Abstract #0013

The Role of Iron in T2* Contrast and Transverse Relaxation of Beta-Amyloid Plaques in Alzheimers Disease

Mark David Meadowcroft^1,2, James R. Connor³, Qing X. Yang^1,3

¹Radiology - Center for NMR Research, Pennsylvania State University - College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, United States; ²Neural and Behavioral Sciences, Pennsylvania State University - College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, United States; ³Neurosurgery, Pennsylvania State University - College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, United States

Conventional belief is that iron associated with beta-amyloid (Aβ) plaques is the underlying mechanism for plaque contrast in transverse imaging. Through detailed histological MR examination in comparison to traditional histology methods utilizing iron chelation of plaques, this body of work has determined that there is a dual relaxation associated with human (Aβ) plaques. Removal of iron from human (Aβ) plaques still results in plaque MR imaging and relaxation. The data indicate that iron content alone is not responsible for the hypo-intensities seen on the MR images and that there is a synergy between iron and plaque morphology on transverse relaxation.