Premium
MRI‐based myelin water imaging: A technical review
Author(s) -
AlonsoOrtiz Eva,
Levesque Ives R.,
Pike G. Bruce
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
magnetic resonance in medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.696
H-Index - 225
eISSN - 1522-2594
pISSN - 0740-3194
DOI - 10.1002/mrm.25198
Subject(s) - myelin , white matter , t2 relaxation , nuclear magnetic resonance , relaxation (psychology) , magnetic resonance imaging , component (thermodynamics) , neuroscience , chemistry , central nervous system , computer science , physics , medicine , radiology , biology , thermodynamics
Multiexponential T 2 relaxation time measurement in the central nervous system shows a component that originates from water trapped between the lipid bilayers of myelin. This myelin water component is of significant interest as it provides a myelin‐specific MRI signal of value in assessing myelin changes in cerebral white matter in vivo. In this article, the various acquisition and analysis strategies proposed to date for myelin water imaging are reviewed and research conducted into their validity and clinical applicability is presented. Comparisons between the imaging methods are made with a discussion regarding potential difficulties and model limitations. Magn Reson Med 73:70–81, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.