Magnetic Resonance Contrast Imaging of Ferritin and Magnetoferritin at 7 T

M. Mihalikovaa, L. Balejcikovab, P. Kopcanskyc, D. Dobrotaa, O. Strbakd aDepartment of Medical Biochemistry, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin, Comenius University in Bratislava, Mala Hora 4, 036 01 Martin, Slovakia bInstitute of Hydrology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dubravska cesta 9, 841 04 Bratislava, Slovakia cInstitute of Experimental Physics, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Watsonova 47, 040 01 Kosice, Slovakia dBiomedical Center Martin, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin, Comenius University in Bratislava, Mala Hora 4, 036 01 Martin, Slovakia

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We studied the relaxation properties of native (physiological) ferritin and magnetoferritin (as a model system of pathological ferritin) in order to develop a magnetic resonance imaging methodology for the contrast imaging and differentiation of physiological and pathological ferritin in high-field MRI systems. MRI measurements were performed using a 7 T system using longitudinal T1 and transverse T2 relaxation time mapping protocols. The relative contrast and relaxation time of native ferritin and magnetoferritin with different loading factors were analysed and compared. The results clearly show a significant difference between native ferritin and magnetoferritin in T2-weighted protocols. The difference in the T1-weighted protocol is also obvious but not as significant as in the T2-weighted protocols. These results reflect the different iron mineral core compositions of native ferritin and magnetoferritin. Our findings could significantly contribute to the exploitation of iron oxide accumulation in non-invasive diagnostics of pathological processes related to disrupted iron homeostasis (e.g., neurodegenerative disorders).

DOI:10.12693/APhysPolA.137.650 topics: magnetic resonance imaging, magnetoferritin, ferritin, relaxation time, contrast