Multiparametric MRI Protocol for Brain Imaging

All MRI examinations were performed using a 3-Tesla MRI system (Discovery MR 750W, GE Medical Systems, Inc. Chicago, IL, USA). DWI was performed in axial planes by using six b values (0, 50, 100, 250, 500, and 1000 s/mm²). The DWI sequence parameters were as follows: repetition time, 6666 ms; echo time, 78 ms; flip angle, 90°; bandwidth, 1305 Hz/Px; slice thickness, 3.0 mm; field of view, 220 mm; acquisition matrix size, 128 × 192; pixel size, 1.7 × 1.1 mm; acquisition time, around 2 min for total acquisition; motion-probing gradient, bipolar type. The isotropic images were created from 3 orthogonal diffuse gradient pulse images. The sequence parameters for 3D T2-weighted fast spin-echo Cube sequence were as follows: TR, 2,000 ms; TE, 85.3 ms; matrix 288 × 288; voxel size, 0.8 × 0.8 × 0.8 mm; and acquisition time, approximately 4 min.