Age-related changes in brain T1 are correlated with iron concentration.
Age-related changes in brain T1 from 115 healthy subjects (range, 4.5-71.9 yr) were analyzed in relation to published regional brain iron concentration in cortex, caudate, putamen, and frontal white matter. The relaxation rate in these structures was linear with respect to iron concentration (P < 0.001). The iron relaxivity, k1 (s(-1)/mg iron/g wet weight), was much higher in cortex (5.5) and white matter (6.1) than in caudate (1.7) and putamen (1.0). These results are consistent with evidence that iron is an important factor in determining the relaxation properties of brain tissue. Iron relaxivity may reflect regional differences in the physical state of brain iron or in the interaction of brain iron with tissue water.
Ogg
R J
RJ
Department of Diagnostic Imaging, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, University of Tennessee, Memphis 38105, USA.
Steen
R G
RG
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism*; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D001923:Brain Chemistry; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000737:chemistry; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000032:analysis*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011699:Putamen / Q000737:chemistry; D012016:Reference Values; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D007501:Iron