Whole-Body Diffusion Tensor Imaging: A Feasibility Study

Objective: The aim of tins study was to demonstrate the feasibility of whole-body diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) as a promising tool for research applications, fin instance, fin investigation of systemic muscle diseases. Materials and Methods: Twelve healthy volunteers (mean age, 26.6 years; range, 20-39 years) underwent whole-body magnetic resonance imaging at 3 T using an echo planar imaging sequence (6 value, 400 slmm2) with 6 different spatial encoding directions. Coronal maps of DTI parameters including mean diffusivity, fractional anisotropy, and diffusion tensor eigenvalues (X1_3) were generated using in-house MATLAB routines. Diffusion tensor imaging parameters were evaluated by region-of-interest analysis in skeletal muscle, cerebral gray and white matter, the kidneys, and the liver. Results: The acquisition time was 79 minutes 12 seconds. The different organs could he clearly depicted on the parametrical maps. Exemplary values in skeletal muscle were mean diffusivity, 1.67 +/- 0.16 x 10(-3) mm(2)/s; fractional anisotropy, 0.26 +/- 0.03; At, 2.17 +/- 0.20 x 10(-3) mm(2)/s; lambda(2), 1.64 +/- 0.17 x 10(-3) mm(2)/s; and lambda(3), 1.22 +/- 0.12 x 10(-3) mm(2)/s. Conclusion: Whole-body DTI is technically feasible. Further refinements are required to achieve a higher signal-to-noise ratio and improved spatial resolution. A possible clinical application could be the assessment of systemic myopathies.