Imaging the brain with multiple sclerosis using 3D CUBE CEST MRI at clinical 3T

Motivation: CEST MRI is a molecular imaging technique that has potential to image the changes of lipids and proteins during demyelination in human brain with multiple sclerosis (MS). Goal(s): We aimed to explored the sensitivity of different CEST contrasts in differentiating MS brain from healthy control (HC) brain at 3T. Approach: CEST MRI based on a 3D CUBE acquisition module was applied to image the brain of MS patients and HC subjects at a clinical 3T scanner. Results: CEST MRI could sensitively identify MS from HC. Amide CEST, rNOE and MT showed significantly lower signals in the MS brain compared to HC brain. Impact: This study demonstrated the alterations in CEST contrasts in the human brain with multiple sclerosis using a clinical 3T MRI. It provides valuable insights for the clinical application of CEST MRI in diagnosing multiple sclerosis.