Quantitative magnetization transfer imaging: validation and analysis tool development

An on-resonance balanced steady-state free precession technique for quantitative magnetization transfer (qMT) imaging is examined through an initial validation process against the existing "gold-standard" off-resonance spoiled gradient-echomodel. Numerical simulation and sensitivity analysis of the analytical model are performed and confirm the reliability of the analytical model for the normal range of magnetization transfer (MT) parameters. In vivo comparison betweenbalanced steady-state free precession and spoiled-gradient models show agreement between the two models. This new model is shown to be valid and promises to have advantages over the existing methods for its clinical practicality.A user-friendly software package for qMT simulation as well as data analysis and model fitting was also developed as part of this project. The package will be released in the public domain, with the intention to become a standard tool forqMT researchers and users.%%%%Au travers d'un processus de validation initiale, nous comparons une technique d'imagerie quantitative par transfert d'aimantation (qMT) basee sur une sequence ≪en resonance≫ en precession libre avec etat d'equilibre et gradients equilibres, a la reference communement admise que constitue le modele ≪hors-resonance≫ en echo de gradient avec destruction de l'aimantation transversale residuelle.Nous realisons une simulation numerique et une analyse de sensibilite du modele analytique et confirmons ainsi la fiabilite de ce dernier dans une gamme habituelle de parametres de transfert d'aimantation.La comparaison in-vivo entre le modele en etat d'equilibre a precession libre et le modele avec destruction de l'aimantation transversale residuelle montre une coherence. Ce nouveau modele apparat comme valide et semble prometteur en terme d'utilisation clinique de par sa facilite d'utilisation, compare aux methodes existantes.Dans le cadre de ce projet, nous avons egalement developpe un logiciel de simulation du transfert d'aimantation quantitatif facile d'emploi, ainsi qu'un outil d'analyse des donnees et d'ajustement du modele. Le logiciel est sur le point d'etre propose dans le domaine public et nous esperons qu'il devienne un outil d'analyse standard pour les chercheurs et les utilisateurs du transfert d'aimantation quantitatif.

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