Open-access quantitative MRI data of the spinal cord and reproducibility across participants, sites and manufacturers

Scientific Data, 2021 · DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-021-00941-8 · Published: August 16, 2021

Simple Explanation

This study introduces a standardized MRI protocol for imaging the spinal cord, called the spine generic protocol, which aims to provide consistent and reproducible quantitative measurements of spinal cord structure and composition. The researchers tested the protocol across multiple MRI centers and manufacturers to assess its reliability and consistency in producing comparable data. The data and analysis tools from this study are publicly available, intending to promote wider adoption of quantitative MRI in spinal cord research and clinical practice.

Study Duration

77 days (single subject)

Participants

260 healthy participants (multi-subject)

Evidence Level

Not specified

Key Findings

1
The spine generic protocol demonstrated high reproducibility across different MRI sites and manufacturers, with an average inter-site coefficient of variation of less than 5% for most metrics.
2
Significant inter-manufacturer differences were observed for several quantitative MRI metrics, highlighting the need for careful consideration of scanner-specific effects in multi-center studies.
3
T1-weighted scans showed slightly better intra- and inter-site COVs compared to T2-weighted scans.

Research Summary

This study introduces a standardized spine generic quantitative MRI protocol and associated datasets acquired across multiple centers and MRI manufacturers. The datasets, consisting of single-subject and multi-subject scans, are publicly available and analyzed using the Spinal Cord Toolbox to assess the protocol's reproducibility. The results demonstrate high reproducibility across sites and manufacturers, although significant inter-manufacturer differences exist for some metrics, emphasizing the importance of scanner-specific considerations in quantitative spinal cord MRI.

Practical Implications

Standardized Protocols

The spine generic protocol can serve as a template for future spinal cord MRI studies, improving data comparability and reproducibility.

Normative Data

The provided datasets and normative values can be used as reference for clinical studies and development of new image processing tools.

Multi-center Studies

The findings highlight the importance of accounting for scanner-specific effects in multi-center studies to ensure data accuracy and reliability.

Study Limitations

1
Visual QC and manual corrections are prone to human error.
2
Algorithms evolve, which means that results will become further refined with time.
3
Scanner-specific effects can cause variability across manufacturers.

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