Premium
In vivo measurement of membrane permeability and myofiber size in human muscle using time‐dependent diffusion tensor imaging and the random permeable barrier model
Author(s) -
Fieremans Els,
Lemberskiy Gregory,
Veraart Jelle,
Sigmund Eric E.,
Gyftopoulos Soterios,
Novikov Dmitry S.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
nmr in biomedicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.278
H-Index - 114
eISSN - 1099-1492
pISSN - 0952-3480
DOI - 10.1002/nbm.3612
Subject(s) - diffusion mri , in vivo , myocyte , permeability (electromagnetism) , biophysics , membrane permeability , diffusion , chemistry , membrane , nuclear magnetic resonance , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , physics , medicine , magnetic resonance imaging , biochemistry , radiology , thermodynamics
The time dependence of the diffusion coefficient is a hallmark of tissue complexity at the micrometer level. Here we demonstrate how biophysical modeling, combined with a specifically tailored diffusion MRI acquisition performing diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) for varying diffusion times, can be used to determine fiber size and membrane permeability of muscle fibers in vivo . We describe the random permeable barrier model (RPBM) and its assumptions, as well as the details of stimulated echo DTI acquisition, signal processing steps, and potential pitfalls. We illustrate the RPBM method on a few pilot examples involving human subjects (previously published as well as new), such as revealing myofiber size derived from RPBM increase after training in a calf muscle, and size decrease with atrophy in shoulder rotator cuff muscle. Finally, we comment on the potential clinical relevance of our results. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.