TY - JOUR
T1 - A novel Tungsten-based fiducial marker for multi-modal brain imaging
AU - Ose, Takayuki
AU - Autio, Joonas A.
AU - Ohno, Masahiro
AU - Nishigori, Kantaro
AU - Tanki, Nobuyoshi
AU - Igesaka, Ami
AU - Mori, Tomoko
AU - Doi, Hisashi
AU - Wada, Yasuhiro
AU - Nakajima, Iwao
AU - Watabe, Hiroshi
AU - Hayashi, Takuya
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was supported by KAKENHI Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research ( 15K08707 , 15K12779 ) and by the program for Brain/MINDS and Brain/MINDS-beyond from the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED) (Grant Number JP18dm0207001 , JP18dm0307006 ).
Publisher Copyright:
© 2019
PY - 2019/7/15
Y1 - 2019/7/15
N2 - Background: Multi-modal brain image registration is a prerequisite for accurate mapping of brain structure and function in neuroscience. Image registration is commonly performed using automated software; however, its accuracy decreases when images differ in modality, contrast, uniformity, and resolution. This limitation could be overcome by using an external reference point; however, high-contrast agents in multi-modal imaging have not been previously reported. New methods: Here, we propose a novel multi-modal fiducial marker that contains Tungsten solution and provides high contrast in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT), and positron emission tomography (PET). The basic characteristics of this multi-modal marker were investigated by assessing major sources of image contrast in the following modalities: density and T1-, T2-relaxivity in comparison with conventional contrast agents. Results: Tungsten solution had lower T1- and T2-relaxivity and high solubility, and showed high contrast in T1- and T2-weighted MR and CT images at a high-density concentration (˜3.0 g/mL), whereas other conventional solutions did not show sufficient contrast in either CT or MRI. Comparison with existing methods: The use of this Tungsten-based multi-modal marker allowed more accurate registration than a software-only method in phantom and animal experiments. Application of this method demonstrated accurate cortical surface mapping of neurotransmitter function (dopamine transporter, DAT) using PET and MRI, and provided a neurobiologically relevant cortical distribution consistent with previous literature on histology-based DAT immunoreactivity. Conclusions: The Tungsten-based multi-modal fiducial marker is non-radioactive, easy to handle, and aids precise registration across different modalities of brain imaging.
AB - Background: Multi-modal brain image registration is a prerequisite for accurate mapping of brain structure and function in neuroscience. Image registration is commonly performed using automated software; however, its accuracy decreases when images differ in modality, contrast, uniformity, and resolution. This limitation could be overcome by using an external reference point; however, high-contrast agents in multi-modal imaging have not been previously reported. New methods: Here, we propose a novel multi-modal fiducial marker that contains Tungsten solution and provides high contrast in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT), and positron emission tomography (PET). The basic characteristics of this multi-modal marker were investigated by assessing major sources of image contrast in the following modalities: density and T1-, T2-relaxivity in comparison with conventional contrast agents. Results: Tungsten solution had lower T1- and T2-relaxivity and high solubility, and showed high contrast in T1- and T2-weighted MR and CT images at a high-density concentration (˜3.0 g/mL), whereas other conventional solutions did not show sufficient contrast in either CT or MRI. Comparison with existing methods: The use of this Tungsten-based multi-modal marker allowed more accurate registration than a software-only method in phantom and animal experiments. Application of this method demonstrated accurate cortical surface mapping of neurotransmitter function (dopamine transporter, DAT) using PET and MRI, and provided a neurobiologically relevant cortical distribution consistent with previous literature on histology-based DAT immunoreactivity. Conclusions: The Tungsten-based multi-modal fiducial marker is non-radioactive, easy to handle, and aids precise registration across different modalities of brain imaging.
KW - CT
KW - Fiducial marker
KW - MRI
KW - Multi-modal registration
KW - PET
KW - Polytungstate
KW - Tungsten
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U2 - 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2019.04.014
DO - 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2019.04.014
M3 - Article
C2 - 31082408
AN - SCOPUS:85065714350
VL - 323
SP - 22
EP - 31
JO - Journal of Neuroscience Methods
JF - Journal of Neuroscience Methods
SN - 0165-0270
ER -