title: Acute arterial mesenteric ischemia and reperfusion: macroscopic and MRI findings, preliminary report.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the physiopathology and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings in an animal model of acute arterial mesenteric ischemia (AAMI) with and without reperfusion.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study, 8 adult Sprague-Dawley rats underwent superior mesenteric artery (SMA) ligation and were then randomly divided in two groups of 4. In group I, the ischemia was maintained for 8 h. In group II, 1-h after SMA occlusion, the ligation was removed by cutting the thread fixed on the back of the animal, and reperfusion was monitored for 8 h. MRI was performed using a 7-T system.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found that, in the case of AAMI without reperfusion, spastic reflex ileus, hypotonic reflex ileus, free abdominal fluid and bowel wall thinning are present from the second hour, and bowel wall hyperintensity in T2-W sequences are present from the fourth hour. The reperfusion model shows the presence of early bowel wall hyperintensity in T2-W sequences after 1 h and bowel wall thickening from the second hour.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study has shown that MRI can assess pathological changes that occur in the small bowel and distinguish between the presence and absence of reperfusion after induced acute arterial ischemia.
authors.affiliation: Luca Saba, Department of Radiology, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria di Cagliari, 09045 Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Saba
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Berritto
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Iacobellis
authors.forename: Mariano
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Scaglione
authors.forename: Sigismondo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Castaldo
authors.forename: Santolo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cozzolino
authors.forename: Maria Antonietta
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Mazzei
authors.forename: Veronica
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Di Mizio
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Grassi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000473:pathology*; D007511:Ischemia / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D065666:Mesenteric Ischemia; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015424:Reperfusion; D013152:Splanchnic Circulation; D013997:Time Factors; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*
keywords: Acute arterial mesenteric ischemia; Animal model; Bowel ischemia; Magnetic resonance imaging; Reperfusion; Superior mesenteric artery