Comparison of 3D Magnetization-transfer- and Spectral-presaturation-with-inversion-recovery-based Neuromelanin Imaging

Purpose: Neuromelanin is visualized by optimizing the conditions of longitudinal relaxation (T1)-weighted imaging (T1WI). Although it was originally developed in 2D imaging, 3D imaging has been also reported, and T1WI sequences with magnetization transfer (MT) pulses are now widely used in 3D gradient echo (GRE) sequences. In this study, we assert that the use of spectral presaturation with inversion recovery (SPIR) may also be useful as an alternative to MT pulses, and we optimize SPIR and compare it with MT. Methods: Neuromelanin images with MT pulse and SPIR (flip angles [FAs] = 19 degrees, 22 degrees, and 25 degrees) were acquired from 30 healthy volunteers. To achieve the same acquisition time of 5 min, the slab thickness of the MT images was less than 1/3 of those of the SPIR images; the acquisition areas for MT and SPIR were the brainstem and the whole brain, respectively. Visual and quantitative evaluation was performed and compared on the four sequences acquired for the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) and the locus coeruleus (LC). For visual assessment, we used the mean score from a 3-point scale by two evaluators. For quantitative evaluation, the contrast ratios of SNc and LC were calculated in comparison with the background tissue signal. Results: In visual assessments, the mean scores of the SPIR FA19 degrees and FA22 degrees images were better than others in the SNc. Regarding LC, the SPIR FA22 degrees image yielded the best mean score. In quantitative evaluations, the MT image was significantly lower than the other three images in SNc. Regarding LC, there were no significant differences among the four acquired images (MT and SPIR FA19 degrees, FA22 degrees, and FA25 degrees). Conclusions: Detection of neuromelanin in SNc and LC was improved by the use of SPIR compared to MT pulse in 3D neuromelanin imaging.