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Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in the rat spinal cord: lesion detection with high-resolution MR microscopy
Andreas Steinbrecher1, Thomas Weber, Thomas Neuberger
1Department of Neurology, University of Regensburg, Germany.
Background And Purpose:
Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is an inflammatory demyelinating disorder of the CNS and an animal model of multiple sclerosis. We used high-field MR microscopy at 17.6 T to image spinal cord inflammatory lesions in the acute stage of chronic relapsing rat EAE. We sought to compare lesions detected on MR imaging with histopathologic findings and to quantify the inflammatory lesion load.
Methods:
Imaging of fixed spinal cord specimens was performed by using a 3D gradient-echo sequence with a spatial resolution of 35 x 35 x 58 microm3 and a total imaging time of 5.5 hours. Histopathologic analysis was performed by staining axial sections with hematoxylin-eosin or Luxol fast blue to identify cellular infiltration and demyelination.
Results:
Clinical signs of EAE occurred on days 10-14 after immunization. On day 22, healthy white matter and gray matter were differentiated by high contrast on T2*-weighted images, with white matter lesions appearing as hyperintense areas in the normal-appearing white matter. Inflammatory lesions identified on histopathologic evaluation were readily detected with MR imaging and vice versa. MR imaging and histopathologic analysis had excellent correlation regarding the extent of white matter lesions. Inflammatory infiltrates of gray matter were not detectable with MR imaging. Using a semiautomatic segmentation of the acquired MR data, we could quantify white matter lesion load.
Conclusion:
Ex vivo high-resolution MR microscopy of the spinal cord at 17.6 T allows rapid and highly accurate determination of CNS inflammation by demonstrating virtually all histologically detectable white matter inflammatory lesions.
Insights
High-field MR microscopy accurately detects spinal cord inflammation in a rat model of multiple sclerosis. This imaging technique correlates well with histology for quantifying white matter lesions in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Medical Imaging
- Pathology
Background:
- Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) serves as a key animal model for multiple sclerosis, a central nervous system (CNS) inflammatory demyelinating disorder.
- Understanding CNS inflammation in EAE is crucial for developing effective multiple sclerosis therapies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To image spinal cord inflammatory lesions in the acute stage of chronic relapsing rat EAE using high-field MR microscopy (17.6 T).
- To compare MR imaging findings with histopathologic results and quantify the inflammatory lesion load.
Main Methods:
- Fixed spinal cord specimens were imaged using a 3D gradient-echo sequence (35 x 35 x 58 microm3 resolution; 5.5 hours total imaging time).
- Histopathologic analysis involved hematoxylin-eosin and Luxol fast blue staining to identify cellular infiltration and demyelination.
Main Results:
- MR microscopy clearly differentiated white matter from gray matter, with lesions appearing as hyperintense areas.
- MR imaging detected inflammatory lesions that correlated excellently with histopathologic findings for white matter lesions.
- Gray matter inflammatory infiltrates were not detectable by MR imaging, but white matter lesion load was quantifiable.
Conclusions:
- Ex vivo high-resolution MR microscopy at 17.6 T provides rapid and accurate assessment of CNS inflammation.
- This technique effectively identifies most histologically detectable white matter inflammatory lesions in the spinal cord.
