CIBM translational MR neuroimaging & spectroscopy

This course's purpose is to provide students with a solid theoretical and practical knowledge in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and spectroscopy (MRS). This course will cover all of the core aspects that a PhD candidate or a post-doc would require to design and carry out their own (neuro)imaging experiment in order to accomplish specific research goals. These include fundamentals of experimental design planning, data collecting, data (pre)processing, and data analytics on MRS, structural, and functional MRI in both humans and rodents. This course will provide extensive hands-on experience on both clinical and preclinical scanners, with a particular emphasis on the prospects for bench-to-bedside translation of these technologies for neuroscience.

 

Session 1:

• Introduction to MRI and MRS   Â
• Ethics for Human Study
• Ethics for Animal Study

Session 2:

• Basics of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance I
• Basics of MRI
• Basic MR Sequences

Session 3:

• Fast MR Imaging Methods
• Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Applications
• MRI Sequences and Applications of Diffusion-Weighted Imaging

Session 4:

• RF Theory I: Introduction and Demonstration
• Hands-On I: RF Coil Construction and Characterization at the Bench

Session 5:

• RF Theory II: Introduction and Demonstration
• Hands-On II: RF Coil Construction and Characterization at the Bench

Session 6:

• Introduction of MRS
• Basics of MRSI

Session 7:

• Animal MRI & MRS practical teaching
• Human MRI & MRS practical teaching

Session 8:

• Animal MRI & MRS practical teaching
• Human MRI & MRS practical teaching

Session 9:

• 1H MRS quantification
• Fast Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopic Imaging and reconstruction techniques

Session 10:

• Theory of clinical MRI segmentation and registration for MP2RAGE. Introduction to surface and voxel based morphometry (VBM and SBM) and fMRI processing.

Session 11:

• Lab for structure MRI processing (VBM and SBM) and fMRI

Session 12:

• Data processing using in-house developed tools for MRS and MRI

Session 13:

• X nuclei MRS (13C, 31P, 15N, 2H)
• MRS Quantification
• Interpretation of dynamic X-nuclei experiments with metabolic modelling

Session 14:

• X-nuclei data modelling: practical teaching

 

Practical teaching: MRI/MRS (Group 1 & Group 2)

 

Session 7:

 

Group 1: clinical MRI & MRS - Phantom/fruit/human experiment (Theory: 1h, Practical teaching: 3h)
The participants will get practical training on a human MRI scanner and perform experiments with a phantom and a fruit (or a human if there is volunteer). This part includes: basic safety aspects, operation of an MRI system, preparation of an experimental setup (RF coil loaded with a phantom/human), demonstration and optimization of common MRI and MRS protocols to get different imaging contrast and spectra.
Teacher: Lijing Xin, Antonia Kaiser and Daniel Wenz

 

Group 2: preclinical MRI & MRS - Phantom, ex-vivo, in vivo (Theory: 1h, Practical teaching: 3h)
The participants will get practical training on the CIBM preclinical MRI system. The basic parameters, tips and tricks to obtain high-quality scans and we will look together at the meaning of several scan parameters. We will also present the environment for in vivo scanning with the animal holding equipment, anesthesia units and physiology monitoring capabilities to perform metabolic experiments in best conditions. We will show how to prepare and place the rat in a stabilized position in the magnet holder, with physiology monitoring setups and how to position an RF coil for best signal induction and reception. We will show how to run localizer images, perform coil and B0 shim optimizations, run anatomical images with acquisition parameters. For 1H MRS, we will show how to position an acquisition voxel in the area of interest, optimize the shim and water suppression to get a reliable 1H spectrum, and how to evaluate its quality.
Teachers: Cristina Cudalbu and Bernard Lanz

 

Session 8:

 

Group 2: clinical MRI & MRS - Phantom/fruit/human experiment (Theory: 1h, Practical teaching: 3h)
The participants will get practical training on a human MRI scanner and perform experiments with a phantom and a fruit (or a human if there is volunteer). This part includes: basic safety aspects, operation of an MRI system, preparation of an experimental setup (RF coil loaded with a phantom/human), demonstration and optimization of common MRI and MRS protocols to get different imaging contrast and spectra.
Teacher: Lijing Xin, Antonia Kaiser and Daniel Wenz

 

Group 1: preclinical MRI & MRS - Phantom, ex-vivo, in vivo (Theory: 1h, Practical teaching: 3h)
The participants will get practical training on the CIBM preclinical MRI system. The basic parameters, tips and tricks to obtain high-quality scans and we will look together at the meaning of several scan parameters. We will also present the environment for in vivo scanning with the animal holding equipment, anesthesia units and physiology monitoring capabilities to perform metabolic experiments in best conditions. We will show how to prepare and place the rat in a stabilized position in the magnet holder, with physiology monitoring setups and how to position an RF coil for best signal induction and reception. We will show how to run localizer images, perform coil and B0 shim optimizations, run anatomical images with acquisition parameters. For 1H MRS, we will show how to position an acquisition voxel in the area of interest, optimize the shim and water suppression to get a reliable 1H spectrum, and how to evaluate its quality.
Teachers: Cristina Cudalbu and Bernard Lanz

NB: the course is for now opened to only 12 participants due to the limitations related to the practical teaching sessions. If requested 6 additional participants can be added, however additional practical teaching sessions will be organized for these 6 participants in the week after the course. Or/and an additional session can be organised in the autumn if the demand is strong.