Developing methods for measuring magnetic susceptibility in the brain
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Associate Professor
Leigh Johnston
Project Details
MRI can detect changes in the magnetic field produced by small amounts of magnetically interacting substances like iron. In the brain, iron is found in many forms and can interact with brain cells in ways that might lead to neurodegeneration. Researchers at MBCIU are developing new ways of inferring magnetic susceptibility to detect brain iron using a method known as Quantitative Susceptibility Mapping, or QSM. We are also using QSM to study how iron is deposited in the brains of people with neurological diseases like multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer's disease.
