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Three-Dimensional Turbo-Spin-Echo Amide Proton Transfer MR Imaging at 3-Tesla and Its Application to High-Grade Human Brain Tumors

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Abstract

Purpose

Amide proton transfer (APT) imaging is able to extend the achievable magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast to the protein level. In this study, we demonstrate the feasibility of applying a turbo-spin-echo (TSE)-based, three-dimensional (3D) APT sequence into routine clinical practice for patients with brain tumors.

Procedures

Experiments were performed on a Philips 3-Tesla (3-T) MRI scanner using an eight-channel phased-array coil for reception. A fast 3D APT sequence with a TSE acquisition was proposed (saturation power, 2 μT; saturation time, 500 ms; 8 slices). The gradient echo (GRE)-based field-map** technique or water-saturation-shift-referencing (WASSR) technique was used to acquire B0 maps to correct for B0-induced artifacts in APT images. The test was performed on a box of homogenous protein solution, four healthy volunteers, and eight patients with high-grade gliomas.

Results

The experimental data from a homogenous, protein-containing phantom and healthy volunteers show that the sequence produced a uniform contrast across all slices. The average MTRasym(3.5 ppm) values with GRE B0-corrected 3D APT imaging and WASSR-corrected 3D APT imaging were both comparable to the values obtained using the undemanding single-slice acquisition. The average APT image intensity was consistently higher in the tumor core than in the peripheral edema and in the contralateral normal-appearing white matter (both P < 0.001).

Conclusion

3D APT imaging of brain tumors can be performed in about 5 min at 3-T using a routine, commercial eight-channel SENSE coil.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported in part by grants from the National Institutes of Health (R01EB009731, R01EB015032, R21EB009112, R21EB015555, and P41EB015909), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81128006 and 81171322), and Dana Foundation. We thank Ms. Mary McAllister for editorial assistance.

Conflict of Interest

J.Z. is a co-inventor on a patent at the US Patent and Trademark Office for the APT-MRI technology. This patent is owned and managed by Johns Hopkins University.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Philips Healthcare, Bei**g, China

    Xuna Zhao

  2. Department of Radiology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China

    Zhibo Wen, Ge Zhang, Fanheng Huang, Shilong Lu & **anlong Wang

  3. Shenzhen Anke High-Tech, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China

    Shuguang Hu

  4. Department of Radiology, Bei**g Hospital, Bei**g, China

    Min Chen

  5. Division of MR Research, Department of Radiology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, 21287, USA

    **yuan Zhou

  6. F.M. Kirby Research Center for Functional Brain Imaging, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA

    **yuan Zhou

Authors
  1. Xuna Zhao
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  2. Zhibo Wen
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  3. Ge Zhang
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  4. Fanheng Huang
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  8. Min Chen
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  9. **yuan Zhou
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Correspondence to **yuan Zhou.

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Zhao, X., Wen, Z., Zhang, G. et al. Three-Dimensional Turbo-Spin-Echo Amide Proton Transfer MR Imaging at 3-Tesla and Its Application to High-Grade Human Brain Tumors. Mol Imaging Biol 15, 114–122 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11307-012-0563-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11307-012-0563-1

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