Meeting Banner
Abstract #0888

Contrast-Enhanced Magnetization Transfer MRI at 9.4 T: Myelin Mapping in the Central Nervous System of Living Mice

Takashi Watanabe1, Jens Frahm1, Thomas Michaelis1

1Biomedizinische NMR Forschungs GmbH am Max-Planck-Institut fr biophysikalische Chemie, Gttingen, Germany

This work demonstrates the use of MnCl2 and Gd-DTPA to improve the white/gray matter contrast in magnetization-transfer MRI (3D FLASH) of the brain and spinal cord of living mice at 9.4 T. A systemic Mn2+ administration followed by an intraventricular Gd-DTPA administration increased the white/gray matter CNR by 136%. At 60 μm isotropic resolution, myelinated fibers and layers were delineated with the contrast agents, even within the gray matter. The contrast enhancement can be explained by its lower/higher concentration of the contrast agents in the white/gray matter, with the extracellular space in the white/gray matter estimated to be 15%/27%, respectively.

Keywords

achieved acknowledgment acquisition administration agents allows amplitude anesthesia animal application approximation aqueous array arrowheads arrows assumption asterisks authors black body bottom brain capsule central cerebellar cervical channel clearly coil coils column combined compartments competes concentration concentrations considerably contains content contrast cord coronal corpus cortex days delineated delineation determined duration enhanced enhancement equilibration estimation evaluation examine exchange experimental exploiting extending extracellular fast fibers five fixation fluid formation frequencies frequency gain gradient granular gray head highly histological horizontal improve improved improvement improves in vivo incorporated index injection injections irradiation isotropic kilohertz known layer lipid lipids longitudinal magnet magnetization mapping measuring medial mice middle minor molecular mouse nervous occurs offset physiological preferentially protons proven quadrature radio received recovery reduced reliable reproducible resolution resonant respectively rich rows saturation section sections selected shortening shorter solution space spaces spatial spin spinal stained structures sufficient surface system thalamus thank tissue tract transfer useful validation water weeks whether white wide wish