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Updated: Aug 9, 2026
An In Vivo Duo-color Method for Imaging Vascular Dynamics Following Contusive Spinal Cord Injury
Published on: December 31, 2017
In vivo high-resolution MR imaging of neuropathologic changes in the injured rat spinal cord
Background And Purpose:
MR imaging is the most comprehensive noninvasive means to assess structural changes in injured central nervous system (CNS) tissue in humans over time. The few published in vivo MR imaging studies of spinal cord injury in rodent models by using field strengths < or = 7T suffer from low spatial resolution, flow, and motion artifacts. The aim of this study was to assess the capacity of a 17.6T imaging system to detect pathologic changes occurring in a rat spinal cord contusion injury model ex vivo and in vivo.
Methods:
Seven adult female Fischer 344 rats received contusion injuries at thoracic level T10, which caused severe and reproducible lesions of the injured spinal cord parenchyma. Two to 58 days postinjury, high-resolution MR imaging was performed ex vivo (2) or in vivo in anesthetized rats (5 spinal cord injured + one intact control animal) by using 2D multisection spin- and gradient-echo imaging sequences, respectively, combined with electrocardiogram triggering and respiratory gating.
Results:
The acquired images provided excellent resolution and gray/white matter differentiation without significant artifacts. Signal intensity changes, which were detected with ex vivo and in vivo MR imaging following spinal cord injury, could be correlated with histologically defined structural changes such as edema, fibroglial scar, and hemorrhage.
Conclusions:
These results demonstrate that MR imaging at 17.6T allows high-resolution structural analysis of spinal cord pathology after injury.
Insights
High-field 17.6T MR imaging enables detailed ex vivo and in vivo visualization of spinal cord injury pathology in rats. This advanced technique detects structural changes like edema and hemorrhage with high resolution.
Area of Science:
- Neuroimaging
- Biomedical Engineering
- Veterinary Medicine
Background:
- Magnetic Resonance (MR) imaging is crucial for assessing central nervous system (CNS) tissue damage.
- Previous in vivo MR studies in rodent spinal cord injury models at field strengths ≤7T had limitations in spatial resolution and artifact control.
- High-field MR imaging offers potential for improved visualization of spinal cord injury.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the capability of a 17.6T MR imaging system.
- To detect pathological changes in a rat spinal cord contusion injury model.
- To compare ex vivo and in vivo imaging performance.
Main Methods:
- Seven female Fischer 344 rats underwent thoracic T10 contusion injuries.
- High-resolution MR imaging was performed 2–58 days post-injury.
- 2D multisection spin- and gradient-echo sequences with ECG triggering and respiratory gating were used for ex vivo and in vivo imaging.
Main Results:
- The 17.6T MR imaging system provided excellent resolution and gray/white matter differentiation.
- Images exhibited minimal artifacts.
- Detected signal intensity changes correlated with histological findings such as edema, fibroglial scar, and hemorrhage.
Conclusions:
- 17.6T MR imaging facilitates high-resolution structural analysis of spinal cord pathology.
- This technique is valuable for studying spinal cord injury in preclinical models.
- The findings support the use of ultra-high field MR for detailed neuropathology assessment.
