University of Pittsburgh

Tao Jin

Kyongtae Ty Bae

Hunter S Mehrens

Kristy S Hendrich

Wen Ling

Seong-Gi Kim

Julius Chung

A method for chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) MRI using an average saturation efficiency filter (ASEF)/adjustment of rotation and saturation effects (AROSE) includes: applying a first RF pulse train including a high duty cycle, the first RF pulse causing magnetization of exchangeable protons based on saturation and/or rotation effects, transferred to a water pool of a target structure; discontinuing application of the first RF pulse train; acquiring a first water MR signal; applying a second RF pulse train including a low duty cycle, the second RF pulse train causing magnetization of the target molecules based at least in part on saturation transfer and either minimizing rotation transfer with bipolar pulses or adjusting rotation transfer with selected flip angles; discontinuing application of the second RF pulse train; acquiring a second water MR signal; and generating ASEF/AROSE signal representing a difference between the first and second water MR signals.

Chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) magnetic resonance imaging using an ASEF or AROSE system

A method of measuring a tissue parameter such as proteoglycan content and other relevant tissue parameters, e.g. tissue pH, in a tissue or an organ of a subject includes generating first and second frequency magnetic resonance data using Tscans at different frequencies, wherein the frequencies are symmetric. The method also includes combining the first frequency magnetic resonance data and the second frequency magnetic resonance data to remove a number of contributions from a number of relaxation mechanisms other than chemical exchange, thereby obtaining chemical exchange-specific magnetic resonance data indicative of the tissue parameter in the tissue or the organ. The chemical exchange-specific magnetic resonance data may be used to measure the proteoglycan content in the tissue or organ.

Method and system for monitoring a tissue parameter such as proteoglycan content by magnetic resonance imaging

A method of monitoring glucose transport and/or metabolism in a tissue or an organ of a subject using spin-locking magnetic resonance (MR) includes acquiring pre-glucose MR data by executing a pre-glucose chemical exchange spin-lock (CESL) pulse sequence a number of times each including applying pre-glucose chemical exchange spin-lock pulse sequence irradiation to the tissue or the organ, administering glucose to the subject, acquiring post-glucose MR data by executing a post-glucose chemical exchange spin-lock (CESL) pulse sequence a number of times each including applying post-glucose chemical exchange spin-lock (CESL) pulse sequence irradiation to the tissue or the organ, and using the pre-glucose MR data and the post-glucose MR data to generate a measure of glucose transport, glucose metabolism or both glucose transport and glucose metabolism in the tissue or the organ.

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Pittsburgh, PA, United States of America

Tao Jin