Cross-vendor harmonization of T2-relaxation-under-spin-tagging (TRUST) MRI for the assessment of cerebral venous oxygenation

PurposeCerebral venous oxygenation (Y-v) is an important physiological parameter and has potential clinical application in many brain diseases. T-2-relaxation-under-spin-tagging (TRUST) is a commonly used MRI method to measure Y-v. Harmonization of this technique across MRI vendors is important for dissemination and multicenter studies of brain oxygenation and metabolism as a disease biomarker. MethodsTRUST pulse sequence components and imaging parameters were carefully matched between two major MRI vendors, Philips and Siemens. Each subject (N=10) was scanned on both scanners within a 2.5-h period. On each scanner, the subject was scanned in two sessions to assess intersession reproducibility. A hyperoxia challenge was also included in both sessions and on both scanners to evaluate the sensitivity of the technique to Y-v changes. Measured Y-v values, confidence interval of Y-v estimates ( epsilon Yv), as well as intrasession and intersession coefficient of variation (CoV) of Y-v, were compared between the two scanners. ResultsY(v) measured on the two vendors were highly compatible and strongly correlated (R-2=0.957). Y-v changes associated with hyperoxia challenge were significant on both scanners (P<0.001) and were also correlated across scanners (P=0.007). Intrasession and intersession CoV of measured Y-v were less than 3% and showed no difference between scanners. epsilon Yv were less than 1% on both scanners and showed no difference between scanners when echo times were matched on the two scanners. ConclusionThis work suggests that harmonized TRUST MRI can yield highly compatible Y-v measurements across different vendors. Magn Reson Med 80:1125-1131, 2018. (c) 2018 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.