Improved Resting-State Functional MRI Using Multi-Echo Echo-Planar Imaging on a Compact 3T MRI Scanner with High-Performance Gradients

Daehun Kang; Myung Ho In; Hang Joon Jo; Maria A. Halverson; Nolan K. Meyer; Zaki Ahmed; Erin M. Gray; Radhika Madhavan; Thomas K. Foo; Brice Fernandez; David F. Black; Kirk M. Welker; Joshua D. Trzasko; John Huston; Matt A. Bernstein; Yunhong Shu

doi:10.3390/s23094329

Improved Resting-State Functional MRI Using Multi-Echo Echo-Planar Imaging on a Compact 3T MRI Scanner with High-Performance Gradients

Daehun Kang, Myung Ho In, Hang Joon Jo, Maria A. Halverson, Nolan K. Meyer, Zaki Ahmed, Erin M. Gray, Radhika Madhavan, Thomas K. Foo, Brice Fernandez, David F. Black, Kirk M. Welker, Joshua D. Trzasko, John Huston, Matt A. Bernstein, Yunhong Shu

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

In blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD)-based resting-state functional (RS-fMRI) studies, usage of multi-echo echo-planar-imaging (ME-EPI) is limited due to unacceptable late echo times when high spatial resolution is used. Equipped with high-performance gradients, the compact 3T MRI system (C3T) enables a three-echo whole-brain ME-EPI protocol with smaller than 2.5 mm isotropic voxel and shorter than 1 s repetition time, as required in landmark fMRI studies. The performance of the ME-EPI was comprehensively evaluated with signal variance reduction and region-of-interest-, seed- and independent-component-analysis-based functional connectivity analyses and compared with a counterpart of single-echo EPI with the shortest TR possible. Through the multi-echo combination, the thermal noise level is reduced. Functional connectivity, as well as signal intensity, are recovered in the medial orbital sulcus and anterior transverse collateral sulcus in ME-EPI. It is demonstrated that ME-EPI provides superior sensitivity and accuracy for detecting functional connectivity and/or brain networks in comparison with single-echo EPI. In conclusion, the high-performance gradient enabled high-spatial-temporal resolution ME-EPI would be the method of choice for RS-fMRI study on the C3T.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	4329
Journal	Sensors
Volume	23
Issue number	9
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3390/s23094329
State	Published - May 2023

Keywords

BOLD
compact 3T
fMRI
gradient system
multi-echo EPI
resting state
slew rate

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Analytical Chemistry
Information Systems
Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
Biochemistry
Instrumentation
Electrical and Electronic Engineering

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10.3390/s23094329

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Kang, D., In, M. H., Jo, H. J., Halverson, M. A., Meyer, N. K., Ahmed, Z., Gray, E. M., Madhavan, R., Foo, T. K., Fernandez, B., Black, D. F., Welker, K. M., Trzasko, J. D., Huston, J., Bernstein, M. A., & Shu, Y. (2023). Improved Resting-State Functional MRI Using Multi-Echo Echo-Planar Imaging on a Compact 3T MRI Scanner with High-Performance Gradients. Sensors, 23(9), Article 4329. https://doi.org/10.3390/s23094329

Kang, D, In, MH, Jo, HJ, Halverson, MA, Meyer, NK, Ahmed, Z, Gray, EM, Madhavan, R, Foo, TK, Fernandez, B, Black, DF , Welker, KM , Trzasko, JD , Huston, J , Bernstein, MA & Shu, Y 2023, 'Improved Resting-State Functional MRI Using Multi-Echo Echo-Planar Imaging on a Compact 3T MRI Scanner with High-Performance Gradients', Sensors, vol. 23, no. 9, 4329. https://doi.org/10.3390/s23094329

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title = "Improved Resting-State Functional MRI Using Multi-Echo Echo-Planar Imaging on a Compact 3T MRI Scanner with High-Performance Gradients",

abstract = "In blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD)-based resting-state functional (RS-fMRI) studies, usage of multi-echo echo-planar-imaging (ME-EPI) is limited due to unacceptable late echo times when high spatial resolution is used. Equipped with high-performance gradients, the compact 3T MRI system (C3T) enables a three-echo whole-brain ME-EPI protocol with smaller than 2.5 mm isotropic voxel and shorter than 1 s repetition time, as required in landmark fMRI studies. The performance of the ME-EPI was comprehensively evaluated with signal variance reduction and region-of-interest-, seed- and independent-component-analysis-based functional connectivity analyses and compared with a counterpart of single-echo EPI with the shortest TR possible. Through the multi-echo combination, the thermal noise level is reduced. Functional connectivity, as well as signal intensity, are recovered in the medial orbital sulcus and anterior transverse collateral sulcus in ME-EPI. It is demonstrated that ME-EPI provides superior sensitivity and accuracy for detecting functional connectivity and/or brain networks in comparison with single-echo EPI. In conclusion, the high-performance gradient enabled high-spatial-temporal resolution ME-EPI would be the method of choice for RS-fMRI study on the C3T.",

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doi = "10.3390/s23094329",

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AU - Kang, Daehun

AU - In, Myung Ho

AU - Jo, Hang Joon

AU - Halverson, Maria A.

AU - Meyer, Nolan K.

AU - Ahmed, Zaki

AU - Gray, Erin M.

AU - Madhavan, Radhika

AU - Foo, Thomas K.

AU - Fernandez, Brice

AU - Black, David F.

AU - Welker, Kirk M.

AU - Trzasko, Joshua D.

AU - Huston, John

AU - Bernstein, Matt A.

AU - Shu, Yunhong

PY - 2023/5

Y1 - 2023/5

N2 - In blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD)-based resting-state functional (RS-fMRI) studies, usage of multi-echo echo-planar-imaging (ME-EPI) is limited due to unacceptable late echo times when high spatial resolution is used. Equipped with high-performance gradients, the compact 3T MRI system (C3T) enables a three-echo whole-brain ME-EPI protocol with smaller than 2.5 mm isotropic voxel and shorter than 1 s repetition time, as required in landmark fMRI studies. The performance of the ME-EPI was comprehensively evaluated with signal variance reduction and region-of-interest-, seed- and independent-component-analysis-based functional connectivity analyses and compared with a counterpart of single-echo EPI with the shortest TR possible. Through the multi-echo combination, the thermal noise level is reduced. Functional connectivity, as well as signal intensity, are recovered in the medial orbital sulcus and anterior transverse collateral sulcus in ME-EPI. It is demonstrated that ME-EPI provides superior sensitivity and accuracy for detecting functional connectivity and/or brain networks in comparison with single-echo EPI. In conclusion, the high-performance gradient enabled high-spatial-temporal resolution ME-EPI would be the method of choice for RS-fMRI study on the C3T.

AB - In blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD)-based resting-state functional (RS-fMRI) studies, usage of multi-echo echo-planar-imaging (ME-EPI) is limited due to unacceptable late echo times when high spatial resolution is used. Equipped with high-performance gradients, the compact 3T MRI system (C3T) enables a three-echo whole-brain ME-EPI protocol with smaller than 2.5 mm isotropic voxel and shorter than 1 s repetition time, as required in landmark fMRI studies. The performance of the ME-EPI was comprehensively evaluated with signal variance reduction and region-of-interest-, seed- and independent-component-analysis-based functional connectivity analyses and compared with a counterpart of single-echo EPI with the shortest TR possible. Through the multi-echo combination, the thermal noise level is reduced. Functional connectivity, as well as signal intensity, are recovered in the medial orbital sulcus and anterior transverse collateral sulcus in ME-EPI. It is demonstrated that ME-EPI provides superior sensitivity and accuracy for detecting functional connectivity and/or brain networks in comparison with single-echo EPI. In conclusion, the high-performance gradient enabled high-spatial-temporal resolution ME-EPI would be the method of choice for RS-fMRI study on the C3T.

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KW - gradient system

KW - multi-echo EPI

KW - resting state

KW - slew rate

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Improved Resting-State Functional MRI Using Multi-Echo Echo-Planar Imaging on a Compact 3T MRI Scanner with High-Performance Gradients

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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