Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is one of the most common causes of dementia and difficult to study as the pool of subjects is highly heterogeneous. Saturation transfer (ST) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) methods are quantitative modalities with potential for non-invasive identification and tracking of various aspects of AD pathology. In this review we cover ST-MRI studies in both humans and animal models of AD over the past 20 years. A number of magnetization transfer (MT) studies have shown promising results in human brain. Increased computing power enables more quantitative MT studies, while access to higher magnetic fields improves the specificity of chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) techniques. While much work remains to be done, results so far are very encouraging. MT is sensitive to patterns of AD-related pathological changes, improving differential diagnosis, and CEST is sensitive to particular pathological processes which could greatly assist in the development and monitoring of therapeutic treatments of this currently incurable disease.
This article aimed at reviewing the advances on the development of paramagnetic complexes used as chemical exchange saturation transfer agents in magnetic resonance imaging. This relatively new type of contrast opens new avenues in the development of MRI probes for molecular imaging, and coordination chemistry lies at the center of such advances. Strategies to detect important biomarkers such as pH, cations, anions, metabolites, enzyme, and O2 were described. The current challenges, limitations, and opportunities in this field of research were discussed.
Chemical exchange saturation transfer MRI shows low cerebral 2-deoxy-D-glucose uptake in a model of Alzheimer’s Disease
