Biomedical subjects

Yi-Ru Lin

Publications and source records attributed to Yi-Ru Lin.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Temporal correlation-based dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging improves assessment of complex pulmonary circulation in congenital heart disease.

A temporal correlation (TC) mapping method is proposed to help bolus chasing during dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) MRI of complex pulmonary circulation (CPC) in patients with congenital heart disease. DCE-MRI was performed on five healthy male subjects (23-24 years old) and 25 patients (nine males and 16 females, 0.25-44 years old), and TC maps were generated by performing pixel-based computation of cross-correlations to the pulmonary artery with a series of time shifts in all subjects. Qualitative and quantitative evaluations were performed in comparison with original DCE images. TC maps exhibited a better signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) by factors of 4.3 and 1.3 in the lung parenchyma, pulmonary veins, and superior artery/vein; a better intraparenchymal contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) by factors of 1.5-5.4; and a significantly higher conspicuity in all regions except the pulmonary arteries when graded with a five-point score. TC maps evaluated by two experienced clinicians significantly added relevant information (P<0.001), and in some cases affected the final diagnosis. We conclude that TC maps facilitate bolus chasing for DCE-MRI by reducing recirculation effects and interframe fluctuations, and hence complements morphological imaging of CPC in patients with complex congenital heart disease.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2005

Application of model-free analysis in the MR assessment of pulmonary perfusion dynamics.

Dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) MRI has been used to quantitatively evaluate pulmonary perfusion based on the assumption of a gamma-variate function and an arterial input function (AIF) for deconvolution. However, these assumptions may be too simplistic and may not be valid in pathological conditions, especially in patients with complex inflow patterns (such as in congenital heart disease). Exploratory data analysis methods make minimal assumptions on the data and could overcome these pitfalls. In this work, two temporal clustering methods--Kohonen clustering network (KCN) and Fuzzy C-Means (FCM)--were concatenated to identify pixel time-course patterns. The results from seven normal volunteers show that this technique is superior for discriminating vessels and compartments in the pulmonary circulation. Patient studies with five cases of acquired or congenital pulmonary perfusion disorders demonstrate that pathologies can be highlighted in a concise map that combines information of the mean transit time (MTT) and pulmonary blood volume (PBV). The method was found to provide greater insight into the perfusion dynamics that might be overlooked by current model-based analyses, and may serve as a basis for optimal hemodynamic quantitative modeling of the interrogated perfusion compartments.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

FLAIR diffusion-tensor MR tractography: comparison of fiber tracking with conventional imaging.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Partial volume with CSF is known to contaminate the quantification of white matter anisotropy depicted by diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). We hypothesized that the FLAIR technique helps to improve DTI white matter tractography in the normal adult brain by eliminating CSF partial volume effects. METHODS: Seven healthy adults aged 23-37 underwent both conventional and FLAIR DTI at 1.5T. Each subject was imaged five times. Neural fiber tractography was performed with both sequences by using two algorithms: a voxel-based method (EZ-tracing) with global seed points and another based on subvoxel tractography (tensor deflection) by using manual encircling of local seed points. Total volume of the fibers tracked was compared for the two types of images. RESULTS: Fiber tracking was substantially most successful on FLAIR DTI near the lateral ventricles and the sulci, where CSF partial volume effects were likely present. Minor false tracts on FLAIR images, possibly due to a reduced signal-to-noise ratio, were found in regions relatively free of CSF contamination; however, they did not affect tracking of major periventricular white matter bundles, such as those related to the corpus callosum or the corona radiata. When we excluded false tracts, the FLAIR technique depicted an average of 17% more fibers in volume than conventional DTI in the periventricular regions (P < .0005, paired Student t test). CONCLUSION: Despite the reduction of signal-to-noise ratio and longer imaging times, FLAIR improved tractography by eliminating CSF partial volume effects.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

MR ventriculocisternography by using 3D balanced steady-state free precession imaging: technical note.

This study investigated the effects of flip angle setting in 3D balanced steady-state free precession (SSFP) imaging on CSF-parenchyma contrast and section aliasing artifacts. Theoretical derivations indicated that the extent of section aliasing artifacts decreased as the flip angle was lowered, at the expense of a sacrifice in CSF-parenchyma contrast. Experimental data agreed closely with theoretical predictions. A flip angle of about 40 degrees is therefore recommended for 3D balanced SSFP MR ventriculocisternography.

Artifacts↗

PubMed2004

Comparison of arterial spin labeling and first-pass dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging in the assessment of pulmonary perfusion in humans: the inflow spin-tracer saturation effect.

The flow-sensitive alternating inversion recovery (FAIR) and the first-pass dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging (CE-MRI) techniques have both been shown to be effective in the assessment of human pulmonary perfusion. However, no comprehensive comparison of the measurements by these two methods has been reported. In this study, healthy adults were recruited, with FAIR and CE-MRI performed for an estimation of the relative pulmonary blood flow (rPBF). Regions of interest were encircled from the right and left lungs, with right-to-left rPBF ratios calculated. Results indicated that, on posterior coronal slices, the rPBF ratios obtained with the FAIR technique agreed well with CE-MRI measurements (mean difference = -0.02, intraclass correlation coefficient RI = 0.78, 95% confidence interval = [0.67, 0.86]). On middle coronal slices, however, FAIR showed a substantially lower rPBF by up to 43% in the right lung compared with CE-MRI (mean difference = -0.38, RI = 0.34, 95% confidence interval = [-0.09, 0.68]). The location-dependent discrepancy between measurements by FAIR and CE-MRI methods is attributed to tracer saturation effects of arterial inflow when the middle coronal slice contains the in-plane-oriented right pulmonary artery, whereas the left lung rPBF is less affected due to oblique orientation of the left pulmonary artery. Intrasequence comparison on additional subjects using FAIR at different slice orientations supported the above hypothesis. It is concluded that FAIR imaging for pulmonary perfusion in the coronal plane provides equivalent rPBF information with CE-MRI only in the absence of tracer saturation effects; hence, FAIR should be carefully exercised to avoid misleading interpretations.

Adult↗