title: Blood-brain barrier experiments with clinical magnetic resonance imaging and an immunohistochemical study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of study was to evaluate the feasibility of brain magnetic resonance (MR) images of the rat obtained using a 1.5T MR machine in several blood-brain barrier (BBB) experiments.
  
  
  METHODS
  Male Sprague-Dawley rats were used. MR images were obtained using a clinical 1.5T MR machine. A microcatheter was introduced via the femoral artery to the carotid artery. Normal saline (group 1, n = 4), clotted autologous blood (group 2, n = 4), triolein emulsion (group 3, n = 4), and oleic acid emulsion (group 4, n = 4) were infused into the carotid artery through a microcatheter. Conventional and diffusion-weighted images, the apparent coefficient map, perfusion-weighted images, and contrast-enhanced MR images were obtained. Brain tissue was obtained and triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining was performed in group 2. Fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-labeled dextran images and endothelial barrier antigen (EBA) studies were performed in group 4.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The MR images in group 1 were of good quality. The MR images in group 2 revealed typical findings of acute cerebral infarction. Perfusion defects were noted on the perfusion-weighted images. The MR images in group 3 showed vasogenic edema and contrast enhancement, representing vascular damage. The rats in group 4 had vasogenic edema on the MR images and leakage of dextran on the FITC-labeled dextran image, representing increased vascular permeability. The immune reaction was decreased on the EBA study.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Clinical 1.5T MR images using a rat depicted many informative results in the present study. These results can be used in further researches of the BBB using combined clinical MR machines and immunohistochemical examinations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, College of Medicine & Medical Research Institute, Pusan National University, Yangsan, Korea.
authors.forename: Jun Woo
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Hak Jin
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Geun Sung
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Hyung Soo
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Han