Dr. Evgeniya Kirilina | Advanced histological methods for informing and validating in vivo MRI histology

Recent advances in MRI methodology combined with biophysical modelling of MR signals provide unique insights into the cyto- and myelo-architecture of the human brain. These novel methods have to be informed and validated by histological methods in post mortem human brain samples. However, classical histological methods provide only qualitative information in 2D slices, while 3D quantitative information is required for MRI validation.

I will show how advanced quantitative and 3D histology using CLARITY can be used to inform biophysical models and validate the outcomes of the MRI-based microstructural markers.

I will present three applications of microstructure mapping in cortical grey matter, subcortical white matter and brain nuclei. In the cortex I will demonstrate specific patterns of intracortical myelination in human higher order visual cortex using MRI and semi quantitative myelin mapping in post mortem tissue. In the superficial white matter I will show how advanced histological methods and CLARITY help to understand contrast mechanisms and develop potential method for short subcortical U-fibers mapping. In subcortical nuclei I will show how information on dopaminergic neuron density in substantia nigra can be obtained from quantitative MRI informed by quantitative iron mapping.

Poster