A Data-driven Approach to Microstructural Imaging

Introduction

The ability to study tissue microstructure in vivo and completely noninvasively using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has the potential to radically change how we detect, monitor, and treat diseases, in particular the many neurodegenerative diseases that affect our world’s aging population.

Challenges in MRI

Unfortunately, the MRI signal is a very indirect measure of microstructure, and the variety of contributing factors complicates a one-to-one association between the MRI measurements and the biological substrate. As a result, microstructural mapping is still a poorly understood and challenging inverse problem that often yields inconsistent and contradictory outcomes.

Project Overview

In ADAMI, I will take the next leap in microstructure imaging by approaching the problem in a completely data-driven fashion as opposed to the state-of-the-art that is model-driven. This paradigm shift will enable me to turn the MRI scanner into a powerful in vivo microscope that can provide reliable information about tissue microstructure that closely matches the underlying cellular composition.

Methodology

Rather than relying only on a single source of contrast, I will exploit the versatility of MRI and use multiple, independent contrast mechanisms that will provide the necessary information to distinguish reliably between microscopic substrates.

1. I will use machine learning to learn the appropriate models directly from the data, rather than relying on preconceived models.
2. I will acquire a priori histological data to directly inform this learning process, guaranteeing, for the first time, a close match between microstructural readouts obtained from MRI and invasive histology.

Impact

Through these innovations, ADAMI will advance the field of medical imaging by introducing a groundbreaking data-driven approach to microstructure imaging which will significantly impact the understanding, diagnosis, and monitoring of brain diseases and beyond.