Article
Intraoperative high resolution, distortion free Diffusion-Tensor MR-imaging
Intraoperative, hochaufgelöste, verzerrungsfreie Diffusions-Tensor-MR-Bildgebung
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Authors
Published: | April 23, 2004 |
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Outline
Text
Objective
Diffusion-Tensor MR-Imaging (DTI) is rapidly becoming an established technique that non-invasively maps microscopic structural information of oriented tissue in vivo. We investigated a new approach for intraoperative high resolution, distortion free diffusion tensor MR-imaging in a stereotactic setup.
Methods
Ten patient, fixed with a stereotactic frame, underwent navigated, segmented diffusion weighted MR-imaging. ECG-triggering was used to suppress artifacts from brain pulsation. Diffusion weighting was done in six direction x, y, z, xy, xz, yz. Directional-encoded color and Fractional Anisotropy (FA) maps were derived.
Results
In 7/10 patients high quality diffusion tensor MR-imaging was possible. Derived FA-maps show excellent contrast of white matter fiber architecture. Diffusion-weighted images show negligible distortion by comparing with conventional t2-images. In 3/10 patients image quality was low because of brain pulsation artifacts.
Conclusions
Navigated, segmented diffusion tensor MR-imaging shows a high potential for intra operative imaging. High contrast white matter fiber architecture maps could be derived which may play an important role in certain stereotactic neurosurgery procedures like deep brain stimulation or brachytherapy. But care has to be taken for good ECG-recordings to minimize brain pulsation artifacts.