Exp Neurobiol.  2009 Jun;18(1):57-61. 10.5607/en.2009.18.1.57.

Manganese-Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Spinal Cord in Rats

• Cha MH
• Lee C
• Cho JH
• Chung MA
• Sohn JH
• Cheong C
• Lee HJ
• Lee BH

• KMID: 2165297
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5607/en.2009.18.1.57

Abstract

Manganese-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MEMRI) offers a novel neuroimaging method in visualizing the activity patterns of neural circuits. MEMRI is using the divalent manganese ion, which has been used as a cellular contrast agent. The present study was conducted to determine the contrast-enhancing effects of manganese ion administered into the spinal cord of rats. Manganese ion was administered into the spinal cord by lumbar puncture. Ex vivo magnetic resonance images were obtained at 6, 12, 24, and 48 hours after manganese ion injection. Although the highly contrasted images were not observed 6 or 12 hr after manganese injection, the distinctive manganese-enhanced images began to appear at 24 hours after manganese ion injection. These results suggest that the gray matter is the foci of intense paramagnetic signals and MEMRI may provide an effective technique to visualize the activity-dependent patterns in the spinal cord.

Keyword

manganese; magnetic resonance imaging; spinal cord; rat

MeSH Terms

Animals
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
Magnetics
Magnets
Manganese
Neuroimaging
Rats
Spinal Cord
Spinal Puncture
Manganese