Quantification of Gd-DTPA concentration in neuroimaging using T₁3D MP-RAGE sequence at 3.0 T

Purpose

To propose a simple and accurate quantitative method based on the linear relationship between magnetic resonance (MR) signal enhancement (ΔSI=SI_postcontrast−SI_precontrast) and gadolinium-diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (Gd-DTPA) concentration (C) by using T₁-weighted three-dimensional magnetization-prepared rapid acquisition gradient-echo (T₁ 3D MP-RAGE) sequence for the in vivo measurement of Gd-DTPA concentration in real-time neuroimaging at 3.0 T.

Methods

Phantom experiment was carried out to study the linear fitting of signal intensity change vs. Gd-DTPA concentration (ΔSI-C) curve. A goodness-of-fit test was performed to compare the accuracy between the proposed method and the conventional method based on longitudinal relaxation rate (R₁=1/T₁) measurement. The influences on the goodness of fit (R²) and the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) by sequence parameters were explored. Six human subjects with different brain tumors, who underwent a Gd-DTPA-enhanced MRI, were enrolled for in vivo application of the novel method.

Results

A good linear relationship between ΔSI and Gd-DTPA concentration existed over the concentration range of 0-1 mM (R²=0.985). The linearity of the ΔSI-C curve was as good as that of the 1/T₁-C curve (R²=0.988). Concentrations calculated by both methods had a strong correlation (R²=0.920). An improved linearity of the ΔSI-C curve and an increased SNR can be achieved using sequences with a shorter inversion time (TI) and a higher flip angle. The concentration range of Gd-DTPA in human brain tumors was within the quantitative scope of 0-1 mM.

Conclusions

The proposed quantitative method based on ΔSI measurement is accurate and applicable for real-time neuroimaging at 3.0 T.     

Simultaneous quantification of SPIO and gadolinium contrast agents using MR fingerprinting

PurposeDevelop a magnetic resonance fingerprinting (MRF) methodology with R₂¹ quantification, intended for use with simultaneous contrast agent concentration mapping, particularly gadolinium (Gd) and iron labelled CD8+ T cells.MethodsVariable-density spiral SSFP MRF was used, modified to allow variable TE, and with an exp.(−TE·R₂¹) dictionary modulation. In vitro phantoms containing SPIO labelled cells and/or gadolinium were used to validate parameter maps, probe undersampling capacity, and verify dual quantification capabilities. A C57BL/6 mouse was imaged using MRF to demonstrate acceptable in vivo resolution and signal at 8× undersampling necessary for a 25-min scan.ResultsStrong agreement was found between conventional and MRF-derived values for R₁, R₂, and R₂¹. Expanded MRF allowed quantification of iron-loaded CD8+ T cells. Results were robust to 8× undersampling and enabled recreation of relaxation profiles for both a Gd agent and iron labelled cells simultaneously. In vivo data demonstrated sufficient SNR in undersampled data for parameter mapping to visualise key features.ConclusionMRF can be expanded to include R₁, R₂, and R₂¹ mapping required for simultaneous quantification of gadolinium and SPIO in vitro, allowing for potential implementation of a variety of future in vivo studies using dual MR contrast agents, including molecular imaging of labelled cells.     

On the decay of61Zn and60Zn using mass separated sources

The γ-ray spectrum of⁶¹Zn and⁶⁰Zn was studied with a 75 cm³ Ge(Li) detector using mass separated sources. For the half-lives we foundT _1/2(⁶¹Zn)=89.1 ± 0.2 sec andT _1/2(⁶⁰Zn)=2.33 ±0.05 min, together with the valuesT _1/2(⁶¹Cu)=3.26± 0.05 hr andT _1/2(⁶⁰Cu)=24.0 ± 0.3 min for the half-lives of the daughter activities.     

Half-life,g-factor and relaxation of the nuclear orientation of the isomeric 11/2− state in139Pr

By time-differential observation of the perturbed angular distribution in an external magnetic field, the g-factor of the 11/2^? isomeric state in¹³⁹Pr has been measured, g = +1.20 ± 0.09. The angular distribution also shows an attenuation with relaxation time, τ _R = 19 ± 6 ns. This relaxation is due to paramagnetic interaction of the nucleus with the 4f-electrons. Our determination of the isomeric half-life,T _1/2= 45.5 ±0.9 ns does not agree with previous measurements.     

A statistical fMRI model for differential T2* contrast incorporating T1 and T2* of gray matter

Relaxation parameter estimation and brain activation detection are two main areas of study in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Relaxation parameters can be used to distinguish voxels containing different types of tissue whereas activation determines voxels that are associated with neuronal activity. In fMRI, the standard practice has been to discard the first scans to avoid magnetic saturation effects. However, these first images have important information on the MR relaxivities for the type of tissue contained in voxels, which could provide pathological tissue discrimination. It is also well-known that the voxels located in gray matter (GM) contain neurons that are to be active while the subject is performing a task. As such, GM MR relaxivities can be incorporated into a statistical model in order to better detect brain activation. Moreover, although the MR magnetization physically depends on tissue and imaging parameters in a nonlinear fashion, a linear model is what is conventionally used in fMRI activation studies. In this study, we develop a statistical fMRI model for Differential T₂^? ConTrast Incorporating T₁ and T₂^? of GM, so-called DeTeCT-ING Model, that considers the physical magnetization equation to model MR magnetization; uses complex-valued time courses to estimate T₁ and T₂^? for each voxel; then incorporates gray matter MR relaxivities into the statistical model in order to better detect brain activation, all from a single pulse sequence by utilizing the first scans.     

Superconducting fluctuations,weak anti-localization and interaction effects in Nb0.53Ti0.47-Ge multilayers

The effect of weak anti-localization, electron interactions and superconducting fluctuations on the transport properties of disorder Nb_0.53Ti_0.47-Ge multilayers were studied. The temperature dependence of the inelastic scattering time was found to be τ_in ∼ T^−1±0.25 and τ_in ∼ T^{−1.75±0.25} for temperatures lower and higher than ∼ 6K, repectively for a sample with thick Ge layers. The effect of the Ge thickness on the prefacter A in the expression R□ ∼ ln T may arise from an interlayer electron-phonon process.     

Decay studies of131Ba

Bombarding a⁸⁵Rb target by 27 MeVα-particles the following half-lives of excited states in different nuclei have been determined by means of the generalized controid shift method: in⁸⁷Y,T _1/2(2827.1 keV)=0.75±0.10 ns,T _1/2(2675.9 keV)=0.25±0.10 ns,T _1/2(3595.3 keV)=0.5±0.2 ns andT _1/2(2986.9, 3094.4 keV)<0.1 ns; in⁸⁸Y,T _1/2(232.1 keV)=0.8±0.1 ns and in⁸⁵Rb,T _1/2(151.2 keV)=0.6±0.1 ns. In⁸⁷Y, the members of the doublet (vg ₉ ^2/?2 )₈₊ (πp_1/2) are identified. E2 transition rates 21/2⁺? 17/2⁺ in odd A≈ 90 nuclei are shown to represent essentially core transitions. Evidence for the existence of seniority-five configurations is found.     

Copper ion induced reactions on110-108-106Cd,109-107Ag and110Pd. new rhenium,osmium and iridium isotopes

By⁶³Cu induced reactions on¹¹⁰Cd,¹⁰⁸Cd,¹⁰⁶Cd,¹⁰⁹Ag,¹⁰⁷Ag and¹¹⁰Pd targets, new isotopes were searched in the Ir, Os, Re region. Cross bombardments and excitation function measurements were used to identify newα emitting isotopes:¹⁷⁰Ir (E _α = 6.01 ±0.01 MeV?T _1/2=1.1±0.2s),¹⁶⁹Ir (E _α =6.11±0.01 MeV?T _1/2=0.4±0.1 s),¹⁶⁸Ir (E _α =6.22±0.02 MeV,¹⁶⁸Os (E _α =5.66±0.01 MeV?T _1/2=1.9±0.1 s),¹⁶⁷Os (E _α =5.84 ±0.01MeV ?T ^1/2=0.65±0.15s),¹⁶⁶Os (E _α =6.00±0.02 MeV?T _1/2=0.3 ±0.1 s),¹⁶⁵Os (E _α =6.20±0.02 MeV),¹⁶⁹Re (E _α =5.05±0.01 MeV),¹⁶⁸Re (5.26±0.01 MeV?T ^1/2=5.5 ±0.5 s). Theα-decay measurements are compared to theQ _α values obtained from different mass predictions.     

The characterisation of mammalian tissue with 2D relaxation methods

The potential of two-dimensional (2D) relaxometry for characterising mammalian tissue is explored on samples of liver, kidney (cortex, medulla and ureter) as well as cartilage. Significant differences are found between the T₁-T₂ spectra of healthy and diseased human cartilage which suggests that 2D relaxometry could have potential use in clinical diagnosis. The effect of reducing the recovery delay on the T₁-T₂ spectrum is explored to try to identify the optimum balance between speed and accuracy.     

Gd complexes of diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid conjugates of low-molecular-weight chitosan oligosaccharide as a new liver-specific MRI contrast agent

This study was to describe the synthesis of complexes of gadolinium diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid conjugates of low-molecular-weight chitosan oligosaccharide Gd-DTPA-CSn (n = 6, 8, 11) as a new class of contrast agent as well as its magnetic property in a pilot magnetic resonance imaging. The efficacy of the contrast agent was assessed by measuring the longitudinal relaxivity (r₁), FLASH imaging in phantoms in vitro and signal intensity in vivo of the rat abdominal axial imaging. The r₁ of Gd-DTPA-CS₁₁ was up to 11.65 mM^− 1·s^− 1, which was 3 times higher than that of the analogous MRI contrast agent Gd-DTPA in commercial use. In vivo MR images of rat obtained with Gd-DTPA-CS₁₁ showed strong signal enhancement in liver and the vessels of the liver parenchyma during the extended period of time. The present study suggests that the new synthesized gadolinium complexes can be used as a new class of practical liver-specific MRI contrast agent because of its superior performance compared with Gd-DTPA.     

Simultaneous measurements of diffusion and transverse relaxation in exercising skeletal muscle

The aim of this study was to compare proton T₂ and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) variations induced by exercise in skeletal muscle, to provide some more information on the source of their variations. T₂ and ADC were measured in the forearm flexor digitorum muscles in 12 healthy volunteers at rest and after an exercise, using a sequence allowing simultaneous measurements of both parameters. At rest, T₂ was 30.6 ± 1.8 ms (mean ± 1 SD) and ADC was 1.82 ± 0.11 × 10⁻⁹ m²/s. With exercise, T₂ varied by +28 ± 12% (p < .001 vs. rest) and ADC varied by +12 ± 3% (p < .001). The recovery of T₂ after exercise was faster than that of ADC, with half-times of 7 ± 2 min and of 15 ± 8 min (p < .01), respectively. It is concluded that both T₂ and ADC increase with exercise. However, the mechanisms of variation of T₂ and ADC with exercise are probably different, T₂ mostly reflecting changes in water content and ADC reflecting temperature variations.     

Investigation of the decay rate for71Ge in chemical compounds and calibration of the Mössbauer isomer shift of the 67 keV γ-transition of73Ge

Changes of the radioactive decay rate of⁷¹Ge (T _1/2=11.43 days) have been studied experimentally for⁷¹Ge in some compounds of bivalent and quadrivalent germanium. Relative changes Δλ/λ of the electron capture probability have been measured, and the chemical changes Δρ(0) of the electron density at the germanium nuclei have been determined from these measurements. Values for the Mössbauer isomer shift calibration constants for the 67 keV γ-transition of⁷³Ge have been estimated:C=δ/Δρ(0)=(0.061±0.020) mm·s^?1/a.u., Δ〈r ²〉=(21±7)·10^?3 fm², ΔR/R=(6.9±2.3)·10^?4.     

Spin-lattice relaxation and magnetization transfer in intracranial tumors in vivo: Effects of Gd-DTPA on relaxation parameters

Spin-lattice relaxation time T₁ and relaxation parameters in magnetization transfer (MT) imaging were measured in 11 intracranial tumors before and after injection of Gd-DTPA at 0.1 T by using the inversion recovery method and the saturation transfer technique, respectively. Preinjection T₁ relaxation times of the tumors were longer than those of white matter, but after Gd-enhancement the relaxation times of most tumors were in the same range as those of white matter. Gd-DTPA shortened the apparent relaxation time in the presence of off-resonance saturation pulse (T_1α) due to marked shortening of the relaxation time of mobile water (T_1w). Gd-DTPA decreased the magnetization transfer contrast (MTC) but did not influence on the magnetization transfer rate (R_wm). The parameters MTC and R_wm differed clearly between Gd-enhanced tumors and normal brain, whereas the relaxation time T_1α was in many Gd-enhanced tumors in the same range as in normal brain.     

Multifunctional iron platinum stealth immunomicelles: targeted detection of human prostate cancer cells using both fluorescence and magnetic resonance imaging

Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) are the most common type of contrast agents used in contrast agent-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Still, there is a great deal of room for improvement, and nanoparticles with increased MRI relaxivities are needed to increase the contrast enhancement in MRI applied to various medical conditions including cancer. We report the synthesis of superparamagnetic iron platinum nanoparticles (SIPPs) and subsequent encapsulation using PEGylated phospholipids to create stealth immunomicelles (DSPE-SIPPs) that can be specifically targeted to human prostate cancer cell lines and detected using both MRI and fluorescence imaging. SIPP cores and DSPE-SIPPs were 8.5 ± 1.6 nm and 42.9 ± 8.2 nm in diameter, respectively, and the SIPPs had a magnetic moment of 120 A m²/kg iron. J591, a monoclonal antibody against prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA), was conjugated to the DSPE-SIPPs (J591-DSPE-SIPPs), and specific targeting of J591-DSPE-SIPPs to PSMA-expressing human prostate cancer cell lines was demonstrated using fluorescence confocal microscopy. The transverse relaxivity of the DSPE-SIPPs, measured at 4.7 Tesla, was 300.6 ± 8.5 s^?1 mM^?1, which is 13-fold better than commercially available SPIONs (23.8 ± 6.9 s^?1 mM^?1) and ~3-fold better than reported relaxivities for Feridex^® and Resovist^®. Our data suggest that J591-DSPE-SIPPs specifically target human prostate cancer cells in vitro, are superior contrast agents in T ₂-weighted MRI, and can be detected using fluorescence imaging. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the synthesis of multifunctional SIPP micelles and using SIPPs for the specific detection of prostate cancer.     

Oxygen-induced MR signal changes in murine tumors

Breathing of 100% oxygen was used to challenge vascular autoregulation in 14 mice with either osteosarcomas (n = 6) or mammary carcinomas (n = 8). Reproducible and statistically significant signal intensity changes of –29 ± 6% to +35 ± 3% were observed on heavily T₂1-weighted images in the tumors during the oxygen challenge. No significant changes were observed in muscle. For the mammary carcinomas a higher percentage of tumor voxels showed significant signal-intensity decrease (31 ± 8%) compared to the percentage of voxels showing a signal-intensity increase (22 ± 3%). In contrast, for the osteosarcomas, a higher percentage of tumor voxels showed signal-intensity increase (52 ± 9%) compared to the percentage of voxels showing signal-intensity decrease (27 ± 9%). The regional distribution of these signal intensity changes did not correlate with the signal pattern on T₁-, T₂-,and T₂1-weighted and Gd-DTPA enhanced images acquired without breathing 100% oxygen. Most likely, the signal intensity changes represented the inability of the tumor’s neovascularization for autoregulation during the oxygen challenge, particularly in hypoxic regions. Although further investigation is needed, the findings that malignant tumor tissue showed signal intensity changes, whereas normal muscle tissue did not, suggests that this technique may prove useful in distinguishing benign from malignant tissue.     

The forced magnetostriction of nickel at 4.2 K

The forced volume magnetostriction of polycrystalline nickel at 4.2 K has been determined with a relative accuracy of 2 × 10^?2. Combining our result with previous data on the forced magnetostriction, we derive for the forced magnetostriction constants: h'₀ = (40 ± 1) × 10^?8T^?1, h'₁ = (-95 ± 2) × 10^?8T^?1, h'₂ = (-19 ± 2) × 10 ^?8T^?1.     

The heat capacity of the layer compounds (CH3CH2CH2NH3)2MnCl4 and (CH3CH2CH2NH3)2CdCl4 from 10 K TO 300 K

The heat capacity of the layer compounds tetrachlorobis (n-propylammonium) manganese II and tetrachlorobis (n-propylammonium) cadmium II, (CH₃CH₂CH₂NH₃)₂MnCl₄ and (CH₃CH₂CH₂NH₃)₂CdCl₄ respectively, has been measured over the temperature range 10 K ?T ? 300 K.Two known structural phase transitions were observed for the Mn compound in this temperature region: at T = 112.8 ± 0.1 K (ΔH_t= 586 ± 2 J mol^?1; ΔS_t = 5.47 ± 0.02 J K^?1mol^?1) and at T =164.3 ± (ΔH_t = 496 ± 7 J mol^?1; ΔS_t =3.29 ± 0.05 J K^?1mol^?1). The lower transition is known to be from a monoclinic structure to a tetragonal structure, while the upper is from the tetragonal phase to an orthorhombic one. From comparison with the results for the corresponding methyl Mn compound it is deduced that the lower transition primarily involves changes in H-bonding while the upper transition involves motion in the propyl chain.A new structural phase transition was observed in the Cd compound at T= 105.5 ± 0.1 K (ΔH_t= 1472.3 ± 0.1 J mol^?1; ΔS_t = 13.956 ± 0.001 J K^?1mol^?1), in addition to two transitions that have been observed previously by other techniques. The higher of these transitions(T = 178.7 ± 0.3 K; ΔH_t = 982 ± 4 J mol^?1 ΔS_t = 6.16 ± 0.02 J K^? mol^?1) is known to be between two orthorhombic structures, while the structural changes at the lower transition (T= 156.8 ± 0.2 K; ΔH_t = 598 ± 5 J mol^?1, ΔS_t = 3.85 ± 0.03 J K^?1 mol^?1) and at the new transition are not known. It is proposed that these two transitions correspond respectively to the tetragonal to orthorhombic and monoclinic to tetragonal transitions in the propyl Mn compounds.In addition to the structural phase transitions (CH₃CH₂CH₂NH₃)₂MnCl₄ magnetically orders at t? 130 K. The magnetic contribution to the heat capacity is deduced from the heat capacity of the corresponding diamagnetic Cd compound and is of the form expected for a quasi 2-dimensional Heisenberg antiferromagnet.     

Messung der Lebensdauer angeregter Kernniveaus von Al28, Cs133, Pr141, W182 und Pt195

The halflife of excited states in some nuclei has been measured by the method of delayed coincidences. Two different experimental arrangements have been used: a conventional scintillation counter equipment and a fast gasfilled parallelplate avalanche-counter. The results of these measurements are: 31 keV-level in Al²⁸:T _1/2=(1.91±0.08) · 10^?9 sec, 81 keV-level in Cs¹³³:T _1/2=(6.25±0.05) · 10^?9 sec, 145 keV-level in Pr¹⁴¹:T _1/2=(1.85±0.03) · 10^?9 sec, 100keV-level in W¹⁸²:T _1/2=(1.45±0.04) · 10^?9 sec, 1290 keV-level in W¹⁸² T _1/2=(1.05±0.03) · 10^?9 sec, 99 keV-level in Pt¹⁹⁵:T _1/2≦1.6 · 10^?10 sec, 129 keV-level in Pt¹⁹⁵:T _1/2=(6.2±0.7) · 10^?10 sec. These experimental values are discussed and compared with theoretical model predictions.     

Helium defectoscopy of cerium gadolinium ceramics Ce0.8Gd0.2O1.9 with a submicrocrystalline structure in the impurity disorder region

The concentration of impurity anion vacancies formed upon the dissociation of gadolinium-vacancy complexes has been determined using helium defectoscopy of the cerium gadolinium ceramics Ce_0.8Gd_0.2O_1.9 with a submicrocrystalline structure in the temperature range T = 740–1123 K and at saturation pressures ranging from 0.05 to 15 MPa. It has been found that the energy of dissociation of gadoliniumvacancy complexes is E _eff ^D = 0.26 ± 0.06 eV, and the energy of dissolution of helium in anion vacancies in the impurity disorder region is E ^P = ?0.31 ± 0.09 eV. The proposed mechanism of dissolution has been confirmed by the investigation of the electrical conductivity of the cerium gadolinium ceramics, as well as by the high-speed molecular dynamics simulation of the dissociation of gadolinium-vacancy complexes. It has been assumed that a decrease in the effective dissolution energy in comparison with the results of the previously performed low-temperature investigations is caused by the mutual repulsion of vacancies formed upon the dissociation of gadolinium-vacancy complexes in highly concentrated solutions of gadolinium in CeO₂ with increasing temperature.     

Local and itinerant magnetism and superconductivity in R Rh2si2 (R = rare earth)

Magnetization and Mossbauer studies reveal that R Rh₂Si₂ (R = rare earth) have two magnetic phase transitions, one corresponding to the ordering of the rare earth (T^N = 27?130K) and the other to the itinerant electron ordering of the Rh sublattice (T^M= 5?17K). LaRh₂si₂ has also been studied by resistivity, specific heat and a.c. susceptibility measurements. All studies indicate that LaRh₂Si₂ orders magnetically at T^M= 7K and becomes superconducting, type II, at T^c= 3.8±0.2K.