| PART I The study of methodology on 1.5 Tesla MRIevaluation of brain ironObjective: To investigate the accuracy of MRI evaluation brain iron and develop a MRI method to detect brain iron concentration.Materials and Methods: The rabbits went performed the conventional MRI and SE DE T2WI examination, The T2RT of GP, PM, CA, THA and SN were measured and compared in various age groups, then to evaluated the contribution of iron deposits to the T2RT shorten with Perls stained histological method.Results: The imaging of six rabbit brains appeared normal in conventional MRI. The value of T2RT was showed obviously signal decrease in the GP and SN of aging rabbits comparing with the middle aged and young rabbits. In the GP and SN, few iron deposits were visible in aged rabbit by Perls technique. None of the brain structures was stained in young and middle-aged animals, and also in the PM, CA and THA of aging rabbits.Conclusions: Anatomical and histological tests using the Perls iron stain visualized iron existing and confirmed the zone of T2RT shortening with the extrapyramidal nuclei corresponding to the areas of age-related iron concentration. MRI has the ability to detect the physiological occurring brain iron deposition in a noninvasive fashion. Visualization of brain of iron was improved with use of a long TE in SE DE T2WI.PART II The quantitative study of normal brain ironin MR imaging7Objective: To quantitatively study the T2RT of several gray matter regions, FC and FW in normal human brains and to evaluate the brain iron changes with advancing age on SE DE T2WI, and to establish reference values of T2RT for further studies of neurodegenerative disorders.Materials and Methods: The study included 50 cases with normal appearing brains (20 male, 30 female), ranged from 15 to 85 years of age, which were divided into five groups according to age: first group (15~29years, n=8), second group (30~39years, n=ll), third group (40~49years, n=ll), fourth group (50~59 years, n=6), and fifth group (>60years, n=14). The T2RT of several gray matter regions and of FW and FC were measured and compared in various age groups. All these data were analyzed by statistical methods with ONE-WAY ANOVA, t-test, least-significant difference, correlative and regression analysis.Results: CD the T2RT was significantly different in several gray regions, including CA between the first group and the fourth or fifth group, the second group and the fifth group; PM and RN between the first and second group or the fifth group; GP between the first group and the fourth and fifth group, the third group and fifth group; SN and FC between the first group and the fifth group(P<0.05), there was no significant difference in other groups(P>.05); also the T2RT of THA and FW weren't significant different between groups. SE DE T2WI of brain showed age-dependent signal decrease and T2RT shortening in CA, GP, PM, SNc, SNr, RN (P<0.05), but not including THA, FC and FW though these regions appeared T2RT changes. (2) The levels of T2RT were not identical throughout the brain, the lowest region is GP, followed by SNr, RN, FW, PM, THA, CA, SNc, FC aged 15~85 years. (3) the T2RT in several brain regions was no significant difference in sex and on both hemispheres.Conclusions: Magnetic resonance imaging had provided a new method to detect brain iron, and can quantitatively measure the anatomical localization and age-related brain iron concentration.Objective: To elucidate the manifestations and significance of conventional MRI in the diagnosis of PD and PS, to quantitatively study T2RT and to evaluate the brain iron-related pathological changes of PD and PS.Materials and Methods: ?MRI findings were evaluated prospectively in 30 PD patients and 10 PS patients which were clinically diagnosed, PD was classified with I~IV stage (Hoehn-Yahr) and two groups according to disease duration. ?The study of normal reference values of normal brain: The study included 30 age-matched control subjects compared with PD and PS, defined as control g... |
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