Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) can be used as a non-invasive technique for a variety of procedures such as differentiating radiation damage from brain tumors post-therapy, categorizing brain tumors, or investigating neurological and psychiatric diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease. However, using MRI scanners at high magnetic field strengths to perform MRSI on the whole brain is very difficult due to several specific physical and technical limitations.
Dr. Priti Balchandadani, Director of the High Field MRI Program at the Translational and Molecular Imaging Institute at the Icahn School of Medicine, and neuroimaging postdoctoral fellow, Dr. Rebecca Feldman, have developed a technique to optimize MRSI sequences for 7 Tesla (7T) MRI scanners. Semi-Adiabatic Spectral-spatial Spectroscopic Imaging (SASSI) uses an MRSI pulse sequence that corrects significant problems in imaging at high magnetic fields, allowing for optimal signal to noise ratio (SNR) and spectral resolution to be captured throughout the full brain. This innovation is accomplished through refocusing pulses that are spectral spatial with an adiabatic envelope which was designed with an adiabatic SLR algorithm to provide enough spectral bandwidth to cover the full range of brain metabolites from N-acetylaspartate to myoinositol.
Current Development Status
- Improvements in selectivity of the spatial excitation volume
- Human subjects pilot study
Applications
- Pulse sequences to improve image acquisition for high field strength systems
- Utilize MRSI in all regions of the brain
Advantages
- Optimized MRSI sequences for 7T:
- Decreased RF power deposition into subject
- Decreased RF inhomogenity
- Elimination chemical shift artifacts
- Avoid water and lipid contamination
Publications
- Feldman, Rebecca E.et al. “7T MRSI using Semi-Adiabatic Spectral-spatial Spectroscopic Imaging (SASSI) for improved B1-insensitivity in refocusing and reduced chemical shift artifact.” ISMRM Meeting. 2015. Toronto
Patent Status
- US Provisional Application filed
Contact
Idoia Gamez, PhD, MBA
Business Development Director
Mount Sinai Innovation Partners | Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Phone: 646.605.7317