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Updated: Dec 2, 2025
Registered Bioimaging of Nanomaterials for Diagnostic and Therapeutic Monitoring
Published on: December 9, 2010
MRI Automated T1 Signal Intensity Detection of Diffuse Brain Manganese Accumulation in Cirrhosis
Ke Wei1, Thao T Tran1, Patrick W Chang2
1Imaging Center, Huntington Medical Research Institutes, Pasadena, CA.
Background And Purpose:
Cirrhosis is associated with diffuse brain manganese deposition, which results in increased signal intensity (SI) in the brain on T1-weighted images, most often visualized in the globus pallidus. The purpose of this study was to determine if automated image intensity measurements can detect SI differences in the basal ganglia and other regions reported to have manganese deposition in patients with cirrhosis compared with controls.
Methods:
T1 FSPGR images were acquired on 28 patients with cirrhosis and 28 age-sex-matched controls. FreeSurfer T1 SI values were obtained for the globus pallidus, putamen, cerebral white matter, cerebral cortex, and brainstem. SI ratios were computed for globus pallidus normalized to white matter and brainstem. SI values and SI ratios were compared between groups using t-tests.
Results:
Among people with cirrhosis, T1 SI was significantly increased in the globus pallidus, putamen, cerebral white matter, cerebral cortex, and brainstem (P< .001), and the globus pallidus to brainstem ratio was significantly increased (P< .001). No significant difference was seen for globus pallidus to cerebral white matter T1 SI ratio (P = .38).
Conclusions:
Automatic assessment of T1 SI allows for rapid, objective identification of widespread T1 shortening associated with manganese deposition in cirrhosis, consistent with the global deposition of neurotoxic manganese seen in pathology studies. This automated T1 assessment may have broader utility for other conditions beyond cirrhosis impacting T1 SI.
Insights
Cirrhosis patients show increased brain manganese deposition, detectable via automated T1 signal intensity measurements in key brain regions. This objective method aids in identifying neurotoxic manganese accumulation.
Area of Science:
- Neuroimaging
- Hepatology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Cirrhosis is linked to diffuse brain manganese deposition.
- This deposition causes increased T1 signal intensity (SI) in brain MRI, notably in the globus pallidus.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess if automated T1 SI measurements can detect manganese deposition differences in cirrhosis patients compared to controls.
- Focus on basal ganglia and other brain regions affected by manganese accumulation.
Main Methods:
- Acquired T1 Fast Spoiled Gradient Recalled (FSPGR) images from 28 cirrhosis patients and 28 controls.
- Utilized FreeSurfer to obtain T1 SI values for specific brain regions (globus pallidus, putamen, white matter, cortex, brainstem).
- Calculated SI ratios and compared between groups using t-tests.
Main Results:
- Significantly increased T1 SI observed in multiple brain regions (globus pallidus, putamen, white matter, cortex, brainstem) in cirrhosis patients (P < .001).
- Globus pallidus to brainstem SI ratio was significantly elevated in cirrhosis patients (P < .001).
- No significant difference in globus pallidus to white matter T1 SI ratio was found (P = .38).
Conclusions:
- Automated T1 SI assessment offers a rapid and objective method to identify manganese deposition in cirrhosis.
- Findings align with pathological evidence of widespread neurotoxic manganese accumulation.
- This automated approach may be applicable to other conditions affecting T1 SI.
