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Abstract #2274

Oral Manganese as an MRI Contrast Agent for the Detection of Nociceptive Activity

Kathleen Elizabeth Jacobs1, Deepak Behera1, Garry Gold1, Michael Moseley1, Jarrett Rosenberg1, David Yeomans2, Sandip Biswal1

1Radiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States; 2Anesthesia, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States


Manganese-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MEMRI) is a potentially powerful diagnostic method for identifying neural regions of pain processing for image-guided interventions. Manganese can enter nerves via voltage-gated calcium channels, which are selectively upregulated in pain. We gave manganese by oral gavage to two rat groups: one with spared injury of their sciatic nerves and a sham-operated group. We found that rats with spared nerve injury have increased manganese ion uptake and retention in their nerves compared to the nerves of sham-operated rats as shown by increased MR signal and nerve concentrations. Therefore, manganese can specifically enhance nerves associated with nociception.