@article {2351,
	title = {Deep Learning-Enhanced Accelerated 2D TSE and 3D Super-Resolution Dixon TSE for Rapid Comprehensive Knee Joint Assessment},
	journal = {Investigative Radiology},
	volume = {60},
	year = {2025},
	pages = {220-233},
	doi = {10.1097/RLI.0000000000001118},
	author = {Celine Smekens and Quinten Beirinckx and Frederik Bosmans and Floris Vanhevel and Annemie Snoeckx and Jan Sijbers and Ben Jeurissen and Thomas Janssens and Pieter Van Dyck}
}
@article {2325,
	title = {Model-based super-resolution reconstruction for pseudo-continuous Arterial Spin Labeling},
	journal = {NeuroImage},
	volume = {286},
	year = {2024},
	month = {01/2024},
	pages = {120506},
	abstract = {Arterial spin labeling (ASL) is a promising, non-invasive perfusion magnetic resonance imaging technique for quantifying cerebral blood flow (CBF). Unfortunately, ASL suffers from an inherently low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and spatial resolution, undermining its potential. Increasing spatial resolution without significantly sacrificing SNR or scan time represents a critical challenge towards routine clinical use. In this work, we propose a model-based super-resolution reconstruction (SRR) method with joint motion estimation that breaks the traditional SNR/resolution/scan-time trade-off. From a set of differently oriented 2D multi-slice pseudo-continuous ASL images with a low through-plane resolution, 3D-isotropic, high resolution, quantitative CBF maps are estimated using a Bayesian approach. Experiments on both synthetic whole brain phantom data, and on in vivo brain data, show that the proposed SRR Bayesian estimation framework outperforms state-of-the-art ASL quantification.},
	keywords = {Arterial spin labeling, CBF mapping, Model-based reconstruction, Perfusion, Quantitative MRI, super-resolution},
	issn = {1053-8119},
	doi = {10.1016/j.neuroimage.2024.120506},
	author = {Quinten Beirinckx and Piet Bladt and Merlijn C E van der Plas and M.J.P van Osch and Ben Jeurissen and Arnold Jan den Dekker and Jan Sijbers}
}
@mastersthesis {2356,
	title = {Technological breakthroughs towards motion-robust super-resolution quantitative magnetic resonance imaging for improved detection of brain diseases},
	year = {2024},
	month = {07/2024},
	pages = {268},
	school = {University of Antwerp},
	type = {PhD Thesis},
	abstract = {Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is one of the most widely used neuroimaging techniques, thanks to its exceptional soft tissue contrast and intrinsic safety for patients. Unfortunately, signal intensities in conventional MRI images are expressed in relative units that depend on scanner hardware and software. While this poses no issue for visual inspection of anatomy, it complicates the quantitative comparison of signal intensities within a scan, between successive scans, and among different subjects. In contrast, quantitative MRI (qMRI) generates quantitative maps of absolute biophysical tissue parameters by voxel-wise fitting a biophysical signal model to a series of contrast-weighted scans. Increasing evidence suggests that qMRI can detect and quantify subtle microscopic tissue damage, aiding in the early detection and accurate diagnosis of various neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer{\textquoteright}s or multiple sclerosis. The impact of these diseases is growing in our rapidly aging society. However, current qMRI techniques require long scan times due to the need for multiple contrast-weighted scans with high-resolution and high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Long scan times increase the risk of motion artifacts, reduce patient throughput, and decrease patient comfort, hindering the clinical adoption of qMRI. This work therefore investigates the use of model-based super-resolution reconstruction (SRR) for qMRI, aiming to optimize the trade-off between spatial resolution, SNR, and scan time. SRR enables the reconstruction of a high-resolution scan or parameter map from a series of low-resolution MRI scans, with typically shorter scan time per image. As an additional innovation in this thesis, patient movement is jointly estimated, which is crucial to avoid motion artifacts in the reconstruction. The new SRR framework is extensively tested and compared with existing SRR methods, both in computer simulations and using real brain MRI data. Furthermore, the new framework uses Bayesian statistics to incorporate prior knowledge about noise and brain tissue characteristics into the reconstruction process. This allows for the reconstruction of a 3D high-resolution quantitative tissue parameter map from motion-affected low-resolution MRI scans. Application to real brain MRI shows that the proposed framework significantly improves the accuracy of tissue parameter quantification compared to methods with a separate motion correction step. Finally, the SRR framework is extended to perfusion MRI for improved quantification of cerebral blood flow (CBF), in combination with Arterial Spin Labeling (ASL). As a result, a high-resolution quantitative CBF parameter map can be directly reconstructed from low-resolution ASL MRI scans, significantly improving SNR and CBF accuracy over traditional ASL methods.},
	doi = {10.63028/10067/2069070151162165141},
	url = {https://repository.uantwerpen.be/desktop/irua},
	author = {Quinten Beirinckx}
}
@conference {2291,
	title = {Accelerated Dual-contrast Three-dimensional Knee Magnetic Resonance Imaging Using Super-resolution Reconstructed Deep Learning-enhanced Two-dimensional Dixon Turbo Spin-echo Imaging},
	volume = {27},
	year = {2023},
	month = {05/2023},
	pages = {1-24},
	publisher = {Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc.},
	abstract = {Recent work on three-dimensional (3D) super-resolution reconstruction (SRR) of conventional two-dimensional (2D) turbo spin-echo (TSE) knee magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) shows that high-resolution isotropic knee MRI is technically feasible. Yet the use of acceleration techniques and contrast optimization are needed for clinical validation of this 3D method. With the advent of deep learning (DL) image reconstruction techniques, high acceleration of SRR input data is now achievable through extended use of simultaneous multislice and parallel imaging methods. Moreover, the combination of accelerated TSE with the Dixon method allows us to acquire fat-suppressed and non-fat-suppressed data within a single acquisition that further accelerates the dual-contrast SRR protocol.

This study evaluated the technical feasibility of 3D SRR MRI based on DL-enhanced highly accelerated 2D Dixon TSE MRI. It also compared image quality and diagnostic confidence of this dual-contrast 3D technique to (accelerated) conventional 2D TSE knee MRI. We hypothesized that the SRR method provides the required contrasts needed for comprehensive knee joint evaluation in a competitive acquisition time.},
	doi = {10.1055/s-0043-1770025},
	url = {https://www.thieme-connect.com/products/ejournals/abstract/10.1055/s-0043-1770025},
	author = {Celine Smekens and Floris Vanhevel and Quinten Beirinckx and Thomas Janssens and Pieter Van Dyck}
}
@conference {2300,
	title = {Exploring the Correlation between Disability Status and Brain Volumetric Measurements Using Real-World Retrospective Magnetic Resonance Images in People with Multiple Sclerosis},
	number = {1637},
	year = {2023},
	address = {October 11-13, Milan, Italy},
	abstract = {This study investigated whether retrospective real-world MR image databases can be used to obtain MR-based biomarkers of multiple sclerosis (MS) disability by examining correlations between Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) scores and volumetric measurements from reconstructed T2-weighted fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) in people with MS (PwMS).},
	author = {Hamza Khan and Diana Giraldo and Quinten Beirinckx and Jan Sijbers and Philippe Lambin and Henry C. Woodruff and Liesbet M. Peeters}
}
@inproceedings {2288,
	title = {Super-resolution reconstruction of multi-slice T2-w FLAIR MRI improves Multiple Sclerosis lesion segmentation},
	booktitle = {45th Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society},
	year = {2023},
	address = {Sydney, Australia},
	abstract = {Due to acquisition time constraints, T2-w FLAIR MRI of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) patients is often acquired with multi-slice 2D protocols with a low through-plane resolution rather than with high-resolution 3D protocols. Automated lesion segmentation on such low-resolution (LR) images, however, performs poorly and leads to inaccurate lesion volume estimates. Super-resolution reconstruction (SRR) methods can then be used to obtain a high-resolution (HR) image from multiple LR images to serve as input for lesion segmentation. In this work, we evaluate the effect on MS lesion segmentation of three SRR approaches: one based on interpolation, a state-of-the-art self-supervised CNN-based strategy, and a recently proposed model-based SRR method. These SRR strategies were applied to LR acquisitions simulated from 3D T2-w FLAIR MRI of MS patients. Each SRR method was evaluated in terms of image reconstruction quality and posterior lesion segmentation performance. When compared to segmentation on LR images, the three considered SRR strategies demonstrate improved lesion segmentation. Furthermore, in some scenarios, SRR achieves a similar segmentation performance compared to segmentation of HR images.},
	author = {Diana Giraldo and Quinten Beirinckx and Arnold Jan den Dekker and Ben Jeurissen and Jan Sijbers}
}
@article {2247,
	title = {Model-based super-resolution reconstruction with joint motion estimation for improved quantitative MRI parameter mapping},
	journal = {Computerized Medical Imaging and Graphics},
	volume = {100},
	year = {2022},
	month = {09/2022},
	pages = {1-16},
	chapter = {102071},
	abstract = {Quantitative Magnetic Resonance (MR) imaging provides reproducible measurements of biophysical parameters, and has become an essential tool in clinical MR studies. Unfortunately, 3D isotropic high resolution (HR) parameter mapping is hardly feasible in clinical practice due to prohibitively long acquisition times. Moreover, accurate and precise estimation of quantitative parameters is complicated by inevitable subject motion, the risk of which increases with scanning time. In this paper, we present a model-based super-resolution reconstruction (SRR) method that jointly estimates HR quantitative parameter maps and inter-image motion parameters from a set of 2D multi-slice contrast-weighted images with a low through-plane resolution. The method uses a Bayesian approach, which allows to optimally exploit prior knowledge of the tissue and noise statistics. To demonstrate its potential, the proposed SRR method is evaluated for a T1 and T2 quantitative mapping protocol. Furthermore, the method{\textquoteright}s performance in terms of precision, accuracy, and spatial resolution is evaluated using simulated as well as real brain imaging experiments. Results show that our proposed fully flexible, quantitative SRR framework with integrated motion estimation outperforms state-of-the-art SRR methods for quantitative MRI.},
	issn = {0895-6111},
	doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compmedimag.2022.102071},
	author = {Quinten Beirinckx and Ben Jeurissen and Michele Nicastro and Dirk H J Poot and Marleen Verhoye and Arnold Jan den Dekker and Jan Sijbers}
}
@article {2275,
	title = {To shift or to rotate? Comparison of acquisition strategies for multi-slice super-resolution magnetic resonance imaging},
	journal = {Frontiers in Neuroscience},
	year = {2022},
	pages = {1-18},
	doi = {https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2022.1044510},
	author = {Michele Nicastro and Ben Jeurissen and Quinten Beirinckx and Celine Smekens and Dirk H J Poot and Jan Sijbers and Arnold Jan den Dekker}
}
@inproceedings {2159,
	title = {Comparison of MR acquisition strategies for super-resolution reconstruction using the Bayesian Mean Squared Error},
	booktitle = { International Meeting on Fully Three-Dimensional Image Reconstruction in Radiology and Nuclear Medicine},
	year = {2021},
	abstract = {In multi-slice super-resolution reconstruction (MS-SRR), a high resolution image, referred to as SRR image, is estimated from a series of multi-slice images with a low through-plane resolution. This work proposes a framework based on the Bayesian mean squared error of the Maximum A Posteriori estimator of a SRR image to compare the accuracy and precision of two commonly adopted MR acquisition strategies in MS-SRR. The first strategy consists in acquiring a set of multi-slice
images, where each image is shifted in the through-plane direction by a different, sub-pixel distance. The latter consists in acquiring a set of multi-slice images, where each image is rotated around the frequency or phase-encoding axis by a different rotation angle. Results show that MS-SRR based on rotated multi-slice images outperforms MS-SRR based on shifted multi-slice images in terms of accuracy, precision and mean squared error of the reconstructed image.},
	author = {Michele Nicastro and Ben Jeurissen and Quinten Beirinckx and Celine Smekens and Dirk H J Poot and Jan Sijbers and Arnold Jan den Dekker}
}
@conference {2205,
	title = {High-resolution T2* mapping of the knee based on UTE Spiral VIBE MRI},
	volume = {34},
	year = {2021},
	pages = {S53-S54},
	author = {Celine Smekens and Quinten Beirinckx and Floris Vanhevel and Pieter Van Dyck and Arnold Jan den Dekker and Jan Sijbers and Thomas Janssens and Ben Jeurissen}
}
@conference {2181,
	title = {Rotated or shifted sets of multi-slice MR images for super-resolution reconstruction? A Bayesian answer},
	volume = {34},
	year = {2021},
	pages = {S56-S57},
	doi = {10.1007/s10334-021-00947-8},
	author = {Michele Nicastro and Ben Jeurissen and Quinten Beirinckx and Celine Smekens and Dirk H J Poot and Jan Sijbers and Arnold Jan den Dekker}
}
@conference {2160,
	title = {Super-resolution T2* mapping of the knee using UTE Spiral VIBE MRI},
	year = {2021},
	pages = {3920},
	abstract = {T2* mapping using ultrashort echo time (UTE) MRI allows for quantitative evaluation of collagen-rich knee structures with short mean transverse relaxation times. However, acquisitions with low through-plane resolution are commonly used to obtain T2* maps within reasonable scan times, affecting the accuracy of the estimations because of partial volume effects. In this work, model-based super-resolution reconstructions based on UTE Spiral VIBE MRI were performed to obtain high-resolution T2* maps of knee structures within a reasonable scan time. The obtained T2* maps are comparable to maps generated with direct 3D UTE Spiral VIBE acquisitions while requiring approximately 25\% less scan time.},
	author = {Celine Smekens and Quinten Beirinckx and Floris Vanhevel and Pieter Van Dyck and Arnold Jan den Dekker and Jan Sijbers and Thomas Janssens and Ben Jeurissen}
}
@article {1971,
	title = {Joint Maximum Likelihood estimation of motion and T1 parameters from magnetic resonance images in a super-resolution framework: a simulation study},
	journal = {Fundamenta Informaticae},
	volume = {172},
	year = {2020},
	pages = {105{\textendash}128},
	abstract = {Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) based T1 mapping allows spatially resolved quantification of the tissue-dependent spin-lattice relaxation time constant T1, which is a potential biomarker of various neurodegenerative diseases, including Multiple Sclerosis, Alzheimer disease, and Parkinson{\textquoteright}s disease. In conventional T1 MR relaxometry, a quantitative T1 map is obtained from a series of T1-weighted MR images. Acquiring such a series, however, is time consuming. This has sparked the development of more efficient T1 mapping methods, one of which is a super-resolution reconstruction (SRR) framework in which a set of low resolution (LR) T1-weighted images is acquired and from which a high resolution (HR) T1 map is directly estimated. In this paper, the SRR T1 mapping framework is augmented with motion estimation. That is, motion between the acquisition of the LR T1-weighted images is modeled and the motion parameters are estimated simultaneously with the T1 parameters. Based on Monte Carlo simulation experiments, we show that such an integrated motion/relaxometry estimation approach yields more accurate T1 maps compared to a previously reported SRR based T1 mapping approach.},
	doi = {10.3233/FI-2020-1896},
	author = {Quinten Beirinckx and Gabriel Ramos-Llord{\'e}n and Ben Jeurissen and Dirk H J Poot and Paul M Parizel and Marleen Verhoye and Jan Sijbers and Arnold Jan den Dekker}
}
@conference {2019,
	title = {Optimal design of a T1 super-resolution reconstruction experiment: a simulation study},
	year = {2020},
	author = {Michele Nicastro and Quinten Beirinckx and Piet Bladt and Ben Jeurissen and Stefan Klein and Jan Sijbers and Dirk H J Poot and Arnold Jan den Dekker}
}
@conference {2139,
	title = {Super-resolution reconstruction of single-PLD pseudo-continuous ASL images},
	year = {2020},
	pages = {3293},
	abstract = {Super-resolution reconstruction (SRR) allows for 3D high-resolution image reconstruction from a set of low-resolution multi-slice images with different orientations. Arterial spin labeling (ASL) is an interesting albeit complicated candidate for SRR, as it relies on subtraction. SRR-ASL can be performed on low-SNR subtracted or on low-contrast unsubtracted ASL data. Different ASL-SRR implementations were applied to single-PLD PCASL data and validated against traditional ASL-scans. Combining motion correction, super-resolution post-processing and pairwise subtraction of label-control pairs in a single framework yielded comparable CBF maps as with traditional HR-ASL. Furthermore, in certain slices, SRR-ASL appears to reconstruct the anatomical structure with higher fidelity.},
	author = {Piet Bladt and Quinten Beirinckx and Merlijn C E van der Plas and Sophie Schmid and Wouter M Teeuwisse and Ben Jeurissen and Arnold Jan den Dekker and Jan Sijbers and M.J.P van Osch}
}
@conference {2015,
	title = {Super-resolution strategies for single-PLD pseudo-continuous ASL},
	year = {2020},
	address = {Arnhem, The Netherlands},
	abstract = {Super-resolution reconstruction (SRR) allows for 3D high-resolution image reconstruction from a set of low-resolution multi-slice images with different orientations. Arterial spin labeling (ASL) is an interesting albeit complicated candidate for SRR, as it relies on subtraction. SRR-ASL can be performed on low-SNR subtracted or on low-contrast unsubtracted ASL data. Different ASL-SRR implementations were applied to single-PLD PCASL data and validated against traditional ASL-scans. Combining motion correction, super-resolution post-processing and pairwise subtraction of label-control pairs in a single framework yielded comparable CBF maps as with traditional HR-ASL. Furthermore, in certain slices, SRR-ASL appears to reconstruct the anatomical structure with higher fidelity.},
	author = {Quinten Beirinckx and Piet Bladt and Merlijn C E van der Plas and Sophie Schmid and Wouter M Teeuwisse and Ben Jeurissen and Arnold Jan den Dekker and Jan Sijbers and M.J.P van Osch}
}
@conference {1984,
	title = {A deep learning approach to T1 mapping in quantitative MRI},
	volume = {32 (Suppl. 1)},
	number = {S09.05},
	year = {2019},
	publisher = {Magn Reson Mater Phy},
	abstract = {Quantitative MRI aims to measure biophysical tissue parameters through the analysis of the MR signal. Conventional parameter estimation methods, which often rely on a voxel-wise mapping, ignores spatial redundancies. In this work, a deep learning method for T1 mapping is proposed to overcome this limitation.},
	doi = {10.1007/s10334-019-00754-2},
	author = {Ribeiro Sabidussi, Emanoel and Michele Nicastro and Shabab Bazrafkan and Quinten Beirinckx and Ben Jeurissen and Jan Sijbers and Arnold Jan den Dekker and Stefan Klein and Dirk H J Poot}
}
@conference {1983,
	title = {Super-resolution T1 mapping with integrated motion compensation in a joint maximum likelihood framework},
	volume = {32 (Suppl. 1)},
	number = {S14.05},
	year = {2019},
	publisher = {Magn Reson Mater Phy},
	abstract = {To date, 3D high resolution (HR) quantitative T1 mapping is not feasible in clinical practice due to prohibitively long acquisition times. Recent work has shown that super-resolution reconstruction (SRR), in which a 3D HR T1 map is directly estimated from a set of low through-plane resolution (LR) multi-slice (ms) T1-weighted (T1w) images with different slice orientations, can improve the trade-off between SNR, spatial resolution, and acquisition time. In that work, however, inter-image motion compensation for SRR is performed in a preprocessing step in which the transformation parameters of each LR image are updated after image registration. As a result, potential registration errors might propagate in the T1 estimation as no feedback mechanism is in place. Moreover, due to missing subvoxel accuracy no HR information is readily available during preprocessing. In the current work, we explore the potential of an improved SRR T1 mapping method that aims at more accurate T1 maps by combining T1 and motion estimation in a joint Maximum Likelihood estimation (jMLE) framework.
},
	doi = {10.1007/s10334-019-00754-2},
	author = {Quinten Beirinckx and Ben Jeurissen and Marleen Verhoye and Arnold Jan den Dekker and Jan Sijbers}
}
@conference {1827,
	title = {Accurate and precise MRI relaxometry: the often disregarded but critical role of statistical parameter estimation},
	year = {2018},
	pages = {5664},
	address = {Paris, France},
	author = {Gabriel Ramos-Llord{\'e}n and Quinten Beirinckx and Arnold Jan den Dekker and Jan Sijbers}
}
@conference {1828,
	title = {An educational presentation on accurate and precise MRI relaxometry: the often disregarded but critical role of statistical parameter estimation},
	year = {2018},
	address = {Antwerp, Belgium},
	abstract = {MRI relaxometry holds the promise of providing biomarkers for monitoring, staging and follow up of diseases. Imperative to meet minimum standards for objective, reproducible, and reliable biomarkers is the need for accurate, precise, quantitative parameters maps, such as T1~or T2. While unrealistic physical modelling is often argued as the main cause of lack of accuracy, little effort has been made on discussing the impact that inadequate parameter estimation methods have on the accuracy and precision of MRI relaxometry techniques. This educational poster attempts to introduce young MR students/researchers into the basics of modern statistical parameter estimation theory, and its application for accurate and precise relaxometry. 
},
	author = {Gabriel Ramos-Llord{\'e}n and Quinten Beirinckx and Arnold Jan den Dekker and Jan Sijbers}
}
@conference {1826,
	title = {Super-resolution multi-PLD PCASL: a simulation study},
	volume = {30 (Suppl. 1)},
	number = {S396},
	year = {2017},
	publisher = {Magn Reson Mater Phy},
	abstract = {Cerebral blood flow (CBF) can be estimated non-invasively with arterial spin labeling (ASL). Multi-post-labeling-delay (PLD) pseudo-continuous ASL (PCASL) allows for accurate CBF estimation by sampling the dynamic perfusion signal at different PLDs and fitting a model to the perfusion data. Unfortunately, ASL difference images have a low SNR. Therefore, CBF estimation in multi-PLD PCASL is imprecise, unless a large number of images is acquired (long scan time) or spatial resolution is lowered significantly. It has been shown that model-based super-resolution reconstruction (SRR) techniques can improve the trade-off between SNR, spatial resolution and acquisition time. The results presented in this work show the promising potential of SRR ASL to outperform conventional ASL readout schemes in terms of achievable precision of HR perfusion measurements in a given acquisition time.},
	doi = {10.1007/s10334-017-0634-z},
	author = {Piet Bladt and Quinten Beirinckx and Gwendolyn Van Steenkiste and Ben Jeurissen and Eric Achten and Arnold Jan den Dekker and Jan Sijbers}
}
@article {1892,
	title = {EPR and DFT analysis of biologically relevant chromium(V) complexes with d-glucitol and d-glucose},
	journal = {Journal of Inorganic Biochemistry},
	volume = {162},
	year = {2016},
	pages = {216 - 226},
	keywords = {1, 2-diolato ligands, DFT, ENDOR, EPR, HYSCORE, Oxidochromium(V)},
	issn = {0162-0134},
	doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jinorgbio.2016.07.012},
	url = {http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0162013416302136},
	author = {Sabine Van Doorslaer and Quinten Beirinckx and Kevin Nys and Mar{\'\i}a Florencia Mangiameli and Bert Cuypers and Freddy Callens and Henk Vrielinck and Juan Carlos Gonz{\'a}lez}
}
