Quantifying Myelin Water Exchange: Two-Pool Model and bSSFP Imaging

This lecture by Prof Jeffrey A. Fessler from the University of Michigan delves into the quantification of myelin water exchange using a two-pool model and balanced Steady-State Free Precession (bSSFP) imaging. The presentation covers the importance of myelin in the nervous system, the challenges in accurately estimating myelin content, and the potential clinical implications of water exchange dynamics. Through numerical simulations and in vivo acquisitions, the lecture demonstrates the optimization of bSSFP scans for precise exchange estimation in white matter. The talk also discusses the significance of optimizing acquisition parameters, the impact of main field Bo drift, and future research directions for validating exchange maps and improving estimation techniques.