<scp>AI</scp> ‐Powered Gradient Echo Plural Contrast Imaging ( <scp>AI</scp> ‐ <scp>GEPCI</scp> )—A Comprehensive Neurological Protocol From a Single <scp>MRI</scp> Scan

BACKGROUND: MRI is essential for diagnosing and monitoring neurological diseases. Conventional protocols require multiple sequences to obtain complementary contrasts, increasing scan time, cost, and tolerability. Generating multiple contrasts from a single acquisition may streamline workflow while maintaining clinical utility. PURPOSE: To train attention-based convolutional neural networks (ACNNs) to generate clinical-quality Fluid-Attenuated-Inversion-Recovery (FLAIR), Magnetization-Prepared-Rapid-Gradient-Echo (MPRAGE), R2* maps, and derived contrasts from a single Gradient Echo Plural Contrast Imaging (GEPCI) acquisition. STUDY TYPE: Retrospective. POPULATION: 43 MRI scans from individuals with multiple sclerosis (25/18 F/M, 49 ± 11 years-of-age). FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE: 3 T MRI, 3D GEPCI, MPRAGE, and FLAIR. ASSESSMENT: Technical quality of AI-generated contrasts was evaluated against directly acquired MRI using structural similarity index (SSIM). Clinical image quality was assessed by physicians. Lesion volumes and counts were obtained using automated segmentation. STATISTICAL TESTS: One-sample one-sided Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to establish the clinical quality of images. Agreement between native- and AI-derived lesion volume and lesion count measurements was assessed using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC). Quantitative accuracy for R2* maps was evaluated using normalized root-mean-square error (NRMSE). RESULTS: = 0.933, ICC = 0.988 and ICC = 0.967, respectively. DATA CONCLUSION: AI-GEPCI generated multiple clinically relevant MRI contrasts from a single GEPCI acquisition with high similarity to corresponding acquired images, supporting high-quality, intrinsically co-registered multi-contrast brain evaluation. EVIDENCE LEVEL: 2. TECHNICAL EFFICACY: Stage 1.

Authors

Institutions

Publication Details

Journal
Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Published
2026-05-02
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/jmri.70345
Primary Topic
Multiple Sclerosis Research Studies
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00
Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
article

AI ‐Powered Gradient Echo Plural Contrast Imaging ( AI ‐ GEPCI )—A Comprehensive Neurological Protocol From a Single MRI Scan

Dmitriy A. Yablonskiy, Gregory F. Wu, Anne H. Cross, Alexander L. Sukstanskii et al.
Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Multiple Sclerosis Research Studies
article

AI ‐Powered Gradient Echo Plural Contrast Imaging ( AI ‐ GEPCI )—A Comprehensive Neurological Protocol From a Single MRI Scan

Dmitriy A. Yablonskiy, Gregory F. Wu, Anne H. Cross, Alexander L. Sukstanskii, Ulugbek Kamilov, Satya V V N Kothapalli, Manu S Goyal, Yuyang Hu, Jeramy Lewis
article en

Abstract

BACKGROUND: MRI is essential for diagnosing and monitoring neurological diseases. Conventional protocols require multiple sequences to obtain complementary contrasts, increasing scan time, cost, and tolerability. Generating multiple contrasts from a single acquisition may streamline workflow while maintaining clinical utility. PURPOSE: To train attention-based convolutional neural networks (ACNNs) to generate clinical-quality Fluid-Attenuated-Inversion-Recovery (FLAIR), Magnetization-Prepared-Rapid-Gradient-Echo (MPRAGE), R2* maps, and derived contrasts from a single Gradient Echo Plural Contrast Imaging (GEPCI) acquisition. STUDY TYPE: Retrospective. POPULATION: 43 MRI scans from individuals with multiple sclerosis (25/18 F/M, 49 ± 11 years-of-age). FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE: 3 T MRI, 3D GEPCI, MPRAGE, and FLAIR. ASSESSMENT: Technical quality of AI-generated contrasts was evaluated against directly acquired MRI using structural similarity index (SSIM). Clinical image quality was assessed by physicians. Lesion volumes and counts were obtained using automated segmentation. STATISTICAL TESTS: One-sample one-sided Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to establish the clinical quality of images. Agreement between native- and AI-derived lesion volume and lesion count measurements was assessed using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC). Quantitative accuracy for R2* maps was evaluated using normalized root-mean-square error (NRMSE). RESULTS: = 0.933, ICC = 0.988 and ICC = 0.967, respectively. DATA CONCLUSION: AI-GEPCI generated multiple clinically relevant MRI contrasts from a single GEPCI acquisition with high similarity to corresponding acquired images, supporting high-quality, intrinsically co-registered multi-contrast brain evaluation. EVIDENCE LEVEL: 2. TECHNICAL EFFICACY: Stage 1.

Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Washington University in St. Louis (US), Mallinckrodt (United States) (US)
Openalex Percentile: Top 12%
Multiple Sclerosis Research Studies
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.