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Evaluation of iron content in human cerebral cavernous malformation using quantitative susceptibility mapping
1From the *Department of Surgery (Neurosurgery), University of Chicago Medicine and Biological Sciences, Chicago, IL; †MedImageMetric LLC, New York, NY; ‡Department of Radiology, NorthShore University HealthSystem, Evanston; §Department of Radiology, Pritzker School of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago; ∥Department of Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern University; ¶Department of Chemistry, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL; #Department of Radiology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York; **Department of Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY; and ††Department of Radiology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL.
Quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) accurately quantifies iron in cerebral cavernous malformations (CCMs). This validated MRI technique shows promise as a biomarker for CCM disease activity and treatment response.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Imaging
- Neuroimaging
- Medical Physics
Background:
- Cerebral cavernous malformations (CCMs) are vascular abnormalities associated with iron deposition.
- Accurate quantification of iron in CCM lesions is crucial for understanding disease progression and treatment efficacy.
- Current methods for iron quantification in CCMs have limitations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate and validate quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) for precise iron quantification within CCM lesions.
- To establish QSM as a reliable imaging biomarker for CCMs.
Main Methods:
- Performed magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies using a 3-T scanner in phantoms and 16 CCM patients.
- Reconstructed susceptibility weighted imaging, QSM, and R2* maps from 3D multi-echo T2*-weighted gradient echo sequences.
- Correlated QSM measurements with R2* values, phantom iron concentrations, and ex vivo iron concentrations determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry.
Main Results:
- QSM demonstrated excellent image quality for CCM lesion depiction.
- QSM values showed a strong positive linear correlation with R2* values (R²=0.99) and iron concentrations in phantoms (R²=0.925).
- Ex vivo validation revealed a high correlation between QSM and mass spectroscopy iron measurements (R²=0.999 for total iron).
Conclusions:
- Quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) is validated for in vivo and ex vivo iron quantification in cerebral cavernous malformations.
- QSM shows potential as a non-invasive biomarker for monitoring CCM disease activity and evaluating treatment responses.
