Tim B. Dyrby1, William FC. Baar1, Daniel C. Alexander2, Jacob Jelsing3, Ellen Garde1, Lise V. Sgaard1
1Danish Research Centre for Magnetic Resonance, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre, Denmark; 2Centre for Medical Image Computing, Dept. Computer Science, University College London, London, UK; 3Research Laboratory for Stereology and Neuroscience, Copenhagen University Hospital, Bispebjerg, Denmark
Compared to in vivo, diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) obtained postmortem benefits from longer scanning times, thereby improving both image resolution and SNR. An additional, overseen feature is the possibility of long-term storage, which would allow the instigation of brain repositories from where specimens could be loaned for use in DWI projects. In this study, we have investigated possible longitudinal changes in diffusivity of archived postmortem brain tissue over a nearly four-year period. Repeated DWI measurements were obtained on perfusion-fixated pig brains, with steps taken to ensure that the postmortem DWI was representative of in vivo conditions.