Bao SS, Zhao C, Bao XX, Rao JS. Effect of
b Value on Imaging Quality for Diffusion Tensor Imaging of the Spinal Cord at Ultrahigh Field Strength.
Biomed Res Int 2021;
2021:4836804. [PMID:
33506018 DOI:
10.1155/2021/4836804]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2020] [Revised: 12/23/2020] [Accepted: 12/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Objective
To explore the optimal b value setting for diffusion tensor imaging of rats' spinal cord at ultrahigh field strength (7 T).
Methods
Spinal cord diffusion tensor imaging data were collected from 14 rats (5 healthy, 9 spinal cord injured) with a series of b values (200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700, 800, 900, and 1000 s/mm2) under the condition that other scanning parameters were consistent. The image quality (including image signal-to-noise ratio and image distortion degree) and data quality (i.e., the stability and consistency of the DTI-derived parameters, referred to as data stability and data consistency) were quantitatively evaluated. The min-max normalization method was used to process the calculation results of the four indicators. Finally, the image and data quality under each b value were synthesized to determine the optimal b value.
Results
b = 200 s/mm2 and b = 900 s/mm2 ranked in the top two of the comprehensive evaluation, with the best image quality at b = 200 s/mm2 and the best data quality at b = 900 s/mm2.
Conclusion
Considering the shortcomings of the ability of low b values to reflect the microstructure, b = 900 s/mm2 can be used as the optimal b value for 7 T spinal cord diffusion tensor scanning.
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