In vivo assessment of myocardial blood flow in rat heart using magnetic resonance imaging: effect of anesthesia.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the influence of isoflurane and pentobarbital anesthesia and the carrier gases on myocardial blood flow (MBF) in the rat heart in vivo.


METHODS
MBF was quantified in vivo using arterial spin-labeling (ASL) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Left ventricular (LV) function was estimated during the same experiment using cine-MRI. Thirty-four male Wistar-Kyoto rats were divided in four groups, one anesthetized with isoflurane in oxygen:nitrous oxide mix (ISO), the three others with intraperitoneal pentobarbital, and breathing either room air (PB), oxygen:nitrous oxide (PB + N(2)O), or oxygen:nitrogen (PB + N(2)).


RESULTS
MBF was significantly higher in the ISO and PB + N(2)O groups vs. PB and in ISO vs. PB + N(2), with the following respective MBF values: ISO, 5.9 +/- 1.1; PB, 4.0 +/- 0.8; PB + N(2)O, 5.1 +/- 1.4; and PB + N(2), 4.6 +/- 0.8 mL/g/minute, mean +/- SD. Ejection fractions were reduced by 10% in PB and PB + N(2)O rats vs. ISO rats. Cardiac output (CO) and index (CI) were 25 to 30% lower in all rats anesthetized with pentobarbital than with isoflurane.


CONCLUSIONS
Isoflurane and nitrous oxide induce a higher MBF than pentobarbital. Isoflurane also induces a higher ejection fraction in healthy rats.
Iltis
Isabelle
I
Centre de Résonance Magnétique Biologique et Médicale, UMR CNRS 6612, Faculté de Médecine de Marseille, 27 Boulevard Jean Moulin, 13005 Marseille, France.
Kober
Frank
F
Dalmasso
Christiane
C
Lan
Carole
C
Cozzone
Patrick J
PJ
Bernard
Monique
M
D000769:Anesthesia, Inhalation / Q000379:methods; D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D003326:Coronary Circulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000502:physiology; D007530:Isoflurane / Q000494:pharmacology; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography; D019028:Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Cine; D008297:Male; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D009609:Nitrous Oxide / Q000494:pharmacology; D010424:Pentobarbital / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013318:Stroke Volume / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology
D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation; D007530:Isoflurane; D010424:Pentobarbital; D009609:Nitrous Oxide