초록 열기/닫기 버튼
Iron is an important element for brain oxygen transport, myelination, DNA synthesis and neurotransmission. However,excessive iron can generate reactive oxygen species and contribute neurotoxicity. Although brain iron deposition is thenatural process with normal aging, excessive iron accumulation is also observed in various neurological disorders suchas neurodegeneration with brain iron accumulation, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, Friedreichataxia, and others. Magnetic resonance image (MRI) is a useful method for detecting iron deposits in the brain. It canbe a powerful tool for diagnosis and monitoring, while furthering our understanding of the role of iron in the pathophysiologyof a disease. In this review, we will introduce the mechanism of iron toxicity and the basics of severaliron-related MRI techniques. Also, we will summarize the previous results concerning the clinical application of suchMR imagings in various neurological disorders. (Korean J Clin Neurophysiol 2014;16:1-7)
