Abstract #1265

Mn Concentration Mapping with MRI: Comparision with Autoradiography and PET

Geoffrey Topping¹, Andrew Yung², Paul Schaffer³, Cornelia Hoehr³, Thomas Ruth³, Piotr Kozlowski², Vesna Sossi¹

¹Physics and Astronomy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; ²MRI Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada; ³Nuclear Medicine, TRIUMF, Vancouver, BC, Canada

Mn concentration is mapped in rat brain with MRI, PET, and autoradiography after intracerebroventricular or intraperitoneal injection. Images of the same animals in three modalities are compared. MR relaxivity change from baseline is measured with a Look-Locker sequence. Mn-52 was produced by proton irradiation of Cr foil and used as a radiotracer for PET and autoradiography. MRI has sufficient resolution to resolve structural details, but shows artifacts in regions of high Mn concentration. PET has poor resolution, but is more consistent than MRI with autoradiography results.