{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,30]],"date-time":"2026-07-30T09:17:07Z","timestamp":1785403027409,"version":"3.56.0"},"reference-count":33,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"7","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,10]],"date-time":"2026-07-10T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1783641600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Servicios de Salud del Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social para el Bienestar","award":["PP Q008"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["PP Q008"]}]},{"award":["PP Q008"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["PP Q008"]}],"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/02j4pwj98","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["J. Imaging"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) is widely used for biliopancreatic imaging; however, hyperintense gastrointestinal fluids in heavily T2-weighted sequences may interfere with visualization of the biliary and pancreatic ducts. Natural manganese-containing beverages have been investigated in MRCP-related imaging contexts, and yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis A. St.-Hil.) has been studied to this end. However, its concentration- and sequence-dependent signal behavior under MRCP-like phantom conditions remains insufficiently characterized. This preclinical phantom study evaluated the concentration- and sequence-dependent MRI signal intensity behavior of an aqueous extract of Ilex paraguariensis. The extract was characterized by means of elemental analysis, total manganese and iron quantification, total phenolic content, antioxidant capacity, and LC-ESI-MS analysis. MRI phantom experiments were run at different extract concentrations using T1-weighted, T2-weighted, and single-shot turbo spin echo (SSHTSE) sequences. The dried extract contained 1.22 \u00b1 0.04 mg\/g total manganese and 0.40 \u00b1 0.01 mg\/g total iron. Calculated total Mn concentrations in phantom dilutions ranged from 0.06 to 0.97 mg\/dL. The extract showed concentration- and sequence-dependent signal behavior, with T1-weighted signal enhancement and progressive signal suppression in T2-weighted and SSHTSE sequences. No T1\/T2 mapping or r1\/r2 relaxivity measurements were performed. LC-ESI-MS identified MS1-based putatively assigned phenolic features without MS\/MS confirmation of extract peaks. Ilex paraguariensis aqueous extract showed preliminary concentration- and sequence-dependent MRI signal intensity changes under phantom conditions, including signal suppression in MRCP-like heavily T2-weighted sequences. These findings do not establish clinical applicability, safety, tolerability, comparative efficacy, or improved duct visualization. Further studies are needed, incorporating relaxometric measurements, comparator agents, formulation assessment, in vivo evaluation, and clinical validation.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/jimaging12070313","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,10]],"date-time":"2026-07-10T09:46:47Z","timestamp":1783676807000},"page":"313","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Concentration- and Sequence-Dependent MRI Signal Intensity Behavior of Ilex paraguariensis Aqueous Extract in MRCP-like Sequences: A Preclinical Phantom Study"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"12","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0002-9453-6262","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Mario J.","family":"Noh-Burgos","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Hospital Regional de Alta Especialidad de la Pen\u00ednsula de Yucatan, Servicios de Salud del Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social para el Bienestar (IMSS-BIENESTAR), Merida 97130, Yucatan, Mexico"},{"name":"Secretar\u00eda de Ciencia, Humanidades, Tecnolog\u00eda e Innovaci\u00f3n (SECIHTI), Mexico City 03940, Mexico"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Juan B.","family":"Chal\u00e9-Dzul","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Hospital de Especialidades, Centro Medico Nacional Ignacio Garc\u00eda T\u00e9llez, Unidad de Investigaci\u00f3n Medica Yucatan (UIMY), Merida 97150, Yucatan, Mexico"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Leticia","family":"Olivera-Castillo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centro de Investigaci\u00f3n y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, Unidad Merida, Merida 97310, Yucatan, Mexico"},{"name":"Applied Science Research Foundation, A.C., Merida 97138, Yucatan, Mexico"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"C\u00e9sar","family":"Puerto-Castillo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centro de Investigaci\u00f3n y de Estudios Avanzados del IPN, Unidad Merida, Merida 97310, Yucatan, Mexico"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0230-0731","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Nina","family":"M\u00e9ndez-Dom\u00ednguez","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Hospital Regional de Alta Especialidad de la Pen\u00ednsula de Yucatan, Servicios de Salud del Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social para el Bienestar (IMSS-BIENESTAR), Merida 97130, Yucatan, Mexico"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9204-6062","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Rosa E.","family":"Moo-Puc","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Hospital Regional de Alta Especialidad de la Pen\u00ednsula de Yucatan, Servicios de Salud del Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social para el Bienestar (IMSS-BIENESTAR), Merida 97130, Yucatan, Mexico"},{"name":"Secretar\u00eda de Ciencia, Humanidades, Tecnolog\u00eda e Innovaci\u00f3n (SECIHTI), Mexico City 03940, Mexico"},{"name":"Ciencia y Herbolaria, Conkal 97345, Yucatan, Mexico"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,10]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1875","DOI":"10.4102\/sajr.v24i1.1875","article-title":"The efficacy of pineapple juice as a negative oral contrast agent in magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography","volume":"24","author":"Mohabir","year":"2020","journal-title":"S. 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