| Blood-Brain Barrier Experiments with Clinical Magnetic Resonance Imaging and an Immunohistochemical Study. |
| Jun Woo Park, Hak Jin Kim, Geun Sung Song, Hyung Soo Han |
1Department of Neurosurgery, College of Medicine & Medical Research Institute, Pusan National University, Yangsan, Korea. gnsong@pusan.ac.kr
2Department of Radiology, College of Medicine & Medical Research Institute, Pusan National University, Yangsan, Korea.
3Department of Physiology, Kyungpook National University School of Medicine, Daegu, Korea. |
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| ABSTRACT |
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of study was to evaluate the feasibility of brain magnetic resonance (MR) images of the rat obtained using a 1.5T MR machine in several blood-brain barrier (BBB) experiments.
METHODS
Male Sprague-Dawley rats were used. MR images were obtained using a clinical 1.5T MR machine. A microcatheter was introduced via the femoral artery to the carotid artery.
Normal saline (group 1, n = 4), clotted autologous blood (group 2, n = 4), triolein emulsion (group 3, n = 4), and oleic acid emulsion (group 4, n = 4) were infused into the carotid artery through a microcatheter. Conventional and diffusion-weighted images, the apparent coefficient map, perfusion-weighted images, and contrast-enhanced MR images were obtained. Brain tissue was obtained and triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining was performed in group 2. Fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-labeled dextran images and endothelial barrier antigen (EBA) studies were performed in group 4.
RESULTS
The MR images in group 1 were of good quality. The MR images in group 2 revealed typical findings of acute cerebral infarction. Perfusion defects were noted on the perfusion-weighted images. The MR images in group 3 showed vasogenic edema and contrast enhancement, representing vascular damage. The rats in group 4 had vasogenic edema on the MR images and leakage of dextran on the FITC-labeled dextran image, representing increased vascular permeability.
The immune reaction was decreased on the EBA study.
CONCLUSION
Clinical 1.5T MR images using a rat depicted many informative results in the present study. These results can be used in further researches of the BBB using combined clinical MR machines and immunohistochemical examinations. |
| Key Words:
Animal; Blood-brain barrier; Magnetic resonance image; Immunohistochemical study; Vasogenic edema; Vascular permeability |
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