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Review
. 2007 Jul;4(3):460-84.
doi: 10.1016/j.nurt.2007.05.004.

Magnetic resonance imaging of myelin

Cornelia Laule  1 , Irene M Vavasour, Shannon H Kolind, David K B Li, Tony L Traboulsee, G R Wayne Moore, Alex L MacKay
Affiliations
Review

Magnetic resonance imaging of myelin

Cornelia Laule et al. Neurotherapeutics. 2007 Jul.

Abstract

The ability to measure myelin in vivo has great consequences for furthering our knowledge of normal development, as well as for understanding a wide range of neurological disorders. The following review summarizes the current state of myelin imaging using MR. We consider five MR techniques that have been used to study myelin: 1) conventional MR, 2) MR spectroscopy, 3) diffusion, 4) magnetization transfer, and 5) T2 relaxation. Fundamental studies involving peripheral nerve and MR/histology comparisons have aided in the interpretation and validation of MR data. We highlight a number of important findings related to myelin development, damage, and repair, and we conclude with a critical summary of the current techniques available and their potential to image myelin in vivo.

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