Neuro MRE (I): High resolution mechanical imaging of elasticity, viscosity and pressure in the human brain

• Applicants: Privatdozent Dr. Jürgen Braun; Dr. Stefan Hetzer; Professor Dr. Friedemann Paul; Professor Dr. Ingolf Sack; Professor Dr. Michael Scheel
• Subject Area: Medical Physics, Biomedical Technology
• Term: from 2015 to 2024
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 276880906

Brain parenchymal viscoelasticity and intracranial pressure are important mechanical parameters influencing cerebral blood flow and ion transport through water diffusion and can thus affect the structural and functional integrity of neurons and glial cells. Currently used imaging-based markers of neurologic disorders such as lesion load on conventional T2-weighted brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in multiple sclerosis (MS) have limited ability in visualizing the intricate structural-functional relationship of brain tissue and quantifying nonovert brain damage. The proposed projects aim at investigating magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) and quantitative MRI for mapping local biophysical properties of brain tissue on a pixel scale taking effects of hydration, blood flow, and activity on viscoelasticity parameters into account. With a dedicated focus on neuroinflammation we will develop methods to investigate the altered functional relationship between brain structure and clinical disability in patients with MS and neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD). These methods include: real-time MRE of brain and spinal cord, high-resolution 3D multifrequency MRE of full brain and spinal cord as well as complementary quantitative MRI protocols including water diffusion and perfusion-sensitive sequences for in-depth analysis of biophysical properties of the in vivo brain and spinal cord. In synchrony with preclinical research of Neuro-MRE II in mouse models we will bridge the micro- and macro-worlds of biophysical parameters by detecting changes involving cellular networks in the brain affected by neuroinflammatory processes. The overarching aim of this project is to develop multiparametric, quantitative MRI of the human brain to determine biophysical tissue parameters including viscoelasticity, blood perfusion, and water diffusion to better understand and precisely diagnose neuroinflammatory diseases by MRI.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants