Quantifying Morphology and Physiology of the Human Body Using MRI

Book excerpt: In the medical imaging field, clinicians and researchers are increasingly moving from the qualitative assessment of printed images to the quantitative evaluation of digital images since the quantitative techniques often improve diagnostic accuracy and complement clinical assessments by providing objective criteria. Despite this growing interest, the field lacks a comprehensive body of knowledge. Filling the need for a complete manual on these novel techniques, Quantifying Morphology and Physiology of the Human Body Using MRI presents a wide range of quantitative MRI techniques to study the morphology and physiology of the whole body, from the brain to musculoskeletal systems. Illustrating the growing importance of quantitative MRI, the book delivers an indispensable reference for readers who would like to explore in vivo MRI techniques to quantify changes in the morphology and physiology of tissues caused by various disease mechanisms. With internationally renowned experts sharing their insight on the latest developments, the book goes beyond conventional MRI contrast mechanisms to include new techniques that measure electromagnetic and mechanical properties of tissues. Each chapter offers comprehensive information on data acquisition, processing, and analysis techniques as well as clinical applications. The text organizes the techniques based on their primary use either in the brain or the body. Some of the techniques, such as diffusion-weighted imaging and diffusion tensor imaging, span several application areas, including brain imaging, cancer imaging, and musculoskeletal imaging. The book also covers up-and-coming quantitative techniques that explore tissue properties other than the presence of protons (or other MRI-observable nuclei) and their interactions with their environment. These novel techniques provide unique information about the electromagnetic and mechanical properties of tissues and introduce new frontiers of study into disease mechanisms.