Physiological monitoring of small animals during magnetic resonance imaging.
Maintaining a stable physiologic state is essential when studying animal models of epilepsy with simultaneous electroencephalograph (EEG) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) or EEG and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). To achieve and maintain such stability in rats in the MRI environment, a minimally invasive but comprehensive system was developed to monitor body temperature, heart rate, blood pressure, blood oxygen saturation and end-tidal CO2 (ETCO2) of expired gas. All physiologic parameters were successfully monitored in Sprague-Dawley rats without interfering with EEG recordings during simultaneous fMRI and MRS studies. Body temperature, heart rate, blood pressure, blood oxygen saturation, and ETCO2, were maintained between 36.5 and 37.5 degrees C, 250-450 beats/min, 136+/-17 mmHg, >90%, and 20-35 mmHg, respectively for 6-8 h under inhalational anesthesia. This set-up could be extended to study in vivo applications in other laboratory animals with only minor modifications.
Mirsattari
Seyed M
SM
Department of Clinical Neurological Sciences, University of Western Ontario, 10-OP3, 339 Windermere Rd, London, Ont., Canada, N6A 5A5. smmirsat@uwo.ca
Bihari
Frank
F
Leung
L Stan
LS
Menon
Ravi S
RS
Wang
Zheng
Z
Ives
John R
JR
Bartha
Robert
R
D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001831:Body Temperature / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology; D004569:Electroencephalography; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D009482:Neurophysiology / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley / Q000502:physiology*; D013238:Stereotaxic Techniques
D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation