Dynamic visualization of brain pulsations using amplified MRI: methodology and applications

Brain pulsatility offers a compelling application in the study of cerebral biomechanics, particularly for mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) and elevated intracranial pressure (ICP). In this study, we used amplified MRI to quantify brain tissue pulsations. Dynamic mode decomposition (DMD) processing was then applied to provide a spatio-temporal analysis of motion. Four distinct use cases were examined: (i) resting versus exertion-induced heart rate changes, (ii) pre- and post-lumbar puncture (LP), (iii) baseline versus post-brain injury, and (iv) a test-retest case. Results demonstrate that brain tissue motion varies significantly across conditions, with DMD revealing distinct modes and frequencies corresponding to physiological changes. Notably, mTBI showed an increase in pulsatile motion post-injury, while elevated ICP exhibited altered pulsatility patterns post-LP, indicating a potential biomarker for injury and pressure-related changes. This approach offers new insights into physiological and pathological brain pulsatility; however, the study's limited sample size, reliance on retrospective gating and assumptions regarding pulsatile motion highlight the need for larger and more diverse cohorts to confirm these findings. Despite these limitations, our results suggest our dynamical analysis approach could become a valuable tool for assessing intracranial dynamics, with applications in clinical diagnostics and research on neurovascular and neurological conditions.