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Evaluating a Cellular Microstructure Model Within Apoptotic Cell Death via Diffusion Magnetic Resonance and Long
Daniel Djayakarsana1,2, Gregory J Czarnota1,2,3,4, Colleen Bailey1
1Physical Sciences, Sunnybrook Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
NMR in Biomedicine
|September 19, 2025
Summary
Longer diffusion times in MRI show promise for monitoring cancer treatments that induce apoptosis. This technique can rapidly detect changes in acute myeloid leukemia cells, aiding personalized cancer therapy.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Imaging
- Cancer Research
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Personalized cancer treatment requires rapid response detection.
- Inducing apoptosis is a key strategy, leveraging the immune system for cancer cell clearance.
- Diffusion MRI shows potential for assessing tumor cellularity changes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the utility of long diffusion times in diffusion-weighted MRI for monitoring apoptosis.
- To elucidate water exchange rates in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells during induced apoptosis.
Main Methods:
- Utilized stimulated echo acquisition mode (STEAM) diffusion imaging with long diffusion times.
- Applied a two-pool exchange model to analyze diffusion data.
- Induced apoptosis in AML cells using cisplatin.
Main Results:
- Significant changes observed in key parameters: intracellular fraction (MI) decreased by ~53%, intracellular exchange rate (KIE) increased by ~61%, and cell radius (r) decreased by ~15%.
- These alterations correlate with apoptotic changes in AML cells.
Conclusions:
- Longer diffusion times in MRI can effectively monitor apoptosis-induced cancer treatment response.
- This advanced MRI technique offers a rapid and robust method for assessing treatment efficacy in AML.
- The findings support the potential of diffusion MRI for personalized cancer therapy monitoring.
