Liver Investigation: Testing Marker Utility in Steatohepatitis (LITMUS): Assessment & validation of imaging modality performance across the NAFLD spectrum in a prospectively recruited cohort study (the LITMUS imaging study): Study protocol.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the liver manifestation of the metabolic syndrome with global prevalence reaching epidemic levels. Despite the high disease burden in the population only a small proportion of those with NAFLD will develop progressive liver disease, for which there is currently no approved pharmacotherapy. Identifying those who are at risk of progressive NAFLD currently requires a liver biopsy which is problematic.

Ventilation and perfusion MRI at a 0.35 T MR-Linac: feasibility and reproducibility study.

Background: Hybrid devices that combine radiation therapy and MR-imaging have been introduced in the clinical routine for the treatment of lung cancer. This opened up not only possibilities in terms of accurate tumor tracking, dose delivery and adapted treatment planning, but also functional lung imaging. The aim of this study was to show the feasibility of Non-uniform Fourier Decomposition (NuFD) MRI at a 0.

Automated evaluation of probe-based confocal laser endomicroscopy in the lung.

Rationale: Probe-based confocal endomicroscopy provides real time videos of autoflourescent elastin structures within the alveoli. With it, multiple changes in the elastin structure due to different diffuse parenchymal lung diseases have previously been described. However, these evaluations have mainly relied on qualitative evaluation by the examiner and manually selected parts post-examination.

Assessment of intravoxel incoherent motion MRI with an artificial capillary network: analysis of biexponential and phase-distribution models.

Purpose: To systematically analyze intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) MRI in a perfusable capillary phantom closely matching the geometry of capillary beds in vivo and to compare the validity of the biexponential pseudo-diffusion and the recently introduced phase-distribution IVIM model.

Methods: IVIM-MRI was performed at 12 different flow rates ( ) in a capillary phantom using 4 different DW-MRI sequences (2 with monopolar and 2 with flow-compensated diffusion-gradient schemes, with up to values between and ). Resulting parameters from the assessed IVIM models were compared to results from optical microscopy.

Nonuniform Fourier-decomposition MRI for ventilation- and perfusion-weighted imaging of the lung.

Purpose: To improve the robustness of pulmonary ventilation- and perfusion-weighted imaging with Fourier decomposition (FD) MRI in the presence of respiratory and cardiac frequency variations by replacing the standard fast Fourier transform with the more general nonuniform Fourier transform.

Theory And Methods: Dynamic coronal single-slice MRI of the thorax was performed in 11 patients and 5 healthy volunteers on a 1.5T whole-body scanner using a 2D ultra-fast balanced steady-state free-precession sequence with temporal resolutions of 4-9 images/s.

Integrin-targeted quantitative optoacoustic imaging with MRI correlation for monitoring a BRAF/MEK inhibitor combination therapy in a murine model of human melanoma.

Purpose: To investigate αvβ3-integrin-targeted optoacoustic imaging and MRI for monitoring a BRAF/MEK inhibitor combination therapy in a murine model of human melanoma.

Materials And Methods: Human BRAF V600E-positive melanoma xenograft (A375)-bearing Balb/c nude mice (n = 10) were imaged before (day 0) and after (day 7) a BRAF/MEK inhibitor combination therapy (encorafenib, 1.3 mg/kg/d; binimetinib, 0.

F-FDG-PET/CT and diffusion-weighted MRI for monitoring a BRAF and CDK 4/6 inhibitor combination therapy in a murine model of human melanoma.

Background: The purpose of the study was to investigate a novel BRAF and CDK 4/6 inhibitor combination therapy in a murine model of BRAF-V600-mutant human melanoma monitored by F-FDG-PET/CT and diffusion-weighted MRI (DW-MRI).

Methods: Human BRAF-V600-mutant melanoma (A375) xenograft-bearing balb/c nude mice (n = 21) were imaged by F-FDG-PET/CT and DW-MRI before (day 0) and after (day 7) a 1-week BRAF and CDK 4/6 inhibitor combination therapy (n = 12; dabrafenib, 20 mg/kg/d; ribociclib, 100 mg/kg/d) or placebo (n = 9). Animals were scanned on a small animal PET after intravenous administration of 20 MBq F-FDG.

Technical Note: Quantitative dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI of a 3-dimensional artificial capillary network.

Purpose: Variability across devices, patients, and time still hinders widespread recognition of dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) as quantitative biomarker. The purpose of this work was to introduce and characterize a dedicated microchannel phantom as a model for quantitative DCE-MRI measurements.

Methods: A perfusable, MR-compatible microchannel network was constructed on the basis of sacrificial melt-spun sugar fibers embedded in a block of epoxy resin.

Radiomic Analysis Reveals Prognostic Information in T1-Weighted Baseline Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Patients With Glioblastoma.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate whether radiomic analysis with random survival forests (RSFs) can predict overall survival from T1-weighted contrast-enhanced baseline magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans in a cohort of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) patients with uniform treatment.

Materials And Methods: This retrospective study was approved by the institutional review board and informed consent was waived. The MRI scans from 66 patients with newly diagnosed GBM from a previous prospective study were analyzed.

Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging Suggests Normal Perfusion in Normal-Appearing White Matter in Multiple Sclerosis.

Objectives: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, inflammatory disease of the central nervous system and has been associated with reduced perfusion in normal-appearing white matter (NAWM). The magnitude of this hypoperfusion is unclear. The present study aims to quantify NAWM perfusion with dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with relapsing-remitting (RR) MS and in a control group.

Classification of arterial and venous cerebral vasculature based on wavelet postprocessing of CT perfusion data.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to propose and evaluate a new wavelet-based technique for classification of arterial and venous vessels using time-resolved cerebral CT perfusion data sets.

Methods: Fourteen consecutive patients (mean age 73 yr, range 17-97) with suspected stroke but no pathology in follow-up MRI were included. A CT perfusion scan with 32 dynamic phases was performed during intravenous bolus contrast-agent application.

Intravoxel Incoherent Motion Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Partially Nephrectomized Kidneys.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of partial nephrectomy (PN) in kidneys with solid renal masses on the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and on intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM)-based parameters using diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWI).

Methods: Fifteen patients with renal masses underwent DWI before and 1 week after PN on a clinical 3 T scanner using a single-shot echo planar imaging sequence with 10 diffusion weightings. Motion-corrected images were quantified using a monoexponential model fit to calculate ADCs and a segmented biexponential fit to calculate IVIM parameters f (perfusion fraction), Dslow and Dfast ("slow" and "fast" diffusion coefficients), as well as the pseudoflow (PF) Dfast × f.

Correlation of perfusion MRI and 18F-FDG PET imaging biomarkers for monitoring regorafenib therapy in experimental colon carcinomas with immunohistochemical validation.

Objectives: To investigate a multimodal, multiparametric perfusion MRI / 18F-fluoro-deoxyglucose-(18F-FDG)-PET imaging protocol for monitoring regorafenib therapy effects on experimental colorectal adenocarcinomas in rats with immunohistochemical validation.

Materials And Methods: Human colorectal adenocarcinoma xenografts (HT-29) were implanted subcutaneously in n = 17 (n = 10 therapy group; n = 7 control group) female athymic nude rats (Hsd:RH-Foxn1rnu). Animals were imaged at baseline and after a one-week daily treatment protocol with regorafenib (10 mg/kg bodyweight) using a multimodal, multiparametric perfusion MRI/18F-FDG-PET imaging protocol.

Monitoring early response to anti-angiogenic therapy: diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging and volume measurements in colon carcinoma xenografts.

Objectives: To evaluate the use of diffusion-weighted MRI (DW-MRI) and volume measurements for early monitoring of antiangiogenic therapy in an experimental tumor model.

Materials And Methods: 23 athymic nude rats, bearing human colon carcinoma xenografts (HT-29) were examined before and after 6 days of treatment with regorafenib (n = 12) or placebo (n = 11) in a clinical 3-Tesla MRI. For DW-MRI, a single-shot EPI sequence with 9 b-values (10-800 s/mm2) was used.