Ultrashort Echo Time Magnetic Resonance Imaging Techniques: Met and Unmet Needs in Musculoskeletal Imaging

Afsahi, Amir Masoud; Ma, Yajun; Jang, Hyungseok; Jerban, Saeed; Chung, Christine B.; Chang, Eric Y.

doi:10.1002/jmri.28032

Cited by 43 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 114 publications

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“…An increasing number of musculoskeletal research groups are investigating the potential benefits of utilizing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for bone evaluation, particularly for quantifying the water components, organic matrix, and fat content in cortical bone ( 7 – 10 ). MRI-based bone evaluation avoids the potential harmful exposures to ionizing radiation associated with x-ray-based techniques ( 11 – 14 ) and provides the opportunity for simultaneous assessment of the surrounding soft tissues ( 15 , 16 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The signal ratio calculation in dual-echo UTE imaging ( 20 ) and the signal ratio between UTE and inversion recovery UTE (IR-UTE) ( 21 ) are two remarkable examples of rapid UTE-based bone evaluation techniques, each of which takes less than 5 minutes. Notably, the required time for such measurements depends on the UTE acquisition techniques, which can be two-dimensional (2D) (using cartesian or radial trajectories) ( 22 , 23 ) or three-dimensional (3D) (using cartesian, radial, spiral, or cones trajectories) ( 10 ). Generally, a 2D UTE sequence is faster than a 3D UTE sequence, and a spiral acquisition is faster than a radial or cartesian acquisition.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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MRI-based porosity index (PI) and suppression ratio (SR) in the tibial cortex show significant differences between normal, osteopenic, and osteoporotic female subjects

Jerban

Moazamian

et al. 2023

Front. Endocrinol.

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IntroductionUltrashort echo time (UTE) MRI enables quantitative assessment of cortical bone. The signal ratio in dual-echo UTE imaging, known as porosity index (PI), as well as the signal ratio between UTE and inversion recovery UTE (IR-UTE) imaging, known as the suppression ratio (SR), are two rapid UTE-based bone evaluation techniques developed to reduce the time demand and cost in future clinical studies. The goal of this study was to investigate the performance of PI and SR in detecting bone quality differences between subjects with osteoporosis (OPo), osteopenia (OPe), and normal bone (Normal).MethodsTibial midshaft of fourteen OPe (72 ± 6 years old), thirty-one OPo (72 ± 6 years old), and thirty-seven Normal (36 ± 19 years old) subjects were scanned using dual-echo UTE and IR-UTE sequences on a clinical 3T scanner. Measured PI, SR, and bone thickness were compared between OPo, OPe, and normal bone (Normal) subjects using the Kruskal–Wallis test by ranks. Spearman’s rank correlation coefficients were calculated between dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) T-score and UTE-MRI results.ResultsPI was significantly higher in the OPo group compared with the Normal (24.1%) and OPe (16.3%) groups. SR was significantly higher in the OPo group compared with the Normal (41.5%) and OPe (21.8%) groups. SR differences between the OPe and Normal groups were also statistically significant (16.2%). Cortical bone was significantly thinner in the OPo group compared with the Normal (22.0%) and OPe (13.0%) groups. DEXA T-scores in subjects were significantly correlated with PI (R=-0.32), SR (R=-0.50), and bone thickness (R=0.51).DiscussionPI and SR, as rapid UTE-MRI-based techniques, may be useful tools to detect and monitor bone quality changes, in addition to bone morphology, in individuals affected by osteoporosis.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

MRI-based porosity index (PI) and suppression ratio (SR) in the tibial cortex show significant differences between normal, osteopenic, and osteoporotic female subjects

Jerban

Moazamian

et al. 2023

Front. Endocrinol.

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“…Beside UTE sequences, other technical approaches have been developed and investigated, such as “Slab-selective UTE” applying a modified radio frequency pulse, or zero-echo time (ZTE) sequences turning on readout gradients even before the radio frequency pulse. [ 12 – 14 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Added value of ultra-short echo time and fast field echo using restricted echo-spacing MR imaging in the assessment of the osseous cervical spine

et al. 2023

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Purpose To evaluate the added value of ultra-short echo time (UTE) and fast field echo resembling a CT using restricted echo-spacing (FRACTURE) MR sequences in the assessment of the osseous cervical spine using CT as reference. Materials and methods Twenty-seven subjects underwent postmortem CT and MRI within 48 h. Datasets were anonymized and analyzed retrospectively by two radiologists. Morphological cervical spine alterations were rated on CT, UTE and FRACTURE images. Afterward, neural foraminal stenosis was graded on standard MR and again after viewing additional UTE/FRACTURE sequences. To evaluate interreader and intermodality reliability, intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC) and for stenosis grading Wilcoxon-matched-pairs testing with multiple comparison correction were calculated. Results Moderate interreader reliability (ICC = 0.48–0.71) was observed concerning morphological findings on all modalities. Intermodality reliability was good between modalities regarding degenerative vertebral and joint alterations (ICC = 0.69–0.91). Compared to CT neural stenosis grades were more often considered as nonsignificant on all analyzed MR sequences. Neural stenosis grading scores differed also significantly between specific bone imaging sequences, UTE and FRACTURE, to standard MR sequences. However, no significant difference was observed between UTE and FRACTURE sequences. Conclusion Compared to CT as reference, UTE or FRACTURE sequence added to standard MR sequences can deliver comparable information on osseous cervical spine status. Both led to changes in clinically significant stenosis gradings when added to standard MR, mainly reducing the severity of neural foramina stenosis.

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“…During the last two decades, a specific MRI approach termed ultrashort echo time (UTE) MRI has gained traction in the research sphere as a technique that is able to visualize otherwise difficult-to-image tissue structures such as those with short T 2 and

values and/or low water and proton content ( 4 , 6 ). Since UTE MRI’s very first introduction in the 1980s ( 7 ) as an in vivo application for lung parenchymal imaging ( 8 ), the technique has been further developed to visualize an array of other short T 2 species such as menisci and tendons ( 9 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Table 1 presents a summary of the articles reviewed in this study. This study is an update of the current review literature focused on musculoskeletal tissues with short T 2 values ( 4 , 6 ) as these techniques continue to rapidly evolve and have been applied in numerous other studies.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Articular Cartilage Assessment Using Ultrashort Echo Time MRI: A Review

et al. 2022

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Articular cartilage is a major component of the human knee joint which may be affected by a variety of degenerative mechanisms associated with joint pathologies and/or the aging process. Ultrashort echo time (UTE) sequences with a TE less than 100 µs are capable of detecting signals from both fast- and slow-relaxing water protons in cartilage. This allows comprehensive evaluation of all the cartilage layers, especially for the short T2 layers which include the deep and calcified zones. Several ultrashort echo time (UTE) techniques have recently been developed for both morphological imaging and quantitative cartilage assessment. This review article summarizes the current catalog techniques based on UTE Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) that have been utilized for such purposes in the human knee joint, such as T1, T2∗, T1ρ, magnetization transfer (MT), double echo steady state (DESS), quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) and inversion recovery (IR). The contrast mechanisms as well as the advantages and disadvantages of these techniques are discussed.

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Ultrashort Echo Time Magnetic Resonance Imaging Techniques: Met and Unmet Needs in Musculoskeletal Imaging

Cited by 43 publications

References 114 publications

MRI-based porosity index (PI) and suppression ratio (SR) in the tibial cortex show significant differences between normal, osteopenic, and osteoporotic female subjects

MRI-based porosity index (PI) and suppression ratio (SR) in the tibial cortex show significant differences between normal, osteopenic, and osteoporotic female subjects

Added value of ultra-short echo time and fast field echo using restricted echo-spacing MR imaging in the assessment of the osseous cervical spine

Articular Cartilage Assessment Using Ultrashort Echo Time MRI: A Review

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