New Publication - Triple-Pulse 23 Na MRI Sequence (TriNa)

MBCIU researchers Chengchuan Wu, Leigh Johnston, and Yasmin Blunck have recently published a paper describing a new sequence for imaging sodium in Magnetic Resonance in Medicine. The sequence allows for simultaneous acquisition of spin density weighted and fluid suppressed sodium images. These contrasts are the two main contrasts used in sodium MRI and are complementary. Acquiring them simultaneously allows for a considerable time saving, reducing overall scan protocol length compared to acquiring the datasets sequentially.

We hope this will help allow more clinical studies to integrate sodium MRI into their scanning protocol.

Dr. Yasmin Blunck, senior author.

A key innovation in the TriNa sequence is the high signal to noise ratio (SNR) efficiency of the pulse sequence. SNR is particularly important in sodium imaging as it has much lower signal when compared to proton imaging.

A comparison of TriNa spin density and fluid suppressed images with existing methods for fluid suppression.

Sodium MRI promises insight into a range of physiological processes related to sodium ion homeostasis, presenting key biomarkers in the study of pathological processes behind glioma and multiple sclerosis.

Read the publication here:  https://doi.org/10.1002/mrm.70492