Creatine Kinase Imaging (CKI) for In Vivo Whole-Brain Mapping of Creatine Kinase Reaction Rates

Abstract:The creatine kinase (CK) is a key enzyme involved in brain bioenergetics, playing an important role in brain function and the pathogenesis of neurological and psychiatric diseases and cancers. However, imaging its activity non-invasively in the human brain remains a significant challenge. This study aims to advance $^{31}$P magnetic resonance fingerprinting (MRF) for Creatine Kinase Imaging (CKI). The method was implemented and validated on a clinical 7 Tesla MRI scanner. CKI enables for the first time whole-brain mapping of CK reaction rates, revealing regional differences. Furthermore, a functional CKI (fCKI) study demonstrated the first CK activation map in response to visual stimulation, revealing an increase in CK rates in the visual cortex. The novel imaging modalities, CKI and fCKI, have the potential to offer new insights into brain bioenergetics both at rest and during activity, in both healthy and pathological conditions.