7 Tesla Magnetic Resonance Imaging to Detect Cortical Pathology in Multiple Sclerosis

Background

Neocortical lesions (NLs) are an important pathological component of multiple sclerosis (MS), but their visualization by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) remains challenging.

Objectives

We aimed at assessing the sensitivity of multi echo gradient echo (ME-GRE) T₂ ^*-weighted MRI at 7.0 Tesla in depicting NLs compared to myelin and iron staining.

Methods

Samples from two MS patients were imaged post mortem using a whole body 7T MRI scanner with a 24-channel receive-only array. Isotropic 200 micron resolution images with varying T₂ ^* weighting were reconstructed from the ME-GRE data and converted into R₂ ^* maps. Immunohistochemical staining for myelin (proteolipid protein, PLP) and diaminobenzidine-enhanced Turnbull blue staining for iron were performed.

Results

Prospective and retrospective sensitivities of MRI for the detection of NLs were 48% and 67% respectively. We observed MRI maps detecting only a small portion of 20 subpial NLs extending over large cortical areas on PLP stainings. No MRI signal changes suggestive of iron accumulation in NLs were observed. Conversely, R₂ ^* maps indicated iron loss in NLs, which was confirmed by histological quantification.

Conclusions

High-resolution post mortem imaging using R₂ ^* and magnitude maps permits detection of focal NLs. However, disclosing extensive subpial demyelination with MRI remains challenging.     

Gray matter imaging in multiple sclerosis: what have we learned?

At the early onset of the 20^th century, several studies already reported that the gray matter was implicated in the histopathology of multiple sclerosis (MS). However, as white matter pathology long received predominant attention in this disease, and histological staining techniques for detecting myelin in the gray matter were suboptimal, it was not until the beginning of the 21^st century that the true extent and importance of gray matter pathology in MS was finally recognized. Gray matter damage was shown to be frequent and extensive, and more pronounced in the progressive disease phases. Several studies subsequently demonstrated that the histopathology of gray matter lesions differs from that of white matter lesions. Unfortunately, imaging of pathology in gray matter structures proved to be difficult, especially when using conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques. However, with the recent introduction of several more advanced MRI techniques, the detection of cortical and subcortical damage in MS has considerably improved. This has important consequences for studying the clinical correlates of gray matter damage. In this review, we provide an overview of what has been learned about imaging of gray matter damage in MS, and offer a brief perspective with regards to future developments in this field.     

Magnetic Resonance Evaluation of Multiple Myeloma at 3.0 Tesla: How Do Bone Marrow Plasma Cell Percentage and Selection of Protocols Affect Lesion Conspicuity?

Purpose

To compare various pulse sequences in terms of percent contrast and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) for detection of focal multiple myeloma lesions and to assess the dependence of lesion conspicuity on the bone marrow plasma cell percent (BMPC%).

Materials and Methods

Sagittal T₁-weighted FSE, fat-suppressed T₂-weighted FSE (FS- T₂ FSE), fast STIR and iterative decomposition of water and fat with echo asymmetry and least-squares estimation (IDEAL) imaging of the lumbar spine were performed (n = 45). Bone marrow (BM)-focal myeloma lesion percent contrast and CNR were calculated. Spearman rank correlation coefficients were obtained between percent contrast, CNR and BMPC%. Percent contrasts and CNRs were compared among the three imaging sequences.

Results

BM-focal lesion percent contrasts, CNRs and BMPC% showed significant negative correlations in the three fat-suppression techniques. Percent contrast and CNRs were significantly higher for FS- T2 FSE than for STIR (P<0.01, P<0.05, respectively), but no significant differences were found among the three fat-suppression methods in the low tumor load BM group.

Conclusion

The higher BMPC% was within BM, the less conspicuous the focal lesion was on fat-suppressed MRI. The most effective protocol for detecting focal lesions was FS- T₂ FSE. In the high tumor load BM group, no significant differences in lesion conspicuity were identified among the three fat-suppression techniques.     

Kinetics of MRI Contrast Agents with a Size Ranging Between Gd-DTPA and Albumin-Gd-Dtpa Use of CASCADE-Gd-DTPA-24 Polymer

A unified kinetic theory describing the dynamic properties of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents with a size ranging between that of Gd-DTPA and albumin-(Gd-DTPA)₃₀ was developed and tested in disease models of cancer and myocardial reperfusion injury. Specifically, a two-compartment kinetic model was solved analytically, and a range of special cases of the model was studied. MRI was performed with strongly T₁-weighted sequences before and dynamically after administration of albumin-(Gd-DTPA)₃₀, a prototype macromolecular contrast medium (MMCM) designed for blood-pool enhancement; a new MMCM: Gd-DTPA-cascade polymer (Schering AG, Berlin, Germany, MW < 30 kDa); or Gd-DTPA, representing small paramagnetic extracellular agents. The greatest dynamic range of contrast-agent sensitivity to disease was found for albumin-(Gd-DTPA)₃₀.     

Biofunctionalized Prussian Blue Nanoparticles for Multimodal Molecular Imaging Applications

Multimodal, molecular imaging allows the visualization of biological processes at cellular, subcellular, and molecular-level resolutions using multiple, complementary imaging techniques. These imaging agents facilitate the real-time assessment of pathways and mechanisms in vivo, which enhance both diagnostic and therapeutic efficacy. This article presents the protocol for the synthesis of biofunctionalized Prussian blue nanoparticles (PB NPs) - a novel class of agents for use in multimodal, molecular imaging applications. The imaging modalities incorporated in the nanoparticles, fluorescence imaging and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), have complementary features. The PB NPs possess a core-shell design where gadolinium and manganese ions incorporated within the interstitial spaces of the PB lattice generate MRI contrast, both in T₁ and T₂-weighted sequences. The PB NPs are coated with fluorescent avidin using electrostatic self-assembly, which enables fluorescence imaging. The avidin-coated nanoparticles are modified with biotinylated ligands that confer molecular targeting capabilities to the nanoparticles. The stability and toxicity of the nanoparticles are measured, as well as their MRI relaxivities. The multimodal, molecular imaging capabilities of these biofunctionalized PB NPs are then demonstrated by using them for fluorescence imaging and molecular MRI in vitro.     

Ultrasound Imaging-guided Intracardiac Injection to Develop a Mouse Model of Breast Cancer Brain Metastases Followed by Longitudinal MRI

Breast cancer brain metastasis, occurring in 30% of breast cancer patients at stage IV, is associated with high mortality. The median survival is only 6 months. It is critical to have suitable animal models to mimic the hemodynamic spread of the metastatic cells in the clinical scenario. Here, we are introducing the use of small animal ultrasound imaging to guide an accurate injection of brain tropical breast cancer cells into the left ventricle of athymic nude mice. Longitudinal MRI is used to assessing intracranial initiation and growth of brain metastases. Ultrasound-guided intracardiac injection ensures not only an accurate injection and hereby a higher successful rate but also significantly decreased mortality rate, as compared to our previous manual procedure. In vivo high resolution MRI allows the visualization of hyperintense multifocal lesions, as small as 310 µm in diameter on T₂-weighted images at 3 weeks post injection. Follow-up MRI reveals intracranial tumor growth and increased number of metastases that distribute throughout the whole brain.     

Comparative studies with EPR and MRI on the in vivo tissue redox status estimation using redox-sensitive nitroxyl probes: influence of the choice of the region of interest

In vivo decay rates of a nitroxyl contrast agent were estimated by a MR redox imaging (MRRI) technique and compared with the decay rates obtained by the electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy (EPRS) and imaging (EPRI). MRRI is a dynamic imaging technique employing T₁-weighted pulse sequence, which can visualise a nitroxyl-induced enhancement of signal intensity by T₁-weighted contrast. EPR techniques can directly measure the paramagnetic nitroxyl radical. Both the squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) tumour-bearing and normal legs of a female C3H mouse were scanned by T₁-weighted SPGR sequence at 4.7 T with the nitroxyl radical, carbamoyl-proxyl (CmP), as the contrast agent. Similarly, the time course of CmP in normal muscle and tumour tissues was obtained using a 700-MHz EPR spectrometer with a surface coil. The time course imaging of CmP was also performed by 300?MHz CW EPR imager. EPRS and EPRI gave slower decay rates of CmP compared to the MRRI. Relatively slow decay rate at peripheral region of the tumour tissues, which was found in the image obtained by MRRI, may contribute to the slower decay rates observed by EPRS and/or the EPRI measurements. To reliably determine the tissue redox status from the reduction rates of nitroxyls such as CmP, heterogenic structure in the tumour tissue must be considered. The high spatial and temporal resolution of T₁-weighted MRI and the T₁-enhancing capabilities of nitroxyls support the use of this method to map tissue redox status which can be a useful biomarker to guide appropriate treatments based on the tumour microenvironment.     

A review of technical aspects of T1-weighted dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) in human brain tumors

In the last few years, several imaging methods, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography, have been used to investigate the degree of blood–brain barrier (BBB) permeability in patients with neurological diseases including multiple sclerosis, ischemic stroke, and brain tumors. One promising MRI method for assessing the BBB permeability of patients with neurological diseases in vivo is T₁-weighted dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE)-MRI. Here we review the technical issues involved in DCE-MRI in the study of human brain tumors. In the first part of this paper, theoretical models for the DCE-MRI analysis will be described, including the Toft–Kety models, the adiabatic approximation to the tissue homogeneity model and the two-compartment exchange model. These models can be used to estimate important kinetic parameters related to BBB permeability. In the second part of this paper, details of the data acquisition, issues related to the arterial input function, and procedures for DCE-MRI image analysis are illustrated.     

Differentiation of Breast Cancer from Fibroadenoma with Dual-Echo Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced MRI

Dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE MRI) of the breast is a routinely used imaging method which is highly sensitive for detecting breast malignancy. Specificity, though, remains suboptimal. Dynamic susceptibility contrast magnetic resonance imaging (DSC MRI), an alternative dynamic contrast imaging technique, evaluates perfusion-related parameters unique from DCE MRI. Previous work has shown that the combination of DSC MRI with DCE MRI can improve diagnostic specificity, though an additional administration of intravenous contrast is required. Dual-echo MRI can measure both T₁W DCE MRI and T₂*W DSC MRI parameters with a single contrast bolus, but has not been previously implemented in breast imaging. We have developed a dual-echo gradient-echo sequence to perform such simultaneous measurements in the breast, and use it to calculate the semi-quantitative T₁W and T₂*W related parameters such as peak enhancement ratio, time of maximal enhancement, regional blood flow, and regional blood volume in 20 malignant lesions and 10 benign fibroadenomas in 38 patients. Imaging parameters were compared to surgical or biopsy obtained tissue samples. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and area under the ROC curves were calculated for each parameter and combination of parameters. The time of maximal enhancement derived from DCE MRI had a 90% sensitivity and 69% specificity for predicting malignancy. When combined with DSC MRI derived regional blood flow and volume parameters, sensitivity remained unchanged at 90% but specificity increased to 80%. In conclusion, we show that dual-echo MRI with a single administration of contrast agent can simultaneously measure both T₁W and T₂*W related perfusion and kinetic parameters in the breast and the combination of DCE MRI and DSC MRI parameters improves the diagnostic performance of breast MRI to differentiate breast cancer from benign fibroadenomas.     

巨噬细胞膜仿生纳米铁颗粒制备及多形性胶质母细胞瘤MRI成像的初步实验研究

摘要 目的：探讨巨噬细胞膜仿生的纳米铁颗粒（Fe3O4 NCs@MM）对多形性胶质母细胞瘤MRI成像的研究。方法：制备巨噬细胞膜仿生的纳米铁颗粒Fe₃O₄ NCs@MM,利用动态光散射（Dynamic Light Scattering,DLS）和透射电子显微镜（Transmission Electron Microscope,TEM）对其水合动力学粒径、表面电势和形态进行表征。采用SDS-聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳（sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis,SDS-PAGE）评价巨噬细胞膜的完整包覆;紫外可见光谱测定巨噬细胞膜仿生的纳米铁颗粒抗蛋白吸附能力。通过MRI成像系统,分析了含不同浓度的Fe元素（0.1-1.6 mM）的Fe₃O₄ NCs@MM在GSH存在或不存在时的T₁弛豫效应。采用细胞增殖-毒性实验（Cell Counting Kit-8,CCK-8）,测定巨噬细胞膜仿生纳米铁颗粒处理肿瘤细胞24 h后的细胞活性。尾静脉注射巨噬细胞膜仿生纳米铁颗粒至原位胶质母细胞瘤模型中,观察成像效果。结果：巨噬细胞膜仿生的纳米铁颗粒Fe₃O₄ NCs@MM的水合动力学粒径和表面电势分别为 286.5±7.6 nm和-20.7±3.5 mV,且在水溶液中分布均匀,具有较好的单分散性。包覆巨噬细胞膜的纳米铁颗粒具备抗蛋白吸附的能力。MRI成像显示,制备的巨噬细胞膜仿生的纳米铁颗粒Fe₃O₄ NCs@MM为GSH响应型MRI对比剂,具有较好的T₁-加权磁共振成像效果,在尾静脉注射巨噬细胞膜的纳米铁颗粒0.5 h后,肿瘤部位的信号可见增强。结论：巨噬细胞膜仿生的纳米铁颗粒Fe₃O₄ NCs@MM可实现多形性胶质母细胞瘤的MRI成像。     

MRI can reveal metabolic changes in lily bulbs in vivo during dormancy release

The factors influencing dormancy release in lily bulbs strongly affect commercialization success, but the mechanism of dormancy release is still unclear. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can detect changes in morphology and water status in a living plant bulb and aid in investigating release factors. To evaluate whether MRI could be used to detect intra-bulb metabolic changes during the dormant period in Oriental Lilies (Lilium ??Sorbonne??), a series of MRI and sugar concentration measurements were performed weekly on bulbs stored for 11 weeks at 4°C. The image quality of intra-bulb structure obtained using T ₁-weighted imaging was superior to that obtained using T ₂-weighted imaging and had a higher signal-to-noise ratio (0.97±0.01). Magnetization transfer ratio values for the bud and basal plate declined during the first eight weeks of cold storage (P>0.05), and were well correlated with concentration of soluble sugar in the bud (R ²=0.95) and basal plate (R ²=0.93). Thus, MRI can serve as a valuable tool for observation and analysis of dynamic morphological and metabolic changes in vivo during dormancy release. This information is potentially useful as a guide in the improvement of horticultural product quality.     

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of water during cold acclimation and freezing in winter wheat

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were used to analyse changes in the physical state of water in wheat crowns during cold acclimation and during the freezing/thawing cycle. Spectroscopically measured average spin-spin relaxation times (T₂) decreased during cold acclimation and increased when plants were grown at normal temperature. Spin-spin relaxation images whose contrast is proportional to T₂, times were calculated allowing association of water relaxation with regions of tissue in spin-echo images during acclimation and freezing. Images taken during freezing revealed nonuniform freezing of tissue in crowns and roots. Acclimated and non-acclimated wheat crowns were imaged during freezing and after thawing. Spin-echo image signal intensity and T₂ times decreased dramatically between -4°C and -8°C as a result of a decrease in water mobility during freezing. Images collected during thawing were diffuse with less structure and relaxation times were longer, consistent with water redistribution in tissue after membrane damage.     

Site-specific radical formation in DNA induced by Cu(II)-H₂O₂ oxidizing system, using ESR, immuno-spin trapping, LC-MS, and MS/MS

Oxidative stress-related damage to the DNA macromolecule produces a multitude of lesions that are implicated in mutagenesis, carcinogenesis, reproductive cell death, and aging. Many of these lesions have been studied and characterized by various techniques. Of the techniques that are available, the comet assay, HPLC-EC, GC-MS, HPLC-MS, and especially HPLC-MS/MS remain the most widely used and have provided invaluable information on these lesions. However, accurate measurement of DNA damage has been a matter of debate. In particular, there have been reports of artifactual oxidation leading to erroneously high damage estimates. Further, most of these techniques measure the end product of a sequence of events and thus provide only limited information on the initial radical mechanism. We report here a qualitative measurement of DNA damage induced by a Cu(II)–H₂O₂ oxidizing system using immuno-spin trapping (IST) with electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), MS, and MS/MS. The radical generated is trapped by DMPO immediately upon formation. The DMPO adduct formed is initially EPR active but subsequently is oxidized to the stable nitrone, which can then be detected by IST and further characterized by MS and MS/MS.     

High Dynamic Range Processing for Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Purpose

To minimize feature loss in T₁- and T₂-weighted MRI by merging multiple MR images acquired at different T_R and T_E to generate an image with increased dynamic range.

Materials and Methods

High Dynamic Range (HDR) processing techniques from the field of photography were applied to a series of acquired MR images. Specifically, a method to parameterize the algorithm for MRI data was developed and tested. T₁- and T₂-weighted images of a number of contrast agent phantoms and a live mouse were acquired with varying T_R and T_E parameters. The images were computationally merged to produce HDR-MR images. All acquisitions were performed on a 7.05 T Bruker PharmaScan with a multi-echo spin echo pulse sequence.

Results

HDR-MRI delineated bright and dark features that were either saturated or indistinguishable from background in standard T₁- and T₂-weighted MRI. The increased dynamic range preserved intensity gradation over a larger range of T₁ and T₂ in phantoms and revealed more anatomical features in vivo.

Conclusions

We have developed and tested a method to apply HDR processing to MR images. The increased dynamic range of HDR-MR images as compared to standard T₁- and T₂-weighted images minimizes feature loss caused by magnetization recovery or low SNR.     

Longitudinal MRI Evaluation of Intracranial Development and Vascular Characteristics of Breast Cancer Brain Metastases in a Mouse Model

Longitudinal MRI was applied to monitor intracranial initiation and development of brain metastases and assess tumor vascular volume and permeability in a mouse model of breast cancer brain metastases. Using a 9.4T system, high resolution anatomic MRI and dynamic susceptibility contrast (DSC) perfusion MRI were acquired at different time points after an intracardiac injection of brain-tropic breast cancer MDA-MB231BR-EGFP cells. Three weeks post injection, multifocal brain metastases were first observed with hyperintensity on T₂-weighted images, but isointensity on T₁-weighted post contrast images, indicating that blood-tumor-barrier (BTB) at early stage of brain metastases was impermeable. Follow-up MRI revealed intracranial tumor growth and increased number of metastases that distributed throughout the whole brain. At the last scan on week 5, T₁-weighted post contrast images detected BTB disruption in 160 (34%) of a total of 464 brain metastases. Enhancement in some of the metastases was only seen in partial regions of the tumor, suggesting intratumoral heterogeneity of BTB disruption. DSC MRI measurements of relative cerebral blood volume (rCBV) showed that rCBV of brain metastases was significantly lower (mean  = 0.89±0.03) than that of contralateral normal brain (mean  = 1.00±0.03; p<0.005). Intriguingly, longitudinal measurements revealed that rCBV of individual metastases at early stage was similar to, but became significantly lower than that of contralateral normal brain with tumor growth (p<0.05). The rCBV data were concordant with histological analysis of microvascular density (MVD). Moreover, comprehensive analysis suggested no significant correlation among tumor size, rCBV and BTB permeability. In conclusion, longitudinal MRI provides non-invasive in vivo assessments of spatial and temporal development of brain metastases and their vascular volume and permeability. The characteristic rCBV of brain metastases may have a diagnostic value.     

Magnetic resonance image and blood manganese concentration as indices for manganese content in the brain of rats

Neurological disorders similar to parkinsonian syndrome and signal hyperintensity in brain on T₁-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) images have been reported in patients receiving long-term total parenteral nutrition (TPN). These symptoms have been associated with manganese (Mn) depositions in brain. Although alterations of signal intensity on T₁-weighted MR images in brain and of Mn concentration in blood are theoretically considered good indices for estimating Mn deposition in brain, precise correlations between these parameters have not been demonstrated as yet. Male Sprague-Dawley rats received TPN with 10-fold the clinical dose of the trace element preparation (TE-5) for 7 d. At 0, 2, 4, 6, and 8 wk post-TPN, the cortex, striatum, midbrain, and cerebellum were evaluated by MR images, and Mn concentration in blood and Mn content in these brain sites were measured by atomic absorption spectrometry. Immediately after TPN termination, signal hyperintensity in brain sites and elevated Mn content in blood and brain sites were observed. These values recovered at 4 wk post-TPN. A positive correlation was observed between either the signal intensity in certain brain sites or Mn content in blood and the relevant brain sites. Our observations suggest that the Mn concentration in blood and signal intensity in the brain sites on T₁-weighted MR images are reliable indices for monitoring Mn contents in brain.     

An NMR microscopic study of grape (Vitis vinifera L.)

Summary Mature healthy grape berries and berries wound-inoculated with the fungusBotrytis cinerea were examined by¹H NMR microimaging using 2D and 3D spin echo and gradient echo procedures. These NMR images were compared with representations obtained by conventional histology, where possible using the same specimens. 3D imaging datasets from excised seeds were reconstructed by surface rendering and maximum intensity projection to allow interpretation of their internal structure. T₂-weighted spin echo images revealed the major features of the pericarp, septum and loculi of whole berries. T₁-weighted images were less discriminatory of parenchyma tissues in the fruit but revealed the endosperm in seeds as a chemically shifted feature. A non-invasive study by T₁-weighted spin echo NMR imaging of infection byB. cinerea over a 6-day period showed that the disease spread throughout the exocarp but failed to spread in the mesocarp, a result confirmed by histological examination of the same specimen. Surface rendering of 3D datasets of excised seeds revealed the two ruminations of the endosperm and the distal location of the chalaza. The position of the embryonic axis was revealed in T₂-weighted maximum intensity projections. This noninvasive study revealed the need to apply a range of imaging techniques and parameters to visualise the structural features of the different parts of the grape berry.Abbrevations BF bright field - FDA fluorescein diacetate - FI field inhomogeneity - FOV field of view - NMR nuclear magnetic resonance - RF radiofrequency - T₁ spin-lattice relaxation time - T₂ spin-spin relaxation time - TE echo time - TMS tetramethylsilane - TR repeat time     

Design and characterization of a chimeric ferritin with enhanced iron loading and transverse NMR relaxation rate

This paper describes the design and characterization of a novel ferritin chimera. The iron storage protein ferritin forms a paramagnetic ferrihydrite core. This biomineral, when placed in a magnetic field, can decrease the transverse NMR relaxation times (T ₂ and T ₂*) of nearby mobile water protons. Ferritin nucleic acid constructs have recently been studied as “probeless” magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) reporters. Following reporter expression, ferritin sequesters endogenous iron and imparts hypointensity to T ₂- and T ₂*-weighted images in an amount proportional to the ferritin iron load. Wild-type ferritin consists of various ratios of heavy H and light L subunits, and their ratio affects ferritin’s stability and iron storage capacity. We report a novel chimeric ferritin with a fixed subunit stoichiometry obtained by fusion of the L and the H subunits (L*H and H*L) using a flexible linker. We characterize these supramolecular ferritins expressed in human cells, including their iron loading characteristics, hydrodynamic size, subcellular localization, and effect on solvent water T ₂ relaxation rate. Interestingly, we found that the L*H chimera exhibits a significantly enhanced iron loading ability and T ₂ relaxation compared to wild-type ferritin. We suggest that the L*H chimera may be useful as a sensitive MRI reporter molecule.     

Diffusion Tensor Imaging of Brain Abnormalities Induced by Prenatal Exposure to Radiation in Rodents

We assessed brain abnormalities in rats exposed prenatally to radiation (X-rays) using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and histological experiments. Pregnant rats were divided into 4 groups: the control group (n = 3) and 3 groups that were exposed to different radiation doses (0.5, 1.0, or 1.5 Gy; n = 3 each). Brain abnormalities were assessed in 32 neonatal male rats (8 per group). Ex vivo T₂-weighted imaging and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) were performed using 11.7-T MRI. The expression of markers of myelin production (Kluver–Barrera staining, KB), nonpyramidal cells (calbindin-D28k staining, CaBP), and pyramidal cells (staining of the nonphosphorylated heavy-chain neurofilament SMI-32) were histologically evaluated. Decreased brain volume, increased ventricle volume, and thinner cortices were observed by MRI in irradiated rats. However, no abnormalities in the cortical 6-layered structure were observed via KB staining in radiation-exposed rats. The DTI color-coded map revealed a dose-dependent reduction in the anisotropic signal (vertical direction), which did not represent reduced numbers of pyramidal cells; rather, it indicated a signal reduction relative to the vertical direction because of low nerve cell density in the entire cortex. We conclude that DTI and histological experiments are useful tools for assessing cortical and hippocampal abnormalities after prenatal exposure to radiation in rats.     

Zonal variation of MRI-measurable parameters classifies cartilage degradation

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease resulting in the deterioration of articular cartilage, a tissue with minimal ability to self-repair. Early diagnosis of OA with non-invasive imaging techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) could provide an opportunity to intervene and slow or reverse this degeneration process. This study examines the classification of degradation states using MRI measurements.Enzymatic degradation was used to specifically target proteoglycans alone, collagen alone and both cartilage components sequentially. The resulting degradation was evaluated using MRI imaging techniques (T₁, T₂, diffusion tensor imaging, and gadolinium enhanced T₁) and derived measures of water, glycosaminoglycan and collagen content. We compared the classification ability of full thickness averages of these parameters with zonal averages (superficial, medial, and deep). Finally, we determined minimum variables sets to identify the smallest number of variables that allowed for complete separation of all degradation groups and ranked them by impact on the separation.Zonal analysis was much more sensitive than full thickness averages and allowed perfect separation of all four groups. Superficial zone cartilage was more sensitive to enzymatic degradation than the medial or deep zone, or the full thickness average. Variable ranking consistently identified collagen content and organization as the most impactful variables in the classification algorithm.The aim of this study is to classify cartilage degradation using only non-invasive MRI parameters that could be applied to OA diagnosis. Our results highlight the importance of zonal variation in the diagnosis of cartilage degeneration. Our novel, non-invasive collagen content measurement was crucial for complete separation of degraded groups from control cartilage. These findings have significant implications for clinical cartilage MRI for disease diagnosis.