Dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI of muscle perfusion combined with MR angiography of collateral artery growth in a femoral artery ligation model.
To assess the use of MRI for evaluating changes in muscle blood flow and number of collateral arteries, serial dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) was combined with high-spatial-resolution contrast-enhanced MR angiography (MRA) in a peripheral ischemia model. The combined MRI (DCE-MRI and MRA) protocol was performed serially in 15 male rabbits at 2 h (day 0(+)), 7 days, and 21 days after femoral artery ligation. In the anterior tibial and soleus muscle, changes in resting muscle blood flow determined as the endothelial transfer coefficient (K(trans)) and arterial inflow delay from DCE-MRI and changes in the number of sub-millimeter sized collateral arteries as scored with MRA were measured. Directly after ligation, K(trans) in the anterior tibial muscle was reduced to 23% of that in the control limb, then recovered to 81% on day 7, and to 85 % on day 21. K(trans) in the soleus muscle recovered from a reduction to 63% on day 0(+), to 85% on day 7, and to 90% on day 21. The number of collaterals around the ligated femoral artery increased from 1.1 on day 0(+) to 4.2 on day 7, and 6.0 on day 21 in the ligated limb only. Combined DCE-MRI and MRA allows non-invasive serial monitoring of changes in muscle blood flow and growth of sub-millimeter sized collateral arteries in a rabbit femoral artery ligation model.
de Lussanet
Quido G
QG
Department of Radiology, Maastricht University Hospital, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
van Golde
Jolanda C G
JC
Beets-Tan
Regina G H
RG
Post
Mark J
MJ
Huijberts
Maya S
MS
Schaper
Nicolaas C
NC
Kessels
Alphons G H
AG
van Engelshoven
Jos M A
JM
Backes
Walter H
WH
D000818:Animals; D003097:Collateral Circulation / Q000502:physiology*; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D006614:Hindlimb / Q000294:innervation; D007700:Kinetics; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D023421:Models, Animal; D011817:Rabbits