High-resolution three-dimensional quantitative map of the macromolecular proton fraction distribution in the normal rat brain.

The presented dataset provides a normative high-resolution three-dimensional (3D) macromolecular proton fraction (MPF) map of the healthy rat brain in vivo and source images used for its reconstruction. The images were acquired using the protocol described elsewhere (Naumova, et al. High-resolution three-dimensional macromolecular proton fraction mapping for quantitative neuroanatomical imaging of the rodent brain in ultra-high magnetic fields. Neuroimage (2016) doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2016.09.036). The map was reconstructed from three source images with different contrast weightings (proton density, T1, and magnetization transfer) using the single-point algorithm with a synthetic reference image. Source images were acquired from a living animal on an 11.7 T small animal MRI scanner with isotropic spatial resolution of 170 µm(3) and total acquisition time about 1.5 h. The 3D dataset can be used for multiple purposes including interactive viewing of rat brain anatomy, measurements of reference MPF values in various brain structures, and development of image processing techniques for the rodent brain segmentation. It also can serve as a gold standard image for implementation and optimization of rodent brain MRI protocols.