Growing importance of brain morphometry analysis in the clinical routine: The hidden impact of MR sequence parameters

Michael Rebsamen; Milena Capiglioni; Robert Hoepner; Anke Salmen; Roland Wiest; Piotr Radojewski; Christian Rummel

doi:10.1016/j.neurad.2023.04.003

Growing importance of brain morphometry analysis in the clinical routine: The hidden impact of MR sequence parameters

J Neuroradiol. 2024 Feb;51(1):5-9. doi: 10.1016/j.neurad.2023.04.003. Epub 2023 Apr 26.

Authors

Michael Rebsamen¹, Milena Capiglioni¹, Robert Hoepner², Anke Salmen², Roland Wiest³, Piotr Radojewski³, Christian Rummel⁴

Affiliations

¹ Support Center for Advanced Neuroimaging (SCAN), University Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, University of Bern, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, Bern, Switzerland; Graduate School for Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
² Department of Neurology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital and University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
³ Support Center for Advanced Neuroimaging (SCAN), University Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, University of Bern, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, Bern, Switzerland; Swiss Institute for Translational and Entrepreneurial Medicine, sitem-insel, Bern, Switzerland.
⁴ Support Center for Advanced Neuroimaging (SCAN), University Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, University of Bern, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, Bern, Switzerland. Electronic address: [email protected].

PMID: 37116782
DOI: 10.1016/j.neurad.2023.04.003

Abstract

Volumetric assessment based on structural MRI is increasingly recognized as an auxiliary tool to visual reading, also in examinations acquired in the clinical routine. However, MRI acquisition parameters can significantly influence these measures, which must be considered when interpreting the results on an individual patient level. This Technical Note shall demonstrate the problem. Using data from a dedicated experiment, we show the influence of two crucial sequence parameters on the GM/WM contrast and their impact on the measured volumes. A simulated contrast derived from acquisition parameters TI/TR may serve as surrogate and is highly correlated (r=0.96) with the measured contrast.

Keywords: Atrophy; Brain morphometry; Imaging protocol; MRI; Reliability.

MeSH terms

Atrophy / pathology
Brain* / diagnostic imaging
Brain* / pathology
Humans
Magnetic Resonance Imaging / methods
Multiple Sclerosis*