title: Quantitative and noninvasive assessment of prenatal X-ray-induced CNS abnormalities using magnetic resonance imaging.
abstract: Our purpose was to noninvasively assess formation of the microvasculature, blood-brain barrier (BBB) and blood-CSF barrier formation of prenatal X-ray-induced CNS abnormalities using quantitative MRI. Eight pregnant female Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into two groups consisting of control and X-irradiated animals. After birth, 20 neonatal male rats were divided into four groups of five rats. To evaluate the development of the BBB, changes in T(1) induced by Gd-DTPA were compared quantitatively in normal and prenatally irradiated animals in the formative period 1 to 2 weeks after birth. To assess the abnormalities of the microvasculature, quantitative perfusion MRI and MR angiography were also used. Histology was also performed to evaluate the BBB (albumin) and vascular endothelial cells (laminin). Decreased cerebral blood flow (CBF) and angioarchitectonic abnormalities were observed in the prenatally irradiated rats. However, abnormalities of the BBB and blood-CSF barrier were not observed using Gd-enhanced MRI and albumin staining. Quantitative perfusion MRI, MR angiography and Gd-enhanced T(1) mapping are useful for assessing CNS disturbance after prenatal exposure to radiation. These techniques provide important diagnostic information for assessing the condition of patients during the early stages of life after accidental or unavoidable prenatal exposure to radiation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Neuroimaging, Graduate School of Medicine, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.
authors.forename: Shigeyoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.forename: Ichio
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Aoki
authors.forename: Kazuhiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sawada
authors.forename: Xue-Zhi
authors.initials: XZ
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Kai-Hsiang
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Chuang
authors.forename: Jeff
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kershaw
authors.forename: Iwao
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kanno
authors.forename: Tetsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Suhara
mesh_terms: D000016:Abnormalities, Radiation-Induced / Q000175:diagnosis*; D000418:Albumins / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D001812:Blood-Brain Barrier; D001921:Brain / Q000002:abnormalities*; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000528:radiation effects; D005260:Female; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007797:Laminin / Q000032:analysis; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014965:X-Rays / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D000418:Albumins; D007797:Laminin; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA