Generic acquisition protocol for quantitative MRI of the spinal cord

Nat Protoc, 2021 · DOI: 10.1038/s41596-021-00588-0 · Published: October 1, 2021

Spinal Cord Injury Neuroimaging Medical Imaging

Simple Explanation

This paper introduces a standardized MRI protocol, named the spine generic protocol, for imaging the spinal cord using 3T MRI systems from GE, Philips, and Siemens. The protocol offers guidance for assessing the structural integrity of the spinal cord, including T1-weighted and T2-weighted imaging for measuring cross-sectional area, multi-echo gradient echo for gray matter, and magnetization transfer and diffusion weighted imaging for white matter microstructure. The protocol aims to standardize spinal cord imaging, making it more common in neuroimaging and facilitating research by providing a consistent starting point for researchers and clinicians.

Study Duration

Not specified

Participants

260 healthy subjects

Evidence Level

Level 5, Expert Opinion

Key Findings

1
The spine generic protocol provides a harmonized approach for acquiring high-quality qMRI of the human cervical spinal cord at 3T across the three main MRI manufacturers.
2
The protocol balances minimizing differences in acquisition parameters across manufacturers with optimizing image quality on each platform.
3
The spine generic protocol has been used in various applications, including imaging methods, method development, functional MRI, and studies of multiple sclerosis, adrenoleukodystrophy, ALS, and spinal cord injury.

Research Summary

The study presents a prospectively harmonized consensus protocol, called the spine generic protocol, for acquiring high-quality qMRI of the human cervical SC at 3 Tesla (T) across GE, Philips and Siemens MRI systems. The protocol covers techniques such as SC cross-sectional area (CSA) computation, gray matter CSA, and magnetization transfer and diffusion weighted imaging for assessing white matter microstructure. The spine generic protocol aims to provide a starting point for researchers and clinicians implementing new SC imaging initiatives, promoting research reproducibility and study harmonization.

Practical Implications

Standardized Imaging

Facilitates consistent data acquisition across different MRI systems and sites, improving comparability of results.

Improved Diagnosis and Monitoring

Offers potential clinical uses, including improved diagnosis of pathology, monitoring of disease progression or recovery, and/or prediction of outcomes.

Research Advancement

Provides a basis for research reproducibility and study harmonization, allowing for the development of new image processing tools.

Study Limitations

1
Hardware and pulse sequence environments vary across manufacturers, making it impossible to obtain the exact same acquisition configuration.
2
Some variability could exist due to the different specifications for different models and the adjustment and maintenance status of individual scanners.
3
The protocol is optimized and validated for the cervical cord, requiring modifications for the thoraco-lumbar region depending on the RF receive coil available.

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