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Dynamic MRI of Fluid and Solute Transportation across the Arachnoid Barrier in the Human Meninges

Li, Yinghao ; Sun, Yuanqi ; Paez, Adrian ; Xu, Gaoqiang ; Pillai, Jay J ; Iliff, Jeffrey J ; Ganji, Sandeep K ; Knutsson, Linda LU orcid ; Van Zijl, Peter C M and Kamson, David O , et al. (2026) In Radiology 318(2).
Abstract

Background The dura mater has a permeable vasculature similar to that of peripheral organs, and is separated from the brain, which is enclosed within the arachnoid barrier. Fluid and solute transport across the arachnoid barrier between the subarachnoid space (SAS) and dura is crucial for brain waste clearance and immune surveillance, but few neuroimaging approaches can capture this dynamic process. Purpose To establish a clinically feasible intravenous gadolinium-based contrast agent (GBCA)-based MRI approach for assessing fluid and solute transport across the arachnoid barrier. Materials and Methods This prospective study was conducted from September 2023 to September 2024 in healthy participants. High-resolution structural MRI was... (More)

Background The dura mater has a permeable vasculature similar to that of peripheral organs, and is separated from the brain, which is enclosed within the arachnoid barrier. Fluid and solute transport across the arachnoid barrier between the subarachnoid space (SAS) and dura is crucial for brain waste clearance and immune surveillance, but few neuroimaging approaches can capture this dynamic process. Purpose To establish a clinically feasible intravenous gadolinium-based contrast agent (GBCA)-based MRI approach for assessing fluid and solute transport across the arachnoid barrier. Materials and Methods This prospective study was conducted from September 2023 to September 2024 in healthy participants. High-resolution structural MRI was used to identify subregions in the meninges. Dynamic dual spin-echo perfusion (DDSEP) MRI was performed to track GBCA distribution in blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) simultaneously. The spatiotemporal characteristics of fluid and solute transportation across the arachnoid barrier were examined by analyzing GBCA-induced signal intensity changes in the fluid outside (dura) and inside (SAS) the arachnoid barrier in the meninges around the superior sagittal sinus (SSS) and bridging veins (BVs). Mann-Whitney
U tests were used for group comparisons. Results Twenty healthy participants (mean age, 30 years ± 7 [SD]; 12 men) were included. GBCA enhancement was detected in subregions of the meninges on structural MRI scans, including the periosteal and meningeal layers, but enhancement from blood and CSF could not be separated. Using DDSEP MRI, GBCA-induced blood signal intensity changes were detected in the dura within 10 seconds following intravenous administration. GBCA-induced CSF signal intensity changes were detected in the dura and SAS approximately 20-40 seconds after intravenous administration. The time courses showed a delayed mean time to onset of GBCA-induced CSF signal intensity changes in the SAS around BVs compared with the SAS around the SSS (45.6 seconds ± 18.2 vs 18.4 seconds ± 4.6;
P = .047). Conclusion Dynamic fluid and solute transportation across the arachnoid barrier in the meninges of healthy participants was measured by tracking intravenous GBCA entering CSF from dural blood vessels using DDSEP MRI. © RSNA, 2026
Supplemental material is available for this article.

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type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Humans, Adult, Male, Female, Prospective Studies, Magnetic Resonance Imaging/methods, Contrast Media/pharmacokinetics, Arachnoid/diagnostic imaging, Meninges/diagnostic imaging, Gadolinium/pharmacokinetics, Cerebrospinal Fluid/metabolism, Dura Mater/diagnostic imaging
in
Radiology
volume
318
issue
2
article number
e252393
publisher
Radiological Society of North America
external identifiers
  • pmid:41733473
  • scopus:105031190977
ISSN
1527-1315
DOI
10.1148/radiol.252393
language
English
LU publication?
no
id
d960c064-77d4-4735-9fc9-bb2eac22c3f9
date added to LUP
2026-02-27 21:29:28
date last changed
2026-10-05 15:40:15
@article{d960c064-77d4-4735-9fc9-bb2eac22c3f9,
  abstract     = {{<p>Background The dura mater has a permeable vasculature similar to that of peripheral organs, and is separated from the brain, which is enclosed within the arachnoid barrier. Fluid and solute transport across the arachnoid barrier between the subarachnoid space (SAS) and dura is crucial for brain waste clearance and immune surveillance, but few neuroimaging approaches can capture this dynamic process. Purpose To establish a clinically feasible intravenous gadolinium-based contrast agent (GBCA)-based MRI approach for assessing fluid and solute transport across the arachnoid barrier. Materials and Methods This prospective study was conducted from September 2023 to September 2024 in healthy participants. High-resolution structural MRI was used to identify subregions in the meninges. Dynamic dual spin-echo perfusion (DDSEP) MRI was performed to track GBCA distribution in blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) simultaneously. The spatiotemporal characteristics of fluid and solute transportation across the arachnoid barrier were examined by analyzing GBCA-induced signal intensity changes in the fluid outside (dura) and inside (SAS) the arachnoid barrier in the meninges around the superior sagittal sinus (SSS) and bridging veins (BVs). Mann-Whitney <br>
 U tests were used for group comparisons. Results Twenty healthy participants (mean age, 30 years ± 7 [SD]; 12 men) were included. GBCA enhancement was detected in subregions of the meninges on structural MRI scans, including the periosteal and meningeal layers, but enhancement from blood and CSF could not be separated. Using DDSEP MRI, GBCA-induced blood signal intensity changes were detected in the dura within 10 seconds following intravenous administration. GBCA-induced CSF signal intensity changes were detected in the dura and SAS approximately 20-40 seconds after intravenous administration. The time courses showed a delayed mean time to onset of GBCA-induced CSF signal intensity changes in the SAS around BVs compared with the SAS around the SSS (45.6 seconds ± 18.2 vs 18.4 seconds ± 4.6; <br>
 P = .047). Conclusion Dynamic fluid and solute transportation across the arachnoid barrier in the meninges of healthy participants was measured by tracking intravenous GBCA entering CSF from dural blood vessels using DDSEP MRI. © RSNA, 2026 <br>
 Supplemental material is available for this article.<br>
 </p>}},
  author       = {{Li, Yinghao and Sun, Yuanqi and Paez, Adrian and Xu, Gaoqiang and Pillai, Jay J and Iliff, Jeffrey J and Ganji, Sandeep K and Knutsson, Linda and Van Zijl, Peter C M and Kamson, David O and Calabresi, Peter A and Hua, Jun}},
  issn         = {{1527-1315}},
  keywords     = {{Humans; Adult; Male; Female; Prospective Studies; Magnetic Resonance Imaging/methods; Contrast Media/pharmacokinetics; Arachnoid/diagnostic imaging; Meninges/diagnostic imaging; Gadolinium/pharmacokinetics; Cerebrospinal Fluid/metabolism; Dura Mater/diagnostic imaging}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{2}},
  publisher    = {{Radiological Society of North America}},
  series       = {{Radiology}},
  title        = {{Dynamic MRI of Fluid and Solute Transportation across the Arachnoid Barrier in the Human Meninges}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1148/radiol.252393}},
  doi          = {{10.1148/radiol.252393}},
  volume       = {{318}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}