City University of Hong Kong

Johns Hopkins University

Kennedy Krieger Institute, Inc.

Jianpan Huang

Peter C Van Zijl

Jiadi Xu

Kannie Wai Yan Chan

Wai Yan Chan

Lin Chen

Lok Hin Law

Disclosed herein are methods for delivering a drug to the brain of a subject and monitoring the distribution of the drug therein. The method includes steps of: (a) intranasally administering of a first and second liposomes respectively loaded with the drug and a computed tomography (CT) contrast agent therein to the subject; (b) subjecting the brain of the subject of step (a) to a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan; and (c) measuring chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) signals during the MRI scan in both olfactory bulb (OB) and frontal lobe (FL) regions at 1.2 ppm, 4.3 ppm, and −3.4 ppm, respectively.

Multiple CEST contrast imaging of nose-to-brain drug delivery using CT-contrast agent-loaded liposomes

A method of assessing the brain lymphatic or glymphatic system and the glucose transporter function on blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier (BCSFB) of a subject using D-glucose or a D-glucose analog. A spatial map is generated of water MR signals that are sensitized to changes in D-glucose or a D-glucose analog in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of the subject. The spatial map is observed at one or more time points before, one or more time points during, and one or more time points after, raising the blood level of the D-glucose or a D-glucose analog in the subject CSF. A difference is detected between the MR signals of the spatial map before, during, and after raising the blood level of D-glucose or a D-glucose analog. A physiological parameter associated with the brain lymphatic or glymphatic system and the glucose transporter function on BCSFB of the subject is ascertained based on the detected difference.

D-glucose and its analogs as tracers to assess the glucose transporter function on blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier and the functioning of the brain lymphatic system

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Hong Kong, China

Jianpan Huang