Reliability and reproducibility of sciatic nerve magnetization transfer imaging and T2 relaxometry

Abstract Objectives To assess the interreader and test-retest reliability of magnetization transfer imaging (MTI) and T2 relaxometry in sciatic nerve MR neurography (MRN). Materials and methods In this prospective study, 21 healthy volunteers were examined three times on separate days by a standardized MRN protocol at 3 Tesla, consisting of an MTI sequence, a multi-echo T2 relaxometry sequence, and a high-resolution T2-weighted sequence. Magnetization transfer ratio (MTR), T2 relaxation time, and proton spin density (PSD) of the sciatic nerve were assessed by two independent observers, and both interreader and test-retest reliability for all readout parameters were reported by intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) and standard error of measurement (SEM). Results For the sciatic nerve, overall mean ± standard deviation MTR was 26.75 ± 3.5%, T2 was 64.54 ± 8.2 ms, and PSD was 340.93 ± 78.8. ICCs ranged between 0.81 (MTR) and 0.94 (PSD) for interreader reliability and between 0.75 (MTR) and 0.94 (PSD) for test-retest reliability. SEM for interreader reliability was 1.7% for MTR, 2.67 ms for T2, and 21.3 for PSD. SEM for test-retest reliability was 1.7% for MTR, 2.66 ms for T2, and 20.1 for PSD. Conclusions MTI and T2 relaxometry of the sciatic nerve are reliable and reproducible. The values of measurement imprecision reported here may serve as a guide for correct interpretation of quantitative MRN biomarkers in future studies. Key Points • Magnetization transfer imaging (MTI) and T2 relaxometry of the sciatic nerve are reliable and reproducible. • The imprecision that is unavoidably associated with different scans or different readers can be estimated by the here presented SEM values for the biomarkers T2, PSD, and MTR. • These values may serve as a guide for correct interpretation of quantitative MRN biomarkers in future studies and possible clinical applications.

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Perceived Causal Problem Networks: Reliability, Central Problems, and Clinical Utility for Depression

Assessment ◽

10.1177/10731911211039281 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 107319112110392

Author(s):

Lars Klintwall ◽

Martin Bellander ◽

Matti Cervin

Keyword(s):

Clinical Utility ◽

Treatment Success ◽

Centrality Measures ◽

Retest Reliability ◽

Causal Relations ◽

Future Studies ◽

Causal Networks ◽

Novel Method ◽

The Individual ◽

Test Retest Reliability

Personalized case conceptualization is often regarded as a prerequisite for treatment success in psychotherapy for patients with comorbidity. This article presents Perceived Causal Networks, a novel method in which patients rate perceived causal relations among behavioral and emotional problems. First, 231 respondents screening positive for depression completed an online Perceived Causal Networks questionnaire. Median completion time (including repeat items to assess immediate test–retest reliability) was 22.7 minutes, and centrality measures showed excellent immediate test–retest reliability. Networks were highly idiosyncratic, but worrying and ruminating were the most central items for a third of respondents. Second, 50 psychotherapists rated the clinical utility of Perceived Causal Networks visualizations. Ninety-six percent rated the networks as clinically useful, and the information in the individual visualizations was judged to contain 47% of the information typically collected during a psychotherapy assessment phase. Future studies should individualize networks further and evaluate the validity of perceived causal relations.

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Differential Progression of Magnetization Transfer Imaging Changes Depending on Severity of Cerebral Hypoxic-Ischemic Injury

Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow & Metabolism ◽

10.1038/jcbfm.2008.49 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 28 (9) ◽

pp. 1613-1623 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Ursula I Tuor ◽

Shuzhen Meng ◽

Min Qiao ◽

Nicole B Webster ◽

Shauna M Crowley ◽

...

Keyword(s):

White Matter ◽

Magnetization Transfer ◽

Ischemic Injury ◽

Subcortical White Matter ◽

Cerebral Injury ◽

Magnetization Transfer Ratio ◽

Magnetization Transfer Imaging ◽

Cerebral Hypoxia ◽

Hypoxia Ischemia ◽

Hypoxic Ischemic Injury

We hypothesized that magnetic resonance magnetization transfer (MT) imaging would be sensitive for detecting cerebral ischemic injury in white matter of neonatal brain. We compared the progression of changes in T2 and the MT ratio (MTR) after cerebral hypoxic-ischemic insults of differing severity in neonatal rats. Magnetization transfer imaging parameters were first optimized, and then MTR and T2 maps were acquired at various times after a mild (rather selective white matter) or substantial insult produced by unilateral cerebral hypoxia—ischemia. Depending on insult severity, time after insult, and region (e.g., subcortical white matter or cortex), cerebral hypoxia—ischemia produced reductions in MTR and an increase in T2. The exception was acutely at 1 to 5 h at which time points MTR was reduced ipsilaterally in white matter, whereas T2 was not affected significantly. Progression of imaging changes differed in rats grouped according to whether gross damage was present after chronic recovery. Behavioral changes were generally associated with chronic reductions in MTR and gross brain damage. Magnetization transfer imaging was capable of early detection of hypoxic-ischemic injury and particularly sensitive for identifying the progression of cerebral injury in white matter. Magnetization transfer ratio has potential for assisting with early diagnosis and treatment assessment for infants affected by perinatal hypoxia—ischemia.

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Magnetization Transfer Imaging of Diffuse Axonal Injury Following Experimental Brain Injury in the Pig: Characterization by Magnetization Transfer Ratio with Histopathologic Correlation

Journal of Computer Assisted Tomography ◽

10.1097/00004728-199607000-00007 ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 20 (4) ◽

pp. 540-546 ◽

Cited By ~ 52

Author(s):

Hirohiko Kimura ◽

David F. Meaney ◽

Joseph C. McGowan ◽

Robert I. Grossman ◽

Robert E. Lenkinski ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Brain Injury ◽

Magnetization Transfer ◽

Axonal Injury ◽

Diffuse Axonal Injury ◽

Magnetization Transfer Ratio ◽

Magnetization Transfer Imaging ◽

Transfer Ratio

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Native T1 Mapping and Magnetization Transfer Imaging in Grading Bowel Fibrosis in Crohn’s Disease: A Comparative Animal Study

Biosensors ◽

10.3390/bios11090302 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (9) ◽

pp. 302

Author(s):

Baolan Lu ◽

Jinjiang Lin ◽

Jinfang Du ◽

Shaofu He ◽

Qinghua Cao ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Diagnostic Performance ◽

T1 Mapping ◽

Magnetization Transfer ◽

Area Under The Curve ◽

Imaging Biomarker ◽

Magnetization Transfer Ratio ◽

Magnetization Transfer Imaging ◽

Longitudinal Relaxation Time ◽

Native T1 ◽

Severe Fibrosis

In this study, we investigated the utility of native T1 mapping in differentiating between various grades of fibrosis and compared its diagnostic accuracy to magnetization transfer imaging (MTI) in a rat model of CD. Bowel specimens (64) from 46 CD model rats undergoing native T1 mapping and MTI were enrolled. The longitudinal relaxation time (T1 value) and normalized magnetization transfer ratio (MTR) were compared between none-to-mild and moderate-to-severe fibrotic bowel walls confirmed by pathological assessments. The results showed that the correlation between the T1 value and fibrosis (r = 0.438, p < 0.001) was lower than that between the normalized MTR and fibrosis (r = 0.623, p < 0.001). Overall, the T1 values (t = −3.066, p = 0.004) and normalized MTRs (z = 0.081, p < 0.001) in none-to-mild fibrotic bowel walls were lower than those in moderate-to-severe fibrotic bowel walls. The area under the curve (AUC) of the T1 value (AUC = 0.716, p = 0.004) was significantly lower than that of the normalized MTR (AUC = 0.881, p < 0.001) in differentiating moderate-to-severe fibrosis from none-to-mild fibrosis (z = −2.037, p = 0.042). Our results support the view that the T1 value could be a promising imaging biomarker in grading the fibrosis severity of CD. However, the diagnostic performance of native T1 mapping was not superior to MTI.

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Contribution of cervical cord MRI and brain magnetization transfer imaging to the assessment of individual patients with multiple sclerosis: a preliminary study

Multiple Sclerosis Journal ◽

10.1177/135245850200800110 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 8 (1_suppl) ◽

pp. 52-58 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

M. Rovaris ◽

M. Holtmannspötter ◽

MA Rocca ◽

G. Iannucci ◽

M. Codella ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Multiple Sclerosis ◽

Lupus Erythematosus ◽

Magnetization Transfer ◽

False Negative ◽

Brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging ◽

Cervical Cord ◽

Magnetization Transfer Ratio ◽

Magnetization Transfer Imaging ◽

Mri Scans ◽

The Brain

This study was performed to assess how established diagnostic criteria for brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) interpretation in cases of suspected multiple sclerosis (MS) (Barkhofs criteria) would perform in the distinction of MS from other diseases and whether other MR techniques (cervical cord imaging and brain magnetization transfer imaging [MTI]), might help in the diagnostic work-up of these patients. We retrospectively identified 64 MS and 59 non-MS patients. The latter group included patients with systemic immune-mediated disorders (SID; n=44) and migraine (n=15). All patients had undergone MRI scans of the brain (dual echo and MTI) and of the cervical cord (fast short-tau inversion recovery). The number and location of brain T2-hyperintense lesions and the number and size of cervical cord lesions were assessed. Brain images were also postprocessed to quantify the total lesion volumes (TLV) and to create histograms of magnetization transfer ratio (MTR) values from the whole of the brain tissue. Barkhofs criteria correctly classified 108/123 patients, thus showing an accuracy of 87.8%. "False negative" MS patients were 13, while 2 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) were considered as "false positives". Using brain T2 TLV, nine of the"false negative" patients were correctly classified. Correct classification of 10 MS patients and both the SLE patients was possible based upon the presence or absence of one cervical cord lesion. Two MS patients with negative Barkhofs criteria and no cervical cord lesions were correctly classified based on their brain MTR values. Overall, only one MS patient could not be correctly classified by any of the assessed MR quantities. These preliminary data support a more extensive use of cervical cord MRI and brain MTI to differentiate between MS and other disorders in case of inconclusive findings on T2-weighted MRI scans of the brain. Multiple Sclerosis (2002) 8, 52-58

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Spousal Presence as a Nonpharmacological Pain Management during Childbirth: A Pilot Study

Nursing Research and Practice ◽

10.1155/2015/932763 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 2015 ◽

pp. 1-7 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Abigail U. Emelonye ◽

Taina Pitkäaho ◽

Katri Vehviläinen-Julkunen

Keyword(s):

Pain Management ◽

Pilot Study ◽

Internal Consistency ◽

Health Professionals ◽

Alpha Coefficient ◽

Retest Reliability ◽

Future Studies ◽

Two Phases ◽

Nonpharmacological Pain Management ◽

Test Retest Reliability

Background. Measures of spousal effect during parturient pain should take a tripartite approach involving the parturients, spouses, and midwives.Aim. To develop and validate three questionnaires measuring spousal presence in management of parturient pain in Nigeria.Methods. There are two phases: (1) development of questionnaires, Abuja Instrument for Midwives (AIM), Abuja Instrument for Parturient Pain (AIPP), and Abuja Instrument for Parturient Spouses (AIPS), utilizing literatures, Kuopio instrument for fathers (KIF) and expertise of health professionals, and (2) pilot study to validate the questionnaires which were administered in two hospitals in Nigeria: midwives(n=10), parturients(n=10), and spouses(n=10). Results. Internal consistency for the three questionnaires indicated Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of 0.789 (AIM), 0.802 (AIPP), and 0.860 (AIPS), while test-retest reliability wasr=0.99(AIM),r=0.99(AIPP), andr=0.90(AIPS).Conclusions. AIM, AIPP, and AIPS provide a means of investigating the effectiveness of spousal presence in management of parturient pain in Nigeria. However, further testing of each instrument is needed in a larger population to replicate the beneficial findings of AIMS, AIPP, and AIPS which can contribute rigor to future studies.

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Optic nerve magnetization transfer imaging and measures of axonal loss and demyelination in optic neuritis

Multiple Sclerosis Journal ◽

10.1177/1352458507076952 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 13 (7) ◽

pp. 875-879 ◽

Cited By ~ 30

Author(s):

SA Trip ◽

PG Schlottmann ◽

SJ Jones ◽

W-Y. Li ◽

DF Garway-Heath ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Optic Nerve ◽

Optic Neuritis ◽

Magnetization Transfer ◽

Quantitative Information ◽

Magnetization Transfer Ratio ◽

Central Field ◽

Axonal Loss ◽

Magnetization Transfer Imaging ◽

Vep Latency

Magnetization transfer imaging is an MRI technique that provides quantitative information about in vivo tissue integrity, including myelin and axonal content, and is expressed as the magnetization transfer ratio (MTR). The optic neuritis lesion can model the MS lesion in vivo and permits use of non-invasive markers of optic nerve myelination (visual evoked potential [VEP] latency) and retinal neuroaxonal loss (optical coherence tomography [OCT]) to provide further information about the in vivo substrates of optic nerve MTR. Twenty-five patients with optic neuritis were studied using an optic nerve MTR sequence, quantitative visual function testing, VEPs and OCT, along with 15 controls. MTR was reduced in affected nerves compared to both clinically unaffected nerves from patients and control nerves ( P < 0.001). Whole-nerve MTR correlated modestly with central-field VEP latency but more strongly when lesion-only MTR was measured, when a modest correlation with whole-field VEP latency emerged. OCT-quantified retinal neuroaxonal loss also correlated with MTR. In conclusion, markers of optic nerve myelination and axonal loss both correlate with optic nerve MTR. Because axonal loss following optic neuritis also results in myelin loss, the relative contributions of the two pathological conditions to the MTR measures cannot be estimated from this study. Multiple Sclerosis 2007; 13: 875—879. http://msj.sagepub.com

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Non-invasive myocardial iron assessment in thalassaemic patients: T2 relaxometry and magnetization transfer ratio measurements

Acta Radiologica ◽

10.1080/028418500127345442 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 41 (4) ◽

pp. 348-351 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

N. Papanikolaou ◽

A. Ghiatas ◽

A. Kattamis ◽

C. Ladis ◽

N. Kritikos ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Magnetization Transfer ◽

Magnetization Transfer Ratio ◽

Myocardial Iron ◽

T2 Relaxometry ◽

Transfer Ratio ◽

Non Invasive

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Contribution of cervical cord MRI and brain magnetization transfer imaging to the assessment of individual patients with multiple sclerosis: a preliminary study

Multiple Sclerosis Journal ◽

10.1191/1352458502ms772oa ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 8 (1) ◽

pp. 52-58 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

M Rovaris ◽

M Holtmannspötter ◽

M A Rocca ◽

G Iannucci ◽

M Codella ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Multiple Sclerosis ◽

Lupus Erythematosus ◽

Magnetization Transfer ◽

False Negative ◽

Brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging ◽

Cervical Cord ◽

Magnetization Transfer Ratio ◽

Magnetization Transfer Imaging ◽

Mri Scans ◽

The Brain

This study was performed to assess how established diagnostic criteria for brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) interpretation in cases of suspected multiple sclerosis (MS) (Barkhof’s criteria) would perform in the distinction of MS from other diseases and whether other MR techniques (cervical cord imaging and brain magnetization transfer imaging [MTI]), might help in the diagnostic work-up of these patients. We retrospectively identified 64 MS and 59 non-MS patients. The latter group included patients with systemic immune-mediated disorders (SID; n=44) and migraine (n=15). All patients had undergone MRI scans of the brain (dual echo and MTI) and of the cervical cord (fast short-tau inversion recovery). The number and location of brain T2-hyperintense lesions and the number and size of cervical cord lesions were assessed. Brain images were also postprocessed to quantify the total lesion volumes (TLV) and to create histograms of magnetization transfer ratio (MTR) values from the whole of the brain tissue. Barkhof’s criteria correctly classified 108/123 patients, thus showing an accuracy of 87.8%. “False negative” MS patients were 13, while 2 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) were considered as “false positives”. Using brain T2 TLV, nine of the“false negative” patients were correctly classified. Correct classification of 10 MS patients and both the SLE patients was possible based upon the presence or absence of one cervical cord lesion. Two MS patients with negative Barkhof’s criteria and no cervical cord lesions were correctly classified based on their brain MTR values. Overall, only one MS patient could not be correctly classified by any of the assessed MR quantities. These preliminary data support a more extensive use of cervical cord MRI and brain MTI to differentiate between MS and other disorders in case of inconclusive findings on T2-weighted MRI scans of the brain.

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