Does magnetic resonance imaging compromise integrity of the blood-brain barrier?
It has been reported that a standard clinical procedure of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) carried out experimentally in the rat caused temporary opening of the blood-brain barrier. Electron micrography indicated blood-to-brain movement of horseradish peroxidase, a protein tracer that does not normally permeate the barrier. In the present study, permeability-area products (PA), describing the limited permeation of blood-borne [14C]sucrose into brain parenchyma, were measured in anesthetized rats subjected either to 23 min of MRI, to osmotic barrier opening by intracarotid infusion of hypertonic arabinose, or to control conditions. Osmotic opening caused manyfold increases in PA whereas MRI produced no change. The proposal that MRI can compromise integrity of the blood-brain barrier is not supported by these findings.
Preston
E
E
Division of Biological Sciences, National Research Council of Canada, Ottawa, Ont.
Butler
K
K
Haas
N
N
D000818:Animals; D001692:Biological Transport; D001812:Blood-Brain Barrier / Q000528:radiation effects*; D001921:Brain / Q000528:radiation effects; D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D013395:Sucrose / Q000378:metabolism
D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D013395:Sucrose