@phdthesis{Fey2023,
  author    = {Fey, Philipp},
  title     = {KI-gest{\"u}tzte MR-Klassifizierung von Zellen und zellul{\"a}rer Differenzierung},
  doi       = {10.25972/OPUS-34516},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-345164},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2023},
  abstract  = {F{\"u}r die Verwendung von zellbasierten Therapeutika ist vor allem die korrekt Identifikation sowohl vom Ausgangsmaterial wie auch dem produziertem Material von zentraler Wichtigkeit. In dieser Arbeit wurde eine Methodik entwickelt, welche eine nicht-invasive Klassifizierung von Zellen und zellul{\"a}rer Entwicklung aufgrund ihrer zweidimensionalen Magnetresonanz-Korrelationsspektren erm{\"o}glichte. Hierzu wurde ein mobiler MR-Scanner mit einer Feldst{\"a}rke von 0.5T und einem Isozentrum von 1 cm3 verwendet. Aufgrund der kompakten und leichten Bauweise war es m{\"o}glich, das System in normalen Zellkulturlaboren zu verwenden. Von den Proben wurde ein zweidimensionales T1/T2 -Korrelationsspektrum aufgenommen, anhand dessen die Zellen klassifiziert werden sollten. Mithilfe von Agarose-Dotagraf® -Zell- Phantomen konnte die Stabilit{\"a}t und Reproduzierbarkeit des Messsystems und der verwendeten Sequenz validiert werden. Aufgrund der unter Umst{\"a}nden recht langen Messzeiten der MR-Technologie war auch die Handhabung und Kultur der Zellproben w{\"a}hrend des Messprozesses von großer Bedeutung. Um hierf{\"u}r den Durchsatz an Proben zu erh{\"o}hen, wurde eine kosteng{\"u}nstige und ebenfalls mobile Robotikanlage entwickelt. Diese basierte auf dem kommerziell erh{\"a}ltlichen Roboterarm Braccio, welcher durch einen Arduino Mega Mikrocontroller gesteuert wurde. Mit bis zu 24 Proben pro Tag konnte durch die Automatisierung der Durchsatz an Proben um den Faktor 3 - 4 gesteigert werden. Durch den entwickelten Prozess war es m{\"o}glich, eine umfangreiche Datenbank - bestehend aus 362 unabh{\"a}ngigen Messungen (biologische Replikate) - aufzubauen. Die Datenbank enthielt Messungen von zehn unterschiedlichen Zelllinien. Zus{\"a}tzlich wurden T1/T2 -Korrelationsspektren von mesenchymalen Stromazellen (MSCs) vor und nach deren Differenzierung zu Adipocyten aufgenommen, um ihre zellul{\"a}re Entwicklung nicht-invasiv charakterisieren zu k{\"o}nnen. Die aufgenommenen Daten wurden mithilfe einer geeigneten Support Vector Machine wie auch angepassten k{\"u}nstlichen neuronalen Netzwerken klassifiziert. Mithilfe dieser Methoden konnten die Zelllinien und MSCs anhand ihrer aufgenommenen Korrelationsspektren mit einer Genauigkeit von bis zu 98\% klassifiziert werden. Diese hohe Treffsicherheit legte den Schluss nahe, dass die Kombination aus nichtinvasiver, zweidimensionaler T1/T2 -MR-Relaxometrie und der Verwendung von geeigneten Methoden des machine learning und der k{\"u}nstlichen Intelligenz eine effiziente Methodik f{\"u}r die nicht-invasive Klassifizierung von Zellen sowie zellul{\"a}rer Entwicklung darstellt.},
  subject      = {Kernspintomografie},
  language  = {de}
}
@phdthesis{Eirich2022,
  author    = {Eirich, Philipp},
  title     = {Accelerated non-Cartesian cardiovascular MR Imaging at 3T and 7T},
  doi       = {10.25972/OPUS-25397},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-253974},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2022},
  abstract  = {In this work, accelerated non-Cartesian Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) methods were established and applied to cardiovascular imaging (CMR) at different magnetic field strengths (3T and 7T). To enable rapid data acquisition, highly efficient spiral k-space trajectories were created. In addition, hybrid sampling patterns such as the twisting radial lines (TWIRL) k-space trajectory were studied. Imperfections of the dynamic gradient system of a MR scanner result in k-space sampling errors. Ultimately, these errors can lead to image artifacts in non-Cartesian acquisitions. Among other reasons such as an increased reconstruction complexity, they cause the lack of spiral sequences in clinical routine compared to standard Cartesian imaging. Therefore, the Gradient System Transfer Functions (GSTFs) of both scanners were determined and used for k-space trajectory correction in post-correction as well as in terms of a pre-emphasis. The GSTF pre-emphasis was implemented as a fully automatic procedure, which enabled a precise correction of arbitrary gradient waveforms for double-oblique slice orientations. Consequently, artifacts due to trajectory errors could be mitigated, which resulted in high image quality in non-Cartesian MRI. Additionally, the GSTF correction was validated by measuring pre-emphasized spiral gradient outputs, which showed high agreement with the theoretical gradient waveforms. Furthermore, it could be demonstrated that the performance of the GSTF correction is superior to a simple delay compensation approach. The developed pulse sequences were applied to gated as well as real-time CMR. Special focus lied on the implementation of a spiral imaging protocol to resolve the beating heart of animals and humans in real time and free breathing. In order to achieve real-time CMR with high spatiotemporal resolution, k-space undersampling was performed. For this reason, efficient sampling strategies were developed with the aim to facilitate compressed sensing (CS) during image reconstruction. The applied CS approach successfully removed aliasing artifacts and yielded high-resolution cardiac image series. Image reconstruction was performed offline in all cases such that the images were not available immediately after acquisition at the scanner. Spiral real-time CMR could be performed in free breathing, which led to an acquisition time of less than 1 minute for a whole short-axis stack. At 3T, the results were compared to the gold standard of electrocardiogram-gated Cartesian CMR in breath hold, which revealed similar values for important cardiovascular functional and volumetric parameters. This paves the way to an application of the developed framework in clinical routine of CMR. In addition, the spiral real-time protocol was transferred to swallowing and speech imaging at 3T, and first images were presented. The results were of high quality and confirm the straightforward utilization of the spiral sequence in other fields of MRI. In general, the GSTF correction yielded high-quality images at both field strengths, 3T and 7T. Off-resonance related blurring was mitigated by applying non-Cartesian readout gradients of short duration. At 7T, however, B1-inhomogeneity led to image artifacts in some cases. All in all, this work demonstrated great advances in accelerating the MRI process by combining efficient, undersampled non-Cartesian k-space coverage with CS reconstruction. Trajectory correction using the GSTF can be implemented at any scanner model and enables non-Cartesian imaging with high image quality. Especially MRI of dynamic processes greatly benefits from the presented rapid imaging approaches.},
  subject      = {Kernspintomografie},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Slawig2018,
  author    = {Slawig, Anne},
  title     = {Reconstruction methods for the frequency-modulated balanced steady-state free precession MRI-sequence},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-162871},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t W{\"u}rzburg},
  year      = {2018},
  abstract  = {This work considered the frequency-modulated balanced steady-state free precession (fm-bSSFP) sequence as a tool to provide banding free bSSFP MR images. The sequence was implemented and successfully applied to suppress bandings in various in vitro and in vivo examples. In combination with a radial trajectory it is a promising alternative for standard bSSFP applications. First, two specialized applications were shown to establish the benefits of the acquisition strategy in itself. In real time cardiac imaging, it was shown that the continuous shift in frequency causes a movement of the bandings across the FOV. Thus, no anatomical region is constantly impaired, and a suitable timeframe can be found to examine all important structures. Furthermore, a combination of images with different artifact positions, similar to phase-cycled acquisitions is possible. In this way, fast, banding-free imaging of the moving heart was realized. Second, acquisitions with long TR were shown. While standard bSSFP suffers from increasing incidence of bandings with higher TR values, the frequency-modulated approach provided banding free images, regardless of the TR. A huge disadvantage of fm-bSSFP, in combination with the radial trajectory, is the decrease in signal intensity. In this work a specialized reconstruction method, the multifrequency reconstruction for frequency-modulated bSSFP (Muffm), was established, which successfully compensated that phenomena. The application of Muffm to several anatomical sites, such as inner ear, legs and cardiac acquisitions, proofed the advantageous SNR of the reconstruction. Furthermore, fm-bSSFP was applied to the clinically highly relevant task of water-fat separation. Former approaches of a phase-sensitive separation procedure in combination with standard bSSFP showed promising results but failed in cases of high inhomogeneity or high field strengths where banding artifacts become a major issue. The novel approach of using the fm-bSSFP acquisition strategy with the separation approach provided robust, reliable images of high quality. Again, losses in signal intensity could be regained by Muffm, as both approaches are completely compatible. Opposed to conventional banding suppression techniques, like frequency-scouts or phase-cycling, all reconstruction methods established in this work rely on a single radial acquisition, with scan times similar to standard bSSFP scans. No prolonged measurement times occur and patient time in the scanner is kept as short as possible, improving patient comfort, susceptibility to motion or physiological noise and cost of one scan. All in all, the frequency-modulated acquisition in combination with specializes reconstruction methods, leads to a completely new quality of images with short acquisition times.},
  subject      = {Kernspintomografie},
  language  = {en}
}