Magnetic resonance imaging of glutamate
Top Cited Papers
Open Access
- 22 January 2012
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Springer Science and Business Media LLC in Nature Medicine
- Vol. 18 (2), 302-306
- https://doi.org/10.1038/nm.2615
Abstract
Kejia Cai et al. describe a method to non-invasively detect glutamate (Glu) concentrations in the brain with MRI at high resolution. The approach is based on the pH-dependent chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) effect between the amino group of Glu and bulk water and offers advantages over proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Feasibility of GluCEST was demonstrated in rat brain after middle cerebral artery occlusion stroke and in a rat brain tumor model, as well as in healthy human brain at 7 Tesla. Glutamate, a major neurotransmitter in the brain, shows a pH- and concentration-dependent chemical exchange saturation transfer effect (GluCEST) between its amine group and bulk water, with potential for in vivo imaging by nuclear magnetic resonance. GluCEST asymmetry is observed ∼3 p.p.m. downfield from bulk water. Middle cerebral artery occlusion in the rat brain resulted in an ∼100% elevation of GluCEST in the ipsilateral side compared with the contralateral side, predominantly owing to pH changes. In a rat brain tumor model with blood-brain barrier disruption, intravenous glutamate injection resulted in a clear elevation of GluCEST and a similar increase in the proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy signal of glutamate. GluCEST maps from healthy human brain were also obtained. These results demonstrate the feasibility of using GluCEST for mapping relative changes in glutamate concentration, as well as pH, in vivo. Contributions from other brain metabolites to the GluCEST effect are also discussed.Keywords
This publication has 37 references indexed in Scilit:
- In vivo mapping of brain myo-inositolNeuroImage, 2011
- High‐throughput screening of chemical exchange saturation transfer MR contrast agentsContrast Media & Molecular Imaging, 2010
- Metabolic and transmitter changes in core and penumbra after middle cerebral artery occlusion in miceBrain Research, 2010
- New “multicolor” polypeptide diamagnetic chemical exchange saturation transfer (DIACEST) contrast agents for MRIMagnetic Resonance in Medicine, 2008
- Chemical Exchange Saturation Transfer Contrast Agents for Magnetic Resonance ImagingAnnual Review of Biomedical Engineering, 2008
- Assessment of glycosaminoglycan concentration in vivo by chemical exchange-dependent saturation transfer (gagCEST)Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 2008
- MRI detection of glycogen in vivo by using chemical exchange saturation transfer imaging (glycoCEST)Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 2007
- In vivo detection of gray and white matter differences in GABA concentration in the human brainNeuroImage, 2006
- Striatal Outflow of Adenosine, Excitatory Amino Acids, γ-Aminobutyric Acid, and Taurine in Awake Freely Moving Rats After Middle Cerebral Artery OcclusionStroke, 1999
- Study of Moderately Rapid Chemical Exchange Reactions by Means of Nuclear Magnetic Double ResonanceThe Journal of Chemical Physics, 1963