Test-retest reliability of myelin imaging in the human spinal cord: Measurement errors versus region- and aging-induced variations.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

To implement a statistical framework for assessing the precision of several quantitative MRI metrics sensitive to myelin in the human spinal cord: T1, Magnetization Transfer Ratio (MTR), saturation imposed by an off-resonance pulse (MTsat) and Macromolecular Tissue Volume (MTV).

Methods

Thirty-three healthy subjects within two age groups (young, elderly) were scanned at 3T. Among them, 16 underwent the protocol twice to assess repeatability. Statistical reliability indexes such as the Minimal Detectable Change (MDC) were compared across metrics quantified within different cervical levels and white matter (WM) sub-regions. The differences between pathways and age groups were quantified and interpreted in context of the test-retest repeatability of the measurements.

SUBMITTER: Levy S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5749716 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature