Visualization of Neuromelanin in the Substantia Nigra and Locus Ceruleus at 1.5T Using a 3D-gradient Echo Sequence with Magnetization Transfer Contrast

Toshiki NAKANE; Takashi NIHASHI; Hisashi KAWAI; Shinji NAGANAWA

doi:10.2463/mrms.7.205

Technical Note

Visualization of Neuromelanin in the Substantia Nigra and Locus Ceruleus at 1.5T Using a 3D-gradient Echo Sequence with Magnetization Transfer Contrast

Toshiki NAKANE, Takashi NIHASHI, Hisashi KAWAI, Shinji NAGANAWA

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Keywords: locus ceruleus, magnetization transfer contrast, neuromelanin, substantia nigra, three-dimensional gradient echo

JOURNAL OPEN ACCESS

2008 Volume 7 Issue 4 Pages 205-210

DOI https://doi.org/10.2463/mrms.7.205

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Abstract

Recent technical advances have enabled the visualization of neuromelanin in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) and locus ceruleus (LC) by 3-tesla (T) magnetic resonance imaging in vivo. In the present study, we successfully detected neuromelanin in the SNc and LC of 6 healthy volunteers at 1.5T using a 3D gradient echo sequence with off-resonance magnetization transfer contrast.

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