Brain Disorders & Therapy

Visualization of unconjugated bilirubin in the brain based on CEST magnetic resonance imaging

Global congress on Neuroscience Psychiatry and Mental disorder

July 03, 2023 | Webinar

Lin Yang

Shantou University Medical College, China

Scientific Tracks Abstracts: Brain Disord Ther

Abstract:

Currently, no medical imaging is available for in vivo bilirubin detection. We developed a method for non-invasive imaging of unconjugated bilirubin in the brain based on chemical exchange saturation transfer imaging (CEST) magnetic resonance imaging, which allows visualization of the distribution of unconjugated bilirubin by proton exchange between imino and bulk water, which we named Bilirubin CEST imaging (Bil-CEST). We first optimized the imaging parameters for Bil- CEST. In vitro images of bilirubin solutions with different concentrations and pH and other brain metabolites (glutamate, γ-aminobutyric acid, glucose and creatine) were collected to investigate the imaging characteristics and specificity of Bil-CEST, respectively. T1WI, T2WI and Bil-CEST maps of the rat brain were collected at baseline and dynamically after injection of the bilirubin solution or vehicle into the lateral ventricles of SD rats. Finally, the model was validated by a water maze and pathological staining. In vitro, the Bil-CEST effect was observed at approximately 5.5 ppm downfield from bulk water, this effect increased with an increase in the B1 amplitude and decreased after the B1 amplitude reached 6.0 μT; and the effects were proportional to bilirubin concentration. In vivo, Bil-CEST imaging showed a progressive enhancement after lateral ventricular injection of bilirubin, with changes significantly earlier than T1WI and T2WI. In contrast, no significant imaging changes were seen in the vehicle group. Bil-CEST makes it possible to image bilirubin directly. Our findings suggest that Bil-CEST has the potential to be a clinically valuable and cost-effective biomarker for early diagnosis and treatment assessment of bilirubin encephalopathy.

Biography :

Lin Yang received the M.M. degree in Medical Imaging and Nuclear Medicine from Shantou University Medical College, China, in 2022. She is currently working toward the M.D. degree in the Department of Radiology at Shantou University Medical College, China. Her research interests include magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy, diffusion kurtosis imaging, and Quantitative susceptibility mapping.