Medizinische Universität Graz Austria/Österreich - Forschungsportal - Medical University of Graz
Gewählte Publikation:
Pirpamer, L.
Methods of magnetization transfer MRI for assessing brain white matter damage.
[ Dissertation ] TU Graz; 2022. pp.106.
FullText
- Autor*innen der Med Uni Graz:
- Pirpamer Lukas
- Betreuer*innen:
- Ropele Stefan
- Altmetrics:
- Abstract:
- Magnetic-resonance-imaging (MRI) is one of the most important non-invasive techniques in Neuroimaging and is particularly appreciated for its high soft-tissue contrast. MRI assesses the magnetic property of protons as well as their chemical environment and acquires brain morphometry in high resolution of less than one millimeter. Moreover, MRI enables the assessment of functional activation, diffusion, perfusion, metabolites and exchange-processes. In diseases, such as multiple sclerosis (MS), MRI is used to detect inflammation and blood brain barrier disruption, which might lead to neuronal loss and demyelination. In the early stage of the disease, such white matter (WM) changes cause an increased interstitial water content, which can be seen as hyperintense spots in fluid attenuated sequences. So-called white matter hyperintensities (WMH) are a hallmark of MS and determine the clinical progression. However, histopathological studies revealed, that the WMH depict just the tip of the iceberg while the underlying pathology might be far more widespread. A higher sensitivity can be achieved using magnetization transfer (MT), a physical process based on the exchange of magnetization between water-protons and protons bound to macromolecules of lipids, such as myelin sheets. Further, MT allows to assess microstructural changes also in the normal appearing white matter (NAWM) before WMH become visible.