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Insights into Imaging

Table 3 MRI scanning protocol and technical parameters

From: Predicting cytogenetic risk in multiple myeloma using conventional whole-body MRI, spinal dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI, and spinal diffusion-weighted imaging

 

Conventional anatomical MRI

Functional MRI

CorT1w

TSE

CorT2w

STIR

SagT1w

TSE

SagFST2w

TSE

SagFST1w

TSE + Gda

Sag DCE-MRIa, b

Sag DWIc

Region

WB (head-proximal tibia)

WB (head-proximal tibia)

Head-coccygeal spine

Head-coccygeal spine

Head-coccygeal spine

Thoracic-coccygeal spine

Thoracic-coccygeal spine

TR (ms)

661

8640

576

7270

771

4.25

7700

TE (ms)

8.8

108

10

68

10

1.73

86

TI (ms)

N/A

140

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

180

ST (mm)

7

7

3.3

3.3

3.3

4

3

Spacing (mm)

7

7

3.3

3.3

3.3

4

3.3

Type

2D

2D

2D

2D

2D

3D

2D

Averages

3

1

2

1

2

1

3

ETL

3

21

3

13

3

0

89

Pixel BW

215

130

165

130

165

280

1530

AM

0/384/384/0

0/384/384/0

384/0/0/288

384/0/0/384

384/0/0/288

0/192/138/0

0/192/192/0

Flip angle

150

150

150

150

150

12

90

PS

1.30/1.30

1.30/1.30

0.91/0.91

0.91/0.91

0.91/0.91

2.34/2.34

1.67/1.67

FOV

501*1289

501*1285

777*351

777*350

777*350

450*450

319*319

b-values

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

0–200–400–600–1000

  1. 2D Two-dimensional, 3D Three-dimensional, AM Acquisition matrix, b-values Diffusion sensitizing gradients of the diffusion-weighted imaging sequence, BW Bandwidth, cor Coronal, DCE Dynamic contrast-enhanced, DWI Diffusion-weighted imaging, EPI Echo planar imaging, ETL Echo train length, FOV Field of view, FS Fat-saturated, Gd Gadolinium, mm Millimeter, MRI Magnetic resonance imaging, ms Millisecond, N/A Not available, PS Pixel spacing, sag Sagittal, ST Slice thickness, STIR Short tau inversion recovery, T1w T1-weighted, T2w T2-weighted, TE Echo time, TI Inversion time, TR Repetition time, TSE Turbo spin-echo, WB Whole-body
  2. aThe injection rate of contrast agent was 3–5 mL/s. Contrast agent used was Gadovist (gadobutrol 1.0 mmol/mL, 0.1 mmol/kg, Bayer), Dotarem (gadoteric acid 0.5 mmol/mL, 0.1 mmol/kg, Guerbet), and Magnevist (gadopentetate dimeglumine 0.5 mmol/mL, 0.1 mmol/kg, Bayer) in 23 (= 74%), one (= 3%), and seven (= 23%) patients, respectively. In general, a 3D Twist-Vibe sequence was used. Before the dynamic sequence, a sagittal T1 vibe sequence with variable flip angle was performed (2° and 15°). After gadolinium injection, 74 times eight parallel fat-suppressed T1-weighted multi-slice sagittal 3D images were acquired covering the thoracic to coccygeal spine with an interval of 1600 ms for 2 min
  3. bIn Siemens SyngoViaVB60 (MROncology and MRTissue4D reading and postprocessing modules), the dynamic images were analyzed according to the software’s protocol for DCE-MRI. Regarding preprocessing, homogenization, and normalization of images, both motion correction and elastic alignment of the pre-contrast to the dynamic series were applied. Afterward, in the processing steps, two pharmacokinetic models were available, one for qualitative and semiquantitative assessment and one for quantitative assessment (Tofts model). In both steps, the model depends on the contrast agent used because they have specific characteristics like relaxivity [L/mmol/s], molarity [mmol/mL], dose [mmol/kg], and injected volume. Also, both models depend on the arrival time of contrast agent [s], which is set manually based on the interpretation of the time-intensity curve within the region of interest. In the qualitative model, the protocol uses a constant T1 value, which was set to 2000 ms with a threshold of 20 ms. In the Tofts model, an arterial input function (slow, intermediate, or fast) is used based on the performance of the function to model the raw data points of the time-concentration curve. The difference or error rate between the function and the raw data points is called the chi square metric. The arterial input function with the smallest chi square is used for further analysis. A pixelwise T1 protocol is used with a threshold of 20 ms
  4. cTechnique used: echo planar imaging using different diffusion-sensitizing gradients or b-values (0–200–400–600–1000) with calculation of the corresponding apparent diffusion coefficient maps using all b-values images
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