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In Vivo Visualization of Senile‐Plaque‐Like Pathology in Alzheimer's Disease Patients by MR Microscopy on a 7T System
Author(s) -
Nakada Tsutomu,
Matsuzawa Hitoshi,
Igarashi Hironaka,
Fujii Yukihiko,
Kwee Ingrid L.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
journal of neuroimaging
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.822
H-Index - 64
eISSN - 1552-6569
pISSN - 1051-2284
DOI - 10.1111/j.1552-6569.2007.00179.x
Subject(s) - medicine , pathology , magnetic resonance imaging , in vivo , pathological , cortex (anatomy) , visual cortex , susceptibility weighted imaging , senile plaques , disease , alzheimer's disease , radiology , neuroscience , biology , microbiology and biotechnology
BACKGROUND Microscopic application of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has entered the era of clinical application. One of the most important targets is the visualization of pathological findings such as senile plaques (SP), in vivo , in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Such an application provides not only the most accurate diagnostic tool for clinicians but also a solid basis for scientists for developing effective treatment and preventive strategies for AD.METHODS Focused microscopic studies were performed on parietal association cortex at the level of the centrum semiovale identified on conventional axial slices using a system constructed based on General Electric Signa LX (Waukesha, WI) equipped with a 900‐mm clear bore superconducting magnet operating at 7.0 T in 10 patients (67‐83‐year old, five males, five females) who fulfilled the NINCD and the SADRDA criteria for probable AD, 10 age‐matched controls (71‐85‐year old, five males, five females), and 20 young adults (22‐35‐year old, 10 males, 10 females) using a susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI) algorithm.RESULTS SWI microscopy consistently provided images with SP‐like pathology extending within the entire parietal cortex in all cases of AD and 2 out of 10 age‐matched volunteers.CONCLUSIONS Although the precise mechanisms leading to the higher susceptibility rendering SP‐like pathology observable within the cortical mantle are not totally understood, the study unambiguously demonstrated that MR microscopy is capable of directly visualizing cortical pathology in AD patients in vivo .