In Vivo Quantitative Susceptibility Mapping (QSM) in Alzheimer's Disease

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 8; no. 11; p. e81093
• Main Authors: Acosta-Cabronero, Julio, Williams, Guy B., Cardenas-Blanco, Arturo, Arnold, Robert J., Lupson, Victoria, Nestor, Peter J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 21.11.2013; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aging; Alzheimer Disease - diagnosis; Alzheimer's disease; Alzheimers disease; Approximation; Brain; Brain - pathology; Brain Mapping; Case-Control Studies; Consent; Data acquisition; Depth indicators; Diagnostic imaging; Disease control; Female; Gene mapping; Humans; Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted - methods; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted - methods; In vivo methods and tests; Iron; Magnetic fields; Magnetic permeability; Magnetic properties; Magnetic resonance; Magnetic resonance imaging; Magnetic Resonance Imaging - methods; Magnetic susceptibility; Male; Mapping; Medical imaging; Medical research; Neural networks; Neurodegeneration; Neurodegenerative diseases; Neuroimaging; Neurosciences; NMR; Nuclear magnetic resonance; Pathogenesis; Putamen; Reproducibility of Results; Substantia alba; Germany
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0081093

This study explores the magnetostatic properties of the Alzheimer's disease brain using a recently proposed, magnetic resonance imaging, postprocessed contrast mechanism. Quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) has the potential to monitor in vivo iron levels by reconstructing magnetic susceptibility sources from field perturbations. However, with phase data acquired at a single head orientation, the technique relies on several theoretical approximations and requires fast-evolving regularisation strategies. In this context, the present study describes a complete methodological framework for magnetic susceptibility measurements with a review of its theoretical foundations. The regional and whole-brain cross-sectional comparisons between Alzheimer's disease subjects and matched controls indicate that there may be significant magnetic susceptibility differences for deep brain nuclei--particularly the putamen--as well as for posterior grey and white matter regions. The methodology and findings described suggest that the QSM method is ready for larger-scale clinical studies.