Korean J Med Phys.  2007 Mar;18(1):42-47.

The Study of in Vivo Visual Pathway Tracing using Magnetic Magnanese Tracer

• Chang Y
• Bae SJ

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate the tracing of optic nerve tract using manganese enhanced magnetic resonance imaging. Materials and Methods: After injecting 30 microliter of MnCl2 (1 mol) into the retina of female New Zealand white rabbit, the contrast enhancements at major anatomical structures of optic nerve tract were evaluated by high resolution T1-weighted images 12 hours, 24 hours, and 48 hours after MnCl2 injection using 3D FSPGR (Fast Spoiled Gradient Recalled echo) pulse sequence at 1.5 T clinical MR scanner with high performance gradient system. Also, for quantitative evaluation, the signal-to-noise ratios of circular ROI on anatomical locations were measured. Results: The major structures on the optic nerve tract were enhanced after injecting MnCl2. The structures, which showed enhancement, were right optic nerve, optic chiasm, left optic tract, left lateral geniculate nucleus, left superior colliculus. The structures on the contralateral optic pathway to the right retina were enhanced whereas the structures on the ipsilateral pathway did not show enhancement. Conclusion: The Mn transport through axonal pathway of optic nerve system was non-invasively observed after injecting MnCl2 at the retina, which is the end terminal of optic nerve system. This Mn transport seems to occur by voltage gated calcium (Ca2+) channel and in case of direct injection into the retina, the fast transport pathway of voltage gated calcium channel seems to be responsible for Mn transport.

Keyword

Manganese; Magnetic resonance imaging; Optic nervous system

MeSH Terms

Axons
Calcium
Calcium Channels
Evaluation Studies as Topic
Female
Humans
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Manganese
New Zealand
Optic Chiasm
Optic Nerve
Retina
Signal-To-Noise Ratio
Superior Colliculi
Visual Pathways*
Calcium
Calcium Channels
Manganese