USPIO High Resolution Neurovascular Imaging in a Rat Stroke Model of Transient Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusion

Abstract

Abstract:

Angiogenesis inducing agents, such as Sildenafil, can be used to treat stroke. In this study, USPIO-enhanced MRI was used to visualize collateral vessels in the penumbral area of lesions of rats subjected to transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO), and the evaluate efficacy of the Sildenafil treatment. Here, P904, a USPIO agent, was used as a T₁ reducing agent at a low dose for MR angiography and as a T₂* reducing agent at a moderate dose for
visualization of very small vessels on gradient echo susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI). SWI scans without/with USPIO injection were performed for the following cases: tMCAO without any treatment (n=5), tMCAO with Sildenafil treatment (n=6), and sham tMCAO (n=1) at four different time points (i.e., baseline, 24 h, two weeks and four weeks after tMCAO). The presence of newly developed vessels in the periphery of the ischemic core was only observed in those
animals showing severe ischemic brain damage and at the same time received Sildenafil treatment at two weeks post tMCAO. This work suggests that, at 7 T, high resolution SWI in conjunction with USPIO injection at a moderate dose can be used to visualize post-stroke angiogenesis in the tMCAO rat model.

Key words: MRI, stroke, angiogenesis, SWI, USPIO, neurovasculature

CLC Number:

O482.53

SHEN Yi-min1*，ZHENG Wei-li1，CHENG Yu-chung N1，DING Yu-chuan2，HIGASHIDA Tetsuhiro2，LI Jie2，YE Yong-quan1，RAYNAUD Jean-Sebastien3，HAACKE E Mark1,4.

USPIO High Resolution Neurovascular Imaging in a Rat Stroke Model of Transient Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusion

[J]. Chinese Journal of Magnetic Resonance.

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