Cited by 111Advanced MRI Techniques and ApplicationsAdvanced Neuroimaging Techniques and ApplicationsNMR spectroscopy and applications

Effects of formalin fixation and temperature on MR relaxation times in the human brain

Birkl, Christoph, Langkammer, Christian, Golob‐Schwarzl, Nicole, Leoni, Marlene, Haybaeck, Johannes, Goessler, Walter, Fazekas, Franz, Ropele, Stefan·2016·NMR in Biomedicine

Abstract

Post‐mortem MRI of the brain is increasingly applied in neuroscience for a better understanding of the contrast mechanisms of disease induced tissue changes. However, the influence of chemical processes caused by formalin fixation and differences in temperature may hamper the comparability with results from in vivo MRI. In this study we investigated how formalin fixation and temperature affect T 1 , T 2 and T 2 * relaxation times of brain tissue. Fixation effects were examined with respect to changes in water content and crosslinking. Relaxometry was performed in brain slices from five deceased subjects at different temperatures. All measurements were repeated after 190 days of formaldehyde immersion. The water content of unfixed and fixed tissue was determined using the wet‐to‐dry ratio following drying. Protein weight was determined with sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS‐PAGE). Fixation caused a strong decrease of all relaxation times, the strongest effect being seen on T 1 , with a reduction of up to 76%. The temperature coefficient of T 1 was lower in the fixed than unfixed tissue, which was in contrast to T 2 , where an increase of the temperature coefficient was observed following fixation. The reduction of the water content after fixation was in the range of 1–6% and thus not sufficient to explain the changes in relaxation time. Results from SDS‐PAGE indicated a strong increase of the protein size above 260 kDa in all brain structures examined. Our results suggest that crosslinking induced changes of the macromolecular matrix are responsible for T 1 shortening and a decreased temperature dependency. The relaxation times provided in this work should allow optimization of post‐mortem MRI protocols for the brain. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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Crossref · 10.1002/nbm.3477

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Authors
Birkl, C., Langkammer, C., Golob‐Schwarzl, N., Leoni, M., Haybaeck, J., Goessler, W., Fazekas, F., & Ropele, S.
Affiliations
  • Medical University of Graz (AT)
  • Harvard University (US)
  • University of Graz (AT)
Corresponding author
Ropele, Stefan
Venue
NMR in Biomedicine
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2016-02-02
Volume
29
Issue
4
Pages
458-465
ISSN
  • 0952-3480 (ISSN-L)
  • 1099-1492
OpenAlex
W2271161903
Cited by
111
References
40
Citations by year
2026: 9 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 13 · 2023: 10 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 23 · 2020: 13 · 2019: 12 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 6 · 2016: 1
FWCI
7.81
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • NMR in Biomedicine (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • Oesterreichische Nationalbank (14601)
  • Austrian Science Fund (P23576)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Imaging › Advanced MRI Techniques and Applications
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Imaging › Advanced Neuroimaging Techniques and Applications
  • Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Nuclear and High Energy Physics › NMR spectroscopy and applications
Keywords
formalin fixation, T1 relaxation time, T2 relaxation time, temperature dependence of relaxation, brain water content, protein size, relaxometry, brain slices
MeSH terms
Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Brain, Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel, Female, Formaldehyde, Humans, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Middle Aged, Temperature, Time Factors, Water, Tissue Fixation

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