JMRI Letter from the Editor: September 2026

I was never a big fan of grunge. Among other things, I found the group names incongruous. “Nirvana” means the opposite of their music’s tone. “Pearl Jam” seemed created to be a contrarian name as well. “Mudhoney” struck me as a more aptly descriptive name. But “Alice in Chains” outdid them all. Taken literally, this group of words was nearly meaningless. Taken together, this syntactic string hit just the right mix of poetry and threat.

Alice In Chains was known for their dirge-like music. Every great group has one nearly perfect album. For Alice in Chains, it was an EP, entitled Jar of Flies. The title comes from the group’s third grade school experiment where they had two jars of flies, one of which they overfed, and one of which they underfed. The result of the experiment was that the underfed flies survived longer than the overfed ones.

Quite apropos to the above, is the number of studies JMRI receives related to excess calories, including hepatic fat fraction, pancreatic fat deposition, pediatric fat distribution, brown fat, as well as epicardial fat. Relatedly, the current understanding of the pathophysiology of adult-onset diabetes, rests on the theory that intramuscular fat plays a causative role in insulin resistance.

The other disease of our time is drug abuse, and addiction-woefully understudied- in terms of imaging. Every month I expect some excellent papers about drug overuse, and they rarely come. Probably, JMRI merely manifests the paucity of imaging science related to this disease, relative to its societal import. This is a notable research gap.

On the eighth anniversary of the suicide of Kurt Coban- leader of Nirvana- Layne Staley the singer of Alice in Chains, a group known for funeral melodies, died at the age of 34. He passed, with a syringe full of heroin in his hand. At the time of his death, this six foot one inch gentleman weighed only 86 pounds. Perhaps, Alice in Chain’s grade school investigation, like many others, did not work in real life. This creator of a sonic masterpiece entitled after a science experiment, in death, showed that sometimes scientific theory fails in the clinic.

Mark E. Schweitzer, MD

—

Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Volume 64, Issue 3

Pages: spcone, 585-870

September 2026

Cover Image

Free Access

Cerebral Blood Transit in Sickle Cell Anemia

Wesley T. Richerson, Megan A. Aumann, Alexander K. Song, Samantha Davis, Lauren Milner, Maria Garza, Dann Martin, L. Taylor Davis, Sumit Pruthi, Lori C. Jordan, Manus J. Donahue

Page: spcone | First Published: 12 August 2026

Group-level blood inflow and perfusion maps for age- and sex-matched nonanemic controls (n = 24) and patients with sickle cell anemia (n = 40). (A) One proximal slice (2 mm Montreal Neurological Institute, MNI, slice 54) and (B) one more distal slice (MNI slice 76) are shown to highlight regions with substantial arterial, gray matter, and dural sinus contributions. Magnifications of the early arterial flow signal indicated by white arrows (C), intermediate gray matter cerebral blood flow signal indicated by white arrows (D), and late sinus filling signal in sickle cell participants and absence of late sinus filling in control participants indicated by the white arrows (E) are shown below. Maps demonstrate evidence of earlier blood arrival times across components, as well as elevated blood volume and cerebral blood flow contributions in sickle cell anemia. By Richerson et al. (738–750).

Issue Information

Free Access

Issue Information

Pages: 585-590 | First Published: 12 August 2026

Review

Open Access

Systematic Review of AI‐Driven Applications for Screening Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Using MRI

Lun M. Wong, Ho Sang Leung, Zuyao Yang, Yip Man Tsang, Yuet Ting Chan, Tiffany Y. So, Ann D. King, Qi Yong H. Ai

Pages: 593-615 | First Published: 26 July 2026

Research Article

Pelvis

Open Access

Optimal Selection of the Effective Echo Time (TEeff ) for T2‐Weighted Fast‐Spin‐Echo MRI of the Prostate at 3.0 T: Effect on Lesion Conspicuity

Dahan Kim, Ronard Pabi, Eric A. Borisch, Adam T. Froemming, Roger C. Grimm, Sara Hassanzadeh, Akira Kawashima, Ayumu Kido, Naoki Takahashi, John V. Thomas, Stephen J. Riederer

Pages: 616-628 | First Published: 23 April 2026

MRI Habitat Analysis for Preoperative Prediction of Perineural Invasion and Prognostic Stratification in Rectal Cancer

Weiqun Ao, Yijiang Huang, Sikai Wu, Wei Wang, Guoqun Mao, Jingfeng Ding, Shuitang Deng

Pages: 629-641 | First Published: 15 May 2026

Editorial

Editorial for “MRI Habitat Analysis for Preoperative Prediction of Perineural Invasion and Prognostic Stratification in Rectal Cancer”

Yulian Mytsyk, Yuriy Kobilnyk, Olena Kucheruk

Pages: 642-643 | First Published: 15 May 2026

Research Article

Chest

Open Access

Comparison of Retrospective Motion Compensation Techniques for Pulmonary Dynamic Ultrashort Time to Echo MRI in Suspected Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis

Abhilash S. Kizhakke Puliyakote, Luis A. Torres, Aiah AlAtoum, Natally AlArab, Kevin M. Johnson, Rodrigo M. Bello, Bryan O’Sullivan-Murphy, Joseph G. Mammarappallil, Andrew D. Hahn, Sean B. Fain

Pages: 644-654 | First Published: 23 May 2026

Open Access

Characterization of Pulmonary Functional Abnormalities in Systemic Sclerosis Using Xenon MRI

Dawson Shaver, Steven Haworth, Evan Graumann, Bradie Frizzell, David H. Lee, Jiwoong Choi, Chase S. Hall, Scott M. Matson, Mark Hamblin, Mario Castro, Paul S. Schmidt, Peter J. Niedbalski

Pages: 655-666 | First Published: 06 May 2026

Editorial

Editorial for “Characterization of Pulmonary Functional Abnormalities in Systemic Sclerosis Using Xenon MRI”

Arnd J. Obert

Pages: 667-668 | First Published: 09 May 2026

Research Article

Chest

Open Access

Longitudinal 1H and 129Xe Lung MRI in Patients With Post‐COVID Residual Lung Abnormalities

Laura C. Saunders, Guilhem J. Collier, Laurie J. Smith, Ho-Fung Chan, Paul J. C. Hughes, Scarlett Strickland, Lotta Gustafsson, Thomas Newman, Megan Plowright, Zoë Gabriel, Lily M. Pearce, James T. Grist, Kher Lik Ng, Arthur Harrison, Charlotte E. Bolton, Jody Bray, Helen Marshall, Graham Norquay, Alberto M. Biancardi, Jimmy E. Ball, Neil J. Stewart, Kevin M. Johnson, Andrew J. Swift, Smitha Rajaram, John Blaikley, Stefan Stanel, Paul J. Collini, Gary H. Mills, Rod Lawson, Jonathan Brooke, Amanda T. Goodwin, Iain D. Stewart, Ling-Pei Ho, Joseph Jacob, Thomas Meersmann, Galina E. Pavlovskaya, Fergus Gleeson, Ian P. Hall, Gisli Jenkins, Jim M. Wild, A. A. Roger Thompson, on behalf of the UK-ILD consortium

Pages: 669-682 | First Published: 28 May 2026

Editorial

Editorial for “Longitudinal 1H and 129Xe Lung MRI in Patients With Post‐COVID Residual Lung Abnormalities.”

Gael Dournes

Pages: 683-684 | First Published: 17 June 2026

Research Article

Musculoskeletal

Open Access

MR Imaging‐Based Biomarkers for Strength Prediction: A Statistical Shape and Architecture Modeling of Quadriceps Muscles

Salim Bin Ghouth, Ozkan Cigdem, Valentina Mazzoli

Pages: 685-698 | First Published: 11 June 2026

Editorial

Editorial for “MR Imaging‐Based Biomarkers for Strength Prediction: A Statistical Shape and Architecture Modeling of Quadriceps Muscles”

Yuki Arita, Scott Rodeo, Ek Tsoon Tan

Pages: 699-701 | First Published: 19 June 2026

Research Article

Abdomen

Open Access

Comparison Between Respiratory‐Triggered and Free‐Breathing Signal Acquisition Methods for Single‐Voxel Phosphorus Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy of the Liver on a Clinical System

Kumi Ozaki, Jihun Kwon, Marc Van Cauteren, Yasutomo Katsumata, Yukichi Tanahashi, Satoshi Goshima

Pages: 702-711 | First Published: 02 May 2026

Open Access

A Study on Predicting Split Renal Function Using Renal Blood Flow Weighted Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate From Arterial Spin Labeling MRI

Zhiyong Lin, Yuxi Li, Rui Wang, Wei Li, Jinxia Zhu, Bernd Kuehn, Jianxing Qiu, Jianping Li

Pages: 712-721 | First Published: 21 May 2026

The Use of Non‐Contrast Abbreviated MRI for the Detection of Recurrent Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Postoperative Surveillance

Jianwei Chen, Yuemin Zhu, Dechun Zheng, Liting Wen, Juyi Wu, Qiuyuan Yue, Zhuting Fang

Pages: 722-735 | First Published: 29 May 2026

Editorial

Editorial for “The Use of Non‐Contrast Abbreviated MRI for the Detection of Recurrent Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Postoperative Surveillance”

Aysegul Sagir Kahraman, Bayram Kahraman

Pages: 736-737 | First Published: 05 June 2026

Research Article

Neuro

Open Access

Cerebral Blood Transit in Sickle Cell Anemia

Wesley T. Richerson, Megan A. Aumann, Alexander K. Song, Samantha Davis, Lauren Milner, Maria Garza, Dann Martin, L. Taylor Davis, Sumit Pruthi, Lori C. Jordan, Manus J. Donahue

Pages: 738-750 | First Published: 28 May 2026

Open Access

Effects of Acute Aerobic Exercise and Task Repetition on the Neural Correlates of Executive Function in Young and Older Adults: A Crossover fMRI Study

Ryota Asahara, Marina Fukuie, Daisuke Hoshi, Junyeon Won, Rong Zhang, Jun Sugawara, Takashi Tarumi

Pages: 751-764 | First Published: 10 June 2026

Editorial

Editorial for “Effects of Acute Aerobic Exercise and Task Repetition on the Neural Correlates of Executive Function in Young and Older Adults: A Crossover fMRI Study”

Fabian Herold, Sylwester Kujach, Thomas Gronwald

Pages: 765-767 | First Published: 16 June 2026

Research Article

Neuro

Relationship Between Dp140 Genotype and Cortical Similarity Network Phenotype in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy: Preliminary T1 Weighted Study

Suming Zhang, Xiaoyu Niu, Qing Hu, Xun Wang, Ke Xu, Hang Fu, Xinyuan Zhang, Ziqi Zhou, Yu Song, Ying Ren, Yisheng Chen, Ruzhi Zhang, Yuchen Liu, Jiaojian Wang, Xiaotang Cai, Huayan Xu, Qing Wu, Yingkun Guo

Pages: 768-784 | First Published: 13 May 2026

Editorial

Editorial for “Relationship Between Dp140 Genotype and Cortical Similarity Network Phenotype in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy: Preliminary T1 Weighted Study”

Sam Geuens

Pages: 785-786 | First Published: 13 May 2026

Research Article

Neuro

Infant Brain Age Estimation With T1w/T2w Ratio MRI: A Myelination‐Aware Deep Learning Approach

Hyeryn Park, Young Hun Choi, Sung-Min Gho

Pages: 787-801 | First Published: 05 June 2026

Editorial

Editorial for “Infant Brain Age Estimation With T1w/T2w Ratio MRI: A Myelination‐Aware Deep Learning Approach”

Bruno P. Soares, Seena Dehkharghani

Pages: 802-803 | First Published: 19 June 2026

Research Article

Neuro

A Data‐Driven Normalization Framework for Subject‐Specific Cerebrovascular Reactivity Assessment in Cerebrovascular Disease

Yihui Zhu, Siddhant Dogra, Xiuyuan Wang, Jonathan R. Polimeni, Seena Dehkharghani

Pages: 804-812 | First Published: 03 June 2026

Editorial

Editorial for “A Data‐Driven Normalization Framework for Subject‐Specific Cerebrovascular Reactivity Assessment in Cerebrovascular Disease”

Haitao Wang, Jingya Lu

Pages: 813-814 | First Published: 20 June 2026

Research Article

Technical

Open Access

MRI Diffusion Tensor Image Analysis Along the Perivascular Space: Effects of Mean Tract Orientation Divergence

Dávid Bognár, Gergely Orsi, Csirmaz Benedek, Szilvia A. Nagy, Gergely Darnai, Barnabás Dudás, Ákos Arató, Norbert Kovács, József Janszky, Gábor Perlaki

Pages: 815-829 | First Published: 12 May 2026

Editorial

Editorial for “MRI Diffusion Tensor Image Analysis Along the Perivascular Space: Effects of Mean Tract Orientation Divergence”

Rei Nakamichi, Toshiaki Taoka, Shinji Naganawa

Pages: 830-831 | First Published: 12 May 2026

Research Article

Cardiac

Free‐Breathing Dynamic, Regularized, Adaptive Cluster Optimization (DRACO) Cine Cardiac MRI in Atrial Fibrillation

Zhengyang Ming, Arutyun Pogosyan, Xinyu Dong, J. Paul Finn, Dan Ruan, Anthony G. Christodoulou, Kim-Lien Nguyen

Pages: 832-844 | First Published: 15 June 2026

Editorial

Editorial for “Free‐Breathing Dynamic, Regularized, Adaptive Cluster Optimization (DRACO) Cine Cardiac MRI in Atrial Fibrillation”

Hazel D. Sarah Rovno

Pages: 845-846 | First Published: 20 June 2026

Research Article

Cardiac

Prognostic Value of MRI‐Based Left Ventricular Trabecular Complexity for Sudden Cardiac Death in Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

Jinquan Zhang, Mengdi Yu, Lutong Pu, Runhao Xu, Yangjie Li, Jiajun Guo, Yuanwei Xu, Ke Wan, Yuchi Han, Jie Wang, Yucheng Chen

Pages: 847-859 | First Published: 11 June 2026

Editorial

Editorial for “Prognostic Value of MRI‐Based Left Ventricular Trabecular Complexity for Sudden Cardiac Death in Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy”

Wei-Hui Xie, Ruo-Yang Shi

Pages: 860-861 | First Published: 16 June 2026

Commentary

Right Heart Strain in Acute Myocardial Infarction: Toward an Integrated Atrioventricular Perspective

Liya Dai, Chenying Lu

Pages: 862-863 | First Published: 08 May 2026

Letter to the Editor

Cardio‐Thoracic Ratio for Detecting Left Ventricular Hypertrophy on Abdominal MRI in ADPKD

Mengjun Shen, Qing Xiong, Yin Wang, Jon D. Blumenfeld, Chenglin Zhu, Zhongxiu Hu, Vahid Bazojoo, Arman Sharbatdaran, Emoke Csernus, Martin R. Prince

Pages: 864-866 | First Published: 09 May 2026

Pulmonary Flow Distribution in Patients Following Hemi‐Mustard and Bidirectional Glenn Using Quantitative 4D Flow Particle Tracking

Joost van Schuppen, I. M. Kuipers, M. G. Hazekamp, A. E. van der Hulst, N. A. Blom, R. L. F. van der Palen, M. Groenink, R. N. Planken, P. van Ooij, E. M. Schrauben

Pages: 867-870 | First Published: 20 June 2026