Decompose quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) to sub-voxel diamagnetic and paramagnetic components based on gradient-echo MRI data

• DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.118477
• Publication Date: 2021-08-14T14:59:02Z
• Authors: Jingjia Chen; Nan-Jie Gong; Khallil Taverna C...; Maria Concepción ...; Chunlei Liu
• Keywords: Quantitative Susceptibility Mapping; Diamagnetism; Gradient echo; Echo (communications protocol)

A method named DECOMPOSE-QSM is developed to decompose bulk susceptibility measured with QSM into sub-voxel paramagnetic and diamagnetic components based on a three-pool complex signal model.Multi-echo gradient echo modeled as summation of three weighted exponentials corresponding types sources: reference susceptibility, relative the reference. Paramagnetic component (PCS) (DCS) maps are constructed represent compartments by solving for linear nonlinear parameters in model.Numerical forward simulation phantom validation confirmed ability separate mixture components. The PCS obtained from temperature-variant brainstem imaging follows Curie's Law, which further validated model solver. Initial vivo investigation human brain images showed extract DCS sources that produce visually enhanced contrast between structures comparing threshold QSM.