Principal Investigator: Peter van Zijl, PhD
Measuring a Quantitative Imaging Biomarker (QIB) can include more than assessing physiological constants and metabolite levels. In TRD3 we therefore exploit the inherent power of MRI to probe tissue composition and microstructure, the characteristics of which can be accessed through a multitude of MRI phenomena and parameters that can be seen as candidate biomarkers. The intensity and frequency of the water signal in an MRI volume element (voxel) depend on the local microscopic fields and field differences imposed by tissue compartments and molecules. In addition, the motion of water measured by MRI is affected by compartment size and permeability, which may change in disease and thus contain potential biomarker information. We will design radiofrequency and gradient pulse sequences as well as new analysis approaches to efficiently quantify MRI parameters that provide insight into tissue composition and microstructure.
Contents:
Magnetic Susceptibility to Assess Fibers, Iron, and Oxygenation
Multi-parameter MRI to Assess Tissue Composition
Probing Tissue Microstructure