Indirect Deuterium Displacement Imaging for Non-Invasive High-Resolution CSF Production Mapping

Motivation: Non-invasive MRI techniques for CSF production evaluation remain limited by assumptions about CSF dynamics, spatial resolution constraints, and/or low signal-to-noise ratio. Goal(s): Develop a non-invasive, high-resolution method to map CSF production accurately, addressing limitations of current invasive techniques. Approach: Utilizing deuterium oxide as a contrast agent, MRI was performed on rat models to measure CSF production indirectly by detecting changes in signal intensity due to deuterium displacement. Results: The method successfully visualized spatial patterns of CSF production, revealing dose-dependent, region-specific signal loss. Impact: Deuterium displacement MRI enables precise, non-invasive mapping of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) production, advancing neurofluid disorder research. It enhances understanding of CSF dynamics and neurotoxin clearance, especially in brain regions associated with neurodegenerative diseases.