Newly developed surface coil for endoluminal MRI, depiction of pig gastric wall layers and vascular architecture in ex vivo study.
BACKGROUND
The purpose of this study was to visualize the gastric wall layers and to depict the vascular architecture in vitro by using resected porcine stomachs studied with high-spatial resolution magnetic resonance (MR) imaging.


METHODS
Normal dissected porcine stomach samples (n = 4) were examined with a 3 Tesla MR system using a newly developed surface coil. MR images were obtained by the surface coil as receiver and a head coil as transmitter. High-spatial-resolution spin-echo MR images were obtained with a field of view of 8 x 8 cm, a matrix of 256 x 128 and slice thicknesses of 3 and 5 mm.


RESULTS
T1 and T2-weighted MR images clearly depicted the normal porcine gastric walls as consisting of four distinct layers. In addition, vascular architectures in proper muscle layers were also visualized, which were confirmed by histological examinations to correspond to blood vessels.


CONCLUSIONS
High-spatial-resolution MR imaging using a surface coil placed closely to the gastric wall enabled the differentiation of porcine gastric wall layers and the depiction of the blood vessels in proper muscle layer in this experimental study.
Morita
Yoshinori
Y
Department of Gastroenterology, Kobe University School of Medicine, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan. ymorita@med.kobe-u.ac.jp
Kutsumi
Hiromu
H
Yoshinaka
Hayato
H
Matsuoka
Yuichiro
Y
Kuroda
Kagayaki
K
Gotanda
Masakazu
M
Sekino
Naomi
N
Kumamoto
Etsuko
E
Yoshida
Masaru
M
Inokuchi
Hideto
H
Azuma
Takeshi
T
D000818:Animals; D003287:Contrast Media; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000098:blood supply; D007089:Image Enhancement; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000098:blood supply; D012826:Silicone Elastomers; D013270:Stomach / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000098:blood supply; D034421:Sus scrofa
D003287:Contrast Media; D012826:Silicone Elastomers; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA