title: Modelling of pH dynamics in brain cells after stroke.
abstract: The identification of salvageable brain tissue is a major challenge at stroke presentation. Standard techniques used in this context, such as the perfusion-diffusion mismatch, remain controversial. There is thus a need for new methods to help guide treatment. The potential role of pH imaging in this context is currently being investigated. Intracellular pH varies as a function of local perfusion, intracellular energy stores and time. Low pH triggers the production of free radicals and affects the calcium balance of the cells, which may lead to apoptosis and cell death. Thus, the characterization of pH dynamics may have predictive value for cell death after stroke, particularly when combined with novel imaging techniques. Therefore, we have extended an existing model of brain cellular metabolism to simulate the pH response of cells to ischaemia. Simulation results for conditions of reduced cerebral blood flow show good agreement for the evolution of intracellular pH with previously reported measurements and encourage the development of quantitative pH imaging to validate the predictive value of pH.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Department of Engineering Science ,  University of Oxford ,  Oxford ,  UK.
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Orlowski
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chappell
authors.forename: Chang Sub
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Vicente
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Grau
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Payne