Recent Advances in Pediatric Brain, Spine, and Neuromuscular Magnetic Resonance Imaging Techniques

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a powerful radiologic tool with the ability to generate a variety of proton-based signal contrast from tissues. Owing to this immense flexibility in signal generation, new MRI techniques are constantly being developed, tested, and optimized for clinical utility. In addition, the safe and nonionizing nature of MRI makes it a suitable modality for imaging in children. In this review article, we summarize a few of the most popular advances in MRI techniques in recent years. In particular, we highlight how these new developments have affected brain, spine, and neuromuscular imaging and focus on their applications in pediatric patients. In the first part of the review, we discuss new approaches such as multiphase and multidelay arterial spin labeling for quantitative perfusion and angiography of the brain, amide proton transfer MRI of the brain, MRI of brachial plexus and lumbar plexus nerves (i.e., neurography), and T2 mapping and fat characterization in neuromuscular diseases. In the second part of the review, we focus on describing new data acquisition strategies in accelerated MRI aimed collectively at reducing the scan time, including simultaneous multislice imaging, compressed sensing, synthetic MRI, and magnetic resonance fingerprinting. In discussing the aforementioned, the review also summarizes the advantages and disadvantages of each method and their current state of commercial availability from MRI vendors.