Acute stroke in cats: comparison of dynamic susceptibility-contrast MR imaging with T2- and diffusion-weighted MR imaging.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the hemodynamics of acute stroke in cats by means of dynamic susceptibility-contrast magnetic resonance (MR) imaging compared with standard T2- and diffusion-weighted MR imaging.


METHODS
Unilateral permanent occlusion of the middle cerebral artery was performed in 18 cats. MR imaging was performed with each method 2 hours (n = 2), 6 hours (n = 10), and 24 hours (n = 11) after occlusion.


RESULTS
At every time point, dynamic MR images clearly showed ischemic regions of steady-state signal hyperintensity and areas of less dynamic decrease in signal intensity that corresponded closely to those seen on diffusion-weighted MR images. T2-weighted MR images did not reveal regions of high signal intensity 2 hours after occlusion. The measurements of relative blood volume obtained with the dynamic method were significantly lower in steady-state hyperintense ischemic areas of the affected side than those in the contralateral normal areas at 6 and 24 hours (P < .001).


CONCLUSIONS
This dynamic method can advance the time of detection of early ischemia in comparison with T2-weighted MR imaging and provides functional information about hemodynamics not provided by other methods of MR imaging.
Maeda
M
M
Department of Radiology, Fukui Medical School, Japan.
Itoh
S
S
Ide
H
H
Matsuda
T
T
Kobayashi
H
H
Kubota
T
T
Ishii
Y
Y
D000208:Acute Disease; D000818:Animals; D001810:Blood Volume / Q000502:physiology; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002415:Cats; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000502:physiology; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003287:Contrast Media; D004058:Diffusion; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005682:Gadolinium; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D006439:Hemodynamics; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008536:Meglumine; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D004369:Pentetic Acid; D013997:Time Factors
D003287:Contrast Media; D004338:Drug Combinations; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D008536:Meglumine; D004369:Pentetic Acid; D005682:Gadolinium; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA