Dynamic MRI reveals that the magnitude of the ischemia-related enhancement in skeletal muscle is age-dependent.
This study was designed to evaluate the influence of age on the dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI of ischemic tissue. A well-established model of peripheral arterial insufficiency (i.e., the rat hindlimb ischemia after removal of femoral artery) in different age groups (i.e., young, presenescent, and senescent rats) was studied. The analysis of the MR signal demonstrated a marked accumulation of a contrast agent (Gd-DTPA) in the ischemic leg (ischemia-related enhancement, IRE). IRE was an age-related event: 4-month-old rats showed a strong IRE while 12-month-old rats and 20-month old rats showed a significantly reduced IRE in comparison to young animals. Histological analysis of the ischemic muscles revealed that there was no evidence of significant necrosis of the muscle tissue but only a weak interstitial fibrosis; CD31-immunostaining revealed a preserved microcirculatory bed.
Sbarbati
Andrea
A
Dipartimento di Scienze Morfologico-Biomediche, Sezione di Anatomia ed Istologia, University of Verona, Verona, Italy. andrea.sbarbati@univr.it
Marzola
Pasquina
P
Nicolato
Elena
E
Farace
Paolo
P
Asperio
Roberto M
RM
Lunati
Ernesto
E
Fabene
Paolo F
PF
Marzioni
Daniela
D
Castellucci
Mario
M
Capogrossi
Maurizio C
MC
Osculati
Francesco
F
D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D006614:Hindlimb; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007511:Ischemia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D019408:Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000032:analysis; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
D003287:Contrast Media; D019408:Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA