title: Correlation between high-field T2-weighted MR imaging and histology of ischemic lesions in gerbil brain.
abstract: Global forebrain ischemia in the Mongolian gerbil is a common animal model for use in stroke research. We produced lesions of graded severity in gerbil brains (after prescreening by MR imaging) by performing 6-minute bilateral carotid artery occlusions while monitoring pericranial temperature with a temporalis muscle thermocouple probe and maintaining the temperature at 32 degrees C, 36 degrees C, or 40 degrees C. Lesion severity was scored 4 days after occlusion from findings on spin-echo images acquired at 7 T and from histologic scores. Statistically significant correlation was observed between the MR imaging score and brain temperature and between the MR imaging score and the area of the CA region of the hippocampus measured by histology. In addition, because prescreening with MR imaging revealed abnormalities in the hippocampus of some of the animals, and these animals were rejected from the study, the statistical significance of the result could be strengthened.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Magnetic Resonance, University of Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: P D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Hockings
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Middleton
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: N A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Samson
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Reid
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Rose
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Crozier
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Roffman
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Rothaul
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Hunter
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001831:Body Temperature; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005849:Gerbillinae; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000473:pathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D013997:Time Factors