Back to Search
Start Over
High-resolution in vivo imaging of human locus coeruleus by Magnetization Transfer MRI at 3T and 7T
- Source :
- Neuroimage, 168, 427-436. Elsevier Science
- Publication Year :
- 2018
-
Abstract
- Locus Coeruleus (LC) is a neuromelanin-rich brainstem structure that is the source of noradrenaline in the cortex and is thought to modulate attention and memory. LC imaging in vivo is commonly performed with a 2D T 1-weighted Turbo Spin Echo (TSE) MRI sequence, an approach that suffers from several drawbacks at 3T, including long acquisition times and highly anisotropic spatial resolution. In this study, we developed a high-resolution Magnetization Transfer (MT) sequence for LC imaging at both 7T and 3T and compared its performance to a TSE sequence. Results indicate that LC imaging can be achieved with an MT sequence at both 7 and 3T at higher spatial resolution than the 3T TSE. Furthermore, we investigated whether the currently disputed source of contrast in the LC region with a TSE sequence relates to MT effects or shortened T 1 and T 2* due to increased iron concentration. Our results suggest that the contrast in the LC area relates to MT effects. To conclude, in this study we managed to image the LC, for the first time, at 7T and at an increased resolution compared to the current state-of-the-art. Imaging the LC is highly relevant for clinical diagnostics as structural tissue properties of the LC may hold promise as a biomarker in neurodegenerative diseases.
- Subjects :
- Male
Locus Coeruleus/anatomy & histology
7T
NEURONAL VULNERABILITY
Image Processing
030218 nuclear medicine & medical imaging
3T
Magnetic Resonance Imaging/methods
Norepinephrine
0302 clinical medicine
Nuclear magnetic resonance
PARKINSONS-DISEASE
Image Processing, Computer-Assisted
Locus coeruleus
Computer-Assisted/methods
Neuroimaging/methods
SUBSTANTIA-NIGRA
medicine.diagnostic_test
Chemistry
IRON
Human brain
NORADRENERGIC SYSTEM
HUMAN BRAIN
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
ALZHEIMERS-DISEASE
medicine.anatomical_structure
TRANSFER RATIO
Neurology
Female
Brainstem
Preclinical imaging
MRI
Adult
Image Processing, Computer-Assisted/methods
Cognitive Neuroscience
Neuroimaging
Neuromelanin
03 medical and health sciences
Young Adult
In vivo
medicine
Humans
Magnetization transfer
Magnetic resonance imaging
CERULEUS
Neuroscience
030217 neurology & neurosurgery
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 10538119
- Volume :
- 168
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Neuroimage
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....a9a7183c7633edc418a706c6db7ebf59