Assessment of molecular and pH-weighted signal changes in chronic ischemic stroke using CEST MRI at 3T

Motivation: The sensitivity of CEST MRI in imaging the molecular and pH-weighted signal changes of chronic ischemic stroke remains largely unexplored. Goal(s): The goal of this study is to study the changes of multiple CEST contrasts and amide and amine concentration independent detection (AACID) signal in human brains of chronic ischemic stroke. Approach: CEST scans at 3T were conducted for 17 healthy controls and 8 patients with chronic ischemic stroke. Multiple CEST contrasts and AACID signal were extracted for comparison. Results: The brain of chronic ischemic stroke exhibited significantly reduced amide, rNOE, and MT signals, along with an enhanced AACID signal. Impact: Chronic ischemic stroke brains exhibited decreased amide, rNOE, and MT signals, indicating reductions in proteins and lipids, along with an increased AACID signal suggesting a lower pH level. CEST MRI can monitor the prognosis of ischemic stroke in clinical settings.