Exploring sodium homeostasis in vivo: the role of 23Na MRI in neurological disorders

Wafaa Zaaraoui, PhD
CNRS, Aix-Marseille Université, CRMBM, Marseille, France

Sodium (²³Na) MRI offers a unique opportunity to study sodium homeostasis in vivo and thus detect early changes related to cellular dysfunction preceding cell death. Although brain ²³Na MRI was first performed in 1983, its use remained limited due to several challenges mainly related to its very low in vivo sensitivity and its magnetic characteristics.

The increasing availability of high-field and ultra-high field MR scanners as well as the improvements achieved in hardware and acquisition designs allowed several researchers to investigate the clinical applications of ²³Na MRI.

In this presentation, we will discuss the physics and technical aspects of ²³Na MRI and provide a brief review of clinical research applications in neuroscience.