Researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign demonstrated the multiplexed MRI technology, or MRx, by characterizing brain tumors and multiple sclerosis lesions — revealing different structural, physiological and molecular changes within the diseases.
MRx expands the capabilities of conventional MRI by enabling simultaneous imaging of signals from multiple molecules, such as brain metabolites and neurotransmitters, in addition to water.
A whole-brain MRx scan can be completed in approximately 14 minutes — well within a clinically acceptable time frame and significantly shorter than conventional multicontrast clinical MRI protocols, which can take up to an hour, the researchers said.
The researchers demonstrated the power of MRx to provide more accurate characterization of diseases by applying it to patients with brain tumors and multiple sclerosis.
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