q-Space high b value diffusion MRI of hemi-crush in rat spinal cord: evidence for spontaneous regeneration.
The development of the damage following hemi-crush trauma in rat spinal cord was studied ex vivo using high b value (bmax = 1 x 10(7) s cm(-2)) q-space diffusion weighted MRI (DWI) at five days, ten days and six weeks post-trauma. Rat spinal cord trauma, produced by hemi-crush of 15s and 60s duration, was studied. The water signal decay in these diffusion experiments was found to be non mono-exponential and was analyzed using the q-space approach. The q-space MRI parameters were compared with T1 and T2 MR images, behavioral tests and histopathological osmium staining. A very good anatomical correlation was found between the q-space MRI parameters and the osmium staining. Interestingly, we found that in the 15s hemi-crush model significant recovery was observed in both the q-space MR images and the osmium staining six weeks post-trauma. However, in the 60s hemi-crush trauma model very little recovery was observed. These results paralleled those obtained from behavioral tests demonstrating that partial spontaneous recovery seems to occur in the 15s hemi-crush spinal cord model, which should be taken in consideration when using it to evaluate new therapies.
Nossin-Manor
Revital
R
School of Chemistry, The Raymond and Beverly Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Ramat Aviv, Tel Aviv, Israel.
Duvdevani
Revital
R
Cohen
Yoram
Y
D000818:Animals; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D023421:Models, Animal; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology; D009186:Myelin Sheath / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012038:Regeneration; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*