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Characterizing amide proton transfer imaging in haemorrhage brain lesions using 3T MRI

  • Magnetic Resonance
  • Published:
European Radiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objectives

The aim of this study was to characterize amide proton transfer (APT)-weighted signals in acute and subacute haemorrhage brain lesions of various underlying aetiologies.

Methods

Twenty-three patients with symptomatic haemorrhage brain lesions including tumorous (n = 16) and non-tumorous lesions (n = 7) were evaluated. APT imaging was performed and analyzed with magnetization transfer ratio asymmetry (MTR asym ). Regions of interest were defined as the enhancing portion (when present), acute or subacute haemorrhage, and normal-appearing white matter based on anatomical MRI. MTR asym values were compared among groups and components using a linear mixed model.

Results

MTR asym values were 3.68 % in acute haemorrhage, 1.6 % in subacute haemorrhage, 2.65 % in the enhancing portion, and 0.38 % in normal white matter. According to the linear mixed model, the distribution of MTR asym values among components was not significantly different between tumour and non-tumour groups. MTR asym in acute haemorrhage was significantly higher than those in the other regions regardless of underlying pathology.

Conclusions

Acute haemorrhages showed high MTR asym regardless of the underlying pathology, whereas subacute haemorrhages showed lower MTR asym than acute haemorrhages. These results can aid in the interpretation of APT imaging in haemorrhage brain lesions.

Key Points

• Acute haemorrhages show significantly higher MTR asym values than subacute haemorrhages.

• MTR asym is higher in acute haemorrhage than in enhancing tumour tissue.

• MTR asym in haemorrhage does not differ between tumorous and non-tumorous lesions.

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Abbreviations

APT:

Amide proton transfer

CEST:

Chemical exchange saturation transfer

MT:

Magnetization transfer

MTR asym :

Magnetization transfer ratio asymmetry

ICH:

Intracranial haemorrhage

RF:

Radiofrequency

TR:

Repetition time

TE:

Echo time

TI:

Inversion time

SNR:

Signal-to-noise ratio

FLAIR:

Fluid attenuated inversion recovery

PPM:

Parts per million

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Acknowledgments

The scientific guarantor of this publication is Seung-Koo Lee, MD, Ph.D. The authors of this manuscript declare relationships with the following companies: Philips Healthcare. This study has received funding by the Ministry of Science, ICT & Future Planning (2014R1A1A1002716) and National Institute of Health (P41 EB015909, R01 CA166171, R01 EB009731). One of the authors has significant statistical expertise. Institutional Review Board approval was obtained. Written informed consent was waived by the Institutional Review Board. Methodology: retrospective, cross sectional study, performed at one institution.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Philips Korea, Seoul, Korea

    Ha-Kyu Jeong

  2. Korea Basic Science Institute, Chungcheongbuk-do, Korea

    Ha-Kyu Jeong

  3. Department of Radiology and Research Institute of Radiological Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50 Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 120-752, Korea

    Kyunghwa Han, Yoon Seong Choi, Seung-Koo Lee & Sung Soo Ahn

  4. Yonsei Biomedical Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea

    Kyunghwa Han

  5. Division of MRI Research, Department of Radiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA

    Jinyuan Zhou

  6. MR Clinical Science, Philips Healthcare, Cleveland, OH, USA

    Yansong Zhao

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  1. Ha-Kyu Jeong
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Correspondence to Sung Soo Ahn.

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Jeong, HK., Han, K., Zhou, J. et al. Characterizing amide proton transfer imaging in haemorrhage brain lesions using 3T MRI. Eur Radiol 27, 1577–1584 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-016-4477-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-016-4477-1

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