Serial quantitative neuroimaging of iron in the intracerebral hemorrhage pig model.

Iron released after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is damaging to the brain. Measurement of the content and distribution of iron in the hematoma could predict brain damage. In this study, 16 Yorkshire piglets were subjected to autologous blood injection ICH model and studied longitudinally using quantitative susceptibility mapping and R2* relaxivity MRI on day 1 and 7 post-ICH. Phantom calibration of susceptibility demonstrated (1) iron distribution heterogeneity within the hematoma and (2) natural absorption of iron from 154 ± 78 µg/mL (day 1) to 127 ± 33 µg/mL (day 7). R2* in the hematoma decreased at day 7. This method could be adopted for ICH in humans.