title: Quantitative assessment of microvasculopathy in arcAβ mice with USPIO-enhanced gradient echo MRI.
abstract: Magnetic resonance imaging employing administration of iron oxide-based contrast agents is widely used to visualize cellular and molecular processes in vivo. In this study, we investigated the ability of [Formula: see text] and quantitative susceptibility mapping to quantitatively assess the accumulation of ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide (USPIO) particles in the arcAβ mouse model of cerebral amyloidosis. Gradient-echo data of mouse brains were acquired at 9.4 T after injection of USPIO. Focal areas with increased magnetic susceptibility and [Formula: see text] values were discernible across several brain regions in 12-month-old arcAβ compared to 6-month-old arcAβ mice and to non-transgenic littermates, indicating accumulation of particles after USPIO injection. This was concomitant with higher [Formula: see text] and increased magnetic susceptibility differences relative to cerebrospinal fluid measured in USPIO-injected compared to non-USPIO-injected 12-month-old arcAβ mice. No differences in [Formula: see text] and magnetic susceptibility were detected in USPIO-injected compared to non-injected 12-month-old non-transgenic littermates. Histological analysis confirmed focal uptake of USPIO particles in perivascular macrophages adjacent to small caliber cerebral vessels with radii of 2-8 µm that showed no cerebral amyloid angiopathy. USPIO-enhanced [Formula: see text] and quantitative susceptibility mapping constitute quantitative tools to monitor such functional microvasculopathies.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Biomedical Engineering, ETH & University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland klohs@biomed.ee.ethz.ch.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Klohs
authors.affiliation: Medical Physics Group, Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Jena University Hospital-Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany.
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Deistung
authors.affiliation: Institute for Biomedical Engineering, ETH & University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Giovanna D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Ielacqua
authors.affiliation: Institute for Biomedical Engineering, ETH & University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Aline
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Seuwen
authors.affiliation: Institute for Biomedical Engineering, ETH & University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kindler
authors.affiliation: Buffalo Neuroimaging Analysis Center, Department of Neurology, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA MRI Clinical and Translational Research Center, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Ferdinand
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Schweser
authors.affiliation: Institute for Biomedical Engineering, ETH & University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vaas
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Animal Model Pathology, Institute of Veterinary Pathology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Anja
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kipar
authors.affiliation: Medical Physics Group, Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Jena University Hospital-Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany Abbe School of Photonics, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany Center of Medical Optics and Photonics, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany Michael Stifel Center for Data-driven and Simulation Science Jena, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany.
authors.forename: Jürgen R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Reichenbach
authors.affiliation: Institute for Biomedical Engineering, ETH & University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rudin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016657:Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation; D003287:Contrast Media; D005290:Ferric Compounds / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D008264:Macrophages / Q000378:metabolism; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D051379:Mice; D055806:Microvessels / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D003287:Contrast Media; D005290:Ferric Compounds; C000499:ferric oxide
keywords: Cerebral amyloid angiopathy; P904; effective transverse relaxation time; magnetic susceptibility; perivascular macrophages; quantitative susceptibility mapping; superparamagnetic iron oxide particles