Enabling Complex Fibre Geometries Using 3D Printed Axon-Mimetic Phantoms.

Purpose: To introduce a method to create 3D-printed axon-mimetic phantoms with complex fibre orientations to characterise the performance of diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) models and representations in the presence of orientation dispersion.

Methods: An extension to an open-source 3D printing package was created to produce a set of five 3D-printed axon-mimetic (3AM) phantoms with various combinations of bending and crossing fibre orientations. A two-shell diffusion MRI scan of the five phantoms in water was performed at 9.

Design and characterization of a 3D-printed axon-mimetic phantom for diffusion MRI.

Purpose: To introduce and characterize inexpensive and easily produced 3D-printed axon-mimetic diffusion MRI phantoms in terms of pore geometry and diffusion kurtosis imaging metrics.

Methods: Phantoms were 3D-printed with a composite printing material that, after the dissolution of the polyvinyl alcohol, exhibits microscopic fibrous pores. Confocal microscopy and synchrotron phase-contrast micro-CT imaging were performed to visualize and assess the pore sizes.

Evaluating High Spatial Resolution Diffusion Kurtosis Imaging at 3T: Reproducibility and Quality of Fit.

Background: Diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) quantifies the non-Gaussian diffusion of water within tissue microstructure. However, it has increased fitting parameters and requires higher b-values. Evaluation of DKI reproducibility is important for clinical purposes.