Non-Heme Iron Load Quantification in the Brain - MRI of Patients With Stroke
Non-Heme Iron Load Quantification in the Brain - MRI of Patients With Stroke
This study will determine if MRI imaging can be used to estimate the amount of iron in areas
 of the brain affected by a stroke. This may help future patients if the scan can be used to
 predict the amount of brain damage and therefore the effects on the patient.

 New research treatments are being used to reduce the amount of iron build-up in the brain.
 The effects of that treatment may also be estimated using new MRI techniques.
Hemorrhagic stroke has devastating consequences. The mechanisms resulting in early and
 delayed brain injury following a hemorrhagic stroke is poorly understood. One of the
 mechanisms demonstrated in

 animal studies points towards deposition of iron in the brain tissue following hemorrhage.
 Preliminary data in animal studies also support a favorable effect of iron chelate agents.
 Iron chelate agents are compounds that bind iron to them and may show the extent of neural
 tissue damage.

 Initial results of human trials based on this hypothesis demonstrated the safety of
 increasing amounts of desferroxamine given to human patients. The evaluation of iron chelate
 agents for hemorrhagic stroke is entering into phase II/III trials.

 There is no modality at this date that can quantify the iron in tissue non invasively. Some
 preliminary studies have demonstrated the role of MRI in identifying parenchymal iron
 deposition in traumatic brain injury.

 We propose to validate an MRI based method to not only identify but also quantify the non
 heme iron levels deposited in brain tissue following hemorrhagic stroke. Once validated this
 method will be a robust mechanism to reliably quantify tissue iron in the brain which then
 can be closely followed through iron chelate therapy in a trial setting.
Inclusion Criteria:

 1. Males and females between the age of 18 and 85 who have suffered a stroke confirmed by a
 CT of the head.

 Exclusion Criteria:

 1. You cannot take part in this study unless you have evidence of having a stroke
 (hemorrhage in your brain).

 2. You cannot take part in this study if you are not able to safely have an MRI exam.

 3. Women cannot take part in this study if they are pregnant.

 4. Women may not participate in this study if they are attempting to become pregnant or
 think they might be pregnant. We will provide a one-time pregnancy test for anyone who
 is uncertain about being pregnant.

 5. You cannot take part in this study if you have evidence of a large amount of
 calcifications found on CT exams that have been performed as part of the clinical
 evaluation for your current condition.