Quantitative proton MRI and MRS of the rat brain with a 3T clinical MR scanner

• Published in: Journal of neuroradiology 2011-05, Vol.38 (2), p.90-97
• Main Authors: Aradi, M, Steier, R, Bukovics, P, Szalay, C, Perlaki, G, Orsi, G, Pál, J, Janszky, J, Dóczi, T, Schwarcz, A
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Algorithms; Animals; Aspartic Acid - analogs & derivatives; Aspartic Acid - metabolism; Brain - cytology; Brain - metabolism; Choline - metabolism; Creatine - metabolism; Female; Magnetic Resonance Imaging - methods; Male; Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy - methods; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Reproducibility of Results; Sensitivity and Specificity; Tissue Distribution
• ISSN: 0150-9861
• DOI: 10.1016/j.neurad.2009.11.003

To demonstrate the capability of a clinical 3T human scanner in performing quantitative MR experiments in the rat brain. In vivo, measurements on eight Wistar rats were performed. Longitudinal relaxation time (T1) and transverse relaxation time (T2) measurements were set up at a spatial resolution of 0.3×0.3×1mm(3). Diffusion-weighted imaging was also applied and the evaluation included both mono- and biexponential approaches (b-value up to 6000s/mm(2)). Besides quantitative imaging, the rat brain was also scanned at a microscopic resolution of 130×130×130μm(3). Quantitative proton spectroscopy was also carried out on the rat brain with water as internal reference. T1 and T2 for the rat brain cortex were 1272±85ms and 75±2ms, respectively. Diffusion-weighted imaging yielded accurate diffusion coefficient measurements at both low and high b-value ranges. The concentrations of MR visible metabolites were determined for the major resonances (i.e., N-acetyl-aspartate, choline and creatine) with acceptable accuracy. The results suggest that quantitative imaging and spectroscopy can be carried out on small animals on high-field clinical scanners.