Co-registration of radiographic and pathologic infarct territory in a non-human primate model of stroke.
OBJECTIVE
Infarct volume correlation using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and pathology specimens enables exact tissue localization of cerebral injury following experimental stroke. We describe a protocol that enables co-registration of radiographic signal change and histologic ischemia in a non-human primate model of stroke.


METHODS
One male baboon underwent left middle cerebral artery territory occlusion/reperfusion. MRI [5 mm axial T2 weighted (T2W) slices] was carried out 9 days post-ischemia after which the animal was killed. Immediately post-mortem, the whole brain was perfused and fixed in paraformaldehyde and sliced into 5 mm axial sections that corresponded to those demonstrated on MRI. Slices (40 microm) were obtained from each section and were then stained using Luxol hematoxylin and eosin.


RESULTS
The relative area of hyperintensity demonstrated on T2W MRI approximates, in size and location, the region of infarct on gross pathology. This was confirmed microscopically.


CONCLUSIONS
With the use of advanced imaging modalities, this co-registration technique affords the capacity to differentiate ischemic core, penumbra, and uninjured cortex following experimental stroke. Such a precise delineation enables immunohistochemical analysis of a wide variety of substrates in each of the aforementioned regions.
Komotar
Ricardo J
RJ
Department of Neurological Surgery, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA. rjk2103@columbia.edu
Mocco
J
J
Mack
William J
WJ
Ransom
Evan R
ER
Zacharia
Brad E
BE
King
Ryan G
RG
Ducruet
Andrew F
AF
Cohen
Hilary G
HG
Arango
Victoria
V
Connolly
E Sander
ES
D000818:Animals; D020520:Brain Infarction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D010215:Papio; D011859:Radiography; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology