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3D inversion recovery ultrashort echo time MRI can detect demyelination in cuprizone-treated mice
Adam C Searleman1, Yajun Ma1, Srihari Sampath1
1Department of Radiology, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States.
Purpose:
To test the ability of inversion-recovery ultrashort echo time (IR-UTE) MRI to directly detect demyelination in mice using a standard cuprizone mouse model.
Methods:
Non-aqueous myelin protons have ultrashort T2s and are "invisible" with conventional MRI sequences but can be detected with UTE sequences. The IR-UTE sequence uses an adiabatic inversion-recovery preparation to suppress the long T2 water signal so that the remaining signal is from the ultrashort T2 myelin component. In this study, eight 8-week-old C57BL/6 mice were fed cuprizone (n = 4) or control chow (n = 4) for 5 weeks and then imaged by 3D IR-UTE MRI. The differences in IR-UTE signal were compared in the major white matter tracts in the brain and correlated with the Luxol Fast Blue histochemical marker of myelin.
Results:
IR-UTE signal decreased in cuprizone-treated mice in white matter known to be sensitive to demyelination in this model, such as the corpus callosum, but not in white matter known to be resistant to demyelination, such as the internal capsule. These findings correlated with histochemical staining of myelin content.
Conclusions:
3D IR-UTE MRI was sensitive to cuprizone-induced demyelination in the mouse brain, and is a promising noninvasive method for measuring brain myelin content.
Insights
Inversion-recovery ultrashort echo time (IR-UTE) MRI effectively detected demyelination in mice. This novel MRI technique shows promise for noninvasively measuring brain myelin content.
Area of Science:
- Neuroimaging
- Biomedical Engineering
- Demyelinating Diseases
Background:
- Conventional MRI struggles to detect myelin due to ultrashort T2 relaxation times of non-aqueous myelin protons.
- Ultrashort echo time (UTE) sequences can detect these myelin signals.
- Inversion-recovery preparation in IR-UTE MRI suppresses water signals, isolating myelin components.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of inversion-recovery ultrashort echo time (IR-UTE) MRI in directly detecting demyelination.
- To utilize a standard cuprizone mouse model for assessing demyelination.
- To establish IR-UTE MRI as a method for measuring brain myelin content.
Main Methods:
- Eight 8-week-old C57BL/6 mice were divided into cuprizone (n=4) and control (n=4) groups.
- Mice received cuprizone or control chow for 5 weeks.
- 3D IR-UTE MRI was performed, and signal differences in white matter tracts were analyzed and correlated with Luxol Fast Blue staining.
Main Results:
- IR-UTE MRI signal significantly decreased in demyelination-sensitive white matter areas (e.g., corpus callosum) of cuprizone-treated mice.
- No significant signal change was observed in demyelination-resistant white matter areas (e.g., internal capsule).
- These MRI findings showed strong correlation with histochemical myelin staining results.
Conclusions:
- 3D IR-UTE MRI is sensitive to cuprizone-induced demyelination in the mouse brain.
- This technique offers a promising noninvasive approach for quantifying brain myelin content.
- IR-UTE MRI has potential applications in studying demyelinating diseases.
