Consistency of signal intensity and T2* in frozen ex vivo heart muscle, kidney, and liver tissue

J Magn Reson Imaging. 2010 Mar;31(3):719-24. doi: 10.1002/jmri.22029.

Abstract

Purpose: To investigate tissue dependence of the MRI-based thermometry in frozen tissue by quantification and comparison of signal intensity and T2* of ex vivo frozen tissue of three different types: heart muscle, kidney, and liver.

Materials and methods: Tissue samples were frozen and imaged on a 0.5 Tesla MRI scanner with ultrashort echo time (UTE) sequence. Signal intensity and T2* were determined as the temperature of the tissue samples was decreased from room temperature to approximately -40 degrees C. Statistical analysis was performed for (-20 degrees C, -5 degrees C) temperature interval.

Results: The findings of this study demonstrate that signal intensity and T2* are consistent across three types of tissue for (-20 degrees C, -5 degrees C) temperature interval.

Conclusion: Both parameters can be used to calculate a single temperature calibration curve for all three types of tissue and potentially in the future serve as a foundation for tissue-independent MRI-based thermometry.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Body Temperature / physiology
  • Cryopreservation*
  • Freezing*
  • Heart / physiology*
  • Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / methods
  • In Vitro Techniques
  • Kidney / physiology*
  • Liver / physiology*
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging / methods*
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Swine
  • Temperature
  • Thermography / methods*