Resting state fMRI as a tool to investigate brain functional connectivity

Resting state FMRI: A tool to investigate functional connectivity modulation induced by transcranial direct current stimulation of the motor network

Introduction: Resting-state functional connectivity (fcMRI) represents a novel fMRI approach that allows detection of temporal correlations in spontaneous BOLD signal oscillations while subjects rest quietly in the scanner. Under resting conditions the brain is engaged in spontaneous activity that causes a low frequencies (<0.1 Hz) BOLD signal fluctuations. Functional connectivity (FC) can be defined as the synchrony of neural activity among spatially distant regions. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive brain stimulation technique that is known to modulate cortical activity and FC among brain regions, as measured by functional magnetic resonance imaging. This st…

Advanced techniques in Magnetic Resonance Imaging: characterization of non-gaussian water diffusion using DIFFUSION KURTOSIS IMAGING (DKI)

Functional connectivity modulation induced by transcranial direct current stimulation of the motor network investigated by resting state fMRI

This study is aimed at measuring the variation of functional connectivity between cortical brain regions after tDCS along time. For this purpose we enrolled 20 healthy right-handed subjects.

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance investigation of PVA-GTA FRicke gel dosimeters exposed to clinical photon beams

Fricke Xylenol Gel (FXG) dosimetric system is based on the radiation induced oxidation of ferrous (Fe2+) to ferric (Fe3+) ions. The application of Fricke gels for ionizing radiation dosimetry is continuously increasing worldwide due to their many favorable properties. However, one of their shortcomings is that ferrous and ferric ions diffuse in the gel matrix. To maintain the spatial integrity of the dose distribution, Fricke gels must be undergoing measurement within a few hours of their irradiation, so that ferric ions remain close to their point of production. Thus, the spatial integrity of the dose distribution in the Fricke gel is maintained. The gel matrix also contributes to the oxid…

PVA-GTA Fricke gel: studio della risposta NMR in funzione della concentrazione degli additivi e studi preliminari con scanner MRI 7 T

Sono stati analizzati tramite rilassometria NMR ed acquisizioni MRI dosimetri gel di tipo Fricke realizzati utilizzando un'innovativa matrice gel sintetica e tessuto equivalente: Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) attivando chimicamente il processo di gelificazione tramite l'aggiunta di Glutaraldehyde (GTA). Questi gel sono stati irradiati con fasci di fotoni (LINAC) nel range 0--20 Gy. Per valutare la sensibilità a fotoni è stata studiata la dipendenza dei tempi di rilassamento nucleari dalla dose e dalla concentrazione di ferro nei gel. Inoltre è stata monitorata la stabilità del segnale dopo l'irraggiamento. Acquisizioni preliminari MRI con uno scanner MRI da 7 T sono state affiancate alle misure N…

Analysis of spatial diffusion of ferric ions in PVA-GTA gel dosimeters through magnetic resonance imaging

Abstract This work focused on the analysis of the temporal diffusion of ferric ions through PVA-GTA gel dosimeters. PVA-GTA gel samples, partly exposed with 6 MV X-rays in order to create an initial steep gradient, were mapped using magnetic resonance imaging on a 7T MRI scanner for small animals. Multiple images of the gels were acquired over several hours after irradiation and were analyzed to quantitatively extract the signal profile. The spatial resolution achieved is 200 μm and this makes this technique particularly suitable for the analysis of steep gradients of ferric ion concentration. The results obtained with PVA-GTA gels were compared with those achieved with agarose gels, which …

MRI Characterization of non-Gaussian water diffusion in the brain using Diffusion Kurtosis Imaging (DKI)

Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is the most commonly used technique to extract microstructural features from a set of diffusion-weighted images. In addition to the metrics obtained with DTI, diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) can provide non-Gaussian diffusion measures by means of the kurtosis tensor. DKI give an dimensionless measure that quantifies the deviation of the water diffusion displacement profile from the Gaussian distribution of unrestricted diffusion, providing a measure of the degree of diffusion hindrance or restriction. DKI has shown to be more sensitive to tissue microstructural changes in both normal and pathological neural tissue. The aim of this work is the description of t…

Nuovi gel di Fricke ad alta sensibilità e bassa diffusione per dosimetria 3D tramite MRI

One of the most recent and promising developments in radiotherapy dosimetry was the introduction of 3D radiationsensitive gels. These gels present tissue equivalent composition and density, so they also serve as phantoms, and their response is largely independent of radiation quality and dose rate. Some gels are infused with ferrous sulfate and rely on the radiation-induced oxidation of ferrous ions to ferric ions (Fricke-gel). In this work Fricke gel dosimeters produced with a matrix of poly-vinyl alcohol (PVA) cross-linked with glutaraldehyde (GTA) were analyzed with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This work focused on the analysis of the temporal diffusion of ferric ions through PVA-GT…

Functional connectivity modulation induced by transcranial direct current stimulation of the motor network: a Resting-State fMRI study

Resting-state functional connectivity represents a novel fMRI approach that allows detection of temporal correlations in spontaneous BOLD signal oscillations while subjects rest quietly in the scanner. Functional connectivity (FC) can be defined as the synchrony of neural activity among spatially distant regions. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive brain stimulation technique that is known to modulate cortical activity and FC among brain regions. This study is aimed at measuring the variation of functional connectivity between cortical brain regions after tDCS along time. The temporal concatenation group ICA showed that immediately after anodal stimulation the a…

Analisi NMR su gel di tipo Fricke irradiati con fasci routinari per la radioterapia: stabilità e sensibilità in funzione degli additivi

In questo lavoro sono presentate le misure effettuate tramite rilassometria NMR su campioni costituiti da una matrice gelatinosa drogata con ioni ferrosi comunemente chiamati dosimetri gel di tipo Fricke (FXG). La dosimetria con gel Fricke si basa sulla ossidazione degli ioni ferrosi (Fe2+) in ioni ferrici (Fe3+) all’interno di una matrice gelatinosa a seguito di irraggiamento (Schreiner, 2004). Tale processo è fortemente dipendente dalla dose somministrata (Marrale, 2014a). I dosimetri di Fricke sono tessuto-equivalenti, rispondono ad ogni tipo di radiazione ionizzante ed, assumendo la forma del contenitore in cui avviene la gelificazione, possono essere utilizzati per studiare l’effetto d…

Looking into the architecture of the brain with MRI: quantification of non-Gaussian water diffusion by Diffusion Kurtosis Imaging (DKI)

The aim of this work is the definition of an MRI protocol for Diffusion Kurtosis Imaging (DKI) by using a 1.5T clinical scanner and the development of a software for DKI analysis.

New materials for ESR dosimetry in clinical photon and electron beams: Phenol Compounds.

In the last decades several research laboratories have shown an increasing interest aimed at extending the applicability of ESR-dosimetry to radiotherapy with different types of radiation beams. ESR is a spectroscopic method for investigating the structure and dynamics of such paramagnetic species. The concentration of radiation-induced free radicals is proportional to the energy released inside in the medium. Our research group has started an investigation of the ESR response of some phenols compounds for possible ESR dosimetric applications suitable features, such as high efficiency of radiation-matter energy transfer and radical stability at room temperature. In particular, the phenoloct…