Abstract #2036

Characterizing Tissue Relaxation and Magnetization Transfer in Fresh, Thawed, and Fixed White Matter Tissue Samples

Amaya Murguia¹, Scott D. Swanson², Ulrich Scheven³, Jon-Fredrik Nielsen^2,4, Jeffrey A. Fessler^1,2,4, and Navid Seraji-Bozorgzad⁵

¹Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States, ²Radiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States, ³Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States, ⁴Biomedical Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States, ⁵Neurology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States

Synopsis

Keywords: White Matter, White Matter

Motivation: Studying ex vivo tissue requires preservation by formalin-fixation or freezing. Effects of these methods on tissue parameters compared to fresh tissue is unknown.

Goal(s): We investigated how freezing/thawing and fixation affect T1, T2, and MT properties in brain tissue. We created a protocol to apply MR methods (T2-MESE, biexponential T1, qMT, ihMT, NODDI) to pathology specimens in the Michigan Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center (MADRC) repository.

Approach: We scanned the same ex vivo sheep brain samples fresh, frozen/thawed, and fixed, and compared their relaxation and MT properties.

Results: Effects of fixation are most prominent in white matter and especially influence T1 and T2 relaxation.

Impact: Thawed tissue exhibits more similar relaxation and MT properties to fresh tissue than fixed tissue does. In MR studies that use ex vivo tissue samples, such as those correlating MR to histology, thawed tissue may be preferable to formalin-fixed.

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