Late manganese-enhanced MRI of rat cortical and subcortical structures

Abstract

This study employs in vivo manganese-enhanced MRI (MEMRI) before, and at 1, 5 and 12 days after systemic Mn administration to investigate the late enhancement of rat brain tissues before global clearance of Mn from the brain. While most brain structures were found maximally enhanced in T1WI at 1 day after Mn injection, a higher signal increase was observed at Day 5 in the central amygdaloid nucleus, globus pallidus, ventral pallidum, caudate putamen and thalamus compared to other time points. Our results suggested the deposition of Mn in areas of high astrocyte densities at 1 day after systemic Mn administration, with continuous redistribution of Mn through axonal transport in the late phase before its global clearance from the brain at Day 12.