Quantification of MR spectra by deep learning in an idealized setting: Investigation of forms of input, network architectures, optimization by ensembles of networks, and training bias.

PURPOSE The aims of this work are (1) to explore deep learning (DL) architectures, spectroscopic input types, and learning designs toward optimal quantification in MR spectroscopy of simulated pathological spectra; and (2) to demonstrate accuracy and precision of DL predictions in view of inherent bias toward the training distribution. METHODS Simulated 1D spectra and 2D spectrograms that mimic an extensive range of pathological in vivo conditions are used to train and test 24 different DL architectures. Active learning through altered training and testing data distributions is probed to optimize quantification performance. Ensembles of networks are explored to improve DL robustness and reduce the variance of estimates. A set of scores compares performances of DL predictions and traditional model fitting (MF). RESULTS Ensembles of heterogeneous networks that combine 1D frequency-domain and 2D time-frequency domain spectrograms as input perform best. Dataset augmentation with active learning can improve performance, but gains are limited. MF is more accurate, although DL appears to be more precise at low SNR. However, this overall improved precision originates from a strong bias for cases with high uncertainty toward the dataset the network has been trained with, tending toward its average value. CONCLUSION MF mostly performs better compared to the faster DL approach. Potential intrinsic biases on training sets are dangerous in a clinical context that requires the algorithm to be unbiased to outliers (i.e., pathological data). Active learning and ensemble of networks are good strategies to improve prediction performances. However, data quality (sufficient SNR) has proven as a bottleneck for adequate unbiased performance-like in the case of MF

Spectro-ViT: A Vision Transformer Model for GABA-edited MRS Reconstruction Using Spectrograms

Purpose: To investigate the use of a Vision Transformer (ViT) to reconstruct/denoise GABA-edited magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) from a quarter of the typically acquired number of transients using spectrograms. Theory and Methods: A quarter of the typically acquired number of transients collected in GABA-edited MRS scans are pre-processed and converted to a spectrogram image representation using the Short-Time Fourier Transform (STFT). The image representation of the data allows the adaptation of a pre-trained ViT for reconstructing GABA-edited MRS spectra (Spectro-ViT). The Spectro-ViT is fine-tuned and then tested using \textit{in vivo} GABA-edited MRS data. The Spectro-ViT performance is compared against other models in the literature using spectral quality metrics and estimated metabolite concentration values. Results: The Spectro-ViT model significantly outperformed all other models in four out of five quantitative metrics (mean squared error, shape score, GABA+/water fit error, and full width at half maximum). The metabolite concentrations estimated (GABA+/water, GABA+/Cr, and Glx/water) were consistent with the metabolite concentrations estimated using typical GABA-edited MRS scans reconstructed with the full amount of typically collected transients. Conclusion: The proposed Spectro-ViT model achieved state-of-the-art results in reconstructing GABA-edited MRS, and the results indicate these scans could be up to four times faster

DEEP LEARNING FOR SINGLE-VOXEL AND MULTIDIMENSIONAL MR-SPECTROSCOPIC SIGNAL QUANTIFICATION, AND ITS COMPARISON WITH NONLINEAR LEAST-SQUARES FITTING

Pro získání koncentrace metabolitů ve vyšetřované tkáni ze signálů magnetické rezonanční spektroskopie (MRS) je nezbytné provézt předzpracování, analýzu a kvantifikaci MRS signálu. Rychlý, přesný a účinný proces zpracování (předzpracování, analýza a kvantifikace) MRS dat je však náročný. Tato práce představuje nové přístupy pro předzpracování, analýzu a kvantifikaci MRS dat založené na hlubokém učení (DL). Navržené metody potvrdily schopnost použití DL pro robustní předzpracování dat, rychlou a efektivní kvantifikaci MR spekter, odhad koncentrací metabolitů in vivo a odhad nejistoty kvantifikace. Navržené přístupy výrazně zlepšily rychlost předzpracování a kvantifikace MRS signálu a prokázaly možnost použití DL bez učitele. Z hlediska přesnosti byly získány výsledky srovnatelné s tradičními metodami. Dále byl zaveden standardní formát dat, který usnadňuje sdílení dat mezi výzkumnými skupinami pro aplikace umělé inteligence. Výsledky této studie naznačují, že navrhované přístupy založené na DL mají potenciál zlepšit přesnost a efektivitu zpracování MRS dat pro lékařskou diagnostiku. Disertační práce je rozdělena do čtyř částí: úvodu, přehledu současného stavu výzkumu, shrnutí cílů a úkolů a souboru publikací, které představují autorův přínos v oblasti aplikací DL v MRS

Deep Learning For Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy Quantification: A Time-Frequency Analysis Approach

Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) is a technique capable of detecting chemical compounds from localized volumes in living tissues. Quantification of MRS signals is required for obtaining the metabolite concentrations of the tissue under investigation. However, reliable quantification of MRS is difficult. Recently deep learning (DL) has been used for metabolite quantification of MRS signals in the frequency domain. In another study, it was shown that DL in combination with time-frequency analysis could be used for artifact detection in MRS. In this study, we verify the hypothesis that DL in combination with time-frequency analysis can also be used for metabolite quantification and yields results more robust than DL trained with MR signals in the frequency domain. We used the complex matrix of absolute wavelet coefficients (WC) for the timefrequency representation of the signal, and convolutional neural network (CNN) implementation for DL. The comparison with DL used for quantification of data in the frequency domain is presented

Deep Learning For Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy Quantification: A Time-Frequency Analysis Approach

Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) is a technique capable of detecting chemical compounds from localized volumes in living tissues. Quantification of MRS signals is required for obtaining the metabolite concentrations of the tissue under investigation. However, reliable quantification of MRS is difficult. Recently deep learning (DL) has been used for metabolite quantification of MRS signals in the frequency domain. In another study, it was shown that DL in combination with time-frequency analysis could be used for artifact detection in MRS. In this study, we verify the hypothesis that DL in combination with time-frequency analysis can also be used for metabolite quantification and yields results more robust than DL trained with MR signals in the frequency domain. We used the complex matrix of absolute wavelet coefficients (WC) for the timefrequency representation of the signal, and convolutional neural network (CNN) implementation for DL. The comparison with DL used for quantification of data in the frequency domain is presented

Water removal in MR spectroscopic imaging with Casorati singular value decomposition.

PURPOSE Water removal is one of the computational bottlenecks in the processing of high-resolution MRSI data. The purpose of this work is to propose an approach to reduce the computing time required for water removal in large MRS data. METHODS In this work, we describe a singular value decomposition-based approach that uses the partial position-time separability and the time-domain linear predictability of MRSI data to reduce the computational time required for water removal. Our approach arranges MRS signals in a Casorati matrix form, applies low-rank approximations utilizing singular value decomposition, removes residual water from the most prominent left-singular vectors, and finally reconstructs the water-free matrix using the processed left-singular vectors. RESULTS We have demonstrated the effectiveness of our proposed algorithm for water removal using both simulated and in vivo data. The proposed algorithm encompasses a pip-installable tool ( https://pypi.org/project/CSVD/), available on GitHub ( https://github.com/amirshamaei/CSVD), empowering researchers to use it in future studies. Additionally, to further promote transparency and reproducibility, we provide comprehensive code for result replication. CONCLUSIONS The findings of this study suggest that the proposed method is a promising alternative to existing water removal methods due to its low processing time and good performance in removing water signals

NIfTI‐MRS:a standard data format for magnetic resonance spectroscopy

PURPOSE: Multiple data formats in the MRS community currently hinder data sharing and integration. NIfTI-MRS is proposed as a standard spectroscopy data format, implemented as an extension to the Neuroimaging informatics technology initiative (NIfTI) format. This standardized format can facilitate data sharing and algorithm development as well as ease integration of MRS analysis alongside other imaging modalities. METHODS: A file format using the NIfTI header extension framework incorporates essential spectroscopic metadata and additional encoding dimensions. A detailed description of the specification is provided. An open-source command-line conversion program is implemented to convert single-voxel and spectroscopic imaging data to NIfTI-MRS. Visualization of data in NIfTI-MRS is provided by development of a dedicated plugin for FSLeyes, the FMRIB Software Library (FSL) image viewer. RESULTS: Online documentation and 10 example datasets in the proposed format are provided. Code examples of NIfTI-MRS readers are implemented in common programming languages. Conversion software, spec2nii, currently converts 14 formats where data is stored in image-space to NIfTI-MRS, including Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) and vendor proprietary formats. CONCLUSION: NIfTI-MRS aims to solve issues arising from multiple data formats being used in the MRS community. Through a single conversion point, processing and analysis of MRS data are simplified, thereby lowering the barrier to use of MRS. Furthermore, it can serve as the basis for open data sharing, collaboration, and interoperability of analysis programs. Greater standardization and harmonization become possible. By aligning with the dominant format in neuroimaging, NIfTI-MRS enables the use of mature tools present in the imaging community, demonstrated in this work by using a dedicated imaging tool, FSLeyes, for visualization