title: The correlation between DTI parameters and levels of AQP-4 in the early phases of cerebral edema after hypoxic-ischemic/reperfusion injury in piglets.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Brain edema during the early stages of hypoxic-ischemic/reperfusion (HI/R) injury can be determined using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). The change in ADC values has been correlated with the change in expression of AQP-4.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine cerebral edema at specific time intervals after HI/R injury using DTI modalities and discuss its relationship to the expression of aquaporin-4 (AQP-4).
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty newborn piglets were divided into six groups (2, 6, 12, 24, 48 and 72 h) after HI/R injury. The control group subjected to sham surgery included five piglets. DTI scans and immunohistochemistry of AQP-4 expression were performed on piglet brain. The relationship between DTI parameters (FA and ADC values) and the optical density (OD) of AQP-4 expression was determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the striatum, ADC values dropped and reached their lowest level at 24 h (F = 27.42, P < 0.05). In the subcortical border region, ADC values increased after a transient decrease and peaked at 48 h, demonstrating a significant difference from the control group (F = 50.25, P < 0.05). FA values in the internal capsules and subcortical white matter in HI/R models decreased continuously after HI/R, although no statistically significant difference from the control group was achieved. ADC and OD values of AQP-4 expression were positively correlated (r = 0.875, P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The change in ADC value after HI/R injury correlates with the expression of AQP-4.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110004 Liaoning Province, China.
authors.forename: Hongwei
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xiaoming
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Qiyong
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Guo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D051401:Aquaporin 4 / Q000378:metabolism*; D001929:Brain Edema / Q000378:metabolism*; D056324:Diffusion Tensor Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D020925:Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D013552:Swine
chemical_list: D051401:Aquaporin 4