High-resolution magnetization-transfer imaging of post-mortem marmoset brain: Comparisons with relaxometry and histology

Cell membranes and macromolecules or paramagnetic compounds interact with water proton spins, which mod-ulates magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast providing information on tissue composition. For a further investigation, quantitative magnetization transfer (qMT) parameters (at 3T), including the ratio of the macro-molecular and water proton pools, T, and the exchange-rate constant as well as the (observed) longitudinal and the effective transverse relaxation rates (at 3T and 7T), R1obs and R2* , respectively, were measured at high spatial resolution (200 mu m) in a slice of fixed marmoset brain and compared to histology results obtained with Gallyas' myelin stain and Perls' iron stain. Robs 1 and R2* were linearly correlated with the iron content for the entire slice, whereas distinct differences were obtained between gray and white matter for correlations of relaxometry and qMT parameters with myelin content. The combined results suggest that the macromolecular pool interacting with water consists of myelin and (less efficient) non-myelin contributions. Despite strong correlation of T and Robs 1 , none of these parameters was uniquely specific to myelination. Due to additional sensitivity to iron stores, Robs 1 and R2* were more sensitive for depicting microstructural differences between cortical layers than T.

Automated summary

Cell membranes and macromolecules/paramagnetic compounds interact with water proton spins, providing MRI contrast and tissue composition information. Quantitative magnetization transfer (qMT) parameters were measured at high spatial resolution in a fixed marmoset brain slice and compared to histology results. R1obs and R2* were linearly correlated with iron content, while distinct differences were observed between gray and white matter for qMT parameters and relaxometry. These findings suggest that the water interacting macromolecular pool consists of myelin and non-myelin contributions, and R1obs and R2* are more sensitive for depicting microstructural differences between cortical layers than T.