoes. Calculations of the b values showed that cross-terms between imaging gradients and diffusion gradients only led to a marginal increase of b values. Pixel-wise calculation of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) maps was performed numerically, considering cross-terms between diffusion-encoding and imaging gradients. The sequences investigated used echo train lengths of 16, 8 and 4 echoes and were encoded in either the slice-, frequency- or phase-encoding direction. In order to allow for higher b values a pulse-sequence version using non-motion compensating diffusion-encoding gradients was written. Phantom measurements were performed and the diffusion coefficients of water and acetone were reasonable. Seven healthy volunteers (age 28-50 years) were examined and apparent diffusion coefficient values agreed well with expected values. Diffusion-weighted images, apparent diffusion coefficient maps and images corresponding to the trace of the diffusion tensor of good quality were retrieved in vivo.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

MRI thermometry in phantoms by use of the proton resonance frequency shift method: application to interstitial laser thermotherapy.

In this work the temperature dependence of the proton resonance frequency was assessed in agarose gel with a high melting temperature (95 degrees C) and in porcine liver in vitro at temperatures relevant to thermotherapy (25-80 degrees C). Furthermore, an optically tissue-like agarose gel phantom was developed and evaluated for use in MRI. The phantom was used to visualize temperature distributions from a diffusing laser fibre by means of the proton resonance frequency shift method. An approximately linear relationship (0.0085 ppm degrees C(-1)) between proton resonance frequency shift and temperature change was found for agarose gel, whereas deviations from a linear relationship were observed for porcine liver. The optically tissue-like agarose gel allowed reliable MRI temperature monitoring, and the MR relaxation times (T1 and T2) and the optical properties were found to be independently alterable. Temperature distributions around a diffusing laser fibre, during irradiation and subsequent cooling, were assessed with high spatial resolution (voxel size = 4.3 mm3) and with random uncertainties ranging from 0.3 degrees C to 1.4 degrees C (1 SD) with a 40 s scan time.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Quantification of low-velocity motion using a navigator-echo supported MR velocity-mapping technique: application to intracranial dynamics in volunteers and patients with brain tumours.

Gradient-echo pulse sequences with velocity-encoding gradients of 22.5-25 mT/m, were used for brain-motion and CSF-flow studies. To reduce motion artifacts, a phase-correction technique based on navigator echoes was evaluated. Three patients with right-sided parietal tumours were investigated; one astrocytoma grade III-IV, one astrocytoma grade I-II and one benign meningioma. In healthy volunteers, a maximal brain-tissue velocity of (0.94 +/- 0.26) mm/s (mean +/- 1SD) was observed, which is consistent with previously presented results. The phase correction was proven useful for reduction of artifacts due to external head movements in modulus and phase images, without loss of phase information related to internal motion. The tissue velocity within the astrocytomas was low during the entire cardiac cycle. An abnormally high rostral velocity component was, however, observed in the brain tissue frontal to the astrocytomas. In all patients, an abnormal CSF flow pattern was observed. The study of brain motion may provide further understanding of the effects of tumours and other pathological conditions in the brain. When considering intracranial motion as a source of error in diffusion/perfusion MRI, the present study suggests that a pathology can alter the properties of brain motion and CSF flow considerably, leading to a more complex impact on diffusion/perfusion images.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

The perfusion fraction in volunteers and in patients with ischaemic stroke.

The fractional volume of capillary blood, i.e. the perfusion fraction f, was measured with the aid of an echo-planar imaging protocol originally designed for the measurement of water diffusion. In healthy volunteers, reasonable f values were obtained. In patients with cerebral ischaemic stroke, a marked decrease in the f value was seen in the infarcted region as compared with corresponding values in the contralateral hemisphere. We suggest that perfusion-fraction measurements may add to the diagnostic value of water-mobility examinations in patients with ischaemic disease.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

A computer simulation program for MR imaging: application to RF and static magnetic field imperfections.

A computer simulation program capable of demonstrating various artifacts, such as image distortion caused by metallic implants in MR imaging, is presented. The structure of the program allows for the implementation of various imaging situations as long as spins only experience weak interaction, i.e., the Bloch equations are obeyed. The raw data are obtained by repeatedly applying the Bloch equations to the magnetization vector of each point of the simulated object, throughout the pulse sequence. With only a limited number of spins in each voxel, the effects of intravoxel dephasing and rephasing require special attention, and algorithms for this have been implemented.

Algorithms↗
PubMed1995

Deuterium MR spectroscopy at 4.7 T. Quantification of tumour and subcutaneous tissue blood flow in animal models.

Deuterium MR spectroscopy was used for the determination of tissue blood flow (TBF). The tracer D2O was injected into the tissue of interest, and tracer washout was followed using a 4.7 T spectroscopy/imaging unit. Normal subcutaneous tissue in rats was studied, as well as tissue influenced by vasoactive agents (papaverine and adrenaline). The vasoactive agents introduced changes of 40% in TBF, compared with normal tissue. Normal tissue measurements were repeated using various D2O injection volumes (5-400 microliters). The injection volume 5 microliters gave TBF 11.7 +/- 2.0 ml/100 g.min (mean +/- 1 SD). This value was 40% higher than corresponding values observed at larger injection volumes (200-400 microliters). This injection volume effect is probably partly due to a capillary dilution caused by tracer administration, and partly related to the non-physiological deuterium signal decrease observed in dead rats. Blood flow measurements in human colon tumours implanted in nude mice showed a rather poor reproducibility, not improved by the use of a multiple site injection technique.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed1995

Use of an enhanced gradient system for diffusion MR imaging with motion-artifact reduction.

PURPOSE: A spin-echo diffusion-sensitized pulse sequence using high gradients (23 mT/m) is introduced. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In order to minimize motion artefacts, velocity-compensating gradients, ECG-triggering and post-processing with phase correction and raw data averaging using navigator echoes was performed. The in vitro ratio of diffusion coefficients for water and acetone was determined and the water self-diffusion coefficient at different temperatures was evaluated. The pulse sequence was tested in 7 healthy volunteers and in 2 tumour patients with astrocytomas of grades I-II and III-IV. Both single-slice and multi-slice techniques were used. RESULTS: The incorporation of phase correction clearly improved the quality of both diffusion-encoded images and the calculated diffusion maps. Mean values of the diffusion coefficients in vivo were for CSF 2.66 x 10(-9) m2/s and for white and grey matter 0.69 x 10(-9) m2/s and 0.87 x 10(-9) m2/s, respectively. CONCLUSION: Velocity-compensating gradients in combination with a high gradient strength were shown to be useful for in vivo diffusion MR imaging.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Pulsatile brain movement and associated hydrodynamics studied by magnetic resonance phase imaging. The Monro-Kellie doctrine revisited.

Brain tissue movements were studied in axial, sagittal and coronal planes in 15 healthy volunteers, using a gated spin echo MRI sequence. All movements had characteristics different from those of perfusion and diffusion. The highest velocities occurred during systole in the basal ganglia (maximum 1.0 mm/s) and brain stem (maximum 1.5 mm/s). The movements were directed caudally, medially and posteriorly in the basal ganglia, and caudally-anteriorly in the pons. Caudad and anterior motion increased towards the foramen magnum and towards the midline. The resultant movement occurred in a funnel-shaped fashion as if the brain were pulled by the spinal cord. This may be explained by venting of brain and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) through the tentorial notch and foramen magnum. The intracranial volume is assumed to be always constant by the Monro-Kellie doctrine. The intracranial dynamics can be viewed as an interplay between the spatial requirements of four main components: arterial blood, capillary blood (brain volume), venous blood and CSF. These components could be characterized, and the expansion of the arteries and the brain differentiated, by applying the Monro-Kellie doctrine to every moment of the cardiac cycle. The arterial expansion causes a re-moulding of the brain that enables its piston-like action. The arterial expansion creates the prerequisites for the expansion of the brain by venting CSF to the spinal canal. The expansion of the brain is, in turn, responsible for compression of the ventricular system and hence for the intraventricular flow of CSF.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Theoretical and experimental evaluation of phase-dispersion effects caused by brain motion in diffusion and perfusion MR imaging.

We investigated intravoxel phase dispersion caused by pulsatile brain motion in diffusion spin-echo pulse sequences. Mathematical models were used to describe the spatial and temporal velocity distributions of human brain motion. The spatial distribution of brain-tissue velocity introduces a phase spread over one voxel, leading to signal loss. This signal loss was estimated theoretically, and effects on observed diffusion coefficient and perfused capillary fraction were assessed. When parameters from a diffusion pulse sequence without motion compensation were used, and ECG triggering with inappropriate delay times was assumed, the maximal signal loss caused by brain-motion-induced phase dispersion was predicted to be 21%. This corresponds to a 95% overestimation of the diffusion coefficient, and the perfusion-fraction error was small. Corresponding calculations for motion-compensated pulse sequences predicted a 1% to 1.5% signal loss due to undesired phase dispersion, whereas experimental results indicated a signal loss related to brain motion of 4%.

Adult↗