Quantitative analysis of human brain MR images at ultrahigh field strength

Doan, N.T. (2014)

Doctoral Thesis

T2*-weighted imaging provides a non-invasive means to study susceptibility changes of substances such as myelin and iron in the brain. Particularly, phase images show an increased sensitivity to magnetic susceptibility differences with increased field strengths. The primary goal of the thesis was to develop methods for quantitative analysis of human brain T2*-weighted images at ultrahigh field strength. Additionally, it was also aimed to investigate the use of textural features derived from whole-brain deformation field for classification of Alzheimer__s disease (AD). A framework for the detection of between-group textural differences in 7T T2*-weighted magnitude and phase images of subcortical structures was presented, and its application was demonstrated in Huntington__s disease. A novel algorithm for segmentation of the cerebral cortex from 7T T2*-weighted images was proposed and extensively validated. Subsequently, a highly automated method was proposed for quantification of regional changes in these images in terms of gray matter/white matter contrast and cortical profile. In addition to an analysis of aging effect using data of young and elderly healthy subjects, this method was also applied to compare early- and late- onset AD patients. The analysis techniques presented in this thesis can be useful tools for susceptibility studies using ultrahigh field MR images

• Brain structures
• Susceptibility
• Ultrahigh field
• MR phase
• Segmentation
• Texture analysis

• All authors: Doan, N.T.
• Supervisor: Lelieveldt, B.P.F.; Buchem, M.A. van
• Co-supervisor: Milles, J.R.
• Qualification: Doctor (dr.)
• Awarding Institution: Faculty of Medicine (LUMC), Leiden University
• Date: 2014-06-17
• ISBN (print): 9789053358702