Functional brain imaging using a long intravenous half-life gadolinium-based contrast agent.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: We describe a technique for functional MR imaging (fMRI) with high spatial and temporal resolution using a long intravascular half-life gadolinium-based contrast agent, MS-325. METHODS: All fMRI measurements used a rat model of sensory cortex activation with forepaw electrical stimulation under alpha-chloralose anesthesia. Standard blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) fMRI measurement was initially performed. MS-325 was then intravenously administered and a MS-325 fMRI measurement was performed by using a 3D gradient-echo sequence. RESULTS: We found that a dose of 0.1 mmol/kg MS-325 produced adequate signal intensity changes in rat sensory cortex to demonstrate activations. Using a boxcar stimulation pattern with a standard correlation analysis, the locations of the most significantly activated voxels (ie, highest Z score) in the MS-325 and BOLD fMRI measurements were not significantly different. CONCLUSIONS: MS-325 fMRI has the advantage of using a T1-weighted sequence, rather than the highly T2*-weighted sequences used in other common fMRI techniques. This could reduce the susceptibility artifacts associated with fMRI.