Sensing Myelin with MRI

Exploring MRI methods for myelin quantification and cross-validation


Session duration: 90m
Intended audience: MRI researchers, neuroscientists, radiologists

Organizers: José Marques, Markus Weiger, Sune Jespersen
Moderators: José Marques, Markus Weiger, Sune Jespersen (Confirmed: Yes)
First Speaker: Emily Baadsvik (Confirmed: Yes)
Second Speaker: Marco Palombo (Confirmed: Yes)
Third Speaker: Gianfranco Piredda (Confirmed: Yes)
Fourth Speaker: Petra Pouwels (Confirmed: Yes)


Session description

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) offers a powerful means to investigate myelination, a critical aspect of neural function and disease. This symposium brings together experts developing cutting-edge MRI methods to quantify myelin, with a focus on validation and cross-comparison of techniques.

Through a series of presentations and a roundtable discussion, participants will explore various approaches ranging from: (1) directly detecting myelin using ultra-short echo time imaging, (2) going through the methods that although historically not able to measure myelin, can sense how it hinders diffusion and exchange, (3) to the more routinely used methods in clinical studies that sense myelin by how it affects relaxation times, being in a single or multi-compartment manner.

Speakers will be asked to discuss the methods level of confidence, hardware requirements, and translational potential for clinical applications. The session aims to foster collaboration and provide insights into the requirements for cross-validation to ensure these methods are robust and applicable in clinical settings.

The program will be as follows:

  • Overview of session objectives (5 min)
  • Ultra-short echo time approaches for directly probing myelin (12 min + 5 min discussion)
  • Effects of myelin in diffusion-weighted imaging - Measuring Around Myelin (12 min + 5 min discussion)
  • Relaxometry approaches for myelin water imaging (T1, MT, MWF, ViSTA, MCR, ihMT) (12 min + 5 min discussion)
  • Sensing myelin in clinical studies (12 min + 5 min discussion)
  • Round Table Discussion – Integrating methods for cross-validation and clinical applications needs – (Speakers + Moderators) (20 min)


Key references include:  

- Ultra-short echo time (UTE) approaches: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2020.116888, https://doi.org/10.1002/mrm.29481

- Myelin effects in diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI): https://doi.org/10.1007/s00723-023-01584-1  

- Relaxometry-based myelin imaging: https://doi.org/10.1111/jon.13167 , https://doi.org/10.1002/mrm.28509, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.117744