Phantom for quantitative diffusion magnetic resonance imaging

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016363644-A1
Application number	US-201514739554-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 15, 2015
Priority date	Jun 15, 2015
Publication date	Dec 15, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A phantom for use with magnetic resonance imaging (“MRI”) and, in particular, for calibrating quantitative diffusion MRI is provided. In general, the phantom includes a solution composed of a solvent that has diffusivity value higher than that of water, and a solute that when added to the solvent reduces the diffusivity of the solution. By varying the combined concentration of the solvent and solute, the diffusivity of the solution can be controlled to fall within a range of diffusivity values found in biological tissues in a variety of different physiological conditions or tissue environments.

First claim

1 . A calibration phantom for quantitative diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), comprising:
a housing; a solution contained in the housing, the solution comprising a solvent and a solute, wherein:
the solvent has a base diffusivity higher than the diffusivity of water; and
the solute reduces the diffusivity of the solution through chemical interactions with the solvent.

2 . The calibration phantom as recited in claim 1 , wherein the solvent has a nuclear magnetic resonance spectrum with a single peak in a selected range of resonance frequencies, such that when the calibration phantom is imaged with an MRI system, signal from only the single peak is measured.

3 . The calibration phantom as recited in claim 2 , wherein the solute has a nuclear magnetic resonance spectrum with no peaks in the selected range of resonance frequencies.

4 . The calibration phantom as recited in claim 1 , wherein the solute is deuterium oxide.

5 . The calibration phantom as recited in claim 4 , wherein the solvent is acetone.

6 . The calibration phantom as recited in claim 4 , wherein the solvent is diacetyl.

7 . The calibration phantom as recited in claim 1 , wherein the housing has formed therein a plurality of compartments, and wherein each compartment contains a different concentration of the solution such that each compartment corresponds to a different diffusivity.

8 . The calibration phantom as recited in claim 1 , wherein the housing has formed therein a plurality of compartments, and wherein a different solution is contained in each compartment such that each compartment corresponds to a different diffusivity.

9 . The calibration phantom as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of housings, each of the plurality of housings having contained therein a different concentration of the solution.

10 . The calibration phantom as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a container having a volume configured to receive the housing and to receive a fluid such that the fluid adjusts a temperature of the solution contained in the housing.

11 . The calibration phantom as recited in claim 10 , wherein the fluid is water.

12 . The calibration phantom as recited in claim 11 , wherein the water is ice water.

13 . The calibration phantom as recited in claim 11 , wherein the water is doped with a relaxivity agent.

14 . The calibration phantom as recited in claim 13 , wherein the relaxivity agent includes at least one of chelated gadolinium or manganese chloride.

15 . The calibration phantom as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a container having a volume configured to receive the housing and to receive a fluid that is doped with a relaxivity agent.

16 . The calibration phantom as recited in claim 15 , wherein the fluid is water and the relaxivity agent includes at least one of chelated gadolinium or manganese chloride.

17 . The calibration phantom as recited in claim 16 , wherein the container is sized to be positioned in an ice-water bath to control a temperature of the solution contained in the housing.

18 . The calibration phantom as recited in claim 1 , wherein the solution further comprises a paramagnetic salt to adjust at least one of a longitudinal relaxation or a transverse relaxation of the solution.

19 . The calibration phantom as recited in claim 18 , wherein the paramagnetic salt is at least one of zinc chloride or iron chloride.

20 . The calibration phantom as recited in claim 1 , wherein the solute reduces the diffusivity of the solution through hydrogen-bond strengthening with the solvent.

Assignees

• Wisconsin Alumni Res Found

Inventors

• Wang Xiaoke
• Reeder Scott Brian
• Hernando Diego

Classifications

• G01R33/56341

  Diffusion imaging · CPC title

• G01R33/58 Primary

  Calibration of imaging systems, e.g. using test probes {, Phantoms; Calibration objects or fiducial markers such as active or passive RF coils surrounding an MR active material} · CPC title