Blood-brain barrier imaging in human neuropathologies

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Medical Imaging
• Pathology

Background:

• The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is vital for brain health and function.
• BBB dysfunction is implicated in numerous brain pathologies, neurovascular dysfunction, and neurodegeneration.
• There is an urgent clinical need for minimally invasive methods to assess BBB integrity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review current clinical imaging methods for assessing blood-brain barrier (BBB) integrity.
• To provide an overview of imaging modalities and analysis techniques for BBB assessment.

Main Methods:

• Focus on dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) as a key imaging modality.
• Review of quantitative and semi-quantitative image analysis methods for BBB assessment.
• Discussion of the advantages and limitations of various BBB imaging approaches.

Main Results:

• Dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) is a primary method for BBB assessment.
• Various quantitative and semi-quantitative analysis techniques exist for evaluating BBB integrity.
• Each method presents unique advantages and limitations that need consideration.

Conclusions:

• Minimally invasive assessment of BBB integrity is essential for clinical practice.
• DCE-MRI and associated analysis methods offer valuable tools for evaluating BBB function in brain pathologies.
• Further research is needed to refine these methods and address existing challenges.